Can Sevenoaks be the ones to burst the Hastings bubble?

With eight wins from their last ten, our leaders Hastings United head to Sevenoaks Town this weekend four points clear at the top- and with a game in hand over second place Ashford United. Will Sevenoaks be the side who can burst their bubble? Well Oaks have lost only one home match this season so will be fairly confident, and might be helped if we point out that United’s away record isn’t as good as their home record. They’ve lost one whole game away from home!

Sevenoaks haven’t been in the best of form of late, with two wins, four draws and four defeats from their last ten. United won their first encounter this season by three goals to one, and the only side to beat them so far this season is second placed Ashford United.

The Nuts and Bolts will be hoping that Sevenoaks do them a favour, but will also be trying to do themselves a favour as they travel to Cray Valley PM. The Millers were at the top of the table not so long ago, but a run of one win in nine matches hasn’t helped their cause- particularly as it has coincided with a brilliant run from Hastings and six consecutive wins for Ashford. United scored nineteen goals across those six matches, conceding only two, whilst the Millers kept their first clean sheet in nine matches in their goalless draw against Faversham Town last timeout.

Third place Whitehawk have slipped up recently, their previous fine form being undone somewhat as they’ve taken only one point from their last two matches. The Hawks are nine points behind Hastings, and five behind Ashford, so will hope that they can get back to winning ways as they host Faversham Town at the Enclosed Ground. Town have only two wins from ten, and have lost eight of their nine matches away from home so far this season.

Whyteleafe have climbed to fourth place, and got back to winning ways after two defeats by beating the Hawks last time out. Fourteen points behind Hastings their focus will be to consolidate their position in the Playoff places as they travel to Sittingbourne- but the Brickies won’t make it easy for them. They still have Playoff pretentions of their own, and have only one defeat from their last five.

Sixth takes on eighth as Herne Bay entertain Chichester City. Bay have steadily climbed the table with only two defeats from their last ten, whilst City have exactly the same number of defeats from the same period and would be further up the table had they hadn’t drawn four of them. They’ve won three of their last four, drawing the other, and will climb above their hosts if they come away with three points- indeed, they could go as high as fourth.

Phoenix Sports sit between Bay and City, and travel to Burgess Hill Town. The Hillians have been in great form of late, losing only two of their last ten, and defeated Herne Bay and Ramsgate in their last two- it’s a shame that Phoenix Sports aren’t based on the Kent coast. Sports defeated Haywards Heath Town last time out, bouncing back after two defeats, and will be hoping the recapture the form that saw them win the three previous matches.

VCD Athletic welcome Guernsey for a match that kicks off at 2PM. Neither side have been setting the world alight of late; VCD have lost six of their last ten, including two of their last three against Chichester City, whilst the Green Lions have seen their great early season form escape them and are without a win in seven- although three of those ended in goalless draws.

Whitstable Town, who start the day in twelfth, travel to Sussex to take on Three Bridges. Bridges have won only two of their last ten, but that includes a three-nil win over Phoenix Sports last weekend; whilst the Oysterboys have only one win in six but that was also last time weekend, when they defeated East Grinstead Town.

The Wasps are in danger of being marooned at the bottom, and have a massive match as they take on second bottom Ramsgate at the end of College Lane. Still without a win all season, East Grinstead have three points from their last thirty- but the visiting Rams have exactly the same number and although five points clear of last place really need to start picking up victories. This isn’t a match that either can afford to lose.

Finally, Haywards Heath Town host Hythe Town at Hanbury Park. Heath may give a debut to new signing Marcus Elliott, and after losing their last two matches by a single goal could do with his opening his account quickly. The Cannons have also strengthened their squad this week, and are in great form, with five wins in their last six.