Can the Rocks beat the Mackerel Men?

The Pitching In Isthmian Premier Division is slightly short on matches this weekend due to some of our clubs being in FA Cup action- but what we have looks marvellous nonetheless. Here’s our preview.

We start at the top, and leaders Worthing are away from home- but they’ve been away from home every match this season so far and it hasn’t made a blind bit of difference to their performances, so they won’t be too worried about travelling to Rookery Hill to face East Thurrock United. The Mackerel Men have five wins from six this season, their only defeat coming in a seven goal thriller at Leatherhead two and a half weeks ago; whilst the Rocks picked up their first win against Worthing’s current landlords Horsham in midweek and will want to kick on from that and climb out of the bottom two.

Second place Enfield Town travel to Carshalton Athletic. The Towners have been fabulous at home but have lost their last three away matches, whilst the Robins have won every home match this season whilst also struggling on the road. The stats would predict a home win, but the Robins will have to play much better than they did in their four-nil loss against Hornchurch last Saturday if they are to collect three points.

Cheshunt will look forward to hosting Kingstonian, as they’ll remember their three-one win over the K’s last January with delight. On that occasion the result was something of a shock as the visitors were on a great run, but on this occasion it is the Ambers who are the favourites, sitting as they do in third place. Craig Edwards men will want to bounce back after two defeats, whilst the K’s are still looking for consistency but did move up to eighth with a narrow win over Potters Bar Town in midweek.

Leatherhead, in ninth, were stunned by three first half goals at Brightlingsea Regent on Tuesday night, and will want to quickly recapture the form that saw them defeat Worthing and Folkestone Invicta in two of their three previous games as they travel to face Corinthian-Casuals in a Surrey derby. Casuals were also walloped in midweek, conceding three late goals at Wingate and Finchley to turn a point into a hiding. Their recent home form has been good, however, so they’ll be glad to be back at King George’s Field and expecting another victory.

Hornchurch returned to form with a bang last weekend, walloping Carshalton, and then proved it wasn’t a fluke by hammering Cheshunt on Tuesday. Another win could see them climb to as high as fifth, whilst visitors Horsham, currently behind the Urchins only on goal difference, also have top five pretentions- but will need to improve their away form if they are to make that leap. Saturday would be a good time to start.

We’ve a seaside struggle as Bognor Regis Town host Margate. The Rocks have done anything but struggle at home so far this season, winning both of their matches and scoring six goals in the process- four against East Thurrock United last time out- whilst gate don’t have a win, home or away, since September 19th, and need to turn around a run of four consecutive defeats.

Brightlingsea Regent changed their manager earlier this week and then changed their outlook, walloping Leatherhead three-nil on Tuesday night, a result which lifted them to nineteenth. They’ll be delighted to have a second home match this week as Folkestone Invicta come to call, Neil Cugley’s side stuttering a little and above their hosts only on goal difference. Invicta have only one win from their last six in all competitions, and will wish they could play Wingate and Finchley every week, the Blues being on the receiving end of two of their three wins so far.

Finally, Merstham went bottom in midweek with a narrow defeat at Lewes. The Moatsiders have been perhaps a little unlucky, given they have a goal difference better than nine of the clubs above them in the table despite winning only once, whilst Potters Bar Town, three points and five places above their visitors, have lost only one match this season by more than one goal, so will be hoping that fine margins go in their favour this time out.