Can the Ites slow down the Rams title charge?

Leaders Ramsgate take an eleven point lead into the weekend, and will hope to- at the very least- hold onto that as Sheppey United come to call. The Rams have won nine of their last ten, and another victory would make it five in a row; whilst the visiting Ites got back to winning ways with a late victory over Littlehampton Town last time out and need the points themselves as they try to climb back into the top five. The two sides have already met twice this season in league and Trophy, the Rams winning narrowly by the only goal in their November league encounter, and by four goals to one in October’s Trophy tie.

Cray Valley PM look to be the Rams main challengers, still unbeaten in the league and with three games in hand- although, of course, they have eleven points to make up. The Millers welcome Ashford United to the Artic Stadium, the Nuts and Bolts having lost their last four matches- and indeed with only two wins from ten. Cray Valley scored two first half goals to win their first meeting of the season two-nil at the end of November, and won five-one when the sides last met at the Artic Stadium in March, and the one result the sides haven’t delivered during their last ten meetings has been a draw, the Millers six-four up in victories.

Third place Lancing are on the road to Littlehampton Town in a Sussex derby, and hopefully won’t spend too long stuck in roadworks near Rustington. The Lancers saw a seven match unbeaten run come to an end when losing narrowly to Cray Valley PM last time out, but have been in fine form and will hope to- at the very least- extend the gap between themselves and sixth place. The Golds are in fifteenth, nine points above the drop zone, and have won three and lost two of their last five, falling to a last gasp goal at Sheppey United last time out. The Lancers are unbeaten in the three Isthmian meetings between the sides, winning the last one by the odd goal in five at the end of September.

Sittingbourne, newly strengthened with the addition of Ashford United striker Danny Parish, are on the road to Herne Bay as fifth welcomes fourth. The Brickies, with two defeats from ten and having won their last two without conceding a goal, may face a tough challenge as Bay are in their best form of the season, and travel to the Roman Stadium having won their last four matches. Sittingbourne won the meeting between the sides in October by two goals to nil.

Three Bridges have dropped to seventh place after a run of four consecutive defeats, and will want to get back to winning ways and- perhaps- back into the top five by defeating Chichester City at Jubilee Field. City are only one point and one place further back, but have lost three of their last four. That said, they are far better on the road than at home, so won’t be at all dismayed by the journey. Bridges won the first encounter between the sides this season by one goal to nil in early October, whilst City took four points from their fixtures last season.

Sevenoaks Town, in ninth, welcome twelfth place Hythe Town. Oaks have slipped to eight points away from the top five on the back of a run which has brought them one win from eight, whilst the Cannons have only one win from their last four after being a little distracted by their Trophy ambitions but have as many as six matches in hand over the sides ahead of them, so certainly haven’t given up on their promotion ambitions yet. They hammered Oaks four-nil at Reachfields in October.

Burgess Hill Town are in tenth place but most definitely upwardly mobile, with four wins from their last five- the only defeat coming at Ramsgate. Hill are playing some fine football, and will hope to continue that climb up the table by defeating Horndean in Mid Sussex. The Deans are eight points further back in fourteenth, but have won three of their last four and will hope to keep their good form going. The Deans defeated Hill one-nil in October.

East Grinstead Town will hope to turn a two match unbeaten run into three, heartened by their win at Ashford United last time out. The Wasps welcome Broadbridge Heath along the A264, The Bears still getting their breath back after that incredible six-all draw with Merstham in midweek. Heath are six points above the drop zone but have lost only one of their last four, and will be looking for revenge after losing one-nil to the Wasps in October.

Merstham will be rather confused about what happened at Broadbridge Heath in midweek, winning for most of the match and then nearly losing it at the end before sealing that six-six draw. The Moatsiders have only two wins from ten, and travel to bottom side Beckenham Town, who would love to have two wins from ten, as they only have two from the entire season. That sees them nine points from safety, and they’ll hope to do just a little better than they did when the sides met in October, the Moatsiders coming from three-nil down to win four-three.

Erith and Belvedere host a local derby with Phoenix Sports. The Deres are six points from safety, and seven points behind their visitors, after a run which has seen them lose eight of their last nine fixtures. Sports have only one win from five, and they’ve met the Deres twice this season, a goalless draw in October and a five-one Velocity Cup defeat back in August.

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