Midweek Sports Special

Given the weather we’ve had over the past few months it’s likely that we’ll have many midweek fixtures between now and the end of the campaign as everyone catches up. Here’s what we have to offer tonight and tomorrow- weather permitting. Won’t it be good when we don’t have to keep writing ‘weather permitting?’

Premier Division

We’re going to start our preview with the Gary Charman derby, as Horsham host Bognor Regis Town at the Camping World Community Stadium. The Hornets are five points off the top five, but do have two matches in hand over fifth place Carshalton Athletic and one over third place Hornchurch, whom- along with Folkestone Invicta- each have that five point advantage. The visiting Rocks are seven points further behind, and like their Sussex neighbours haven’t yet given up hope of finishing in a Playoff place.

Enfield Town, in seventh place, travel to face Bishop’s Stortford. The Towners are unbeaten in four and have only one defeat from their last six- although they have drawn their last two- whilst the Blues would love a record like that, as they’ve taken only three points out of their last thirty and last won a match as far back as December 7th. Their big problem is in front of goal- in their last six matches they’ve scored only twice.

Margate, in fourteenth, got back to winning ways on Saturday when a late, late Elliott Reeves goal gave them victory over Bowers and Pitsea. Tonight they host Wingate and Finchley, who will be keen to get back to winning ways after their six match unbeaten run- a run which saw them jump out of the bottom three- came to an end at Worthing at the weekend.

The match between Merstham and Corinthian-Casuals has been postponed.

On Wednesday evening we have two matches, as Kingstonian host Cheshunt and Lewes entertain Haringey Borough.

The K’s are fifteen points off a playoff place but do have as many as four games in hand over the top five, and would be much closer to the promised land if they hadn’t drawn nearly half their matches. The last time they lost a league match was on January 4th- the victors (of course) Cheshunt. One win and four defeats from their last five has left the Ambers second from bottom of the table, but they do have games in hand over all of their relegation rivals and a victory could lift them as high as eighteenth.

Lewes have plummeted deep into relegation danger, almost entirely due to their appalling home form. They’ve won but one home match all season, and that was more than four months ago. That said, their away form hasn’t been great either of late, and they’ve taken only three points- three draws- from the last thirty available. Visitors Haringey Borough seem to have picked up of late, winning two of their last three, and although they are only one place above their hosts they do have an eleven point advantage.

Into the North Division, and our leaders Maldon & Tiptree could go sixteen points clear if they can defeat Cambridge City at Park Drive. The Jammers have lost two out of their last ten, winning the other eight- which by their standards can be considered a blip (!), whilst their visitors are in their best form of the campaign and have won their last five matches, scoring fourteen goals and not conceding any- which promises an excellent evening’s entertainment.

Coggeshall Town start the day seven points and one place outside the playoffs, but do have the advantage of four games in hand over the two sides immediately above them. They hopefully- 5.30 PM pitch inspection- will play one of those games in hand this evening, as they welcome neighbours Witham Town. The Seed Growers are on a five match unbeaten run, and striker Nnamdi Nwachuku is in red hot form, scoring in each of his last six matches. The visitors will want to get back to form after seeing a short winning run come to an end with defeat by Brentwood Town and a draw with Dereham Town in their last two.

Dereham, who are in eighth place but twelve points of the top five, travel to face Hullbridge Sports at the Len Salmon, home of Bowers and Pitsea. A run of four defeats and a draw in their last five matches has seen Sports slip down the table, but they showed signs of getting back to form in Saturday’s draw at top five side Bury Town. The Magpies are also showing positive signs- they have lost three of their last nine matches, but those defeats all came against sides in the top five.

