Can the Brickies make more history?

We’ve already used every superlative in the dictionary to describe Sittingbourne’s performances this season, and the Brickies, twenty seven matches unbeaten in all competitions, will be hoping to slay their seventh giant of the season as they kick off in the last sixteen of the FA Trophy. They travel to take on one of the biggest giants of them all, Southend United, having already disposed of Dover Athletic (twice), Bognor Regis Town, Winchester City, Enfield Town and Salisbury this season. The very best of luck to the Brickies and their travelling army- we’re already proud of you, and it already seems as if our Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month trophy has taken up permanent residence at The Staxson Stadium, but we’ll be delighted to give you yet more shiny glassware! Now go and win once more!

Back to Pitching In Isthmian South East, and leaders Ramsgate will hope to increase their lead at the top to five points as they welcome Littlehampton Town. The Rams are looking for a seventh successive victory, whilst the travelling Golds, three points from safety, will be desperate to get back to winning ways after a thirteen match winless run. They fought hard against the Rams in a three-two defeat only eighteen days previously. 

Third place Burgess Hill Town are in fine form, nine unbeaten, eight of them victories. The Hillians welcome Erith Town to Mid Sussex, the Dockers in eleventh, with three defeats from their last four and looking for revenge for a two-one defeat against Hill as recently as January 14th. The hosts are thirteen points behind the leaders, but fourteen points clear of sixth place Sheppey.

Beckenham Town, in fifth place, hold onto their top five spot only on goal difference- but they do have games in hand over the chasing pack. Becks have gone seven matches without a win, but they travel to East Grinstead Town looking to put that right. The Wasps are in fifteenth, however are thirteen points clear of the bottom four and won six-two at Lancing last weekend. The sides drew two-two in December.

Sixth place Sheppey United are outside the top five only on goal difference, and will hope to defeat Lancing and perhaps climb into a play off place. The Ites are four unbeaten, whilst the travelling Lancers have seen their revival come to a crashing stop with heavy defeats in their last three matches; defeats which have seen them concede seventeen goals. Only three points above the bottom four, and having played at least two matches more than the sides occupying the relegation places, the visitors will be under pressure to stop the rot. The sides played out a goalless draw at Culver Road in December. 

Merstham welcome Broadbridge Heath to Moatside. The hosts are only two points away from a play off spot, and have lost only one of their last ten, whilst the fourteenth place Bears are six without a win but will undoubtedly feel that those matches didn’t bring the rewards that their performances deserved. They lost two-one against the Moatsiders on January 14th, so they have a quick chance of revenge. 

Deal Town travel to take on twentieth place Phoenix Sports. Deal are eighth, four points away from the top five, and got back to winning ways after three defeats with a three-one win over Sevenoaks Town last weekend. Sports are six points from safety, and have won only two of their last ten, but will be boosted by their two-two draw at margate last weekend. Deal won two-one when the sides met in December- but Sports did end that one with only nine men!

Sevenoaks Town, in ninth, saw a four match winning streak come to an end against Deal last time out, and will hope to start another one as they welcome a Croydon Athletic side who have won only one of their last ten. Oaks are only five points away from the top five, whilst the travelling Rams have slipped to sixteenth, albeit eight points above the relegation zone. Oaks won three-one in South London on January 7th.

Ashford United travel to take on Herne Bay in a Kent derby. The Nuts and Bolts are tenth, seven points shy of the top five, but have lost four in a row, which is hampering their promotion hopes somewhat. Bay have only one win from ten, and find themselves in seventeenth, only seven points clear of the drop zone. They lost three-one to United in December, but weren’t helped by having their goalkeeper sent off after ten minutes. 

Three Bridges have found their form, and are looking for a sixth win in a row as they travel to Hythe Town. Bridges have won eight of their last ten, including a three-nil win over the Cannons in December; whilst their hosts are second bottom, seven points from safety and have lost six in a row. Bridges also defeated the Cannons in the FA Trophy earlier this season, and indeed have defeated these opponents three times in a row. Hythe have defeated Bridges once in their last nine attempts. 

Bottom side Steyning Town welcome Eastbourne Town in a Sussex derby, a meeting between the two sides promoted from the SCFL at the end of last season. The East Sussex Seasiders have adapted to their change in circumstances far better than their hosts, and are fifteen points clear of the relegation zone and twenty clear of Steyning, who are eight points from safety. Neither are in the best of form, however, Steyning with one win from ten- and six defeats, Eastbourne with two wins from ten but only three defeats. The visitors seem to have developed a draw habit, having taken one point from each of their last three matches.