HULLBRIDGE Sports and Southend Manor are looking forward to getting back into Essex Senior League action tonight.

Neither side played at the weekend, but Hullbridge will welcome West Essex to the Ryan’s Heating Stadium and Southend Manor are set to make the trip to Sporting Bengal United.

And Sports boss Darren Manning is hoping to see his side keep back-to-back clean sheets having enjoyed just one shutout in their last eight outings.

Manning, whose side sit second in the standings ahead of their meeting with 12th-placed West Essex, said: “It was nice for the players to have the weekend off because the fixture list has been a bit relentless.

“I always say that clean sheets win league titles.

“Strikers might win matches with their goals, but the defence and goalkeeper are crucial in winning titles.

“You need a strong foundation and although we haven’t kept many clean sheets in recent weeks, I think we have been good defensively.”

Southend Manor, who are 18th in the standings, will travel to fourth-placed Sporting Bengal United.