A North- and Cup- weekend

Brentwood Town will hope that they can finally get their season started as they welcome new boys
Gorleston, but undoubtedly their visitors will be thinking exactly the same thing! The Blues are sixteenth, out of both FA competitions and struggling to score- only four goals from seven matches- but their squad is surely too good to struggle for much longer? The visitors have lost their last four matches in all competitions, but have scored ten goals this season- their problem has been at the other end, with fourteen conceded.

Bury Town are still unbeaten in the League, but have drawn three of their four matches, which is why they sit firmly in mid table. Both of their matches this month- in Cup and Trophy- have ended in home defeat, so they’ll hope to pick up three points as Basildon United come to call. The Bees were knocked out of the FA Trophy in midweek by Lowestoft Town, and have three defeats from six matches this season, but despite that aren’t in bad form and will hope to build on their win over Hullbridge Sports in their last league match.

Felixstowe & Walton United welcome New Salamis in our North Division ‘big match.’ The Seasiders departed the Trophy on penalties in midweek after twice letting a lead slip away, but they are unbeaten in the league- as are their visitors. Salamis haven’t lost since they departed the cup on opening day, and have won four of their five subsequent matches- a win for either side will see them end the weekend at the top of the table.

If Felixstowe and Salamis play out a draw, then Witham Town could go top with a win at Great Wakering Rovers. Town have won three of their four league matches so far, and knocked Brentwood Town out of the Trophy in midweek; whilst Rovers were departing the competition against Harlow Town, their fourth defeat from six in all competitions.

Another side who could hit the summit are Lowestoft Town. The Trawler Boys have played a game fewer than their rivals, but have won all of them- the only side in the Division with a one hundred percent record. They start the weekend in sixth place, but are only a point behind the leading quartet and behind Witham only on goals scored. Coggeshall Town are their visitors, the Seed Growers still looking for their first victory.

Tilbury also have a slim chance of going top of the table, if they can win at Hashtag United; whilst a win for the Tags could send them into the top five. The Dockers remain unbeaten in the League with two wins and two draws, and no longer have any FA competitions to worry about; whilst the Tags have also departed the FA Cup and FA Trophy in their last two matches but were four games unbeaten prior to that.

Now, onto the road to Wembley!

East Thurrock United may have struggled to win in the league but their cup form has been entirely positive, with two FA Cup wins and another in the FA Trophy. After defeating Biggleswade in the last round they rather confusingly welcome Biggleswade Town in this one, and we’re rather pleased there isn’t a Biggleswade Athletic to follow! Town aren’t having a particularly positive league season, the Pitching In Southern Division One Central side without a league win, but they have won through two rounds of the FA Cup. They lost to Shepshed Dynamo in the League in midweek.

Grays Athletic are back at Parkside, where they will face Shefford Town & Campton of the Spartan South Midlands League. The visitors sit in third place and have lost only once this season, but Athletic also have only one defeat and have looked particularly strong in front of goal, with Ronnie Winn on six goals and Sam Bantick on four.

Heybridge Swifts remain unbeaten after their shootout win over Beckenham Town in midweek- but they should have an even tougher match in prospect as National League South Braintree Town come to call. The Iron sit in seventh place, but they did fall to a hammering against Ebbsfleet United in midweek; whilst swifts, if you count that shootout victory, have won their last six matches in all competitions and have already slain one giant, Hitchin Town, who they defeated three-nil in the last round.

Maldon & Tiptree crashed out of the FA Trophy at the hands of Ware in midweek, but that result followed a famous victory over Premier Division side Haringey Borough in the last round so they won’t be scared of Hornchurch. The Urchins have been in rather frightening form of late, however, three consecutive wins bringing them ten goals- including a five-nil thrashing of Corinthian-Casuals in midweek.

St Albans City welcome an AFC Sudbury side who had swept all before them until a penalty shootout at Ashford United got in the way of their march to greatness in midweek. The Yellows made it all the way to the First Round last season and sit top of the North Division, so they won’t be afraid of City, who have had a mixed start to their National League South campaign.

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