ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE - RACE FOR THE TITLE & TO AVOID THE BOTTOM SPOT

ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE CURRENT TABLE - TOP THREE BOTTOM TWO ONLY 
                    HOME            AWAY            TOTAL                    CURRENT FORM 
                    P  W D L GF GA  P  W D L GF GA  P  W  D L  GF GA  GD PTS P W D L GF GA GD PTS 
1. WITHAM TOWN      9  6 2 1 31 10  8  6 2 0 20  5  17 12 4 1  51 15 +36 40  6 6 0 0 19  3 16 18  
2. SOUTHEND MANOR   8  7 1 0 24  6  7  5 2 0 17  9  15 12 3 0  41 15 +26 39  6 5 1 0 16  2 14 16 
3. ENFIELD 1893 FC  6  4 1 1 15  4  10 8 2 0 19  8  16 12 3 1  34 12 +22 39  6 5 0 1 16  5 11 15  

17. H&W DEVELOPMENT 10 1 3 6 14 22  6  1 2 3 10 17  16 2  5 9  24 39 -15 11  6 2 1 4  9 13 -4  7  
18. BASILDON UNITED 7  0 1 6  9 24  11 1 2 8 14 31  18 1  3 14 23 55 -32  6  6 0 1 5  6 18 -12 1  
 

The race for the title in the Essex Senior League is looking like a straight race between Witham Town, Southend Manor and Enfield 1893. It'll be a tough ask for current fourth placed Takeley to get involved - they are only four points back from Enfield 1893 but have played 21 games with the teams below them Bethnal Green United (31 pts from 17 games) and Burnham Ramblers (28 pts from 18 games) both also having played more games than the top three.

The current top three have only faced each other once so far when Witham Town recorded what could be a valuable 0-1 win at Goldsdown Road on Saturday 5th November.

Both Southend Manor (2) and Enfield 1893 (1) both have games in hand over Witham Town so the lead looks set to be changed on a number of occasions over the next few months. Should the top three win their games tomorrow and Southend Manor win their home game with Sawbo on Tuesday night it will be Southchurch Park side who will be top over the Christmas and New Year period when the league takes a two week break until the 7th January.

The next big game comes just a few days after when on Tuesday 10th January Southend Manor travel to Goldsdown Road.

SCHEDULED NEXT LEAGUE GAMES FOR TOP THREE  
            WITHAM TOWN       SOUTHEND MANOR      ENFIELD 1893 
17/12/2011  Basildon United   BETHNAL GREEN       TAKELEY 
20/12/2011  -                 SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN -          
7/1/2012    HULLBRIDGE SPORTS Sawbridgeworth Town SPORTING BENGAL
10/1/2012   -                 Enfield 1893        SOUTHEND MANOR           
14/1/2012   Bowers & Pitsea   STANSTED            London APSA        

At the bottom of the table Basildon United are adrift by 5 points from Haringey and Waltham Development whom have two games in hand over the current basement dwellers.

Basildon's only victory came way back on Wednesday 10th August when they won the Basildon derby at Bowers and Pitsea 2-5. H&W's form has improved of late with their two wins coming in their last six games at Barking (2-3) and at home against Basildon United (2-0 in front of a crowd of 9 (nine) people).

The league season ends on Saturday 14th April 2012 when 1893 go to Witham Town in what could be a possible title decider but Southend Manor could have it all wrapped up by this stage when they welcome Takeley to the Coast.