A Premier- and Cup- weekend

We have only one match in the Pitching In Isthmian Premier due to FA Cup commitments, and Haringey Borough welcome Horsham to White Hart Lane. Victory over Lewes in midweek saw the Hornets climb to second in the table, whilst Borough have gone three matches without a win- and that win was their only one so far this season.

Former Hastings United and Kingstonian striker Daniel Ajakaiye has scored in his last three matches for the Hornets- five goals for the season in total- whilst former Met Police marksman Jack Mazzone has six. For Borough, Georgios Aresti has scored in each of their last two matches, but Anthony Mendy is the leading scorer with three.

The last time Horsham visited Coles Park, in April, Jack Brivio, Shamir Fenelon and Tom Kavanagh scored in a three-nil win for the visitors.

Now, on to the hunt for glory!

Bognor Regis Town have National League South opponents, Hampton & Richmond Borough arriving at the Nyecamp. Only two sides have conceded more goals than the Rocks in the Pitching In Isthmian Premier this season, but on the plus side only two clubs have scored more, so it’s fairly easy to see why they aren’t further up the table despite some scintillating performances. The Beavers have shown some mixed form of late, but did get back to winning ways against Chippenham Town last time out.

Canvey Island welcome St Ives Town. The Gulls are four matches unbeaten and their strikeforce is in fine form, with Evans Kouassi on six goals and Danny Parish on four. Their visitors are in fourth place in Pitching In Southern Premier Central, and defeated the Gulls former Pitching In Isthmian North opponents Barking four-nil in the last round.

Dulwich Hamlet, who parted company with their manager this week, welcome Margate to Champion Hill. The Blues looked back to their best in defeating Herne Bay four-nil in midweek, whilst National League South Hamlet come into this one on the back of five consecutive defeats and could be ripe for an upset.

Enfield- not to be confused with our Towners- play host to Billericay Town. The hosts are in fifth place in the Essex Senior League, and have already slain two ‘giants’ on their way to this stage of the competition- our very own Hullbridge Sports and Pitching In Southern Premier Central side AFC Rushden and Diamonds. The Blues look to have turned around a spell of poor form with a win over Leverstock Green and a draw with Bishop’s Stortford, but Enfield boss Jamie Cureton will expect his side to make life difficult for Town.

Folkestone Invicta will hope to bounce back from their surprise midweek defeat to Cray Wanderers, as Chichester City arrive from West Sussex. Invicta were unbeaten prior to that match, whilst City have seen a very positive start to the campaign slow a little of late, with two narrow defeats from their last three matches.

Hendon have a North London derby- indeed a North London derby that we’ve missed since they left our parish- against Wingate & Finchley. The Blues only win this season came in the last round of the cup, but to give them credit they’ve also been very hard to defeat, only two sides- Folkestone Invicta and Aveley- taking all the points, and even then, narrowly. The Greens have had a terrible start to their league campaign, losing all six matches, but did pick up a thumping FA Cup win over Potton United last time out, scoring five goals, so will hope to have turned a corner. The last time they met, two years ago in the London senior Cup, the Greens triumphed- but prior to that in our Premier Division the Blues were seven matches undefeated against these opponents, winning four.

Lewes scored eight goals against Pitching In Isthmian South East opposition in the last round, but Three Bridges will expect to put up a stronger fight as they arrive at the Dripping Pan for a Sussex derby. The Rooks lost for the first time this season in midweek, whilst Bridges fought off a Hullbridge Sports comeback to knock the Pitching In Isthmian North side out of the FA Trophy. Bridges have scored sixteen goals so far this season, and will hope to add to that this weekend.

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.

Potters Bar Town welcome Romford to the Lantern Stadium. The Scholars defeat at Aveley in midweek was their first in six matches and they’ll hope to bounce back against a Boro side adjusting to life in the Essex Senior League. They’ve adjusted well, mind you, with only one defeat- and of course knocked out Hashtag United in the last round.

Waltham Abbey, fresh from conceding four at Chipstead in the Trophy in midweek, welcome a Brightlingsea Regent side who were also conceding four, against Enfield Town. The Abbots had been in good form prior to that defeat, however, scoring seven goals against Buckhurst Hill in the last round; whilst Regent had won three of their previous four prior to that slip up against the Towners.

Westfield host Carshalton Athletic. Both are struggling for consistency, but both have been magnificent on occasions; Field when scoring four goals against Leatherhead, Basingstoke Town and Ashford United, Athletic in a win at Horsham and a five-one thrashing of VCD Athletic in the last round. The visitors will be the favourites, but the hosts are not short of style, should they remember to bring it with them.

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