THE SEEDGROWERS AND THE GREENS LOOKING AT THE GREAT ESCAPE IN THE PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN NORTH DIVISION

table courtesy of footballwebpages.co.uk - Bottom two teams will be relegated with the 17th and 18th team playing in the step 4/5 play-offs. 

It was a shock to many local football fans when Jason Maher swopped Saffron Walden Town, who finished as runner's up in the Essex Senior League last season, for Coggeshall Town in early November. Mark Hawkes and Kevin Hunter have also moved with him as members of the coaching staff. 

He replaced Cliff Akurang who departed the club after only being in charge since May. 

The Seedgrowers have added a number of new players to their squad since Maher's arrival including 20 year old former QPR goalkeeper Tom Middlehurst who started the season with Maldon and Tiptree United and also played one game for Aveley in the Premier Division this season. Jamie Riley who started the season with Spartan South Midlands Premier Division side Harpenden Town. Karl Kayembe who was with Heybridge Swifts last season and was with Welwyn Garden City from the start of this season. Striker Jason Hallett who has signed from Waltham Abbey who counts Canvey Island, Cheshunt, East Thurrock United, Canvey Island and Chelmsford City as former clubs. 

Since the new Manager's arrival it's been five defeats in a row with three goals scored Nathan Fuma, Josh Hughes and Jason Hallet. 

COGGESHALL'S LEAGUE FORM BEFORE AND AFTER MAHER'S ARRIVAL

WHEN	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS
BEFORE	12	0	4	8	5-23	-18	4
AFTER	5	0	0	5	3-14	-11	0
TOTAL	17	0	4	13	8-37	-29	4

Following the Essex side are Gorleston, who were promoted as Thurlow Nunn Premier Division champions last season. They have also had a change in management with

There's then a gap of three points to Maldon & Tiptree who have had a very eventful season so far. The Jammers started the season with Paul Abrahams in charge who had been Interim Manager since February which was made permanent in the summer. 

Former Witham Town and Bishop's Stortford boss Adam Flint was appointed in early October but it has today been announced he has left the club. 

The departure has raised a few eyebrows with some fans as they had been 0-1 at league leader's AFC Sudbury on Saturday with just five minutes to go only for two late goals to win it for the Suffolk side. Flint had won three, drawn two and lost six of the eleven games he was in charge for. 

Two weeks ago it was announced Mitchell Cowling had been appointed as the club's new General Manager having recently been Chairman of Irish League side Waterford. Daniel Barber had also been appointed as the club's new Chairman.  It has yet to be announced who will take over as the new boss. 

Great Wakering Rovers and Hullbridge Sports are 17th and 16th in the table with Tilbury, Wroxham, Witham Town and Basildon United all close to the bottom four. 

Rovers are without a win in nine league games with Sports winning their last two league games which has lifted them away from the drop zone. 

Could either Coggeshall Town or Gorleston perform The Great Escape? 

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES 

Depending on the current weather conditions

Tuesday 13th December

Tilbury v Stowmarket Town 

Saturday 17th December

Basildon United v Grays Athletic 

Brentwood Town v Lowestoft Town 

Coggeshall Town v Hashtag United 

East Thurrock United v Felixstowe & Walton United 

Gorleston v Hullbridge Sports 

Great Wakering Rovers v Tilbury 

Maldon & Tiptree v Wroxham 

Stowmarket Town v AFC Sudbury 

Witham Town v New Salamis 

Tuesday 20th December

Bury Town v Heybridge Swifts 

Friday 23rd December

Hullbridge Sports v Basildon United 

Monday 26th December

AFC Sudbury v Bury Town 

Grays Athletic v Witham Town 

Hashtag United v Brentwood Town 

Heybridge Swifts v Maldon & Tiptree 

Lowestoft Town v Gorleston 

New Salamis v Great Wakering Rovers 

Tilbury v East Thurrock United 

Wroxham v Stowmarket Town 

Tuesday 27th December

AFC Sudbury v Bury Town 

Felixstowe & Walton United v Coggeshall Town

COGGESHALL TOWN'S NEXT GAME IS A VERY TOUGH ONE AS THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO PLAY HASHTAG UNITED WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN SECOND PLACE AND HAVE WON THEIR LAST SIX GAMES IN A ROW. GORLESTON HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT GAME AT HOME TO HULLBRIDGE SPORTS.