The Run-In series from Finn Honeywood continues with it’s third piece, this time with the Isthmian League South East division. While most of our clubs’ fates have already been decided, there remains a handful of teams who will look to solidify or better their positions at different sections of the league table.
Following up on an impressive 9th place finish in their inaugural Step 4 campaign last season, Broadbridge Heath have comfortably secured their ILSE status for another year under Chris Simmons. After guiding Eastbourne Town to promotion in last year’s SCFL Premier Division play-offs, Jude Macdonald’s side have also confirmed their spot in next season’s Isthmian South East. East Grinstead Town have once again beaten the drop, ensuring the Wasps will enter their 12th straight season at Step 4.
Unable to avoid relegation this season: Steyning Town and Lancing will both be returning to Step 5. Steyning, playing their first season in the ILSE after a title-winning SCFL Prem season in 2023/24, will join a Lancing side who have failed to follow up on a sixth place finish last term under a wave of managerial turnovers.
With only a handful of positions left up for grabs, see what’s at stake for our three remaining Isthmian South East sides in their last three fixtures in the 2024/25 season:
Burgess Hill – 3rd, 86pts
Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett have guided Burgess Hill to an excellent season in ILSE, winning 2/3rds of their games while owning the third-best defensive record in the division heading into the run-in. A decade on from winning the Isthmian South title, Burgess Hill are poised to make another run at returning to Step 3.
The Hillians are unbeaten at home since November, so to ensure their play-offs begin at the Homecall Carpets Stadium, clinching third place is the objective. As it stands Burgess Hill will host Margate (4th, 78pts) in the semi-final, who hold a seven point lead over fifth-placed Merstham. Hill are unbeaten against Margate this season, winning 2-1 at home in October before leaving Hartsdown Park with a point in November.
On Friday they travel to Sittingbourne (2nd, 98pts) who are still mathematically capable of reaching top spot, albeit needing favours from a Ramsgate side who have only dropped points on five occasions this season. Burgess Hill will end their season with two all-Sussex affairs, first taking on Three Bridges on Easter Monday before heading to The Sportsfield to face Littlehampton Town on the final day.
Three Bridges – 7th, 62pts
After suffering defeat in last season’s ILSE play-off final to Chichester City, Jamie Crellin’s Three Bridges have all but fallen short of reaching the play-offs for the second year running. Following consecutive bottom half finishes in his first two seasons in charge at Jubilee Fields, former club captain Crellin looks to have helped turn Bridges into a more competitive force in the Isthmian South East. Reece Hallard has led the way in the attacking department, with a tally of 26 league goals landing him amongst the top five scorers in the division.
While needing Merstham and Beckenham Town to lose each of their remaining games at a canter, Bridges would also need a spotless end to their own campaign to have any chance of reaching fifth place. On Saturday they take on Herne Bay (16th) before facing Burgess Hill, finally rounding off their season at home to relegation-threatened Phoenix Sports.
Littlehampton Town – 18th, 40pts
Littlehampton need only one point to confirm their place in the Isthmian South East for another season, with Phoenix Sports needing to win each of their last three games to stand a chance and also overturn a 30 goal deficit. In Mitchell Hand and George Gaskin’s third full season in charge of the Marigolds, the side deserve credit for keeping their heads above water while navigating an impressive Sussex Senior Cup run, which notably saw them defeat Eastbourne Borough 2-1 in the semi-final.
The 2022 FA Vase finalists will host Ashford United (12th) on Good Friday before travelling to Broadbridge Heath on Easter Monday. The Marigolds’ league season will end at home to Burgess Hill, before attention turns to the small matter of Horsham in the Sussex Senior Cup final at the AMEX Stadium on Thursday 8May.