An away day for our top five

Leaders Ramsgate have a four point lead at the top, and will be favourites to at least maintain that as they head to face bottom side Corinthian. The Hoops are fifteen points from safety and without a win since January 20th, whilst the Rams are eight matches unbeaten and defeated East Grinstead Town five-nil last weekend. The Rams won their first encounter with the hoops this season, after losing both matches last season.

Whitehawk, who climbed to second place with victory over Chatham Town in midweek, are on the road for a Sussex derby, East Grinstead Town their hosts. The Hawks have won six of their last seven matches, and have a good record against the Wasps, undefeated in their last five meetings. The Wasps have lost five of their last six, but are six points clear of the bottom four.

Whitehawk may need to win to remain in second place, as third place Chatham Town are behind them only on goal difference, and Beckenham Town are but two points further back. The Chats are on the road to Sussex for a second time this week, and whilst the Sussex part of that statement won’t worry them much, the ‘on the road’ part just might. The Chats have been magnificent at home this season, and remain undefeated, but have lost seven times on their travels- and hosts Chichester City are unlikely to make it east for them. Chi have dropped to seven points away from the play off places after losing their last three, but gave their visitors a scare when they last met, leading until five minutes from time before somehow managing to lose two-one.

Beckenham Town are also in Sussex, travelling to Three Bridges. Bridges got their first away victory of the season in midweek, but have had no such problems at home; whilst Becks have struggled a little on the road, losing seven times. Our promotion chasers hammered another Sussex side, Littlehampton Town, the last time out, and defeated Bridges three-nil at Eden Park in October.

Cray Valley PM make it five out of five of our leading clubs away from home this weekend- four of them in Sussex. The Millers are heading to relegation-threatened Haywards Heath Town, Heath four points from safety and without a win since January 14th, a record they’ll need to turn around quickly if they are to survive. The Millers are five unbeaten, and have won four of them.

Sixth place Sevenoaks Town are the highest place side to be at home this weekend. Oaks will hope that they can defeat Sheppey United and that Cray Valley fall to defeat, as only that result will see them back into the top five- but the Ites will pose difficult opposition. The hosts saw a six match unbeaten run end at Whitehawk last weekend, whilst the visitors seem to have got over their recent blip and have won their last two matches. Only two points behind Sevenoaks, they haven’t given up on their own promotion aspirations just yet.

We’ve seventh v eighth as Ashford United welcome Hythe Town. The Nuts and Bolts looked back to their best as they set off to Cray Valley last weekend, then crawled home after losing five-one. The Cannons have been in fine form, with only two defeats from their last ten matches, and both of these sides will be desperate for three points to keep their play off charge on track. Their first match this season ended in a one-one draw.

Littlehampton Town welcome Sittingbourne to the south coast. With only two wins from ten matches the Golds promotion hopes have faded, and they are eight points clear of the bottom four; whilst their visitors are three places and four points worse off but are in fine form, six games unbeaten.

VCD Athletic, having fallen from the top five to the bottom four over their last seventeen matches, are without a win since December 10th and look in terrible trouble. Four points from safety, Vickers welcome another relegation-threatened side, Lancing, to Oakwood- the Lancers five points ahead of their hosts and improving after taking four points from their last six matches.

Finally, Faversham Town- minus The Beast for this one- welcome Burgess Hill Town to Kent. The Lilywhites are fourteen points from safety, but only ten points from attaining a relegation play off position which would be better than the bottom two if hardly comfortable! The Lilywhites have three wins from ten but have looked improved, whilst the Hillians have lost their manager this week only a few weeks after finding him in the first place. Three points against Corinthian last time out have taken them to four points clear of the bottom four- a little breathing space but hardly comfortable.

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