Mid-season review of the Corinthian League standings

As we close out another calendar year in the Corinthian League, we take this opportunity to wish everybody the very best for the year 2020 ahead in what will hopefully be a successful year for our clubs.

With the season officially at the halfway mark, we take a look at how the title and promotion races are going with all six divisions showing some incredibly close races heading into the new year.

In the Premier Division, the defending champions, Repton Park, currently lead the way with a three point gap at the top but they face a stiff challenge to retain their crown with Flanders showing tremendous form and just two points separating the teams down to ninth place in an incredibly congested table. With many of the sides still sporting cup involvement, this race looks like heading deep into Spring with little to suggest where the crown will be heading.

As we look down into Division One, there is an almighty battle forming for the crown this year as KLIK lead the way by three points presently. But Colebrook Royals are well positioned with a couple of games in hand, two of which will be against the leaders with everything to play for. Chingford Athletic are a few points further back but will need the sides above them to slip up to nip in for a promotion place while there are still some outside contenders with games in hand sitting a little further back in the pack.

The story is very similar in Division Two although the leaders there currently, Walthamstow Avenue, do have their own fate in their hands with a five point gap at the top and a game in hand so this one is theirs to lose in the second half of the season. The quality in the third tier is unrelenting with just one side unbeaten to date, that being Goresbrook who, with games in hand, could provide a big say in the promotion race.

In Division Three, Barking Riverside have made a perfect start to life in the league with eight league wins from a possible eight, but are still facing a challenge from at least two sides beneath them in the form of E4 Rangers and Chigwell United. West Essex’s cup escapades have curtailed their league fixtures of late but remain another unbeaten side in the division and capable of rising up the table quickly in the new year.

Things don’t get much tighter in Division Four where two sides share almost identical records over the Christmas break with Roneo Colts Reserves and Bretons Manor the stand out sides at this level. Both have the same points tally with just goal difference keeping them apart. Their remaining league battle could decide the title with Inter Ladzio, Asianos Reserves and Monkhams placed well to make the most of any potential slip up should that occur.

The newest addition to the league this year, Division Five, provides us with much to anticipate in 2020 with Total Football and Ridgeway Rovers Reserves doing battle for the silverware. Total lead the way by a couple of points but could be surpassed by Rovers in their game in hand. Cobra and Eastern Avenue will also be pleased with their seasons so far with Epping Forest Falcons and Singh Sabha Barking’s games in hand giving them outside hopes for a promotion chase.

Alongside our own cup competitions, we have our traditionally strong representation from clubs in the latter stage of the county cup competitions where Elda and SL Menfica hope to keep our flag flying in the prestigious Essex Sunday Premier Cup in the new year. Kulture Klub’s venture into the Middlesex Sunday Junior Cup is still ongoing with action in January while Goresbrook are fighting to be involved in the closing stages of the Essex Sunday Junior Cup as they head into quarter final action in a few weeks’ time. Last but not least, it’s an all-Corinthian affair in the Essex Sunday Junior Trophy where Theydon take on West Essex, providing guaranteed semi-final coverage for us once again this year. Best of luck to all of these clubs in the new year!

Here’s to another successful year in 2020! See you on the other side!