SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION UPDATE

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
1.	REAL BEDFORD	27	22	3	2	96	22	+74	69	WWDWLD	102
2.	MK IRISH	24	20	3	1	75	15	+60	63	WWWWWW	105

For the second successive league game Real Bedford dropped points in the race for the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division title yesterday with a 3-3 draw at home to Biggleswade United. The visitors scored the equaliser from the penalty spot in added time in front of a crowd of 217 people at McMullen Park. 

Milton Keynes Irish continued their incredible unbeaten run of 23 league games with a 5-1 win over Baldock Town with 116 watching at Manor Fields.

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
3.	LEVERSTOCK GREEN	26	15	5	6	58	43	+15	50	LWWDWD	86
4.	FC ROMANIA	26	14	5	7	66	47	+19	47	WWDDWW	83
5.	ST PANTELEIMON	25	13	7	5	50	32	+18	46	WLLDWL	85
6.	HARPENDEN TOWN	26	13	4	9	49	44	+5	43	WLLWWW	79
7.	LONDON LIONS	27	9	9	9	57	55	+2	36	LDWLDW	69
8.	COLNEY HEATH	25	11	2	12	37	39	-2	35	LWLLWW	74

With London Lions now seven points adrift of sixth place some fans may think the battle for the play-offs is now between Leverstock Green, FC Romania, St Panteleimon and Harpenden Town. The flip side of this is there are still many games to play so should The Lions, Colney Heath, Biggleswade United, Potton United, Tring Athletic or even Cockfosters in twelfth place put a run of wins together they could make it to the top five - It's an outside chance and teams would need to win most of their remaining games. 

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
15.	STANSTED	24	7	5	12	33	49	-16	26	LWWLDW	68
16.	ARLESEY TOWN	25	7	4	14	27	54	-27	25	LLLWDW	64
17.	BALDOCK TOWN	28	8	3	17	54	72	-19	24*	LLDDLL	54
18.	CRAWLEY GREEN	24	5	5	14	34	60	-26	20	LLLLWD	62
19.	SHEFFORD TOWN & CAMPTON	22	4	4	14	29	64	-35	16	LLWLLL	64
20.	SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN	23	0	5	18	20	58	-38	5	LLLLLL	50

* 3 points deducted due to playing ineligible player on 19/8/23

At the bottom of the table there is only one relegation place this season which Sawbridgeworth Town currently occupy. They are still awaiting their first win of the season and barring a remarkable great escape story they will be playing at Step Six next season which more than likely be in the Thurlow Nunn First Division South. I'd say relegation is more of a probability than a possibility. Let's hope Manager Ben Taylor and his squad can at least get a few wins before the season ends. There next three fixtures are detailed below. 

If they can get a few wins it'll really put the pressure on Shefford Town & Campton who are second from bottom but looking at their results of late have only been losing by just one goal.

In midweek with five 16 year old players in their squad they went down 3-2 at FC Romania and yesterday they lost 1-2 at home to Stansted who recorded their third win of their last six games. 

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES 

Tuesday 20th February 

PREMIER DIVISION 

Cockfosters v Sawbridgeworth Town 

Leverstock Green v Arlesey Town 

GLADWISH CHALLENGE TROPHY THIRD ROUND

Codicote v Real Bedford 

MK Irish v Winslow United 

PREMIER DIVISION CUP QUARTER-FINAL

Colney Heath v Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 

WEST HERTFORDSHIRE ST MARYS CUP FIRST ROUND  

Tring Athletic v Berkhamsted Raiders 

Wednesday 21st February 

PREMIER DIVISION CUP SECOND ROUND

St Panteleimon v Potton United 

Saturday 24th February 

PREMIER DIVISION

Arlesey Town v Stansted

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Shefford Town & Campton

Cockfosters v Dunstable Town

Colney Heath v Potton United

Crawley Green v Milton Keynes Irish

Real Bedford v FC Romania

Sawbridgeworth Town v Biggleswade United

Tring Athletic v London Lions 

KEY 

BOLD denotes promotion to Step 4 

GREEN denotes play-off place where winners will be promoted to Step 4 

RED denotes relegation place to Step 6