Get set for the weekend

We have five sides in FA Trophy First Round action this weekend- and we know that we’ll have at least one in the Second Round draw on Monday, as two of them take on each other.

The all-Isthmian tie takes place at Colston Avenue, where Carshalton Athletic host Aveley. The Robins have been magnificent in cup competitions this season, losing only once in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, that defeat coming in the First Round of the cup when they were beaten by Boston United. They’ve progressed to this stage of the Trophy by defeating Merstham, Frome Town and Tooting & Mitcham United.

The visitors have been even better in the Trophy, as they started a round earlier than the Robins and have defeated higher-division opposition in each of the last three rounds. Bowers & Pitsea, Taunton Town and Biggleswade Town have so far been despatched, so they’ll not be heading to Surrey in fear.

Enfield Town have gone off the boil a little of late, conceding four goals in each of their last two matches. They’ll need to get back to their earlier-season form if they are to defeat Ebsfleet United at the QEII stadium, although the visitors haven’t had the best of starts to their National League season, sitting third from bottom.

Hornchurch beat National League South Oxford City in the last round, and their reward is to host another side from the same division- but this one is rather familiar to us, as Dulwich Hamlet take a trip along Bridge Avenue. Hamlet have lost only one of their last four matches so won’t be short on confidence, but will be missing their biggest fan, as Mishi Morath is unwell and in hospital. We’d like to send our love and best wishes to Mishi along with our hopes for a speedy recovery.

On Sunday we have a Surrey derby as Kingstonian take on National League Woking. The Cards travel to King George’s Field on the back of a run of form that has seen them lose only one of their last seven matches, and currently sit in fourth place- but the K’s cup form this season has been legendary and they’ve already fried bigger fish! It should be a fabulous cup tie.

Into the Premier Division now, and leaders Folkestone Invicta travel to a newly-resurgent Bowers & Pitsea. Bowers won their last two league fixtures away from home, but they’ve only won once at the Len Salmon and will be looking to put that right. Invicta haven’t lost a league match since 19th October and will be looking to extend their three point lead at the top of the table.

Second place Worthing are also on the road, travelling to face Bishop’s Stortford. The Mackerel Men are six matches unbeaten in al competitions, whilst the Blues have only one defeat from their last six matches in all competitions and look to be getting back to the form that saw them narrowly miss out on the playoffs last season. MATCH POSTPONED

Horsham, in third place, have gone three matches without a win and will hope to get back to winning ways as they host East Thurrock United. The Hornets have a big day of family fun planned tomorrow with a Christmas party for children before the match- head over to their website for details.

With Hornchurch and Carshalton in Trophy action, Cray Wanderers could climb above both if they can win at Bognor Regis Town- but they won’t find that all too easy. Wands have only one defeat from their last six, but their hosts at Nyewood Lane have lost only one of their last eight league matches so will be hoping to provide a barrier to any Cray ambition.

Haringey Borough, in twelfth place, travel to face the side a place behind them, Potters Bar Town. The Scholars suffered a heavy defeat against Cray last time out, and lost to North Division strugglers Basildon United in the Velocity Trophy in midweek, so will be looking to bounce back; whilst Borough have also been rather inconsistent and are without a win in their last four matches, but have as many as five games in hand over the sides who sit around them in the table and could hoist themselves quickly back into promotion contention if they can put a run together. MATCH POSTPONED

Leatherhead, in fourteenth place, host Brightlingsea Regent. After not managing to record a win since the end of August Regent have suddenly won two in a week, defeating Corinthian-Casuals in the league and Histon in the Velocity Trophy, whilst the Tanners have won their last three matches in all competitions and could climb as high as tenth with victory.

After waiting for months Merstham finally picked up a victory in midweek, as they defeated Kingstonian in the Velocity Trophy. The Moatsiders will hope to build on that as they host Lewes, the Rooks still searching for consistency. They defeated Sevenoaks Town in the Velocity Trophy in midweek, but lost against a Surrey side last weekend as Leatherhead defeated them by a single goal.

Finally we have a basement battle between Corinthian-Casuals and Wingate & Finchley. Casuals are desperate for three points as they are bottom of the table, four points behind the visiting Blues and Merstham, and have picked up only one point from the last twelve. The Blues have won only two matches all season and hve only one point from their last five matches despite some improved performances, so will also be rather keen on winning this one, particularly as it would open up a seven point gap between them and their hosts.

North Division

Leaders Maldon & Tiptree hit eight goals in a Velocity Trophy match in midweek, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone given their form this season. A point clear at the summit with three games in hand over the sides below them, they remain undefeated and host Dereham Town. The Magpies haven’t been short of goals themselves of late, but their recent good run came to an end against Tilbury last weekend.

Third plays sixth as Bury Town host Grays Athletic match postponed, whilst fourth placed Heybridge Swifts travel to the Dockers. Perhaps not too much should be read into their Velocity Trophy hammering against the Jammers in midweek, as the team was almost unrecognisable from their usual side. Visiting Tilbury defeated Dereham last weekend and beat Premier Division Bowers in their county cup in midweek, so will be confident- and perhaps buoyed by the news that their management team signed a two and a half year deal earlier this week.

