Can the Rams take advantage- as their two closest rivals battle each other?

Ramsgate have a two point lead at the top of Pitching In Isthmian South East, which they have built on the back of on an unbeaten run which is almost two months long. The Rams were perhaps lucky to get a point against Haywards Heath Town last weekend, but despite showing a little vulnerability- five draws from their last ten- have become a little vulnerable at a time when most of their rivals have displayed even less consistency. Their hosts, Chichester City, have lost their way and lost their last five.

Our big match sees second welcome third- and an away win could see the two swap places, but that would indeed be difficult. Hosts Chatham Town remain unbeaten at home, and although they lost to visitors Whitehawk at the Enclosed Ground just over a fortnight ago The Chats are an entirely different prospect on their own patch. The Hawks are in fine form, with seven wins from eight- but rather like the Chats they tend to suffer a little from travel sickness.

Beckenham Town ended last weekend licking their wounds after a walloping at the hands of Sheppey United. Becks have slipped to fourth, with seven points to make up on the leaders and, perhaps more importantly, a four point advantage over last weekend’s victors, who sit in sixth. They welcome Faversham Town, their visitors in a desperate need of points, eleven points from safety with only five games to go. The Lilywhites may find that a rather tall order, but the gap to the relegation play off places is a little more manageable, eight points- but if they are to have any chance then another defeat is unlikely to do. POSTPONED.

Fifth place Cray Valley PM saw a positive run end in defeat at Whitehawk last weekend, and with only one point between themselves and the sixth place Ites will not want to make a habit of that. The Millers welcome Burgess Hill Town, the Hillians with entirely different problems- one point above the bottom four and having lost four of their last five. The Millers defeated the Hillians three-nil in Sussex only three weeks ago.

Sheppey United look to be hitting form at just the right time, having won their last four- and scored thirteen goals in the process. The Ites are on the road to third bottom Haywards Heath Town, their hosts three points from safety- and perhaps still disappointed that they couldn’t defeat the leaders last time out, having come within seconds of doing so. The Ites have picked up more points on the road than at home, but Heath are difficult to defeat on their own patch. An away win could see Sheppey go fifth.

Ashford United are only two points shy of the top five, and welcome Lancing to Homelands. The Nuts and Bolts have lost only one of their last ten; whilst the Lancers, despite having difficulties at the other end of the table, have lost only one of their last four, a run which has allowed them to put five points between themselves and the danger zone. When the two sides met a week before Christmas, the Lancers came from two goals down to win, two Reece Hallard goals in the last seven minutes turning the game on its head.

Hythe Town still have play off pretentions despite a four point gap to make up. The Cannons have lost only two of their last ten, and welcome an East Grinstead Town side who are still in danger at the other end of the table, although they do have a four point cushion over the bottom four. The Wasps did deliver an impressive draw against promotion-chasing Ashford last time out, and will hope for more of the same- and they did defeat the Cannons little more than three weeks ago.

Sevenoaks Town have slipped to five points behind the top five- a gap it might prove difficult to make up. Three defeats in a row have done the damage, and they’ll need to do better as they travel to Littlehampton Town. The Golds, nine points above the bottom four, look to be safe from any end of season action at either end of the table, and with only one defeat from their last four look to be finding form once more after a poor run. POSTPONED.

Sittingbourne have opened up a five point gap on the bottom four courtesy of a positive run of form which sees them eight matches unbeaten. The Brickies welcome fourth bottom VCD Athletic to Woodstock, Vickers a point from safety and with only one win from their last ten.

Finally, Three Bridges will look to open up a larger gap on the bottom four and hammer another nail into Corinthian’s survival chances with victory at Jubilee Field. Bridges have lost their last two, and a previously positive home record has also departed of late; whilst the travelling Hoops picked up their first win in ten last time out but are twelve points from safety, and nine from the comparative safety of a relegation play off place. Bridges defeated these opponents two-nil two and a half weeks ago.

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