Essex Senior League Preview (9.2.18)

Written by Peter D & Scott W

Hello & welcome to this week’s piece looking at the weekend’s Essex Senior League action, following a week where the weather continued to affect things, leading to more postponments. Here are Peter and my thoughts on all the fixtures set for this weekend (Weather-permitting):

Saturday 10th February

 

Barkingside v Wadham Lodge    | Venue: Cricklefield

Peter: ‘Side are unbeaten in their last two games, and put seven past Hackney Wick in one of those encounters.  Lodge have been on an alarming slide recently and with the recent tragic events recently at the club it’s not been a brilliant time for the Walthamstow outfit.  The hosts could really put daylight between them and the bottom four with a win, and I feel they will grab the points too.

Pete’s Prediction: 3-1

Scott: Barkingside welcome Wadham to Cricklefield. The hosts have had a good week with a thumping win over Wick last weekend and a draw with Hullbridge on Monday night. Two defeats in their last seven has seen Barkingside sit 15th before this weekend. Wadham’s match last weekend was postponed on compassionate grounds. The visitors need the points after a six-match winless run sees them in the bottom two before the weekend’s action. Home win for me.

Scott’s Prediction: 3 – 1

 

Great Wakering Rovers  v  Takeley   | Venue: Burroughs Park

Peter: Rovers come into this one off the back of their 7-2 win at leaders Redbridge, and will be full of confidence as they welcome another promotion rival in Takeley to Burroughs Park.  Takeley haven’t played since mid-January although they hit nine in that one against Burnham Ramblers.  They may be rusty though and against a formidible strike force Rovers possess that’s not always the best thing, however Takeley will no doubt pose their own problems, however I going to go for a home win.

Pete’s Prediction: 2-0

Scott: One of the matches of the weekend takes place at Burroughs Park as Wakering face Takeley. Wakering have won their last five straight league matches after their win at Redbridge in midweek. Takeley have been beset by postponements recently though have won one four of their last five matches. Very hard one to call this, though Wakering have found their groove of late and with Takeley having been out of regular action, it might favour Wakering.

Scott’s Prediction: 2 – 1

 

Hullbridge Sports  v   West Essex    | Venue: Lower Road

Peter: The hosts have drawn their last three but draws aren’t really enough if they want to climb out of the bottom four and away from danger, and they welcome West Essex to Lower Road who managed to win their last game at home to Woodford Town so will no doubt themselves want to make it back-to-back wins after no wins in four prior to that.  I have a feeling this may end all-square though.

Pete’s Prediction: 2-2

Scott: Hullbridge welcome the ever-dangerous West Essex to Lower Road. Two losses in their last nine matches sees Sports in 19th, four points from safety. The Stags ended a four-match losing run by narrowly overcoming Woodford Town last weekend, they sit 8th. The hosts have re-signed Luke Hornsley this week as they need wins to move away from the bottom four. They may get the points here in what I reckon will be a entertaining encounter.

Scott’s Prediction: 3 – 2

 

Redbridge  v   Basildon Utd    | Venue: Oakside

Peter: It will be interesting to see how Redbridge respond to their loss to GWR in midweek and they couldn’t have picked a worse team to play right now argubly in Basildon United.  However, the visitors also lost at home in their last game to so will equally be looking to bounce back from this, so expect two ‘wounded animals’ to go to battle at Oakside.  An almost impossible one to call here, so I will settle for a draw.

Pete’s Prediction 1-1

Scott: This mouth-watering clash sees two of the top-four face off at Oakside. Both tasted defeat last time out and it will be fascinating to see who responds best to that. The Motormen suffered their first home loss to Wakering in midweek though still lead by three points at the summit, with the Bees seven points behind. Draw for me here.

Scott’s Prediction: 2 – 2

 

Sawbridgeworth Town  v   Enfield 1893   | Venue:  Crofters End

Peter: The Robins were on a decent run until their midweek debacle at FC Romania, but they recorded a brilliant win at Basildon prior to that, so no doubt they will want to find the form they should here in this one.  They come up against an Enfield side who badly need wins to get out of the bottom four, and also need to find some form in front of goal and turn chances into goals to provide wins.  Gonna be a tough assignment at Crofters though and I feel The Robins will win.

