ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE FIXTURES RELEASED

The 40th season of the Essex Senior League kicks off on the 7th of August with a total of seventeen teams making up the Division. 2009/10 runners-up Witham Town who were denied promotion to the Ryman League have to be considered favourites for the title along with a clutch of other teams who were up the in the top half of the division last season including Champions Stansted, Enfield 1893 (newly merged with Brimsdown Rovers), Burnham Ramblers and Bethnal Green United amongst others.

Here are the opening fixtures for the league:

Saturday 7th August

Barking             v Enfield 1893
Basildon United     v Stansted
Bowers & Pitsea     v Bethnal Green United
Clapton             v Burnham Ramblers
Mauritius Sports    v Hullbridge Sports
Takeley             v Eton Manor
Witham Town         v Barkingside

Tuesday 10th August
*All League Cup Group games*

Witham Town         v Bethnal Green United
Barking             v Mauritius Sports
Burnham Ramblers    v Bowers & Pitsea
Sawbridgeworth Town v Basildon United
Clapton             v Barkingside
Hullbridge Sports   v Southend Manor

Saturday 14th August
*FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY GAMES*

Saffron Walden Town  v Mauritius Sports
Kentish Town         v Stansted
Clapton              v Stanway Rovers
Burnham Ramblers     v Hoddesdon Town
Bethnal Green United v Basildon United
Bowers & Pitsea      v Dunstable Town
Takeley              v Hertford Town
Cockfosters          v Hullbridge Sports
Witham Town          v Wembley
Tring Athletic       v Enfield 1893
London APSA          v Halstead Town
Eton Manor           v Bedford

Sunday 15th August
*FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY GAMES*

Hadley      v Barking - KO 1pm @ Potters Bar Town FC
Barkingside v Southend Manor

Saturday 21st August

Basildon United     v Barkingside
Bowers & Pitsea     v London APSA
Burnham Ramblers    v Barking
Eton Manor          v Takeley
Hullbridge Sports   v Enfield 1893
Sawbridgeworth Town v Mauritius Sports
Southend Manor      v Bethnal Green United
Witham Town         v Clapton

The pick of the opening day's games has to be Witham's game at home to Barkingside or Champions Stansted going to Gardiners Close to face Basildon United.

The second weekend of the season sees the magic of the FA Cup beginning with two all ESL ties being Bethnal Green United V Basildon on the Saturday and Barkingside entertaining Southend Manor on the Sunday. There are eight ESL v Spartan South Midlands League games with the match between Hadley and Barking on Sunday bound to attract a larger crowd than usual with a number of neutrals attending. Who will win the battle of the leagues with more teams qualifying for the Preliminary round?? The magic of the FA Cup will decide.

Maritius Sports, Clapton and London APSA all traditional strugglers in the ESL, face tough games against Eastern Counties League opposition, with Witham starting on the road to Wembley against The Lions of Wembley from the Combined Counties League.

After the excitement of the Cup it's back to league action on the 21st August with Bethnal Green United taking a trip from East London to the seaside in Essex to face Southend Manor.