Can the Towners make it six wins in a row?
Five teams could mathematically end the weekend at the summit, but the real battle looks to be between Enfield Town, Carshalton Athletic and Lewes- although each have tricky challenges this weekend. Here’s our preview
Our Pitching In Isthmian Premier leaders Enfield Town, led by Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month Billy Holland, are back at their Dave Bryant Stadium to host Cray Wanderers. The Towners have won their last five competitive matches, and indeed six of their seven so far, whilst their visitors will be no pushovers, travelling to North London with a four match unbeaten run to protect. That said, Wands haven’t yet managed to win away from Flamingo Park, so the hosts must be favourites.
Second place Carshalton Athletic started the campaign with five consecutive wins, but the Robins are now winless in three in League and Cup. They’ll hope to return to winning ways in front of their own fans, but have fifth place Dartford heading their way, the Darts three unbeaten after a blip of their own. The Robins have won one of the last four meetings between the sides, the last of their meetings a two-two draw in April.
Third place Lewes will try to put their midweek FA Cup defeat quickly behind them and focus on their League form, where they have won their last four and conceded only one goal. The Rooks head to Chatham Town, the Chats in inconsistent form but too good for things to stay that way for long. The Chats took six points from the Rooks last season.
Welling United are at home to Wingate and Finchley- both sides midweek Cup Replay winners against Step Four opposition. Wings last League outing was a four-one thumping at Cray on Bank Holiday Monday, but they had won three in a row prior to that; whilst the travelling Blues also lost four-one on Bank Holiday Monday but were three unbeaten coming into that match against leaders Enfield Town. The two meetings between the sides in 25-26 brought only three goals in total, and four points for United.
Dulwich Hamlet are in sixth, and will hope to climb higher- perhaps even into the top three- as they host Brentwood Town. Hamlet are unbeaten at Champion Hill this season, whilst the traveling Blues have lost their last four League matches but returned to winning ways in a midweek Cup replay. Both meetings between the sides last season ended in away wins.
Seventh place Aveley welcome eighth place Leatherhead, only goal difference separating the two at kick off. The Millers haven’t yet found a consistent rhythm but they have won three of their last four in the League, whilst the Tanners League form shows two defeats from their last three. The sides had similar fortunes in the Cup last weekend, Leatherhead comfortably through against Step Four opposition whilst Aveley were defeating Cheshunt four-two.
St Albans City fought their way past North Division leaders Hashtag United in a midweek Cup replay, so have two wins and two draws from their last four competitive matches. The Saints are the hosts for eighteenth place Three Bridges, the Crawley side looking to bounce back from Cup defeat against South Central side Kingstonian last week and make it three unbeaten in the League.
Ramsgate hit the road to Sussex, where they take on Burgess Hill Town- the sides separated only by goal difference. The Rams have three wins from four in League and Cup, whilst the Hillians are six unbeaten in all competitions- and indeed haven’t lost since the opening day. Hill defeated the Rams both home and away last season.
Eastbourne Borough were victorious in the Cup at the weekend but are on a three match losing streak in the League. They’ll hope to put that right as Cheshunt make the trip to the Sussex seaside, the Ambers having drawn five of their six League matches this season and, having departed the Cup last weekend, still looking for their first win.
Maldon and Tiptree announced new owners in midweek, but such has been the flux of their season so far that we’ve no idea what their squad will look like as they host Whitehawk. The Jammers were walloped by Step Four side Cambridge City in the Cup last weekend, and haven’t played a League match since August 22nd, whilst the Hawks have taken only two points from their first six League fixtures and departed the Cup against Eastbourne Borough.
AFC Whyteleafe meet Stanway Rovers in a battle of the bottom two. Both sides are looking for a first win of the campaign.