A North weekend

Leaders Tilbury are the first of our top three who are in action this weekend, and they have a difficult trip to fourth place Basildon United- which we previewed here. 

Second place Witham Town have been in fine form, winning three in a row, but they look to have a tough test as they welcome Gorleston, the Greens also on a good run. A two-two draw with Brentwood Town on Wednesday followed wins over Maldon and Haringey for Gorleston, the second of those not just a win but a massacre, seven-nil the score last weekend. Town have lost only once at home this season, the Greens have lost four of six on the road, so that perhaps makes the hosts favourites, but it may be tight. Their four previous meetings each ended in a home win.

Bury Town’s trip to Cambridge City on Sunday will again be played at St Ives Town, as City are still waiting for final sign off on their new ground. Hopefully it will come soon, as it looks rather impressive - and not having a permanent home may well be affecting their home form, as they’ve lost more than they’ve won on their ‘own’ patch this season. They’ve lost three of their last four in all competitions, whilst Bury were in fine form until last Saturday’s defeat against Waltham Abbey, which they followed with a narrow County Cup defeat against Leiston in midweek. 

Felixstowe and Walton United host Brentwood Town, so new Seasiders signing Rob Harvey will get to reunite with his former Blue teammates rather quickly after moving between the clubs in midweek. The Seasiders have a one hundred percent home record- and not just in the league- having played eleven matches on their own patch this season, won them all, and scored thirty eight goals in the process. The visitors will nonetheless be confident, as they are eight unbeaten in all competitions, a run which includes a pair of giant killings against Premier Division opposition in the FA Trophy.

Waltham Abbey will hope to climb into the top five, the Abbotts taking on Newmarket Town at Capershotts. Abbey are on a five match unbeaten run and were impressive in knocking Bury Town from their perch last weekend, whilst the Jockeys are down in twentieth place, have lost five of their six league matches on the road, and travel on the back of three defeats. They have looked very good on occasions, but are still struggling for consistency. 

Brightlingsea Regent are at home to Walthamstow. Regent know that a victory could lift them into the top five, but are trying to avoid a third successive defeat; whilst Stow ended a three match losing streak with victory over Basildon on Saturday. Last season’s meetings both ended in away wins. 

Tenth place Redbridge travel Mildenhall Town, the Motormen looking to extend a three match unbeaten run. Their hosts are five points further back, in sixteenth, and in all competitions have only one win from their last eight.

Grays Athletic are back at Chadfields, where they will welcome Maldon and Tiptree. Athletic have lost only one of their last six in the League, and are looking for a third successive victory- although they took a bit of a beating against Premier Division Hashtag United in midweek. The Jammers have lost their last three matches, and have won only one league match on the road this season, losing the other four. Maldon took four points from the matches between the sides last season, but both were close. 

Heybridge Swifts are at home once more, but that might not feel like a positive as they haven’t yet managed to win a match on their own patch this season, despite being unbeaten away from home. The visitors to Scraley Road are Concord Rangers, behind Swifts in the table only on goal difference, the Beachboys without a win in four and with only one win in six in all competitions. 

Sporting Bengal United’s win over Brightlingsea in midweek lifted them out of the bottom four, and dropped Ipswich Wanderers into the relegation places- so Wanderers will have an extra incentive as they travel to the Mile End stadium. That win was United’s first since August Bank Holiday Monday, whilst Wanderers are without a league win since September 17th- six matches.

Finally, the bottom two meet in North London, as Haringey Borough welcome Wroxham. Borough’s season so far was perhaps summed up by their Velocity Cup match against Tilbury in midweek, when they entered the last twenty minutes with a four-nil lead and somehow contrived to lose the match on penalties. Moments of brilliance have been followed by moments of disaster so regularly this season that it has almost become the norm. The Yachtsmen got back to winning ways by defeating Sporting Bengal United last weekend and will hope to build on that.