It’s North Play Off Tuesday!

In the end, our four play off qualifiers in Pitching In Isthmian North were separated by only two points, so trying to pick a winner looks to be rather difficult. Our hosts this evening, Bury Town and Felixstowe and Walton United, have fine home records- but their opponents, Brentwood Town and Bowers and Pitsea, have lost fewer games on the road than in their own stadiums, so that doesn’t help with any predictions.

Bury Town have been in fine form. After a distinctly underwhelming start to the campaign, a home hammering by Basildon United in Mid November was perhaps the catalyst for a run which has seen only one defeat from their next twenty five matches, and we’ve no doubt that they’ll be hoping to play Bowers & Pitsea in the Final to get revenge for that! Visitors Brentwood Town are no slouches in the form department either, but have uncharacteristically struggled for goals a little lately, as if they’d used up too much of their quota when defeating Stowmarket Town nine-nil last month! They have balanced that out, however, by having the best defence in the Division, so we don’t expect this match to finish five-four!

The meetings between the sides this season have seen Bury take four points- a narrow win at Ram Meadow on the opening day followed by a goalless draw at the Arena in mid December. That was Bury’s only win against tonight’s opponents in six attempts, although two of them ended all-square, an outcome which we won’t get tonight.

Felixstowe & Walton United and Bowers & Pitsea have both had a bit of a blip as the season has drawn to a close. The Seasiders looked back to their best when hitting six to defeat New Salamis on Saturday, but prior to that had only one win from five; whilst Bowers saw second place elude them by losing their last two matches, ending up in fourth. Both sides have been superb on occasions, the Seasiders at one point winning eight matches in a row, Bowers just beating that with nine, and both most certainly deserve their places in this Semi-Final.

The last time the sides met at the AGL Arena they delivered a five goal thriller, the Seasiders emerging triumphant- but Bowers got their revenge at the Len Salmon at the end of December, a late Ben Williamson got earning them three points in a two-one victory.

The Final will take place on Saturday afternoon at the home of the highest-placed side.

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