A tricky test for Stoke- can the chasing pack take advantage?

Our leaders, Basingstoke Town, have opened up a seven point gap at the top- but look to have a tricky match in prospect as sixth place Marlow come to call. Stoke have won nine of their last ten matches- promotion form if ever we saw it- and will be looking for a little revenge. When they visited the Alfred David Ground at the end of October they went in two goals to the good at half time, only to concede five after the break! Marlow have slipped off the pace somewhat, a run of one win in five seeing them fall out of the top five on goal difference- but a win could reignite their promotion push.

Second place Walton & Hersham welcome Ashford Town to the Sports Hub. The Swans have won their last three and look to have shaken off some indifferent form, whilst the Tangerines have three wins from their last four, ending an indifferent run of their own. When the two last met, the Swans triumphed by five goals to nil, Eddie Simon contributing a hat trick.

Long-time leaders Northwood have slipped to third, level on points with Walton, but got back to winning ways against Guernsey last time out. The Woods are on the road to Chipstead, the Chips having seen their long unbeaten run come to an end, without a win in three. Their first meeting of the season was goalless- but the Chips have won only one of their previous six meetings.

Chertsey Town travel to Leatherhead. The Curfews have lost three of their last five and know that any further slip up could see them lose their place in the top five, and will need to bounce back after a heavy defeat against Thatcham Town in midweek. The Tanners, meanwhile, are on their best run of the season, with only one defeat from their last nine- and will still hope to make up the eight points between themselves and the play off places.

Binfield climbed back into the top five with victory over Uxbridge in midweek, and have lost only one of their last ten. The Moles, who have two games in hand over three of the sides ahead of them, are on the road- and then the plane, and then the road- to Guernsey, who need the points for entirely different reasons as they sit five points from safety, albeit with games in hand over the two sides directly above them. The two sides will meet again on 21st February.

South Park Reigate also have a chance of ending the weekend in the top five, but they’ll need to win at Southall to do it- not an easy task as their hosts, one place and five points behind them, have lost only five matches this season, the same number of defeats as leaders Basingstoke and fifth place Binfield. The Sparks got back to winning ways by overcoming Bedfont Sports in a seven goal thriller last time out, whilst Hall have gone five games without a win, but have drawn four of them. When the two met at Whitehall Lane, Sparks won by the only goal.

We’ve got tenth v ninth as Westfield, now managerless after Simon Lane’s departure to Kingstonian yesterday, travel to face one of our form sides, Thatcham Town. The Kingfishers have been magnificent of late, have lost only one of their last ten, and walloped play off hopefuls Chertsey Town on their own patch in midweek to make it seven wins from ten, twenty three points from thirty. Field, in contrast, have only one win from their last seven matches, and the sides could swap places if current form continues for both.

Hanworth Villa welcome Merstham. Villa have been in mixed form, with only three wins from their last ten matches but only three defeats, too. They drew against Leatherhead in midweek. Merstham have only two defeats from their last ten, but with six draws from that run really need to start turning one point into three if they are to close the six point gap between themselves and safety.

Uxbridge have slipped to fourteenth- although there is still a ten point gap between the reds and the danger zone. They’ll hope to extend that margin as Sutton Common Rovers come to call. Rovers ended a run of twelve consecutive defeats with victory over Hanworth Villa last time out, and need to build on that victory as they are three points away from safety and have played two, three or even four matches more than the sides around them. Uxbridge have only two wins from ten, but they did defeat Rovers two-nil back in November.

Finally, five from bottom Bedfont Sports welcome bottom side Tooting & Mitcham United. Eight points separate the two, so the Terrors are consequently eight points from safety, and have lost their last six matches. Almost every one of those defeats has been rather narrow, but that doesn’t help if the sum total of points gained remains at zero. Sports have seen a decent run come crashing down of late, and they welcome the Terrors after losing four of their last five.

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