Can the Urchins extend their lead at the top?

Hornchurch will start the weekend with a five point lead at the top of the table, and they wil be favourites to maintain or even extend it as Kingstonian come to call. The Urchins have lost only one of their last fifteen matches, and have taken thirteen points from their last fifteen; whilst the K’s have gone five matches without a win- and indeed have taken only one point from that run. Even worse, they haven’t won a single match on the road this season. Still, the bigger them come, eh?! The K’s have won two of their last three against the Urchins, however- although they lost two-one when the two last met, twelve months ago.

Second place Bishop’s Stortford are at home to Herne Bay. The hosting Blues have lost only one of their last thirteen league matches, and have won three of their last four by one goal to nil. The visiting Seaside Blues start the day second from bottom, but they have looked much improved of late and have drawn their last three matches. They’ve gone two months without winning one, however.

Potters Bar Town, new manager in place, got back to winning ways in the Velocity Cup in midweek, and are at home against Margate. After conceding five goals in both of their last two league matches the Scholars will hope to have tightened up at the back, whilst their visitors are seven unbeaten in all competitions, and drew with Bishop’s Stortford and Billericay Town in the last two. The Scholars have won three of the last four meetings between the sides- the other was a draw. Postponed.

Carshalton Athletic are one of our form sides, with only one defeat from their last nine. The Robins, who start the day in fifth place, are on the road to the North London Blues, Wingate & Finchley, who start the weekend one place- but four points- above the bottom four. The hosts have only one defeat from their last four, but they have a terrible recent record against the Robins, without a win in five and losing four of them. Postponed.

Three points separate Canvey Island in seventh place and Lewes in ninth- the Gulls, who travel to the Dripping Pan this weekend, only a point outside the top five. The Rooks are in their most consistent form of the campaign, with only one defeat from their last eleven, and won on Wednesday night at Kingstonian. Canvey have only one defeat from seven and travel back to Sussex for the second time this week. They came within a hairs breadth of defeating Hastings United in midweek, only for a late, late equaliser to scupper their chances of three points.
Postponed.

Hastings are at home again, welcoming Bowers and Pitsea. United are four unbeaten although drew their last two, whilst Bowers have taken only six points from their last thirty- and indeed have just one win from their last sixteen matches. The side from the Len Salmon are also yet to record a win on the road, which will be a boost to the home faithful.

Billericay Town welcome Corinthian-Casuals. The Blues have gone off the boil somewhat, with only one win from their last five, whilst third bottom Casuals have looked much improved of late but still find themselves five points from safety. The visitors are still without a win on the road.

Horsham go east, and stop just before they hit the sea. The Hornets are on the road to bottom side Brightlingsea Regent. Horsham are three without a win and have seen consistency desert them, with only three wins from their last ten. That’s three more wins than Regent have from the same period, however, although they have drawn two of their last three and do look to be improving. The last time the two sides met, back in March, Regent recorded a vital three-two win- which made a great change given their previous three matches against the Hornets had resulted in three defeats, no goals scored and fourteen conceded. Postponed.

Folkestone Invicta and Bognor Regis Town meet on the Kent coast in a match between two sides who have not reached the heights expected of them so far this season. Invicta find themselves three places- although ten points- above the bottom four, and ten points behind the top five; whilst the Rocks are only one point better off. Invicta have lost their last two, Bognor have gone three without a win. There is a strange sequence of results between the sides. Invicta won both of their encounters last season, the Rocks won both during the 2019-20 season, Invicta won both during 2018-19, Bognor won both during 2016-17- so on that basis, it’s Bognor’s turn for victory! We’ve a feeling that some folks in stripes may have something to say about that!

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