The Hellenic Premier title race – Bracknell Town and Thame United match by match

Sprint to the finish. Kensley Maloney against Thame United. Photo: Neil Graham.
Sprint to the finish. Kensley Maloney against Thame United. Photo: Neil Graham.

With the end of the Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division season just over a month away, only one point separates Bracknell Town at the top and second placed Thame United – both of whom have six league matches remaining.

The Robins trailed in the title race for a long time but made the most of their games in hand to go top and they now hold the advantage knowing if they will all six remaining matches, they will be crowned champions.

Bracknell’s run-in appears harder on paper than Thame’s so we thought we’d take a look at what lefts for these two sides.

Remaining fixtures

Saturday 11th March

Bracknell Town v Brimscombe & Thrupp
Thame United v Royal Wootton Bassett Town

Wednesday 15th March

Brackley Town Saints v Thame United

Saturday 18th March

Bracknell Town v Royal Wootton Bassett Town
Burnham v Thame United

Tuesday 21st March

Ardley United v Bracknell Town
Tuffley Rovers v Thame United

Saturday 25th March

Bracknell Town v Longlevens

Saturday 1st April

Brimscombe & Thrupp v Bracknell Town
Lydney Town v Thame United

Saturday 8th April

Bracknell Town v Highworth
Henley Town v Thame United

The numbers

For the Robins, it’s teams placed in 5th, 9th, 7th, 12th, 5th and 6th left.

Total positions of the teams left to play adds up to 44 which means an average league placing of seventh.

For United, it’s teams placed in 9th, 15th, 18th, 11th, 10th and 17th left.

Total positions of the teams left to play adds up to 80 which means an average league placing of thirteenth.

*Positions based on today’s (05/03/17) table.

Form

Thame are top of the form table – but only just by virtue of goal difference – from Bracknell but both teams have accrued sixteen points from the last eighteen available.

Thame – W D W W W W
Bracknell – W W D W W W

Home comforts

Of the six matches remaining for Bracknell, four of them are at the redeveloped Larges Lane.

Looking across to Mount Pleasant at Larges Lane. Photo: Colin Howard.
Looking across to Mount Pleasant at Larges Lane. Photo: Colin Howard.

Thame by comparison, only have one match at home – where they are yet to lose in the league – and that is this Saturday against RWBT before they finish with five matches on the road.

Southern League pedigree

The two sides have previously played at step four in the Southern League – a position they are trying to reach again.

We know that both teams have applied for promotion and assuming ground grading inspections are passed, will be eligible for promotion.

It’s seven years since the Robins last played at step four as they finished bottom in 2009-10 season. Thame finished bottom in 2004-05 season meaning they have spent twelve years in the Hellenic League.

Who will win?

Quite frankly, we just don’t know. Whoever wins the league will be a deserved winner but’s it just too tight to call. It’s advantage Bracknell heading the pack and knowing six wins from six will crown them champions.

That said, the Robins have a harder run-in and if it comes down to the final day – with respect to Henley – you’d rather play Henley away than have to host Highworth at home.

Please let us know who you think will win in our poll.

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Woodley United15:00Hillingdon Borough
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