Can Wands make it two hundred and seventy six days unbeaten? The Rocks say no!

Cray Wanderers were our big winners of the opening day of the Pitching In Isthmian Premier season, and as they kick off on Saturday will be two hundred and seventy five days unbeaten. Can East Thurrock United burst their bubble? Wands travel to Rookery Hill with their hosts looking for their first point after narrowly losing to Cheshunt last weekend, and narrowly losing again in the cup in midweek. The teams last met back in February, when Cray triumphed by the only goal of the game.

Enfield Town bowed out of the FA Cup on penalties on Tuesday night, but they had a strong start last weekend, walloping Lewes four goals to one. Town are on the road to face Merstham, who also suffered penalty heartbreak in midweek, and the Moatsiders will hope for a better outcome than last season, when the Towners won this fixture four-one.

Carshalton Athletic have been scoring goals for fun, thirteen in three matches so far; David Fisher top scoring with four, with Koroma, Bradford and Cheadle grabbing two each. They travel down to Kent to face Margate at Hartsdown Park. Their hosts started their league campaign with victory over Brightlingsea Regent last weekend, but fell to FA Cup defeat against Hayes & Yeading United in midweek.

Bowers and Pitsea, victors at Wingate and Finchley last Sunday, didn’t far so well on Tuesday night when Hornchurch defeated them three-nil in the cup at the Len Salmon. They host Leatherhead, who after an opening day point also departed our premier cup competition, on penalties to Chertsey Town.

Haringey Borough and Bognor Regis Town have both had unbeaten starts to the season, Borough with two wins- over Corinthian-Casuals and Tunbridge Wells- the Rocks with a draw and a penalty shootout victory. When they met at Coles Park in February yellow trumped green by two goals to one, and the home faithful will hope for more of the same this weekend.

Hornchurch followed up their opening day win over Merstham with a comprehensive display against Bowers in midweek, and are on the road to Bishop’s Stortford. The Blues came back from two goals down to snatch a draw against Bognor last weekend and then made their way through to the next round of the FA Cup in midweek, after another late goal earned them a draw and the chance of a penalty shootout victory. When the two last met, seven months ago, goals from Chris Dickson and Matt Johnson handed victory to the Urchins.

Worthing, surprisingly dumped out of the FA Cup in midweek against a resurgent East Grinstead Town, are on the road to Kingstonian- who were also falling to defeat on the A264, only at the other end of it in Horsham. The K’s were hammered by Cray Wanderers last weekend and will be desperate to get a victory on the board, whilst the Mackerel Men were impressive in victory at Folkestone Invicta.

Cheshunt are on the road to the Camping World Community Stadium, where they will face Horsham. It’s been two games and two victories so far for Craig Edwards men, but the Hornets are also undefeated and will want to pick up their first home points of the campaign.

Two sides who haven’t had the best of starts meet at the Dripping Pan. After defeat to Enfield Town, Lewes travelled to Pitching In Isthmian South Central side Bedfont Sports in the FA Cup, and were slain by three goals to one. Regent were also departing the cup at a Step Four side, Bury Town the victors, and lost two-one to Margate last weekend. This is a match where both would be desperate for three points to kickstart their campaign.

Finally, Potters Bar Town host Corinthian-Casuals. The Scholars fell to defeat against Carshalton Athletic last weekend, but bounced back to win against East Thurrock United in the cup in midweek. Their visitors, Corinthian-Casuals, also bounced back from opening day defeat to triumph in the cup on Tuesday night, so both sides should enter the game with plenty of confidence.

Image of Rookery Hill- Marky Cartwright.