With the Brickies away, can the Rams extend their lead at the top?

Ramsgate were close to perfect prior to their trip to East Grinstead Town in midweek, but returned home with their first defeat of the season and their lead cut to five points, with second place Sittingbourne also having a game in hand. The Rams will be in Sussex for the second time this week, as they head to Littlehampton Town, the Golds two points above the drop zone and without a win in five matches. Ramsgate will need to be careful to ensure that Sussex lightning doesn’t strike twice! 

Third place Beckenham Town take on the Ram conquering Wasps. Our former leaders are eight points away from the summit after losing three in a row, and will hope to quickly put that run behind them, whilst East Grinstead will understandably be buoyed by their midweek success and looking to defeat another high flyer. 

With Sittingbourne in the FA Trophy and Margate having an enforced break, Sheppey United, Burgess Hill Town and Merstham will squabble over fifth place.

The Ites find themselves in Sussex, travelling to Lancing, who are five points from safety and in similarly desperate need of victory. Sheppey have won three of their last four, and are hoping for a third win in a row, whilst the Lancers have looked improved under new management, winning two of their last four, but need to really start eating into that deficit.

Burgess Hill travel to take on Erith Town, their hosts two places and three points further back. Hill were shocked by the manner of their defeat to Broadbridge Heath last weekend, and took some of their frustration out on Merstham in the Velocity Cup on Tuesday night, winning four-two at Moatside. Prior to last weekend they were nine unbeaten in the league, and will hope to start another run, whilst the Dockers saw a six match unbeaten run ended by the leaders last weekend, but will fancy their chances of starting another- and perhaps climbing to sixth. 

Merstham will be hoping that Sheppey and the Hillians slip up as they travel to take on one of our form sides, Broadbridge Heath. The Moatsiders are looking for a fourth league win in a row, whilst the Bears are doing exactly the same, and are also in search of a fourth consecutive clean sheet. The hosts are in ninth, seven points behind their visitors with a game in hand.

Deal Town welcome bottom side Phoenix Sports. Deal have been on a poor run, and have lost their last three- and indeed five of their last six; whilst Sports poor run has lasted all season, and they have only two wins from ten despite some improved performances, which is why they find themselves eight points from safety.

Ashford United are the hosts for Herne Bay. The Nuts and Bolts are on a decent run of form, with only one defeat from six, whilst Bay seem to have come through a tricky patch and are looking for a third successive league win. 

Croydon Athletic are Sevenoaks Town meet in South London, fourteenth v twelfth. There are two points between the sides, and the hosts are our draw specialists, fifty percent of their matches ending all-square. The Rams have lost only two of their last ten, and for Oaks it’s three.

Three Bridges and Hythe Town are divided by one point and the drop line, the Cannons in the bottom four, their ‘hosts’- the match is at Chatham Town- just outside it but looking forward to a Christmas return to Crawley. Bridges look to have finally found some form, two wins from their last three, whilst their visitors are two unbeaten and will also hope that they’ve turned a corner.

Eastbourne Town, in thirteenth, welcome the side promoted alongside them last season, Steyning Town. Eastbourne are eight points clear of the drop zone and thirteen away from the top five, but are looking to avoid a third successive defeat after losing their last two one-nil. Their visitors have taken one point from the last thirty available, and are without a League win since September 28th, a run which has left them eight points from safety and off the bottom only on goal difference.