Felixstowe and Walton United are three points above bottom side Romford, but have played four games more. In between the two are Basildon United, a point behind the Seasiders but with three games in hand. On that basis every game is like a cup final at the moment, but having won their last two ‘cup finals’ against Brentwood Town and Grays Athletic the Seasiders seem to be rising to the challenge, and tonight they’ll try to make it three in a row as they host Canvey Island. The Gulls, in contrast, have gone decidedly off the boil with only two points from their last four matches, form which has seen them slip to eleventh place. They won’t entirely have given up on all Playoff ambition, particularly since they have games in hand over most of the sides above them, but they do need to start winning if they are to stand any chance of crashing the end of season party.

Romford return to their quest to get off the bottom as they host Tilbury at Aveley’s Parkside on Wednesday evening. Until defeat against AFC Sudbury last time out Romford had won four in a row, but the Dockers have won eight of their last ten and will want to pick up another three points to strengthen their spot in the Playoff places.

South Central

Fifth place Uxbridge have won their last three matches and have lost only one of their last ten, so will be in confident mood as Barking arrive at Honeycroft. Barking, however, are also in decent form, having defeated Tooting & Mitcham United and South Park in their last two. Six points separate the sides at start of play.

Chipstead are only seven points off the playoffs courtesy of a fine 2020 so far, and showed their fighting spirit by coming from behind to score two goals in added time at Marlow on Saturday to take all three points. The Chips host the Tangerines, and whilst that’s not a food combination we’d recommend the football comes highly recommended, as Ashford Town have also shown much improved form of late, despite falling to defeat against Northwood at the weekend.

The Woods have won two of their last three to climb off the bottom, and tonight they travel to face the side who replaced them there, Staines Town still looking for the victory which has eluded them since November 26th. They looked like they’d get that win on Saturday, but contrived to turn a two-nil lead into a three-two defeat at Chalfont St Peter. Could tonight be their night? Head to Wheatsheaf Park to find out.

Second place Hanwell Town will hope to bounce back from their hammering at home to Tooting at the weekend as they host form side Bracknell Town. The Geordies are six points behind leaders Ware with two matches in hand, this being one of them, so will want to make it count- but they may have their work cut out as the visiting Robins can’t stop winning- indeed they’ve won nine of their last ten matches, the other ending in a draw, to take twenty eight points from their last thirty. Victory tonight would put them into the Playoff places. Match postponed.

South Park v Tooting & Mitcham United has been postponed.

South East

Cray Valley PM have won their last seven matches, and tonight will try to make it eight as Whyteleafe travel to the Badgers Sports Ground. Five of those seven have seen the Millers keep a clean sheet, and they’ve also scored twenty four goals, so which end of the team is the best is open to debate! Leafe are nine points behind their hosts, but more importantly six points away from fifth place Herne Bay. They slipped up at home to Hythe Town on Saturday, a result which ended a run of three successive victories.

Bottom side East Grinstead Town host Phoenix Sports, knowing that they really do have to start recording victories if they are to stand any chance of getting off the bottom. The gap between themselves and Three Bridges, one place above them, is eight points- and this is the first of their three matches in hand. Sports are three unbeaten and have won their last two, and won’t yet have given up on their playoff hopes. Match Postponed.

Sevenoaks Town, who have only one win and four defeats from their last five, travel to face Sittingbourne, who are in even worse form having taken only one point from the last thirty on offer. Oaks start the night ten points clear of their hosts having played the same number of games.

Burgess Hill Town host Ramsgate, and are already advertising the availability of a hot pasta bake in a creamy tomato sauce topped with melted cheese and served with garlic bread, with an all-butter flapjack for afters. Here’s hoping that the football will be just as appetising. The Rams are nine points clear of last place but have played three matches more than East Grinstead, whilst Hill are three places and eleven points further up the table from their visitors, and having won four and lost four of their last eight are rather unpredictable.

Chichester City v Haywards Heath Town has been postponed.

The Velocity Trophy has a Quarter Final tie at the BuildKent Stadium, as Folkestone Invicta take a break from their promotion fight, and Brightlingsea Regent from their battle at the other end of the table, to meet in knockout football this evening.

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