Defeat for UEL could see the East Londoners facing a relegation play off, so a win is vital for the young side.
UEL faced USW back at the beginning of November, defeating the Welsh outfit 3-2 at Hackney Marshes. The East Londoners scored two goals in the dying embers of the game to set up a stunning victory over a team who hadn’t lost in over 11 months.
However the euphoria of such a result didn’t last long, as the Blues only managed one victory in their next four games, a 1-0 home win against fellow relegation rivals Chichester.
Relegation
Whilst victory against USW could save UEL from relegation, the real test lies in one week’s time, when UEL travel to Chichester with the clubs on the same points and locked in a titanic tussle to stay in the top league of University and College football.
UEL winger Liam MacDevitt spoke to rising East ahead of the big match and feels that avoiding relegation shouldn’t be his team’s only aim:
“The game is huge for us and the club, there’s been a couple of results gone our way and we feel third place is still achievable,” McDevitt said
Away from the first team, this week sees Big Blue Wednesday return with UEL as the featured University for the week. Despite the first team playing away the second and third team have crucial home games.
Enthralling
The UEL 2nds have an important game in their bid to stay up as the club currently sit joint bottom of their division and face leaders Goldsmiths 1sts at home. UEL had lost out in the reverse fixture, going down 4-3 in an enthralling encounter.
However, there are contrasting emotions for UEL 3rds as the Blues sit second in the table and are hunting down a possible promotion. The 3rds are currently two points off leaders Brunel 4ths and come into the game off the back of a 6-2 thrashing of bottom club University Of The Arts London.
The Blues face second-bottom Tottenham Hotspur Foundation 1sts at home but are expecting a tough test from the side they lost 5-2 to in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
The 2nd and 3rd team play at Hackney Marshes on Wednesday, with kick off at 2pm.