Our North Division action starts tonight- who will be top tomorrow?

It’s a Friday night football feast as Maldon & Tiptree and Grays Athletic- both with 100% records- meet at Park Drive this evening. This will be Athletic’s first match with Paul Joynes in charge after the retirement of Jim Cooper- and the last time the visitors won a match between the two sides was in April 2013, so Paul will get off to a dream start if he can shatter than stat! The Jammers knocked their opponents out of the FA Cup and the FA Trophy last year.

Barking could go top if they defeat Tilbury tonight and Athletic don’t get three points- or even if they draw and Grays lose. The Dockers haven’t had the best of starts to the campaign and don’t yet have a league win, whilst the Blues have defeated Hullbridge Sports, Heybridge Swifts and Romford- but have only taken one point from their last nine against these particular opponents.

On to tomorrow, and third place Witham Town host Romford. Witham also have a one hundred percent record, and could also be top on Saturday evening, whilst their visitors haven’t yet found consistency and have only one league victory. Their last meeting, in October last year, ended in victory for Witham.

The Witham Soccability squad are our headliners, above!

Unbeaten AFC Sudbury travel to face a Basildon United side who must be smarting after conceding six to Wingate and Finchley in midweek. The last four meetings between the sides have seen only two points taken by the Bees, and the yellows come into this one on the back of four consecutive victories in all competitions this season, so should be full of confidence.

Dereham Town, in sixth and three points off the top, host Great Wakering Rovers. The Magpies have followed three consecutive victories in league and cup with two consecutive defeats, so will hope to regain their start-of-the-season promise, whilst you never know which Rovers you are going to get- the side who have lost every league game so far or the one which defeated Heybridge Swifts and Felixstowe and Walton United in the FA Cup. The Magoies have won six and lost three of their last ten meetings, but were beaten four-one when they last met, in January of last year.

Brentwood Town host Stowmarket Town with both showing real signs of progress this season. The hosting blues have defeated Tilbury and Hashtag United so far this season, whilst the visitors knocked Premier Division Potters Bar Town out of the cup last weekend, following a three-nil thrashing of Bury Town.

Canvey Island host Hashtag United. The Gulls were five matches unbeaten until FA Cup replay defeat in midweek, but need more marks in the W column and less in that labelled D, whilst United are still searching for their first Step Four victory and have lost three of their four matches in all competitions so far.

Aveley bring Hullbridge Sports to Parkside. Sports have had a start to the season to forget, losing all three matches in the league and leaving the Cup at the first hurdle, but they have played two of the top three during that run. The Millers were wonderful in wins over Maldon & Tiptree and Great Wakering Rovers but less so in losing to Grays Athletic.

Coggeshall Town host Felixstowe and Walton United, with the Seed Growers still searching for their first victory and coming into this one on a three match losing streak. The Seasiders haven’t really hit form yet, either, although were very good in defeating Dereham Town on August Bank Holiday Monday. The last three matches between the two ended in draws.

Bury Town host Heybridge Swifts with both perhaps feeling a little underwhelmed by their starts to the season. Swifts have lost all three matches in all competitions so far this season, whilst the hosts followed their league walloping by Stowmarket Town by departing the FA Cup last weekend against Step Five side Norwich United- and it wasn’t a narrow defeat either. The last three meetings between the sides have gone the way of Swifts, with the last Town victory coming in March 2018.

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