Essex League 2017-18

Writtle Champions again - on tie-break!

After a poor start to the season, only five points from five games, Writtle had given up hopes of retaining the Essex League title once more. Wanstead I were indeed in pole position with three matches left, against Barking (Away), Basildon (Away) and Southend (Home). Writtle were confirmed in their view when they dropped a further point away to Southend, yet Wanstead were aware that their meetings with Barking are always close and of having lost twice to Basildon last season, while also having drawn away to Southend this season. The pertinent fact in all this, however, was that Writtle had the tie-break advantage, having beaten Wanstead in the second of their two encounters in March. Wanstead therefore needed four points from their last three matches. Thus, when Wanstead could only draw with Barking and had a "mare" in their away match against Basildon, losing 2½-5½, Writtle were confirmed as Champions. Wanstead's subsequent 8-0 victory over a weakened and short-handed Southend team served only to bring Wanstead level on points with Writtle, each 13/20, but could not overturn the tie-break. Once more then, congratulations to Writtle! The next three teams, Upminster I, Barking I and Basildon, all had 10, while Southend are relegated with 4.

Wanstead at least had the satisfaction of their second team winning Division II, after a close tussle with Loughton, with whom honours were even in their two encounters, strangely each winning away 5½-2½, the crucial one being the final game of the Division II fixtures.

Brentwood won promotion from Division III. With an awkward number of teams, eight - too few matches for a single round, too many for a double round - the League Secretary had to be inventive to produce an acceptable solution. The format arrived at was to divide the teams into two sections all-play-all double round, with the top two going into a final "Championship" pool ("3T") and the bottom two into "3B" to fight over the wooden spoon. The matches between the teams in the first pool would count again in the second pool. Worked out well.

The League Secretary's "Interim Report" is given via the link below.

League Secretary's Report | Essex League 2017-18 | League Champions