THE ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE RACE FOR PROMOTION

The cold end has always had a passing interest in the Essex Senior League after Enfield Town gained promotion in 2005. Since we were champions the League has been won by the reformed AFC Hornchurch, Brentwood Town, Concord Rangers and Romford all of whom are holding their own in the Ryman League.

This season the league looks set for an exciting Championship race with only 5 points separating current league leaders and longest serving members Stansted and seventh placed Hertfordshire based Enfield FC 1893.

The Airportmen are one point ahead of Burnham Ramblers who must be considered favourites with three games in hand over Stansted and five in hand over 3rd place Sawbridgeworth Town. Sawbo and Stansted will have to carry out a large amount of work on their respective grounds should they wish to be considered for promotion. The Hertfordshire club's form is on and off as they beat Burnham Ramblers 4-2 on the 21st November and then a few games later were thrashed by 9th placed Witham Town 5-0 who are settling into ESL life with what appears to be a season of consolodation following relegation from the Ryman last season.

In 4th place are Takeley who have taken to ESL life brilliantly since joining last season (3rd place finish) with Basildon United in 5th place followed by debutants Bethnal Green United and then EFC 1893 FC.

Bethnal have had a great season considering they have jumped two steps up from the Middlesex County League with two stand out victories away from home at Sawbo (4-0) and EFC 1893 (5-0).

EFC 1893 FC who have ex-Towner Billy Healy amongst their ranks and are having a quite season to their standards down in 7th place after being runners-up for the past two years.

So with the games in hand that Burnham Ramblers have the league title looks like its there for the taking (although on the 5th December they lost 1-2 at home to title rivals Stansted). If they won their games in hand they would be eight points ahead of Stansted and an incredible nineteen points ahead of Sawbo currently in 3rd place.

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THE ESL SEASON SO FAR

Top crowd of the season so far has been 152 for the Barkingside V Stansted match on the 26th October. Lowest crowd of the season has been the 5 (five) people who turned up for the match between London APSA and Southend Manor two days previously. APSA who play at The Terrance McMillan Stadium in The London Borough of Newham are struggling to attract fans from the Plaistow/East Ham area where they are based with an average crowd of 16. Last season's average crowd was 20 and in the previous 07/08 season they averaged 20 people as well.

Table toppers Burnham Ramblers and 2nd placed Stansted are joint top scorers so far with 34 goals.

The team with the worst defence is bottom of the league. Mauritus Sports have conceded 45 times in 15 games. 3rd placed Sawbo are the next team with a leaky defence with their net being breached 31 times in 18 games.

Tiptree United and Bowers&Pitsea are yet to draw a game.

Stansted have the most draws with six in 16 games which may be there downfall in the race for the Championship.

Barking haven't won on the road and have only scored 3 times in 6 away games. In four of these games they have failed to find the net.

Burnham Ramblers have a perfect record on the road winning 4 of 4 scoring 11 and letting in zero goals.

Every team has won at least one game at home with only Mauritius Sports and Barking without a win on the road.

Mauritius Sports picked up their only point on the road in the 3-3 draw at Burnham on the 26th September.

Since joining the league from the 08/09 season Mauritius have only won 5 games. Four last season at home to Takeley, Burnham Ramblers, London APSA and Hullbridge Sports and one win this season at home to Takeley. The above draw with Burnham was only their fourth point won on the road and they are yet to win away from Home in the league.

Newcomers from the ECL Tiptree United are the only ESL side left in the FA Vase and have the luck of the draw so far having home ties in all rounds. Barkingside, Harefield United, Cogenhoe United and Beckenham Town have all been beaten so far with St Ives Town of the UCL visiting for a Fourth Round tie in the new year. The Jam Makers have a good history in the competition being runners up in 01/02.

Wes Bocking of Basildon United heads the top scorers chart with 15 goals so far this season