Four of the top five face each other on North Saturday

Leaders Lowestoft Town have been without a match for a fortnight, but it hasn’t mattered too much as none of their challengers have been able to take advantage. The Trawler Boys go into their match against fourth place Basildon United with a three point advantage, and having played two matches fewer than the tree sides chasing them- including the Bees.

Town have a seven match winning streak under their belts- and indeed have won nine of their last ten- whilst the Bees are having a fine season. They’ve a new manager installed, and he will hope to get his side their first win in three- although they were seconds from victory before Heybridge Swifts levelled last Saturday.

Second place Felixstowe & Walton United are also at home, Maldon & Tiptree heading to the seaside. The Seasiders seem to have got over their two defeats at the end of last month, taking four points from their last two matches, but should have tough task to get past the travelling Jammers, who saw a five match unbeaten run come to an end at Witham a week ago.

Bowers and Pitsea start the weekend in third place, and they travel to face the side in fifth, Brightlingsea Regent. Bowers have been impressive in winning their last four matches, whilst Regent will hope they’ve rediscovered their form. Their previous three victories have been immediately followed by a defeat, and given they defeated Brentwood Town last time out they’ll want to bring that pattern to an end.

Brentwood Town start the weekend a point behind fifth place Brightlingsea, and have had a fortnight to stew on their two-nil defeat against Regent last time out. The Blues take on another set of Blues, the newly resurgent Bury Town, who have won three of their last four and scored seven last time out. Brentwood have only lost two of their last ten, and will be determined not to add to that tally.

Heybridge Swifts welcome crisis club Stowmarket Town, Stow having experienced a management change and a collection of player departures this week- as if being bottom of the table and without a win all season wasn’t trauma enough. Swifts are in seventh place, and could climb into the top five with victory. They are three matches unbeaten.

Walthamstow are in eighth place, only three points behind the top five. The east Londoners are at home, Ipswich Wanderers making the long trip from Sussex. The hosts got back to winning ways after three defeats when they beat Stowmarket three-one last time out, whilst Wanderers travel on the back of three consecutive defeats.

Witham Town have been in super form over the last few weeks, winning their last three whilst scoring fourteen goals. They travel to East London to taske on a Redbridge Side who have slipped to fourteenth after a run of four consecutive defeats. Another Witham win could see them up to tenth.

Gorleston make the long trip to East London, where they take on New Salamis. The Coles Park side are in seventeenth place, four places- but only two points- behind the travelling Greens, although they have played two games more. The hosts have only one win from seven, whilst the Greens have lost five of their last seven- and their last four on the road.

Grays Athletic, awaiting final confirmation that they’ll get to move into Thurrock’s former ground, are in the meantime sharing at Tilbury- and they welcome Enfield to the Docks. Second bottom Athletic haven’t managed a match for three weeks, so will be delighted to be back in action, particularly as they got their first win of the campaign last time out- whilst their visitors have been out of action since that seven-two hammering at the hands of Bury Town nearly two weeks ago, and will want to quickly put that behind them.

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