Can the Towners hit the top? Or will the Mackerel Men hold on?

Our leaders, Worthing, welcome Wingate and Finchley to the seaside. The Mackerel Men have seen their lead at the top cut to two points so can’t afford to slip up- and although they don’t slip up often they have drawn two of their last three. The visitors got back to winning ways last time out against Worthing’s local rivals, Bognor Regis Town, but they have a terrible recent record against the Mackerel men, losing the last six times they’ve met- including a three-one defeat in November.

Second place Enfield Town know that if Worthing fail to win they could be top on Saturday evening- they are two points behind with a marginally better goal difference. The Towners are on the road to Bowers & Pitsea (pictured- Stadium Photography), their hosts improving in confidence after a victory over Cheshunt and a draw at Horsham. Can the visitors make it five wins in a row? Form would say yes, and it is only three weeks since the Towners defeated these opponents, but Bowers are only three points clear of the bottom three and also need the points.

Bishop’s Stortford, seven points off the top in third place, welcome Corinthian-Casuals. The Blues have only lost one of their last ten, whilst Casuals have gone three games without a win. When the two met back in October Jake Cass- these days at Enfield Town- scored both goals in a Stortford win, but the last time that Casuals were visitors here they departed with a three-one win, in November 2019.

Lewes, in fourth place, welcome East Thurrock United. The Rooks saw a four game unbeaten run come to an end at Hornchurch last time out, but they will be more confident against this Essex side, as the Rocks have lost five in a row and seven of their last eight. The last time the two met, in early November, United ended a good Rooks run with a two-nil victory- and indeed they emerged victorious on the last three occasions the Rooks have been the opposition.

Folkestone Invicta, who won seven-nil last weekend, will be hoping for more of the same as Carshalton Athletic come to call. Athletic got back to winning ways last time out and although they are seven points behind fifth place Invicta will still have playoff pretentions. The last time the two met Athletic won five-nil, so there may be some hopes of revenge- but the Robins have a fabulous recent record against these opponents, with four wins and a draw from their last five meetings.

Hornchurch have been in magnificent form and picked up Manager of the Month and our Golden Gloves awards this week. They’ll hope there’s no curse as they travel to Haringey Borough, as another three points could take them as high as third defending on other results. Borough got back to winning ways against East Thurrock United last weekend, but the Urchins have won nine of their last ten and drew the other- and have won their last three meetings with Borough, too.

Kingstonian, who have slipped to seventh but are still only a point off the top five, welcome Potters Bar Town. The Scholars are on a terrible run, having lost seven in a row, but new boss Sammy Moore will hope to see his side turn that around and what better time to start? The K’s won on the last two occasions the two have met, and the Scholars won the previous two.

Margate welcome Horsham to Hartsdown Park. The Blues have lost two of their last three, but they were playing high-flying Hornchurch and Enfield Town; whilst the Hornets have only one win in eight. The Blues are nine points off the top five, and if they want to gatecrash the playoff party they need to go on a run sometime soon. After six games unbeaten against the Hornets, Horsham won the last time the two met, at the end of November.

Cheshunt have really gone off the boil in the league, with only one point from their last fifteen. They’ll hope to get back to winning ways against bottom side Leatherhead, but the Tanners have been much improved of late, unbeaten in three and starting to believe that the great escape is possible. The last time the two met the Ambers were victorious, but this is a different Tanners side so who knows what’s going to happen?

Bognor Regis Town got back to winning ways with a comeback victory over Corinthian-Casuals in midweek, and they welcome Brightlingsea Regent to Nyewood Lane. Regent are three game unbeaten -and indeed have taken seven points from them; whilst the Rocks have only won three of their last ten, but their midtable position isn’t due to lots of defeats but lots of draws. They’ve drawn ten of their twenty six matches so far this season- but they walloped Regent five-nil when the two met in early October.

Finally, Cray Wanderers host Merstham. The Wands got back to winning ways in midweek, but are seven points behind the Moatsiders and their new Chelsea goalkeeper, and given they’ve played more matches than anyone else in the bottom four three points is a must. Up until this season the Wands were unbeaten against these opponents in five matches, but they lost the last one, back in November, by two goals to nil.

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