Can the Scholars hit the top?

Potters Bar Town play their game in hand over leaders Bishop’s Stortford this evening knowing that victory will take them to the summit- and also that they probably couldn’t have a harder task facing them. The Scholars are on the way to the Sussex coast to face Hastings United, who themselves have a big incentive to win, given that a victory would take them into the top five and perhaps as high as third. United have conceded one goal in their last seven matches, winning six with clean sheets and losing only one- to Bishop’s Stortford. They’ve also finally found their shooting boots, as after a run of seven games where they scored only three goals they’ve fired home seven in their last two. The Scholars are having a fine season, and travel to Pilot Field with only one defeat from their last six- but they’ll probably need to be at their very best if they are to take another three points.

Fourth place Hornchurch have four games in hand over the leaders, three over the second place Scholars and two over third place Aveley. That probably makes them our title favourites, a sentiment echoed by Lewes boss Tony Russell in an interview yesterday- and his side has the job of trying to stop them at the Dripping Pan (pictured) tonight. We had expected the Rooks to also be challenging for the top five, and they seem to have turned things around after a poor run, winning their last two. The Urchins, however, have won their last five league matches and scored eighteen goals in the process. An away win will lift them to third, whilst a Rooks victory could take them as high as eighth.

At the other end of the table, managerless Wingate & Finchley put their first digit in the win column with a fine victory at Canvey Island at the weekend- a result which lifted them out of the bottom four. The Blues don’t want to end up back in the relegation places, but that’s exactly what would happen if Brightlingsea Regent could escape with three points tonight. The visitors have gone six league matches without a win, taking only two points from eighteen.

We have a big match in Suffolk tonight as two of our promotion favourites meet in the Pitching In Isthmian North Division. AFC Sudbury are the hosts, and they put their unbeaten record on the line against second place Felixstowe and Walton United, who themselves have only one league defeat this season. The Seasiders looked in fine form as they walloped Hashtag United at the weekend, whilst the Yellows were forced to fight for a point at Basildon United.

Into the Pitching In Isthmian South Central, and Walton & Hersham could climb to second place if they can win at South Park Reigate- but that is unlikely to be easy. The Swans have been in fine form, winning their last six league matches, but a win for the Sparks will take them third- and they are certainly no pushovers. A three match winning streak came to an end at Westfield on Saturday, but those three victories all came at home- including one over high flying Binfield- so they’ll hope to light a similar fire under the Swans.

Uxbridge play host to bottom side Merstham, the Moatsiders somehow still looking for a first win with nine matches played. The hosts have looked very good on occasions but are struggling to find any consistency, whilst the visitors will be scratching their heads in amazement at their lack of luck so far and hoping that tonight is the night it improves.

Next,Pitching In South East, and Ashford United will go second if they can defeat Three Bridges. The Nuts and Bolts haven’t really hit the expected heights this season- and yet are still in third place, so will probably be very good indeed once they get a run going. The visitors have managed only one win since they trashed Lewes in the Cup on September 20th, and will be hoping for a positive run of their own, as they’ve slipped to fifteenth place. The two sides have already met this season, a month ago in the FA Trophy, the Nuts and Bolts wining that one two-nil.

The Velocity Cup has a Kentish South East derby between Chatham Town and Sheppey United, and a North derby as Hullbridge Sports travel nine miles to face Basildon United.

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