Non-League and Academy football writer

In this very competitive Thurlow Nunn League First Division South season (2025/26), it’s been a really interesting season, so far, with so much still to play for, as written about in this piece. The leaders of this step 6 division, are Hutton FC, who at the time of writing this piece, were on 80 points after 35 league matches played. A very good and consistent side, Hutton lead second place Clapton Community (they’ve played 36 league matches) by two points. Also, Coggeshall Town, who are in third place, and who are another very strong side in this division, have three games in hand over Hutton, and they face Lymore Gardens tonight, in what is another big game. Coggeshall Town are currently on 68 points.

Very much in the play-off race, are fourth placed side Rayleigh Town, a side who always impress me whenever I see them play, and fifth place side Newbury Forest, who are having such a good season. Although the league title is currently in Hutton’s hands, they know that Geoff Ocran’s Clapton Community side, who have enjoyed a really fine 2026, will be looking to capitalise, if Hutton are to drop points during the final matches of this season. Also, Brimsdown (they are four points behind Newbury Forest, having played one game more than them) and Lymore Gardens, who are six points behind Newbury Forest, despite having played one game less than them, are still in the play-off race. 

For Brimsdown and Lymore Gardens (they reached the last 16 of this season’s FA Vase), who have really impressed this season as very good footballing sides, will still be believing that they can make the play-offs, but they are the two real challengers for the play-offs, in my opinion. At the opposite end of the league table, in the battle to avoid finishing in the relegation zone, there are a number of teams who are still not guaranteed their step 6 status for next season. In 21st place bottom of the league table are Barkingside, who could well be playing step 7 football next season (only one team was relegated from this division at the end of the previous season). Barkingside are on 21 points after 34 league matches played, and they are 13 points behind 18th place May & Baker ECFC, who are just outside of the relegation zone.

Cannons Wood (they are on 38 points after 36 matches played), AS London (they are on 37 points after 34 matches played), and Olu Durojaiye’s Enfield Borough side (they are on 36 points after 31 matches played), are in 12th to 14th places in the table, respectively. Olu Durojaiye, his coaching staff and players, have helped to really improve Enfield Borough’s fortunes in recent weeks, winning a number of their games in hand so far, to lift them out of the relegation zone. It’s very tight mathematically in and around the relegation zone, as we approach the very latter stages of the season. With NW London in 15th place and on 35 points (after 36 matches played), you then have Dunmow Town, FC Baresi and May & Baker ECFC, all tied on 34 points after 35 league matches played.

Above Barkingside in the relegation zone, are Southend Manor, who are on 34 points after 34 matches played, and then FC Romania, who are on 32 points after 34 matches played. Last Saturday I covered the important May & Baker versus FC Baresi league fixture on my blog, and that game saw May & Baker fight back from 2-0 down, to win that game 4-2. It was a hugely important win for May & Baker, who lifted themselves out of the relegation zone. And on FC Baresi, who I have seen on a number of occasions throughout this season, they have five big matches remaining this season. They’ve more than got the quality in their squad to finish outside of the relegation zone, and next for them is such an important home game against Southend Manor, this Saturday at Wodson Park.

There’s so much still to play for at both ends of the league table, during the final games of this season. It has been a really interesting season so far and I’m sure that there’ll be some further twists and turns during the final games of this season. Finally, a shout out to Matt Knight’s Basildon Town side, who recently booked their place in this season’s Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup final.