What could be a pivotal result at the top of the table occurred yesterday as Hornchurch won 2-5 at Potters Bar Town which saw The Urchins move within a point of The Scholars at the top of the table. Liam Nash, who had been on the bench for the Essex side in their last two league games, returned to the starting line-up and netted a hat-trick with Sam Higgins netting the other two goals - The former East Thurrock United and Chelmsford City striker has now scored 18 goals in just 13 league and cup games so far this season.
WILL THE TITLE WINNERS COME FROM THE CURRENT TOP FIVE OR WILL ANOTHER TEAM EMERGE FROM LOWER DOWN THE TABLE?
It's the first time since Saturday 29th January 2022 that The Scholars have conceded four or more goals in a game - they lost 0-7 at home to Folkestone Invicta on that day.
It's the second time this season Mark Stimson's side have scored 5 or more goals on their travels as they won 0-6 at Herne Bay earlier in the season.
The Urchins have scored the most goals in league games this season with a current total of 44 which is 9 more than the next best team Potters Bar Town currently on 35 - It's an even more impressive statistic when you see Hornchurch have played one less game.
Fourth placed Enfield Town have a very important month coming up as they host Bishop's Stortford next Saturday before travelling to Aveley on Friday 9th December. They then host Hornchurch on Sat 17th December before playing Potters Bar Town at home on Boxing Day. The Town have lost both their games against the current top five so far which both came away from home against Hornchurch and Potters Bar Town.
Enfield Town v Bishop's Stortford is the game of the day next weekend as they are the form sides in the last ten league games with both winning seven, drawing two and losing just one game.
There are just six points separating Potters Bar Town at the top of the table and Bishop's Stortford in fifth place so it's really looking likely to be a very exciting season - below the play-off places we have Canvey Island in sixth place on 28 points and only 8 points down to Folkestone Invicta in sixteenth place.
TOP FIVE v TOP FIVE TABLE
| TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
PTS |
| HORNCHURCH |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
6 |
+4 |
9 |
| BISHOP'S STORTFORD |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
+2 |
6 |
| AVELEY |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
+1 |
6 |
| POTTERS BAR TOWN |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
-5 |
6 |
| ENFIELD TOWN |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
-2 |
0 |
At the foot of the table, it's Corinthian-Casuals and Herne Bay who are currently in the bottom two followed closely by Brightlingsea Regent and Bowers & Pitsea with Wingate & Finchley just outside the drop zone.
Only Herne Bay have a win away from home of the teams in the current bottom four. Bowers got so close to collecting all three points at Lewes on Saturday - they were 0-2 up at half time only for Lewes to equalise on 90+& minutes!!
Regent Manager Brett Munyard has recently made the signings of Enfield Town defender Ryan Kirwan and Buckhurst Hill duo of midfielder Nathan Sollosi and striker Suleyman Zudhu along with Ipswich Town youngster Finn Steele, a defender, on loan until January.
Sollosi and Zudhu have some goal scoring pedigree. Sollosi had netted 9 times in 12 games with Zudhu getting 10 in 17 for the Essex Senior League this season.
Last season at Step Six they got 40 goals in 36 games and 41 in 41 games!
Zudhu got a goal on his debut for Regent coming off the bench to score an 81st minute equaliser at Herne Bay in a 1-1 draw.
The Essex side are without a win in 12 league games but will be encouraged by the 1-1 draw at the weekend and a very impressive 1-1 draw at home to Hornchurch in their previous game.
Corinthian-Casuals have two wins from their seventeen games played so far - Both have come at home against teams currently in the bottom four. They beat Bowers & Pitsea on the opening day (4-1) and Herne Bay 3-2 on Saturday 5th November. Their next league game comes at home to Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday - What a huge 90 minutes that will be for both clubs!!
They have also recruited some new players under the new management of Justin Fevrier -
Midfielder Merrick James-Lewis has signed from South-East Division side East Grinstead Town. He played in the recent game against Wingate and Finchley but didn't feature against Hastings United. The 30-year-old began his career with Fulham and Southend United and has since played for a huge number of clubs - Braintree Town (loan), Braintree Town (loan) Bishop's Stortford (loan), Carshalton Athletic (loan), Colchester United, Concord Rangers, Canvey Island, Ebbsfleet United, Farnborough, Walton & Hersham, Crawley Down Gatwick, Cray Wanderers, Staines Town, Walton Casuals, Grays Atheltic, Walton Casuals (second spell), Maldon & Tiptree, Heybridge Swifts, Merstham, Canvey Island (second spell), Farnborough (second spell), Enfield Town, AFC Uckfield Town, Thamesmead Town, Hendon, Thamesmead Town (second spell), Walton Casuals (third spell), Herne Bay, Thamesmead Town (third spell), Egham Town, South Park, Haywards Heath Town and Sutton Common Rovers before he joined The Wasps.
Centre Back Rueben Collins played for Merstham in the Premier Division last season and has also represented AFC Wimbledon, Basingstoke Town and Truro City.
Simbe Kudyiwa, also a central defender, counts Aldershot Town and Met Police as former clubs.
Sam Dowridge, 23, is an attacking midfielder who began his career in the Spartan South Midlands League played for Codicote, Biggleswade United, London Colney, Potton United and then in the Southern League Central Division for Berkhamsted. He signed for Havant & Waterlooville in the summer of 2020 and has since played for Bognor Regis Town in the Isthmian Premier.
Herne Bay v Wingate & Finchley is also a huge game at the bottom of the table next weekend.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
Monday 28th November
Carshalton Athletic v Billericay Town
Wednesday 30th November
Folkestone Invicta v Bowers & Pitsea
Friday 2nd December
Margate v Billericay Town
Saturday 3rd December
Bognor Regis Town v Hastings United
Bowers & Pitsea v Hornchurch
Canvey Island v Folkestone Invicta
Carshalton Athletic v Potters Bar Town
Corinthian-Casuals v Brightlingsea Regent
Enfield Town v Bishop's Stortford
Haringey Borough v Lewes
Herne Bay v Wingate & Finchley
Horsham v Aveley
Kingstonian v Cray Wanderers
Tuesday 6th December
Corinthian-Casuals v Bishop's Stortford
Hastings United v Canvey Island
Herne Bay v Billericay Town
Hornchurch v Folkestone Invicta
Wednesday 7th December
Bognor Regis Town v Cray Wanderers
Kingstonian v Lewes
Friday 9th December
Aveley v Enfield Town
Saturday 10th December
Billericay Town v Corinthian-Casuals
Bishop's Stortford v Herne Bay
Brightlingsea Regent v Horsham
Folkestone Invicta v Bognor Regis Town
Hastings United v Bowers & Pitsea
Hornchurch v Kingstonian
Lewes v Canvey Island
Potters Bar Town v Margate
Wingate & Finchley v Carshalton Athletic
Sunday 11th December
Cray Wanderers v Haringey Borough
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