Takeley still in Essex Senior League Premier Division title contention behind leaders Stanway Rovers

Takeley can still dream of securing automatic promotion after beating Sawbridgeworth Town 2-1 at home in the Essex Senior League, Premier Division on Saturday (April 12).

They trail table-topping Stanway Rovers by five points with only two games remaining and their goal difference is inferior by 18.

But if second-placed Takeley triumph at relegated FC Clacton this Saturday (April 19) and Stanway lose at home to mid-table Athletic Newham then the title race would go down to a last-day showdown between the top two at Takeley’s Full Vision Stadium on Saturday April 26.

Takeley, who went into the weekend’s derby contest on the back of a 3-2 home success against Great Wakering Rovers last Tuesday (April 8), took the lead after half an hour against Sawbo through Lanre Balogun.

Elijah Grant equalised on the stroke of half time for the third-from-bottom Robins before Lewis Wicker won it for the hosts with a 52nd-minute effort.

Stansted, who are in the relegation zone, one place and four points below Sawbo, missed the chance to get closer to safety as they lost 6-2 at home to sixth-placed Saffron Walden Town.

It was 2-2 with less than 20 minutes remaining at Hargrave Park before the Bloods ran away with it in the closing stages.

Luke Skinner and Charlie Portway were on target for the Airport Army while Kaleel Green’s brace was added to by Billy Knott, Jeff Cobblah, Ricky Modeste and Jaiden Babalola for the visitors.

Stansted, who drew 0-0 at home to eighth-placed Little Oakley last Tuesday, can still leapfrog Sawbo and avoid the drop. A win and a draw coupled with two Sawbo defeats would see them survive on goal difference, as they would with two wins if Sawbo drew both of their remaining games.

But three points for the Robins in either of their last two fixtures would keep them up for definite.