New year, new decade, new leaders?

By Ian Townsend

The first Saturday of a new decade- and could we end the day with new leaders in three of our four divisions? Here’s our preview of the action.

Premier Division

Our league leaders, Folkestone Invicta, know that to remain on top they have to equal or better the result of second place Worthing. Both clubs had a superb New Years (away) Day, Invicta winning four-nil at Merstham whilst the Mackerel Men were walloping local rivals Bognor Regis Town by three goals to nil, and both are away from home once more on Saturday.

Invicta travel to Brightlingsea Regent, who have only one win from their last ten matches- that over bottom side Corinthian-Casuals- and who lost to Hornchurch and Leatherhead in their last two. Worthing have what looks like- on paper at least- a tougher task, as they head to East Thurrock United, who won at Bowers and Pitsea on Wednesday and start the day in eighth place. Worthing will look to defeat two sets of Rocks in one week, and have the best away record in the Division.

Our match of the day in the Premier Division sees third place Horsham travel to fourth place Hornchurch. The Hornets bounced back from some uncertain form to wallop Lewes 3-0 on New Years Day, whilst the Urchins are seven matches unbeaten.

Fifth travels to seventh as Enfield Town head to Carshalton Athletic. The Towners have put a four game winless run behind them by winning their last two matches, whilst after three consecutive wins the Robins have slipped up over the holiday period, with a draw and a defeat from their last two, so will want to get back to winning ways and back into the top five. A win could see them replace their visitors in the Playoff places, but that may depend on which Cray Wanderers turns up at Hayes Lane, as our sixth place side entertain Wingate & Finchley.

Cray put two consecutive defeats behind them with a four-three win at Margate last time out, whilst the visiting Blues have had little to cheer for almost two months, as they last won a league match on Saturday 9th November.

Leatherhead are our form side at present, with twenty five points from their last thirty. They’ve closed to within four points of the top five and will hope to go closer still as they travel to face bottom side Corinthian-Casuals. The side from King George’s Field have shown improved form of late, with four points from six, and will hope to keep that run going at the Tanners expense.

Bognor Regis Town will be stung by that defeat against Worthing, and have the chance to put things right as they host Margate. In between that Worthing defeat and a loss to Carshalton the Rocks put seven goals past Cray, so they’ll hope to recapture that form; whilst Margate will want to play the way they did when they visited Sussex in early December and defeated Horsham three-nil, rather than the way they’ve performed in the four matches since which gave them only one point.

Kingstonian have only one league defeat in ten, and of course are also doing exceptionally well in the FA Trophy. They head north to face Cheshunt, the Ambers having seen their mini-revival come to an end with defeats against Bishop’s Stortford and Corinthian-Casuals. Former K’s manager Craig Edwards will be facing his former club.

Haringey Borough got back to winning ways in midweek, ending a five match winless streak. They host Lewes at Coles Park, the Rooks still searching for consistency after four wins, a draw and five defeats from their last ten.

Bishop’s Stortford saw their three match unbeaten run come to an end as they fell to Kingstonian last time out, and their opponents Bowers & Pitsea suffered in a similar way as their three match winning streak was ended by East Thurrock. Fifteen hosts seventeenth in this one.

Finally, eighteenth place Merstham host thirteenth place Potters Bar Town. The Moatsiders will want to rediscover the form that earned them victory over Haringey and a draw at Carshalton before their defeat to Folkestone, whilst the Scholars have slipped up of late, losing three of their last four.

North Division

After a three point deduction for playing an ineligible player, Maldon & Tiptree are now ahead of second place Aveley only on goal difference- which adds some spice to the meeting of the two at Park Drive. The Jammers are- of course- unbeaten all season- whilst the Millers have been in such superb form that they won December’s Performance of the Month Award after earning three of the four nominations. Aveley have scored thirty four goals in their last ten league matches- twelve in their last two- whilst the Jammers got twenty six during the same period. Yes, it’s got nil-nil written all over it!

If our top match does end in a draw then we might have new leaders by 5PM, as Bury Town are only a point behind the top two and host Canvey Island. Town have only two defeats from their last ten, whilst after a good run which included a victory over Heybridge Swifts and a draw with Aveley the Gulls have suffered heavy defeats in their last two, so will be desperate to bounce back.

Swifts travel to Grays Athletic, another side who have suffered a draw and two heavy defeats in their last three matches. After two defeats of their own Swifts bounced back in their last match, defeating Felixstowe and Walton United, so will hope to keep that form going.

Great Wakering Rovers, who start the day in fifth place, travel to tenth place Dereham Town. The Magpies have seen a fabulous run come to a shuddering stop, picking up only one point from their last twelve, whilst Rovers are unbeaten in three matches which have seen them pick up seven points.

Coggeshall Town, outside the playoff places on goals scored, need to start turning draws into victories. The Seed Growers have drawn their last four, but visiting Brentwood Town have only one win in seven.

Histon saw their good run come to an end as they were walloped five-nil at AFC Sudbury in midweek. They’ll be hoping to get back to the form that saw them pick up three consecutive victories prior to that match, as they entertain Basildon United. The Bees got back to winning ways last timeout with victory over Grays.

Ninth place Tilbury entertain Witham Town. The Dockers have only one defeat in their last nine matches and victory could see them climb as high as fifth if other results go their way. Witham saw their three match unbeaten run come to an end as they were walloped by Maldon & Tiptree last time out, but will hope to restart their momentum.

