A Premier- and Trophy- weekend

FA Trophy

We’ve a battle of the Blues as Billericay Town welcome Bury Town. Billericay, in third place in Pitching In Isthmian Premier, have bounced back from that FA Cup defeat against Sheppey United to take four points from their last two league matches, are five unbeaten at home, and defeated Bury’s North Division rivals Felixstowe & Walton United in the last round- but their visitors will perhaps take heart from just how close the Seasiders ran the Blues in that match. Bury have gone three without a win- but have already defeated a Premier Division side on the road to reach this stage, and will believe that lightning can strike twice.

Bognor Regis Town are back at the seaside, and have a local derby, as Pitching In Southern Premier South leaders Gosport Borough head along the A27/M27. The Rocks have seen their good run come to an end over the last week, with two away defeats, but will be glad to be back on their own patch and might revel in the idea of being underdogs, such has been Borough’s form. That said, Borough’s defeats this season have all been on the road. POSTPONED

Chatham Town take a break from title chasing to take on a collection of cup specialists, Cray Valley PM making the trip. The Chats have only one defeat from seven, but their visitors can boast a considerably better record, as the only side to defeat them so far this season were Punjab United, who beat a significantly weakened Millers team in the Kent Cup. They’ve played eighteen matches in all competitions this season, and that was their only defeat- and having knocked Premier Division sides out of the last two rounds of the FA Cup, they’ll travel confident of making that a hat trick.

Cray Wanderers haven’t had the start to the season that we expected, although there have been moments of brilliance to spread light amongst some disappointing results. Wands will need to be at their best as Chesham United come to call, the visitors currently in third place in Pitching In Southern Premier South and having lost only one league match all season. Eight games unbeaten, than run includes victories over Wands Premier rivals Enfield Town and Margate in Cup and Trophy, and a giant killing victory over Braintree Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the Cup.

We’ve an all-Premier tie as Dulwich Hamlet welcome Lewes. Hamlet have taken seven points from their last nine in the league, their best run of the season so far; whilst the Rooks followed a four goal thrashing of Enfield Town last weekend with a draw at Carshalton Athletic on Monday. Lewes have been in good form, their only defeat in the last six matches coming against National League side Aldershot Town.

Haringey Borough are having a strange season, very good in Cup competitions, struggling badly in the League. The Coles Park faithful have been vociferous in support of their side on good days and bad, and they’ll undoubtedly be at the top of their game as Redbridge come to call. The Pitching In Isthmian North visitors were on an eight match unbeaten run before taking a hammering in felixstowe on Tuesday night, and will hope to bounce back from that. They have already visited Coles Park this season, an FA Cup defeat against New Salamis in early August.

Larkhall Athletic are the hosts for Horsham. Athletic are in twelfth place in Pitching In Southern Division One South, but have only one defeat from their last six- whilst the Hornets must guard from being too focused on their FA Cup First Round tie at Barnsley next Friday. That said, they’ve guarded against that rather well so far, and have won six of their last seven in all competitions.

Potters Bar Town go into their match against Leiston on the back of an ten match unbeaten run, and without a home defeat since August Bank Holiday Monday. The Scholars welcome Leiston, these days in Pitching In Southern Premier Central. They’ve had a mixed campaign, and sit in seventeenth place, but they still managed to remove Pitching In Isthmian Premier leaders Hornchurch from the competition in the last round, so should prove tough opponents.

We’ve all all-Premier tie on Sunday, as Kingstonian welcome Whitehawk to Imperial Fields. The K’s have had a mixed campaign this season, and this will be their fourth home match in a row, two of which they’ve lost- their defeat against Horsham on Wednesday coming in added time after they led with thirteen minutes left. The Hawks, in contrast, have lost only once since the opening day- and that defeat came against National League South promotion chasers Worthing. The sides will meet again in early December.

Premier

With most of our sides in Trophy action we’ve a rather tiny Premier programme this weekend, but that could suit leaders Hornchurch. Victory for the Urchins at second bottom Concord Rangers would take them a rather impressive eleven points clear at the top of the table, and on recent form they’ll be rather confident of achieving that- they’ve won their last eight league matches, and scored four in each of their last four. Their hosts will be in good spirits after keeping their first clean sheet of the season- and winning- at Haringey Borough in midweek. POSTPONED

Carshalton Athletic, in fifth place at kick off, could climb to third with just a point at Hastings United, although we suspect a point is the least of their ambitions. The Robins were perhaps unlucky not to defeat Lewes on Monday, having to settle for a point, but they will be a little worried by their current winless run- their last victory in any competition back on September 23rd. Hastings were on a similar winless run until the return of Chris Agutter as boss in midweek, his first game seeing them immediately back to winning ways at Margate. A win for United could see them back in the top five. Last seasons match at Pilot Field saw Sam Hasler score the only goal of the game for the hosts.

Enfield Town welcome Hashtag United to Donkey Lane. The Towners could climb as high as third with victory, and will be pleased to be back at home after a run of six matches on the road in all competitions, a run which has seen them depart Cup and Trophy. They took a hiding at Lewes last weekend, but bounced back to draw at Billericay Town in midweek. Draws are something that the visitors know lots about, as the Tags have become our draw specialists, with seven draws from their eleven matches so far. They are remarkably difficult to defeat, only Hornchurch with a better defensive record, but need to be sharper in front of goal, only six clubs having scored fewer goals.

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