While Great Wakering Rovers suffered a shock setback to their Schweppes Essex Senior League title hopes, Pitsea outfit Bowers United continued their championship challenge at full throttle.

Wakering's 2-1 defeat at lowly Stansted was not only a blow to their bid to be top dogs - it could also badly hit their attempts of playing at a higher level next term.

With current leaders Saffron Walden abandoning their plans, Wakering are the only Senior League club bidding for a rise in status to the Ryman set-up.

However, to achieve this they must finish in the top three and Saturday's setback saw them drop to third place.

Saffron Walden's 1-0 home win over Sawbridgeworth, courtesy of a Marc Das goal, keeps them top with 50 points from 22 games. Bowers, 45 from 18, are now second - one clear of village side Wakering with two games in hand. Competing clubs play 26 matches.

Walden, unbeaten in the League so far, and Bowers are both still going for all three League trophies - the championship, League Cup and Harry Fisher Memorial Trophy.

In the League Cup they meet in a battle of the giants semi-final second leg clash at Saffron Walden next Saturday with the score locked at 2-2 after the first match.

On Saturday Wakering, who are at Sawbridgeworth tomorrow, fell 2-0 behind at Stansted to goals from Berry and Yuill before Paul Flack pulled one back after 71 minutes.

Bowers, who should collect three more points at home to Brentwood tomorrow, kept up their fantastic swashbuckling run with a 4-0 win at East Ham.

Irrepressible goalscorer David Hope put them 1-0 ahead from the penalty spot after Alan Harding had been fouled in the box after only nine minutes.

Skipper Steve Warner got the second after 26 minutes and that man Hope's effort three minutes before the break ensured a 3-0 interval lead.

Hope, who won the Don Douglas Trophy as the League's top scorer last term, looks certain to take this season's prize by a mile.

He currently leads on 31 and Jeff Wood's record of 37 looks well within his sights.

Hammers brightened a little after the break and received a huge financial fillip this week when their star player Ross Weare signed for League club Queens Park Rangers for a big, but undisclosed, fee.

Bowers should have won by more, but had to settle for 4-0 with substitute Simon Deakin coming off the bench and grabbing his customary goal after 63 minutes.

Basildon United, who've long since forgotten all thoughts of the championship with some terrible recent results, went down 2-1 at home to Brentwood.

Paul Batt gave them the lead, but late goals from ex Canvey man Dave Stittle (88 minutes) and Michael Gore (90 minutes) saw Brentwood home.

Concord Rangers drew 1-1 at home to a Burnham side who have also dropped out of League contention now.

Ian Gooden scored for Canvey outfit Concord after 60 minutes, but Billy Herbert levelled eight minutes later.

Concord host Ilford today in the League with Basildon facing a tough task as Saffron Walden in the first leg of their Harry Fisher semi-final.

Thwarted - this Basildon United (in checks) effort gets blocked by a Brentwood defender. Brentwood went on to take all three points from the Bees with a 2-1 win

Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.