Can the Mackerel Men get back on track? Who will win in the battle of Rocks versus Rocks?

Bishop's Stortford host Kingstonian at the R&D Advisors UK Stadium hoping to pick up their first win of the season. The Blues came back from the Sussex coast last Saturday with one point after a goalless draw with Bognor Regis Town, but will perhaps be a little disappointed with that given they faced ten men for the majority of the match. The K's defeated Haringey Borough courtesy of a Gus Sow penalty, and are much-fancied this season.

Read the K's guide to the Blues here.

Corinthian Casuals saw two late penalties deprive them of any points at Potters Bar Town on Saturday, whilst at almost exactly the same time opponents Folkestone Invicta were finding the net themselves, coming from behind to register three goals in fifteen minutes to defeat title favourites Worthing. Invicta did the double over Casuals during 2019-20 (not that it mattered for much in the end), and indeed they did the same in 2018-19- in fact it is almost ten years to the day since Casuals last defeated their opponents, August 23rd 2011 to be exact. Perhaps that might be an omen!

In our Rocks v Rocks derby East Thurrock United and Bognor Regis Town compete to pick up their first win of the season. The home Rocks will want to bounce back from their three-nil defeat at Cheshunt, whilst the visiting Rocks will have a much better chance of success with eleven men! When they met on the Sussex coast last season it was near-Leigh a disaster for the Essex side, Bognor scoring four goals without reply, Ashton Leigh getting a hat trick and Tommy Leigh the other.

Enfield Town had a wonderful start to the campaign in a topsy-turvy match at Carshalton Athletic on Saturday, going ahead, falling behind and then roaring back to win four-two. Stopping Towners striker Mo Faal will be critical to Brightlingsea Regent's chance of success- but then the visitors were no slouches either, defeating Merstham two-nil in their opening match. So long as the Towners don't field a host of WWE wrestlers, then the visitors have a chance!

Haringey Borough won't be too downhearted after losing to a penalty at Kingstonian last weekend, and Horsham similarly won't be beating themselves up after defeat to FA Trophy winners Hornchurch. The Hornets won their last two meetings, so perhaps it's Borough's turn this time? Head to Coles Park to find out!

Read the Horsham match preview here.

Hornchurch have been superb in pre-season and again last week, perhaps the adrenaline of that Wembley win powering them forward. The Urchins host a Cray Wanderers side who started brilliantly last weekend, defeating a Lewes side who were managed by their former manager and fielding half of the Wands squad from last season, and they'll arrive full of confidence. The last meeting between the two ended in a draw, and previous meetings were a good few years beforehand so don't have much relevance.

Read the Cray Wanderers guide to the fixture here.

Leatherhead striker Alex Sami will be full of confidence after an opening day hat trick at Bowers and Pitsea, and goodness, he was very good indeed. You can watch his second goal below- and you'll want to watch it again afterwards, as it's simply superb. Visitors Wingate & Finchley fell to narrow defeat last weekend as they hosted Margate, and have lost on the last two occasions the sides have met, so will want to put an end to that run.

Lewes are highly rated, but didn't hit the heights last weekend at Cray and face another side in Amber, Cheshunt, at the Dripping Pan. The Ambers started really well, defeating East Thurrock United three-nil, and followed that with a three-all draw with National League South Dartford in a friendly in midweek. The last time these two met, in Lewes on February 8th 2020, the visitors won by an incredible six goals to one. Rooks fans probably didn't want to be reminded of that.

Margate had a solid start, defeating Wingate and Finchley one-nil in London, whilst visitors Carshalton Athletic weren't so happy, losing at home to Enfield Town. Gate boss Jay Saunders speaks about the win- and this game- below.

Merstham didn't have the greatest of starts, losing to Brightlingsea Regent, and they welcome Potters Bar Town to the Whisky Bible Stadium. The Scholars came from behind last weekend to defeat Corinthian-Casuals, main man Ben Ward-Cochrane coolly converting two late penalties. The Scholars won the last three meetings between the sides, and the home faithfully will desperately hope this isn't four in a row.

Finally, title favourites Worthing surprisingly fell to defeat on the Kent coast last weekend, and will be looking to put that right as Bowers & Pitsea head to the Crucial Environmental Stadium. On the two occasions they've met previously the Mackerel men won two-one, and the home faithful will undoubtedly come out in force hoping for more of the same this time around.

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