County Cup Success The high point of the 1970/71 season was the success of Chadwell Heath Reserves, when they overcame the holders Mersea Island 4 - 3 in the final of the Essex Junior Cup. On the domestic front, Crittalls (Braintree) dropped out of the league, so the Senior Division was reduced to 17 teams. Basildon Town dropped out of the Reserve Division but all of the other clubs, except the renamed Essex & Southend Police, entered teams, bringing the total up to 15. Also joining the name changing trend were Ongar who became Ongar Town. Billericay Town completed a notable treble winning the Senior Division, Senior Division Cup and the new Challenge Cup, which was to be played for each season by the previous seasons Senior Cup and League winners. For the third season running, Brentwood Athletic, formerly known as Manor Athletic, finished as runners up in the Senior Division. They were also losing Senior Division Cup finalists. Brentwood Athletic did gain some consolation when their reserves finished top of the Reserve Division, three points ahead of the previous seasons winners Chadwell Heath who themselves scored 127 goals averaging over 4.5 goals per. match. Collier Row also went one better than the previous season, winning the Reserve Division Cup by overcoming Old Chelmsfordians in the final. Once again the representative side played the Essex & Suffolk Border League but suffered a heavy 6 - 2 defeat. This season also saw the League move its headquarters from New Writtle Street to the Chelmsford R.A.F. Association in Hall Street, Chelmsford. Tailpiece
Unlike some other clubs who appeared to profit from it, a change of name did not do Ongar Town Reserves any good, as they finished the season having conceded 166 goals in the League at an average of nearly six goals a match. SENIOR DIVISION TABLE
P W D L F A PTS Billericay Town 32 26 5 1 76 19 57 Brentwood Athletic 32 25 2 5 91 25 52 Chadwell Heath 32 20 7 5 72 29 47 A.E.I. (Harlow) 32 18 4 10 84 50 40 Collier Row 32 15 5 12 68 50 35 Essex & Southend Police 32 14 5 13 69 79 33 Dunmow 32 14 4 14 65 58 32 Old Chelmsfordians 32 12 8 12 47 44 32 British Mathews 32 12 8 12 44 47 32 Ongar Town 32 14 3 15 51 62 31 Bishops Stortford Swifts 32 13 2 17 52 67 28 Burnham Ramblers 32 11 5 16 56 62 27 Writtle 32 10 4 18 48 65 24 Basildon Town 32 8 8 16 38 63 24 Bowers United 32 6 7 19 29 65 19 Sawbridgeworth 32 7 3 22 35 97 17 E.C.C. Staff 32 5 4 23 29 71 14 RESERVE DIVISION TABLE
P W D L F A PTS Brentwood Athletic 28 23 2 3 95 19 48 Chadwell Heath 28 22 1 5 127 38 45 Writtle 28 19 4 5 103 27 42 Billericay Town 28 19 3 6 90 32 41 Collier Row 28 17 2 9 83 51 36 Old Chelmsfordians 28 16 2 10 79 38 34 Burnham Ramblers 28 16 2 10 65 68 34 Bowers United 28 10 5 13 57 71 25 British Mathews 28 11 2 15 48 68 24 Dunmow 28 9 3 16 58 76 21 E.C.C. Staff 28 9 2 17 55 67 20 Bishops Stortford Swifts 28 8 3 17 48 106 19 A.E.I. (Harlow) 28 4 6 18 36 96 14 Sawbridgeworth 28 3 3 22 30 85 9 Ongar Town 28 3 2 23 33 166 8 |