Two Out Four In The 1976-77 season saw the largest single turnover of clubs since the League was formed. Founder members Sawbridgeworth left us as did Marconi Athletic. Joining the League were Becontree Heath, Coopersale, Great Baddow and Rayleigh. All of the new clubs entered teams in both Senior and Reserve Divisions therefore increasing the numbers by two in each division. Only three points separated the top three clubs in the Senior Division, with Collier Row Motor Gear coming out on top and Herongate Athletic just beating new team Becontree Heath into second spot. Champions Collier Row Motor Gear also reached the Senior Division Cup final but lost out to Runwell Hospital, who also won the Reserve Division Cup final for the second year running by beating Standard (Harlow). Herongate Athletic went one better than last season when winning the Reserve Division Championship, ending the season nine points clear of Runwell Hospital. Last seasons champions Essex Police overcame the Cup holders Old Chelmsfordians and won the Challenge Cup. Once again the Sportsmanship Award went to one of the less successful clubs, this time Bishops Stortford Swifts Reserves who ended the season propping up the Reserve division. Having won the previous season, the representative side quit whilst they were ahead and did not play any matches during the season. With the departure of Marconi Athletic from the League, the Leagues headquarters were moved from the Marconi Athletic & Social Club, to their present location at the Old Chelmsfordians Football Club. Tailpiece
Bishops Stortford Swifts Senior and Reserve sides ended the season with almost identical records. Both finished bottom of their respective divisions having both won and lost the same number of games and let in the same number of goals. The Senior team did score one more goal than the Reserves, but they did have two more matches in which to get them. SENIOR DIVISION TABLE
P W D L F A PTS Collier Row Motor Gear 30 21 4 5 74 18 46 Herongate Athletic 30 20 5 5 65 31 45 Becontree Heath 30 18 8 4 89 39 44 Great Baddow 30 16 9 5 67 41 41 Ongar Town 30 15 8 7 45 34 38 Rayleigh 30 17 3 10 64 45 37 Benfleet 30 13 7 10 47 36 33 Writtle 30 13 7 10 41 44 33 Runwell Hospital 30 10 7 13 52 53 27 Essex Police 30 10 3 17 44 62 23 Old Chelmsfordians 30 8 6 16 35 54 22 Coopersale 30 8 6 16 44 70 22 Burnham Ramblers 30 6 9 15 40 56 21 Dunmow 30 7 5 18 42 73 19 Standard (Harlow) 30 6 5 19 38 69 17 Bishops Stortford Swifts 30 3 5 22 28 90 11 RESERVE DIVISION TABLE
P W D L F A PTS Herongate Athletic 28 20 7 1 61 21 47 Runwell Hospital 28 16 7 5 55 26 39 Collier Row Motor Gear 28 15 9 4 63 30 39 Becontree Heath 30 14 5 9 56 34 33 Rayleigh 28 15 3 10 63 48 33 Old Chelmsfordians 28 12 9 7 44 35 33 Ongar Town 28 12 7 9 58 47 31 Standard (Harlow) 28 13 4 11 61 45 30 Dunmow 28 11 8 9 52 51 30 Benfleet 28 7 8 13 39 45 22 Great Baddow 28 8 6 14 44 61 22 Burnham Ramblers 28 6 10 12 41 62 22 Writtle 28 5 5 18 40 60 15 Coopersale 28 6 3 19 26 75 15 Bishops Stortford Swifts 28 3 3 22 27 90 9 |