THE RACE FOR THE SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION TITLE

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE 

PREMIER DIVISION TABLE - TOP FIVE ONLY 

TEAM	P	GD	PTS	PPG
BERKHAMSTED	17	+22	41	2.41
HARPENDEN TOWN	17	+18	39	2.29
WELWYN GC	15	+22	38	2.53
HODDESDON TOWN	21	+14	34	1.62
BIGGLESWADE FC	17	+11	33	1.94

Berkhamsted are currently top the SSMFL Premier Division - they are the only step five side in the country left with an unbeaten league record having won twelve and drawn five of their seventeen games played. With their two games in hand Welwyn Garden City can overtake them - The Citizens have lost just one of their fifteen games played winning twelve and drawing two of them. 

Harpenden Town and Biggleswade FC (both promoted from Division One last season) will be really pleased with their current placings. Hoddesdon Town are currently fourth but with twenty one games played are probably out of the title race already. 

The three teams with a current Points Per Game (PPG) record of over 2 are the top three of Berkhamsted, Harpenden Town and Welwyn Garden City. 

POINTS PER GAME RECORD OF THE CURRENT TOP FIVE   

TOP FIVE CURRENT FORM TABLE

TEAM	P	GD	PTS
HARPENDEN TOWN	6	+9	16
BIGGLESWADE FC	6	+4	13
WELWYN GC	6	+4	13
HODDESDON TOWN	6	+8	12
BERKHAMSTED	6	+3	12

The current table toppers are bottom of the current form table for the top five dropping what could be important points in three draws against Edgware Town, Biggleswade United and Crawley Green. The form side for the whole division is currently sixth placed Leverstock Green who have won all of their last six league games. They had a terrible start to the campaign losing their four opening fixtures but as the below shows they have improved remarkably since then. With this up-turn in form I think, although they might not finish top of the table, they might have a say in where the title ends up in the games they have scheduled against the current top five.  

LEVERSTOCK GREEN COMPARISON OF FORM

P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	PPG
9	3	1	5	14	20	-6	10	1.11
8	7	1	0	26	12	+14	22	2.75

If you take a look at the top six v top six table you can see the current top three arguably have a tougher set of games having only played two and three games opposed to six for Leverstock Green, Biggleswade FC and Hoddesdon Town. 

TOP SIX v TOP SIX 
GAMES PLAYED TABLE 

TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	PPG
BERKHAMSTED	3	2	1	0	11	6	+5	7	2.33
HARPENDEN TOWN	3	1	2	0	7	3	+4	5	1.67
LEVERSTOCK GREEN	6	3	1	2	13	13	0	10	1.67
BIGGLESWADE FC	6	2	2	2	10	10	0	8	1.33
HODDESDON TOWN	6	1	2	3	7	13	-6	5	0.83
WELWYN GARDEN CITY	2	0	1	1	2	3	-1	1	0.50

There are some very interesting fixtures coming up for the top six sides - 

Berkhamsted FC 

The Comrades were recently knocked out of the FA Vase by local rival's Tring Athletic and have a chance to gain some revenge in a home league game on Saturday 23rd December. They then take a tough trip to Leverstock Green on Saturday 30th December before hosting Harpenden Town on Saturday 6th January. 

Harpenden Town 

As well as their trip to to Berkhamsted they face an away trip to Biggleswade FC on Saturday 16th December as well as Welwyn Garden City on Saturday 30th December. 

Welwyn Garden City 

Adam Fisher's side have an important game at Hoddesdon Town on Saturday 23rd December as well as the home game versus Harpenden Town.  

Hoddesdon Town 

The Lillywhites next three league games are at home to Hadley and the afformentioned game against Welwyn GC before a New Year/Christmas local derby at St Margaretsbury on Saturday 30th December. 

Biggleswade FC 

Biggleswade's next league game is against Harpenden Town on Saturday 16th December before two hugely anticipated local derby games at Biggleswade United (Saturday 23rd December) and at home to Stotfold (Saturday 30th December). 

Leverstock Green 

Scott Dash's in form side face Colney Heath this Tuesday at Pancake Lane (weather permitting!) and then travel to Biggleswade United and Holmer Green prior to Christmas.