Can the Tanners and Rocks continue their great escape?

Our leaders, Worthing, could technically win the league this weekend, although that would take a win for them over Haringey Borough and for their three nearest challengers to lose. The Mackerel Men will certainly want to place at least one hand on the trophy as Borough come to call, and with nine wins from their last ten they couldn’t be in better form, but draw specialists Borough have a pretty good record against these opponents and have lost only one of their previous meetings. Mind you, they’ve only won one, too! Their last meeting was a two-two draw at Coles Park in early December.

Bishop’s Stortford, fresh from winning our Performance of the Month award for their win over the Mackerel Men, welcome a shellshocked Folkestone Invicta. Neil Cugley’s side have fallen out of the top five after three consecutive defeats and four games without a win, whilst the Blues are unbeaten since January 8th and look certainties to grab a home play off tie at the end of the month. When the two met on the Kent coast a goalless draw was the outcome, and given Stortford have now gone an incredible nine matches without conceding a goal Invicta will have to be at their very best to take all three points and get their promotion chase back on track.

A point behind Stortford in third place are Enfield Town. The Towners welcome Horsham to Donkey Lane, and seem back to top form with five consecutive wins. The Hornets got back to winning ways over Folkestone Invicta in midweek and will hope to push on from that victory, knowing that another win will just about secure them safety. Town have opened up a seven point gap between themselves and sixth place Folkestone Invicta.

Hornchurch welcome Bognor Regis Town to the end of the District Line. The Urchins have only one defeat in ten, and could move up a place with a win if Enfield Town were to slip up. Bognor seem to have finally found some consistency and to have begun to turn draws into wins, with three victories from four under new boss Robbie Blake. The Urchins won their last meeting, two-one, and have only lost two of their last ten against these opponents- but that run is over twelve years!

Lewes have finally got themselves back into the top five, and the Rooks will hope to hold on to that fifth place as they welcome Wingate & Finchley. The visiting Blues have only one win from six and aren’t quite out of danger yet, whilst the Rooks have won their last two and are beginning to look more like their old selves after an inconsistent run.

Cheshunt have climbed to within five points of the top five with some fine performances, and have two games in hand over the two sides above them. They’ll want to keep up the pressure as they travel to Bowers and Pitsea, and with only one defeat in ten won’t be short on confidence. Rob Small’s hosts have lost only one of their last six and have become rather difficult to beat, drawing their last two matches, but with Hornchurch, Lewes and Bishop’s Stortford amongst their last seven opponents the Ambers have their fate firmly in their own hands.

Kingstonian, starting the weekend in eighth place, seem finally to have emerged from their malaise, unbeaten in three- whilst opponents Carshalton Athletic have entered one, losing three of their last four and being thrashed by Hornchurch last time out. Both sides have fallen too far off the pace to realistically challenge for the Play Off’s, but the K’s look favourites for this one.

Margate celebrate their one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary with the visit of Potters Bar Town. Eight points separate the two at start of play, but the hosts have seen their play off hopes evaporate with only three points from their last fifteen, whilst the Scholars have lost two of their last three and will be hoping to get back to wining ways on the Kent coast.

Next up, three battles for survival.

Corinthian-Casuals have seen their form desert them in recent weeks, and indeed haven’t won a match since January 15th. Good form earlier in the season has seen them remain nine points above the danger zone, but they need to get back to winning ways soon if they are not to be dragged into trouble. One of the sides who’ll want to do the dragging host the side in pink and brown this weekend, Brightlingsea Regent laying on a warm welcome. Regent have climbed to a point above the bottom three, but still have only two wins from their last ten and would gladly welcome three points.

East Thurrock United, second from bottom, welcome a side three points and three places better off, Merstham. The Rocks have won their last two matches and given themselves hope, whilst the Moatsiders have lost nine of their last ten and are in far the worst form of any of the sides in the bottom five. Frank Wilson’s side won’t want to lose again.

Bottom side Leatherhead welcome third bottom Cray Wanderers, and the Tanners could close to within a point of their visitors with victory. With three wins from four Leatherhead have looked full of self belief of late, whilst Wands, with three narrow defeats from their last four, need a little luck and a few more points if they are to escape.

Image: Stuart Tree.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.