Pitching In to Tuesday

Pitching In Isthmian Premier could have new leaders this evening- but for Hornchurch to take over at the top they will have to defeat Dulwich Hamlet at Bridge Avenue. The Urchins have had a superb start to the season, and- following last night’s defeat for Carshalton Athletic- are the only unbeaten side in the Division, a record which Hamlet will hope to end. Hornchurch have won their last five matches in all competitions, a run which has seen them score nineteen goals, and their forwards are looking particularly dangerous, Liam Nash already on six goals for the season, Ade Yusuff having scored seven in his last four matches.

Hamlet got back to winning ways against Concord Rangers on Saturday, their first league win since August 15th- but you’d expect their talented squad to come good at some point, and the travelling faithful will hope that tonight is the night.

We have a Sussex derby at the Dripping Pan as Lewes welcome Hastings United. The visitors- along with Billericay Town- have the best defensive record in the Division at present, but they have slipped up in their last two matches, losing at Dover in the Cup and then at home to Potters Bar Town on Saturday, so will hope to quickly put that behind them. The Rooks started the campaign very well, but have slipped up in their last two league matches, conceding three goals to Folkestone Invicta at home and another three at Chatham Town at the weekend.

United took four points from the two matches between the sides last season.

Potters Bar Town will hope to build on their first win of the season at Hastings on Saturday, as they welcome another set of Seasiders, Folkestone Invicta, to the Lantern Stadium. The Scholars are on their best run of the campaign so far, three matches- including a Hertfordshire Cup tie- undefeated; whilst Invicta have hit a bump in the road, losing in the Kent Cup and the FA Cup before holding Whitehawk to a draw on Saturday.

When the two sides last met, back in February, a Ronnie Dolan hat trick and goals from Scott Heard and Lenny Atherton gave the visitors a five-nil win, revenge for a three-two loss on the Kent coast in September. That Scholars win was their only one over Invicta in eight attempts.

In Pitching In Isthmian North, Wroxham welcome Witham Town to the Norfolk Broads. A win for the Yachtsmen will take them up to sixth place, and after three matches without a victory would be welcome; whilst the visitors are on a similar run and are still looking for their first league victory of the campaign. When the two sides last met, in early January, goals from Ryan Curtis and Shaun Taylor gave the Yachtsmen a two-nil win- revenge for a four-one defeat at the Simarco Stadium earlier in the campaign.

Pitching In Isthmian South Central has a match between two of last season’s most successful sides, as Hanworth Villa welcome Northwood. The Villains have been better on the road than at home so far this season, but that’s just as well as they’ve played three times as many matches away from home than they have at Rectory Meadow. The visitors, conversely, have been better on their own patch, although they lost their unbeaten home record when surprisingly defeated by Ashford Town at the weekend. Victory for the Woods could see them climb as high as third, but the Villains were undoubtedly their bogey side last season, defeating them three-nil in the FA Trophy, and then four-one and two-one in the league.

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