Can the Seasiders catch up with the Trawler Boys?

Leaders Lowestoft Town have seen their lead at the top of Pitching In isthmian North cut to three points, and they have a tricky trip to fourth place Bowers and Pitsea next on their schedule. The Trawler Boys are five unbeaten and looking for a third successive win, but the Bowers unbeaten run goes back even further, eight matches, and they’ve won six of their last seven at the Len Salmon. When the sides met in October, the Trawler Boys won two-nil, but there is more at stake than Bowers revenge- a home win could really open up the title race.

Second place Felixstowe and Walton United are seven matches unbeaten, and have won their last five without conceding a single goal. They head to Wroxham hoping to keep that run going, and have a slim chance of taking over at the summit- although there’d need to be a big goal difference swing for that to happen. The Yachtsmen got back to winning ways last time out, and start the weekend in twelfth- and are looking to do the double over the Seasiders, after winning two-nil when the sides met in November.

Third place Bury Town have a weekend off, but Brentwood Town, currently in fifth spot, travel to take on the side two places and three points behind them, Heybridge Swifts. The Blues haven’t played a late, late goal saw them defeated by Lowestoft on February 6th, but prior to that were eight games unbeaten and will be confident of starting another positive run. Swifts have lost three of their last four, including at Bury last weekend, but they defeated the Blues in October and will hope to do the double and close the gap.

Maldon and Tiptree will hope to win at Gorleston and for Heybridge Swifts to do them a favour, although the latter thought may be rather difficult to contemplate. A Jammers win and a Brentwood loss will see Maldon into the top five with a victory of their own, and they have won three of their last four; whilst their Green hosts won’t be pushovers, having lost only one of their last eight. The three meetings between the sides since Gorleston’s promotion to our level have brought one win each, Maldon winning two-nil in October.

Basildon United find themselves five points from the top five and having lost three of their last four, and the Bees will hope to rediscover their sting as they travel to Bishop’s Stortford to take on Enfield. Their hosts are down in seventeenth, fourteen points above the drop zone, but with only one win- and seven defeats- from their last ten. United defeated a nine man E’s side two-nil the last time they met.

Grays Athletic and Walthamstow meet at Tilbury. Stow are eight points away from the top five but with only three defeats from ten are in decent form, whilst Athletic have taken only ten points from the last thirty available, although with a fourteen point cushion between themselves and the drop zone won’t be looking behind them with any signs of rising panic! The first meeting between the sides was a one-one draw.

It feels like Brightlingsea Regent, in tenth, were challenging for a play off place only a few weeks ago, but there are now thirteen points between Regent and the top five, which perhaps demonstrates the depths which they have dived of late. Regent head to Redbridge on the back of seven successive defeats, whilst with two wins from ten the Motormen have been in a similar slump. The first meeting between the sides this season was an entertaining three-three draw.

New Salamis play host to Witham Town, fourteenth v thirteenth. The hosts got back to winning ways last time out, defeating Grays Athletic three-two, but their performances this season have ranged from woeful to wonderful and just about everything in between. That said, when they’ve been good, they’ve been very good. You could very much say the same about their visitors, who have had some fine moments but suffer from enormous inconsistency. Tow wins from ten- big wins over Brightlingsea and Heybridge Swifts- have been sandwiched amongst defeats. Who knows which versions of the Salamina and Witham will turn up on Saturday? The two sides drew two-two in October.

Finally, we have nineteenth v eighteenth, as Stowmarket Town and Ipswich Wanderers meet. There may be only one place between the sides but that statistic is accompanied by thirteen points, and Stow haven’t yet managed to find a win. We’ve written regularly about Stow’s improving form, but it hasn’t yet brought them many points and with only twelve matches left if their luck is going to change, it needs to happen soon. Wanderers drew two-two at Witham last time out, but prior to that had lost eight of nine.

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