Seasiders, Swifts or Athletic- who will miss out?

For Felixstowe & Walton United, Heybridge Swifts and Grays Athletic, Saturday will be the day when they congratulate themselves on a job well done or drown in their own despair. Only two of the trio can qualify for the play offs, and at this point we’ve no idea which two it will be- but the calculations are made a little simpler by the fact that two of them play each other.

Grays Athletic, in sixth place, play their last ever scheduled league match as tenants of Aveley FC as they welcome bottom side Hullbridge Sports. Athletic, who hope very much that the local authority will soon grant them permission to take over the former ground at Thurrock FC just along the road, will be sharing Chadfields with Tilbury next season- but first and foremost they need three points on Saturday. Three points will guarantee a play off place whatever happens to Felixstowe and Walton United and Heybridge Swifts, because the sides in fourth and fifth are playing each other. Sports have a remote chance of grabbing a relegation play off spot with victory, but with such an inferior goal difference would need to do something rather dramatic!

The Seasiders are very good at home, whilst Swifts have been very difficult to defeat on the road, so this one is rather difficult to call- but the visitors will take confidence from the recent history between the clubs. The two sides have met seven times since the Seasiders elevation to our ranks in 2018, and the side from Scraley Road have won six of them- including the last five. Swifts also come into the match in the best form, six unbeaten and having won five of them, only last weekend’s four-four draw with Lowestoft Town blighting that record. That said, a draw for the hosts will see them over the line on goal difference, whereas a point would only be enough for Swifts if Grays fail to win.

At the other end of the table, Tilbury, Coggeshall Town, Great Wakering Rovers and Hullbridge Sports fight for the chance of a relegation play off.

Tilbury welcome Gorleston, and the Dockers will be hoping that the Greens are too busy thinking about their Norfolk Senior Cup Final at Carrow Road and not at all focused on winning a fourth successive game. The Dockers have won only two of their last ten, and will find a much improved Gorleston side from the outfit they thrashed five-two in November.

Coggeshall Town welcome New Salamis to West Street. The Seed Growers have only one win from ten, but they need to win this one- whilst Salamis have only two defeats from ten and are notoriously difficult to defeat. The first match between the two sides at Coles Park ended three-nil to the North Londoners.

Great Wakering Rovers, who conceded six against champions Hashtag United last weekend, welcome our other North Division galacticos, second place AFC Sudbury. Rovers will need victory to have any chance of turning automatic relegation into a relegation play off, but they will be up against it as the Yellows have won their last six matches whilst keeping five clean sheets.

Champions Hashtag United know that victory at Basildon United would take them to a magical one hundred points- they’ve already reached a century of goals. United defeated East Thurrock United in midweek and are in decent form, with only three defeats from ten, but lost three-nil to the Tags the last time they met and may be up against it once more.

Lowestoft Town, secure in third, welcome East Thurrock United. The Trawler Boys don’t yet know who they will face in Tuesday’s Semi-Final, but with only one win from seven- four draws- will hope to get back to winning ways this weekend; whilst the Rocks have gone eight matches without a win.

Stowmarket Town defeated Bury Town in the Suffolk County Cup Semi-Final on Wednesday and will hope to do it all again this weekend, whilst Brentwood Town welcome Wroxham, ninth v tenth, and the two will swap places if the Yachtsmen can win.

Maldon & Tiptree welcome Witham Town, both sides safe from danger.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.