Can the chasing pack chase down Bury’s lead?

Bury Town have an enforced absence, so Felixstowe and Walton United have the chance to eat into their five point lead as they travel to North London to face Haringey Borough. The Seasiders are ten matches unbeaten, but draws in three of their last five have slowed their challenge somewhat; whilst Borough, three points away from safety, are without a win in six- and indeed have only one win from their last ten. The sides are meeting for the first time in the League, but they did face off in the FA Trophy in October, United winning four-nil.

Witham Town, a point behind Felixstowe in third place, are also in London, as they head to Redbridge- a rather shorter trip. Witham are having a fine season, and have only two defeats from ten matches, whilst the Motormen are in tenth after a rather inconsistent campaign, but have won five of their eight home matches so should pose a challenge. The sides met three times last season, Witham without a win, the Motormen with two. 

Tilbury welcome Concord Rangers to Chadfields. The Dockers went three matches without a win prior to spoiling Cambridge City’s opening party last weekend, whilst the Beachboys seem to have found an even keel, with only one defeat from their last four. Tilbury are fourth, but only three points clear of sixth place tenants Grays Athletic, whilst Rangers are twelfth and hoping to jump into the top ten. 

Perhaps our match of the day comes from Capershotts, where Waltham Abbey, in fifth, welcome the side one point and one place behind them, Grays Athletic. The Abbotts are hoping for a fourth successive win, whilst Athletic have hit a little patch of rough water, with two wins and two draws from their last four. They’ll hope to quickly recover from Wednesday’s loss at Gorleston- and earn a little revenge for defeat against the Abbotts in the County Cup last month. 

Heybridge Swifts will once again try to banish their home hoodoo, as they welcome Walthamstow. Swifts have been superb on the road but have won only once on their own patch, their latest defeat coming at the hands of Brentwood Town in midweek. Stow are five unbeaten, and looking for a third successive win- victory which, if it arrived, would take them to within a point of their hosts with two games in hand. 

Basildon United host Brightlingsea Regent, thirteenth v ninth. The Bees are six matches without a win, although they picked up a positive point against Felixstowe on Tuesday, whilst Regent have lost only one of their last six- whilst at the same time winning only one of their last six! The Bees won both encounters between the sides last season. 

Bottom side Ipswich Wanderers will hope to begin to pick up points as they welcome Gorleston, and they need to, given that they are eight points away from safety. Wanderers have lost their last six matches, and indeed have picked up one point from their last thirty available, whilst the Greens ended a three match losing run by defeating Grays in midweek. Wanderers have defeated the Greens this season, an FA Trophy victory in September. 

Cambridge City head to third bottom Wroxham. City opened their new stadium last weekend and have since narrowly lost two matches in it without playing at all badly, but with two wins and six defeats from their last eight need to start picking up points. The Yachtsmen, by contrast, have only one defeat from six- but were perhaps a little lucky last weekend, as they were well behind against Walthamstow before floodlight failure saw the match abandoned. A victory for the hosts might lift them out of the bottom four. 

Mildenhall Town, four points and two places above the bottom four, welcome a resurgent Maldon and Tiptree. The Jammers are five unbeaten under new management, eleven points from the fifteen available, and start the weekend three points and two places above their hosts. Hall haven’t been in bad form, either, with two defeats from six, but they’ll want to quickly bounce back from last weekend’s defeat at Felixstowe. 

Sporting Bengal United, three points clear of the drop zone, welcome Newmarket Town to Mile End. The travelling jockeys are second bottom, four points behind their hosts, and have only one win from nine; whilst United are looking to avoid a fourth consecutive loss- and to avoid slipping into the bottom four.