Rams face a tough trip, as Becks hope to pounce!

Ramsgate are two points clear at the top- but after letting a three goal lead slip in midweek the Rams will be kicking themselves that the gap isn’t double that. Player-boss Jamie Coyle remains unbeaten for the leaders, but they have now drawn two of their last four and face a difficult task at Sheppey United. The Ites are our form team over ten matches, but have drawn three of their last four- and with Cray Valley PM and Ashford United looking longingly at their fifth place and only two points behind- so will be desperate for a win too.

Second place Beckenham Town could go top if the Rams slip up- but they will have to defeat the seventh place Nuts and Bolts to give themselves a chance. Each of the leading trio have looked a little jittery of late, either drawing- Becks and Rams- or losing matches- Chatham- but with only one home defeat all season Beckenham will be confident as Ashford United come to call. The Nuts and Bolts are three unbeaten, just like their hosts, and also just like their hosts have drawn two of them. Their meeting at Homelands in November ended two-two.

Chatham Town, with their almost perfect home record, have been much less perfect on the road, but should still be confident as they travel to second bottom Corinthian. The Chats have gone four matches without a win, whilst their hosts have lost their last three and have only two wins from ten, a run which places them twelve points from safety. The Chats won the home fixture between the sides by a single goal, but have lost five of their last seven on the road.

Fourth place Whitehawk head to VCD Athletic hoping to build on their four match unbeaten run and their four-nil midweek win over Lancing. The Hawks, a point clear of Sheppey and three clear of Cray Valley and Ashford United, will still be aware that defeat could see them knocked out of the top five; whilst Vickers have gone eight games without a win but have drawn three of their last four. The Hawks won four-nil at the Enclosed Ground in November.

Cray Valley PM have lost their way a little of late, slipping from the top five after taking one point from the last fifteen available. They travel to face bottom side Faversham Town, the hosts surely boosted by that Lazarus-like resurrection at Ramsgate in midweek. The Lilywhites have lost only one of their last five, but they’ve won only one of those matches, too, and start the weekend fourteen points from safety with eleven matches still to play. The Millers won five-nil at the Artic Stadium in November, but their hosts are much changed since then.

Chichester City have been in superb form. They travel for a Sussex derby, heading to Three Bridges, unbeaten in six and having won five of them- a run which has seen them close to within three points of the top five. Bridges have only one defeat in eight but have drawn their last four, and given they are only one point above the bottom four will be desperate for a win. They’ve been very good at winning at Jubilee Field this season, doing so eight times and losing only twice- it is their away form which leaves them in danger, with no wins at all on their travels.

Burgess Hill Town hauled themselves out of the bottom four with a win over Haywards Heath Town in midweek, then promptly dispensed with their manager. The Hillians welcome Sevenoaks Town to Mid Sussex, Oaks nine points ahead of them and only four points short of the top four. That win over Heath ended an eight match winless run for Hill, whilst Oaks have lost only three of their last ten.

Hythe Town have been in fabulous form, and travel to Littlehampton Town looking to close the four point gap between themselves and the top five. The Cannons have won five of their last six matches, whilst the Golds have only one win from their last six, their worst run of the season- but are only two points behind their visitors.

A Sussex derby sees Lancing welcome East Grinstead Town, one place and one point between them. The Lancers were in good form, two wins preceeding their hammering at Whitehawk in midweek; whilst the Wasps are four unbeaten – but remain only three points clear of the bottom four.

Sittingbourne welcome Haywards Heath Town in a bottom four battle. Five points separate the two in Heath’s favour, and whilst Sittingbourne have looked much improved they still have only one win from their last six. Heath have gone five matches without a win a run which has seen them fall into the bottom four, albeit only one point from safety. The Brickies need to make up a six point gap.

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