ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE - RACE FOR THE TITLE - TABLES AND STATISTICS

PTS	TEAM (GAMES PLAYED)
49	FC ROMANIA (22)
48
47
46
45	BASILDON UNITED (19)
44	BARKING (21)
43	WADHAM LODGE (24)
42	SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN (21)
41
40
39
38	BOWERS & PITSEA (16)
37
36
35
34	ILFORD (18)
33
32	LONDON BARI (19)
31
30	CLAPTON (21)
29
28	SPORTING BENGAL UNITED (21)
27	HULLBRIDGE SPORTS (18), BURNHAM RAMBLERS (21), STANSTED (20)
26
25	TOWER HAMLETS (21)
24
23	ETON MANOR (22)
22
21
20	TAKELEY (23)
19	SOUTHEND MANOR (23)
18
17
16	GREENHOUSE SPORTS (19)
15
14	NEWHAM (21), ENFIELD 1893 (23)
13	WALTHAM FOREST (22)

There isn't really a stand out teams that is leading the way in the race for the Essex Senior League title this season - A number of teams are in with a good chance of topping the table - I would say realistically it's down to Seventh placed Ilford who are in with a decent chance of finishing in pole position. FC Romania's 5-1 home victory tonight against Sporting Bengal United sent them four points clear for Christmas but other teams have games in hand. 

If we look at the points possible table and current points per game (indicated as PPG) for the top seven it may give a different outlook on the title race with rival's Bowers and Basildon on 110 and 108 closely followed by FC Romania on 103. Wadham Lodge will be thrilled with their position in their debut season at Step Five of the non-league pyramid but have probably played too many games to be involved in the title race for this campaign. Sawbridgeworth Town have just lost their goal machine Charlie Cole (24 goals in 20 league games for Sawbo) who has moved to Ryman Divsion One (North) side Thurrock so they may well miss him in the second half of the season -

TEAM	POSSIBLE POINTS	PPG*
BOWERS & PITSEA	110	2.38
BASILDON UNITED	108	2.37
FC ROMANIA	103	2.28
BARKING	101	2.10
ILFORD	100	1.89
SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN	99	2.00
WADHAM LODGE	91	1.79

The most important games for the title chasers will be against those with them towards the top of table - The following is a table showing the current top seven's record so far against each other. Here you will see Basildon United are up for the big games winning 80% of the points on offer in the games they have played compared to just 20% for Sawbo -

POS in table	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GD	PTS
1	FC ROMANIA	6	4	1	1	+5	13
2	BASILDON UNITED	5	4	0	1	+5	12
3	BARKING	6	2	1	3	-2	7
4	WADHAM LODGE	6	1	2	3	+1	5
5	SAWBRIDGEWORTH TOWN	5	1	0	4	-10	3
6	BOWERS & PITSEA	4	1	2	1	+1	5
7	ILFORD	4	1	2	1	+2	5

FORTHCOMING KEY FIXTURES 

Saturday 26th December 
BARKING v FC ROMANIA

Sunday 27th December
WADHAM LODGE v ILFORD

Saturday 2nd January
BARKING v BOWERS & PITSEA

Tuesday 5th January
BASILDON UNITED v ILFORD

Saturday 9th January
BOWERS & PITSEA v WADHAM LODGE

Saturday 16th January
ILFORD v BOWERS & PITSEA

Saturday 23rd January
WADHAM LODGE v BASILDON UNITED

Tuesday 26th January
BOWERS & PITSEA v ILFORD