Pete’s Prediction: 3-0

Scott: Sawbridgeworth welcome Enfield to Crofters End. Sawbo surprised Basildon at the Hive last weekend before losing out at FC Romania in midweek. Four wins in their last seven matches have aided John Watters’ side to 11th place. Enfield’s mini-revival was ended by Clapton last weekend and remain in the bottom four. Home win for me.

Scott’s Prediction: 3 – 1

 

Sporting Bengal Utd v Southend Manor   | Venue: Mile End Stadium

Peter: Hosts Bengal ended their poor run of form with a thumping comeback win against Waltham Forest in midweek, and they welcome a Southend Manor side to Mile End who have only played once since mid-January, and that was a narrow home defeat to Stansted, so no doubt the visitors will want to grab the points here to try and climb back into the top half of the table.  I feel the visitors may do the job here too.

Pete’s Prediction: 0-2

Scott: Two sides who find wins hard to come by meet at Mile End. Bengal ended a seven-match winless run with success over Waltham Forest in midweek. Bengal have ten matches remaining and are six points ahead of the projected safety line. Manor lost out to Stansted last weekend and are a point ahead of Bengal though have games in hand. Bengal may edge this one.

Scott’s Prediction: 2 – 1
Stansted  v   Clapton   | Venue: Hargrave Park

Peter: Since the turn of the year, Stansted have picked up four wins from their six games played and have climbed up to mid-table in the division.  They welcome a Clapton side to their Hargrave Park ground who they beat 5-1 at the Old Spotted Dog to begin that revival so no doubt The Tons, who have won three on-the-spin, will want to make that four in a row and also gain revenge for that defeat at the beginning of the year.  Tough one to call this one but I feel it could end all square.

Pete’s Prediction: 1-1

Scott: In-form Stansted welcome the Tons to Hargrave Park. The hosts have tasted defeat just once in their last six which sees them currently in 12th spot. Clapton’s win at Enfield last weekend saw them strengthen their grip on 6th place after four wins in their last six matches. Hard one to call here though the visitors will need to be up for the battle here.

Scott’s Prediction: 2 – 2

 

Waltham Forest  v  FC Romania   |  Venue: Kitchener Road

Peter: Forest need the points as they sit just above the bottom four, but they welcome an FCR side full of confidence, and full of goals too.  They hit five past an in-form Sawbo team in midweek and haven’t lost in the league for almost three months, so they will pose Forest plenty of issues.  However, Forest do have some firepower themselves so will not make it easy for their opponents, but I feel the visitors will win this one.

Pete’s Prediction: 1-2

Scott: Forest welcome in-form FCR to Kitchener Road. Forest parted company with Qayum Shakoor in midweek, replacing him with former player-coach Ryan Maxwell and also bringing in a plethora of new signings this week, including the evergreen Lee Flynn. They are not safe despite a decent run of three defeats in their last ten matches. FCR’s focus is at the other end of the table as they roared to the win over Sawbridgeworth in midweek to continue their long unbeaten run. Away win for me.

Scott’s Prediction: 1 – 3

 

Woodford Town (2017)  v  Burnham Ramblers  | Venue: Goffs Lane

Peter: The Goffs Lane side sit in tenth spot after a very inconsistent season so far.  Their last six games read WDDWDL so it’s not been a bad few weeks for the home side, although they did lose at West Essex last time out.  However Burnham Ramblers record since the new year reads five losses with 25 goals conceded in the process, although they only lost their last game 1-0, however it’s an alarming run which has seen them slide down the division towards the dreaded bottom four. Got a feeling Woodford may win this one.

Pete’s Prediction: 3-2

Scott: Woodford welcome out-of-form Burnham to Goffs Lane. Two wins in their last eight has seen Town at risk of dropping out of the top ten though Burnham have lost their last five on-the-trot which has seen them drop to 17th, four points clear of the bottom four. Attack-minded Woodford may well fancy this one.

Scott’s Prediction: 3 – 1

 

That’s all the action for this weekend, follow Peter (@ped1980) and Scott (@ScottMHC14) on Twitter and our respective blogs for ESL round-up’s at Match Reports. Thanks for reading.