AFC Sudbury, on the back of that five-nil win on New Years Day, travel to face bottom club Romford. Boro lost six-nil to Aveley last time out but postponements meant that they played only twice in December- the other match was a victory over Felixstowe.

Felixstowe host Soham Town Rangers. Rangers ended an eight match run without a win by defeating Dereham Town last time out, whilst the Seasiders won their last home match, defeating Basildon, and will hope to build on that.

Hullbridge Sports, who signed former Grays striker Kieran Bishop on Thursday, will entertain Cambridge City. Sports have won two of their last three, whilst City have lost three in a row and will be desperate to avoid making that four.

South Central

Any one of three clubs could end Saturday on top of the South Central Division.

Leaders Ware hold a two point advantage over second place Hanwell Town, and three points over Westfield, who start the day in third. The Blues host Chertsey Town at Wodson Park, the Curfews sitting in sixth at the start of play but having fallen down the table recently, with only one win from their last eight matches. Ware have also developed an inconsistency, winning and losing two each of their last four, but that mini-slump has coincided with former leaders Hanwell Town only picking up one win in seven.

The Geordies travel to Hertford Town, their hosts having won only two of their last ten matches and lost four of their last five.

Westfield have been in excellent form of late, with four consecutive draws being followed by four consecutive victories. They travel to face another side in good form, South Park, who defeated Hanwell last time out and who are unbeaten in four matches.
Fourth travel to face fifth as Uxbridge entertain Waltham Abbey. The Abbotts are nine games unbeaten and defeated Ware and Harlow Town in their last two, whilst Uxbridge have only two defeats in ten.

Tooting and Mitcham United, in sixth place, won our performance of the month gong this week for their five-nil win at Chertsey Town in December, but have suffered missed form of late, that victory and a second over Ware being followed by a four-one home defeat to Chipstead. The Terrors travel to Northwood looking to do the double over their opponents, who have seen a mini-revival come to an end with three consecutive defeats.

Barking, in eighth, host thirteenth place Bedfont Sports. The Blues have won seven of their last eight matches, their only defeat coming against Hanwell Town, whilst Sports have also been in great form, only losing one of their last ten.

Harlow Town will be desperate to get back to winning ways after picking up only two points from their last twenty four. They entertain Staines Town, the Swans without a win in four matches.

Chipstead, fresh from that win over Tooting, host Chalfont St Peter. The Chips have won their last four matches and will be full of confidence, whilst the Saints have one win and two defeats from the same period.

Marlow host bottom club FC Romania. Marlow have only two defeats in ten, but have been held back somewhat by the fact they’ve drawn five of them, whilst the Wolves have lost their last seven consecutive matches and will be hoping to avoid making that eight.

Ashford Town, second bottom, host Bracknell Town. The Tangerines have lost their last four matches and taken only seven points from their last thirty, whilst the Robins seem to have put a run of three defeats behind them by taking four points from their last six.

South East

Our leaders Hastings United are four points clear, but have what looks like a tough match in prospect as they travel to face Whyteleafe, who start the day in fifth. Leafe have only one defeat in ten but need to turn one point into three more often, having drawn three of their last four. United have only one defeat all season, that coming in their last away match at Ashford United.

The Nuts and Bolts, who climbed to second in midweek, travel to face Burgess Hill Town. The Hillians are unbeaten in five but had a rain-interrupted December so will be delighted just to be able to play at home- but the visitors have won their last three matches.

Cray Valley PM have slipped to third, and they face a side in fine form, as Herne Bay come to call. The Millers have only one win from their last six, whilst visiting Bay are five matches undefeated and have only one loss in their last nine.

Whitehawk, in fourth, have also seen their season rain interrupted, and have two matches in hand over the leaders and three over Ashford. The Hawks, who have won six and drawn one of their last seven, host a Hythe Town side who seem to be finally finding their feet, the Cannons having won their last three matches.

Sevenoaks Town, in seventh, travel to eleventh place Whitstable Town. Oaks have only one win from eight pt have shown signs of recovery in drawing their last two, whilst the Oysterboys have gone three games without a win.

Ramsgate v VCD Athletic is a must-win for both sides. The Rams, under new management after their seven-nil defeat last weekend, have only three points from thirty, whilst Vickers have taken only one points from their last fifteen, a sequence of results which has seen them fall to tenth.

Sittingbourne, the scorers of those seven goals, travel to face bottom club East Grinstead- who play their first home match under new manager Leigh Dynan. Dynan’s charges conceded four goals in less than a quarter of an hour at Hastings on Wednesday, but can perhaps claim that the next seventy five minutes ended in a one-one draw! The Brickies have six points from their last nine, their only defeat also coming to Hastings- but that by a single goal.

Faversham Town have gone five games without victory and will hope to put that right as they host Chichester City- who have one win and five draws from their last eight matches; whilst a Sussex derby sees Haywards Heath Town travel to Three Bridges. Bridges have taken only five points from their last thirty, whilst Heath have twelve- including six draws.

Guernsey entertain Phoenix Sports on Sunday. The Channel Islanders have drawn three of their last four, losing the other, so will be looking to get back to winning ways, whilst Sports have followed a four game winless run with two notable victories, over Cray Valley and neighbours VCD Athletic.

Where next?

Another new Robin Bracknell Town announce another new signing
Supreme Trophies and Engraving - Performance of the Month, December 2019 Here are our last Performance of the Month Awards of the decade, courtesy of those fine folk at Supreme Trophies and Engraving.

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