Can the Curfews extend their lead?

By Ian Townsend

With Southall away, Chertsey have the chance to win their game in hand and open up some daylight- whilst Vale, Leatherhead and the chasing pack hope to close the gap. It’s our South Central preview.


Chertsey Town may be ahead of second place Southall only on goal difference, but they do have a game in hand- and they get to play it this weekend, as they hop on a jet plane to Guernsey whilst The All have a weekend off. The Curfews have been in magnificent form, unbeaten in the league since Saturday September 16th- that’s a sixteen match unbeaten run- and defeated the Green Lions four-one at Alwyns Lane as recently as November 21st, so go into the match as big favourites. That said, Guernsey have been much improved of late, have taken seven points from their last three matches, and have scored seven goals in their last two matches at Footes Lane. Mind you, they have taken only one point from the Curfews in five meetings. POSTPONED.

Raynes Park Vale, who start the weekend in third place, have the chance to reduce the gap between themselves and the leaders as they welcome Chipstead. Vale have been a little off the pace in recent weeks, and have drawn their last three matches, but it has been almost three months since they were last defeated. The Chips ended a nine match losing streak with victory at Corinthian-Casuals last time out, but saw a second half onslaught give them a hammering when the sides met in September, Vale coming from behind to hit four after the break.

Leatherhead were surprisingly walloped by Westfield on the evening of New Years Day, and will hope to get back to winning ways as they welcome Sutton Common Rovers. That result was particularly surprising because the Tanners had kept a clean sheet in seven of their previous nine matches- indeed the three goals scored by Westfield were as many as they’d conceded throughout that entire period. If Leatherhead have a weakness, it tends to be at the other end- they’ve scored fewer goals than any other side in the top twelve. Rovers, who lost to Marlow in midweek, have gone eight without a win, but in their previous meeting with the Tanners in October it took an own goal to give Leatherhead the points- the only goal of the game.

Marlow put their three consecutive defeats behind them when defeating Sutton Common Rovers on Wednesday night, and they will look to build on that as they travel to Uxbridge. Their away form is actually better than their form at Oak Tree Road, so the trip to Honeycroft won’t be too much of a burden, particularly as their hosts have gone four without a win, a run which has seen them slip to twelfth- eight points behind their visitors. A last-gasp Dave Tarpey goal gave Marlow a three-two victory when the sides met in November.

Westfield will hope to retake their place in the top five as they welcome Hartley Wintney. The Woking side have won their last four and been rather impressive, and have an unbeaten run that is seven games long, whilst their visitors have also been in decent form, with only two defeats from nine matches. They were walloped four-nil by Westfield on their own patch in October, however- a Jake Baxter hat trick doing most of the damage, and all of the goals scored in the first half.

Hanworth Villa welcome bottom side Binfield, and are looking to start another unbeaten run after their six match undefeated streak was ended by met Police on New Years Day. Last seasons Play Off Finalists are four points away from the top five and will certainly hope to be involved in another end of season party, whilst the Moles, who just missed out on the Play Off’s last season, will think that a distant memory. Twelve points from safety and without a win all season, they conceded nine to Chertsey in their last match. Surely they must do better than that at Rectory Meadow? The three Isthmian meetings between the sides so far have seen the Villains take seven points, including three when they last met- a comfortable three-nil win in September.

South Park Reigate hit the road to Corinthian-Casuals. The Sparks are five points away from the top five and are six matches unbeaten, but if they are to climb the table need to begin turning draws into wins- they’ve only two defeats from ten, but drew five of them. Casuals have a rather different problem, and indeed would have loved a few draws after losing their last five, a run which sees them start the weekend four points from safety. The two sides last met in September, the Sparks scoring in the last minute of each half to win two-nil in Tolworth.

Thatcham Town are one of our form sides, with only one defeat in ten- and if that continues then the Kingfishers will surely narrow the six point gap between themselves and the top five. Town are on the road to the Racecourse, where they take on Ascot Town, the Yellas still searching for consistency- but they were in good form in defeating Badshot Lea three-one on New Years Day. The Kingfishers won the previous meeting between the sides in November by two goals to nil- although United did play the last forty minutes with ten men.

Met Police welcome Badshot Lea to Imber Court. The Boys in Blue are in their best form of the season, having won three of their last four, whilst the Baggies have slowed down a little, without a win in four matches- and have slipped to eleventh as a result. The last time the sides met they delivered an entertaining two-two draw, but both will hope to do better this time around.

Ashford Town and Northwood meet at the Robert Parker Stadium. The hosting Tangerines have only one win from ten and have lost their last three, but sit three points better off than their opponents- although Northwood have two games in hand. The Woods have lost their last two, and have only one win from their last five meetings with the Tangerines. The last time the two sides met, in September, Town won three-one.

Note to all clubs- please upload any goal of the month contenders as soon as you can, to the address we sent you!

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Where next?

Can the Lancers halt the Rams winning streak? Leaders Ramsgate travel to Lancing, whilst Cray Valley face a tough trip to Hythe- and we've intrigue in the play off race and the race to avoid the drop. It's our South East preview.
Will the Trawler Boys frailties continue? Two defeats from three has suddenly made Lowestoft look a little vulnerable- whilst, with four points between third and eighth, the play off battle is intense. Here’s our North preview.

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