It’s Matchday!

When you’re finished watching the game played by folk with funny-shaped balls, we get back to the real stuff this afternoon. Here’s our preview of the big matches.

Premier Division:

League-leaders Folkestone Invicta start the day four points clear, but will face a tough task as they travel to Carshalton Athletic. Invicta, who walloped East Thurrock United 4-1 last time out, face a side looking for a first league victory in five matches- but the Robins haven’t been losing games, each of their previous four ended in draws. Indeed they’ve lost only one of their last ten league fixtures, and of course recently knocked Conference National Dagenham and Redbridge out of the FA Cup.

Bognor Regis Town v Enfield Town was an early casualty of the weather.

Second place Horsham travel to Haringey Borough hoping for a better outcome than last Saturday, when the Coles Park faithful cheered their side to a three-nil FA Trophy victory. Borough have lost a little consistency in the league of late, losing three of their last six, whilst the Hornets saw an earlier five game winning streak come to an end, but not disastrously, with one win and two draws from their last four.

Fourth place Hornchurch have only one point from their last two matches and will look to get back to winning ways against Potters Bar Town- but the Scholars aren’t really the team to take on if you need three points, as they’ve not been defeated in the League since August 24th.

Worthing, in fifth, have only one defeat in ten. They travel to face a Cray Wanderers side who have exactly the same record, and will be in celebration mode as they saw the first match played at their new Flamingo Park stadium this morning.

Corinthian-Casuals host Margate hoping to pick up their first league victory of the season, whilst the visitors come into the match on a run of won-lost-won-lost-won-lost-won. Casuals will want that sequence to continue at King George’s Field.

Leatherhead, with three consecutive victories under their belts, are fast climbing the table- and the Tanners will hope to continue that run at Bishop’s Stortford. The Blues came out of that gruelling FA Trophy replay at Enfield in midweek with nothing to show for it, but do have two consecutive league wins.

Brightlingsea Regent will put their three new signings to the test as they host Kingstonian, whilst Cheshunt went four better- they announced seven new signings yesterday. Don’t expect them all to feature against Lewes!

East Thurrock United could step back into the top five with victory over Wingate & Finchley. The visiting Blues have only one win from their last ten, but do have new signing Olu Akinsanya, who arrived yesterday from Ware to provide more firepower.

The match between Merstham and Bowers and Pitsea has been postponed.

North Division

Leaders Bury Town travel to Essex to take on fifth place Great Wakering Rovers. Bury have only one league defeat in their last ten matches, whilst Rovers have lost only one of their last six- and only one match at home.

Our big match sees second play third, as Maldon & Tiptree- we’ve run out of superlatives to describe their performances this season- host Grays Athletic. The visitors have been a little inconsistent of late, losing two of their last four. Heybridge Swifts, in fourth, travel to seventh placed Aveley. The last time they did that in a league match was the Playoff Semi-Final last season, and the Millers will be desperate for revenge.

Coggeshall Town, in sixth, travel to Hullbridge Sports, whilst eighth place Histon head to Tilbury, the Dockers buoyed by the signing of David Knight from Bowers and Pitsea.

Soham Town Rangers are having a very good season so far, and they travel to Romford, who have looked improved of late but still need to start picking up some points. AFC Sudbury entertain a Canvey Island side who sit in eleventh place but have up to three matches in hand over the sides above them, whilst Cambridge City, who announced three new signings yesterday, host a Basildon United who have won both of their last two matches in all competitions, and scored five goals on each occasion.

Eighteenth takes on seventeenth as Felixstowe and Walton United entertain Brentwood Town, whilst thirteenth play fourteenth as Dereham Town host Witham Town. Witham lost striker George Bugg to Brightlingsea Regent yesterday.

South Central

We have a titanic battle at the top, as Harlow Town host Westfield. Our leading Hawks have won their last four, whilst Westfield lost their only league match of the season last time out and could technically go top once more with victory.

Four other sides could also technically be top of the table this evening, which just shows how close it is at the summit. Hanwell Town, in second, and one of three sides on twenty points, travel to Waltham Abbey. You’re never sure what you’re going to get from the Abbotts, and their last eight matches show won-lost-won-lost-won-lost-won-lost. They’ll hope that sequence continues for one more match.

Tooting and Mitcham United, behind the Geordies only on goal difference, host Barking, whilst Chertsey Town, the other of the twenty point trio, are hosting FC Romania and the FA Vase.

Ware, in sixth, put their unbeaten record on the line at home to Northwood, who have won only one league match all season.

We have a local derby as seventh place Chalfont St Peter travel to eighth place Uxbridge, whilst Bracknell Town’s new management team will hope to steer the Robins up the table as they travel to Staines Town, the Swans yet to record a league victory.

Eleventh should have faced twelfth as South Park entertained Marlow, but that's been called off. We have another derby as Ashford Town entertain Bedfont Sports at the edge of Heathrow Airport. Chipstead v Hertford Town has also been postponed.

South East

Leaders Cray Valley PM, with only one defeat from their last ten matches, host a Three Bridges side who have won only two during that period, and who let a three goal lead slip last Saturday to lose 5-3 against Herne Bay.

Sevenoaks Town, in second place and with five wins from their last six, travel to VCD Athletic, the hosts having lost only one of their last eight league matches but having drawn two of their last three, losing the other. Our only unbeaten side, third place Hastings United, could go top if they can defeat Hythe Town at Pilot Field.

Fifth place Phoenix Sports travel to Whyteleafe after five successive victories, whilst Leafe got back to winning ways in midweek when defeating Burgess Hill Town by the odd goal in seven. The Hillians head to Whitehawk with neither side in good league form, the Hawks losing their last three whilst the Hillians, who parted company with manager Simon Wormull in midweek, have lost six of their last seven.

Guernsey, in sixth place, were meant to host Whitstable Town. The match was meant to start at 2PM, but a delay to the Oysterboys flight saw it moved back to three and then postponed. Tenth place Herne Bay host an East Grinstead Town side who announced five new signings yesterday.

Faversham Town v Ramsgate, Haywards Heath Town v Sittingbourne, and Chichester City v Ashford United have been postponed.