Fifth plays seventh as Coggeshall Town host Histon Match Postponed, whilst we have a mid table battle as Great Wakering Rovers travel to Cambridge City- who announced two new signings on Thursday evening.

Canvey Island, who won at Heybridge last weekend, are at home to Felixstowe and Walton United, the seasiders looking over their shoulders at Romford; whilst the Boro host a Hulbridge Sports side who welcomed Liam Nash back to the club on Friday.MATCH AT ROMFORD POSTPONED.

Witham Town entertain Brentwood Town, whilst Soham Town Rangers are at home to Basildon United. BOTH MATCHES POSTPONED.

South Central

The big match of the day sees second placed Ware travel to Tooting and Mitcham United, who sit in fourth. Entry to this match is FREE! Ware have won their last four matches in all competitions by scoring six goals in each, whilst the Terrors got five last weekend, so perhaps we’ll get a six-all draw!

Leaders Hanwell Town, three points ahead of Ware, travel to Bracknell Town who are now under new management. The Robins have lost their last three league matches so will want to impress the new boss by picking up three points, whilst the Geordies got back to winning ways last time out by thrashing Barking by five goals to nil.

Barking have a difficult task as they look to recover from that thrashing, third place Uxbridge the visitors to Mayesbury Park POSTPONED, whilst fifth place Waltham Abbey will put their six game unbeaten run on the line as they travel to Chalfont St Peter. The Saints have been on a four match run which has seen a win followed by a defeat, but as they lost last time out they’ll be hoping that sequence continues for at least one more game.

Westfield will climb back into the top five with only a point should the Terrors or the Abbotts lose, but they’ll want to claim all three as they travel to bottom side FC Romania- particularly as the Wolves have only one win in ten and have lost their last four.

Harlow Town, who have slipped to seventh place after taking only one point from their last twelve, entertain South Park, who have bounced back from three defeats to take four points from their last six, whilst Chertsey Town travel for a derby match at Staines Town, the Swans another side who named a new manager this week.

Marlow, who have only won two of their last seven but remain undefeated during that period, travel to face Northwood, match postponed- whilst Hertford Town will hope to bounce back from their six goal thrashing at Chipstead in midweek as they host Bedfont Sports- who are undefeated in their last six matches.

The Chips travel to second bottom Ashford Town, who lost six-nil against Ware last time out and won’t want to do that again.

South East

Our undefeated leaders, Hastings United, travel to Ashford United, who are in fifth place. The Nuts and Bolts, who strengthened their squad this week, lost their last two matches- and they’ve got the toughest job of all if they are going to turn that around, particularly as Hastings will be looking for revenge after their Playoff Semi-Final defeat at the end of last season. Hastings have twenty four points from their last thirty, as they’ve drawn three of them- but they head to Homelands looking for their fourth win in a row.

Second place Cray Valley are four points behind the leaders so can’t go back to the top whatever happens, but will want to keep the pressure on the leaders with victory at Phoenix Sports. The hosts have only one point from their last twelve, so need a victory to get their playoff ambitions back on track.

Third place Whitehawk have won their last six matches. They travel to Sittingbourne, and the Brickies have only one win in four- but each defeat has been narrow and they shouldn’t be underestimated. MATCH POSTPONED

Fourth plays sixth as Whyteleafe host Sevenoaks Town. The hosts have only one defeat from their last nine matches, whilst former leaders Town have slipped of late, with only one win in their last six.

Guernsey travel to Chichester City. The Green Lions slipped up in midweek, losing to Whitstable Town, whilst their hosts lost five-one at Hastings last weekend- but perhaps shouldn’t take that to heart giving the leaders form. City sit in mid table, but have as many as four matches in hand over the teams around them due to their FA Cup heroics. The match starts early, at 2PM.

VCD Athletic, in eighth, travel to seventeenth place Hythe Town looking to get back to winning ways after a draw and two defeats from their last three- a record which Hythe can’t match, the Cannons without a win from their last eight matches.

Herne Bay play host to Haywards Heath Town. Bay came back from two goals down to score four against Vickers last weekend, and have lost only one of their last seven, whilst their visitors also have only one defeat from seven but have drawn four of them.

Whitstable Town, who have won three of their last four culminating in that win in the Channel Islands in midweek, travel to face a Ramsgate side who saw their chairman step down due to ill health on Thursday- and who have only two points from their last twenty one; whilst Burgess Hill Town, unbeaten in three, host Faversham Town- the visitors having reinforced their squad yesterday and who will be hoping to score after two nil-nil draws in a row.

The Hillians drew nil-nil last time out too, and the side they drew against, Three Bridges, travel to face our bottom side, managerless East Grinstead Town. The Wasps don’t yet have a win this season, and are five points behind Ramsgate in last place. Bridges have five points from their last thirty- Town have but two.