Second v third as Trawler Boys host Tags- can the Yellows take advantage?

Our top match this weekend comes from the seaside, as Lowestoft Town, in third place, welcome the side ten points ahead of them in second, Hashtag United- and we’re sure the Trawler Boys would want us to point out that they have a game in hand! Town seem to have rediscovered their form from earlier in the season, and are on an eight game unbeaten run and have won their last five- although even that very positive recent record pales into insignificance compared to that of their visitors, who have now won their last THIRTEEN matches, the best run of any team in the top eight levels of English football. The Tags defeated the Trawler Boys three-one back in October, but their hosts will be determined to be the side who end that famous winning streak- whilst we suspect that AFC Sudbury fans will be praying for a home win or a draw!

The Yellows did something unexpected last time out- they lost. Of course, Sudbury had a ten match winning run prior to that match against Lowestoft, but that defeat saw their lead cut to just one point, and they know that anything other than victory at Tilbury could see them removed from top spot for the first time since November 12th. The Dockers sit just one point above the bottom four as we write, but could even be in the bottom four at kick off should Hullbridge Sports get a positive result against New Salamis tonight. With only two wins from their last ten, they’ll be looking for revenge for the three-nil defeat they suffered against these opponents in October.

Felixstowe & Walton United, in fourth place, are on the road to second bottom side Great Wakering Rovers. The hosts are seven points from guaranteed safety and are on a terrible run, having lost their last ten matches; whilst the Seasiders have lost only two of their last ten but with only two points between fourth and seventh will be looking over their shoulder. The visitors haven’t had many woes to speak of this season, but when they have performed poorly they’ve generally been on the road, which may perhaps give Rovers hope.

Our second contender for match of the day- although let’s be fair, it takes runner-up spot in that particular battle- comes from Parkside, as seventh place Grays Athletic look to climb back into the top five at the expense of fifth place Stowmarket Town. Victory will certainly push the hosts above their visitors in the table, and Athletic will be glad not to be playing the top two, who have ended a six match winning run by defeating them in the last two matches. Stow fell to defeat at Hullbridge in midweek and with four defeats from their last seven seem to have lost their way a little, managerial and player departures no doubt undermining their form. Stow have defeated Athletic in league and FA Trophy this season, so perhaps it’s time for some revenge?

Sixth place Heybridge Swifts are on the road to Brentwood Town, the Blues thirteen points further back in eleventh place. Swifts, with three wins and five defeats from their last nine, have fallen off the pace a little; whilst the Blues have suddenly improved, and will be looking for a third win in a row- and a third clean sheet. Swifts won their first meeting of the season by three goals to one.

Maldon & Tiptree welcome Bury Town. The Jammers will hope that their relegation worries are behind them, after they opened up a six point gap over the bottom four, and with only three defeats from ten have been much improved since Peter Taylor took the reins. Their visitors have taken seven points from their last nine and will hope to build on that, and to begin narrowing the nine point gap between themselves and the top five.

Witham Town, two points above the bottom four as we write, have suddenly put together a small unbeaten run and will be confident as they welcome East Thurrock United. The Rocks have hit a bit of a brick wall of late, their promotion hopes hanging in the balance as they’ve slipped to tenth on the back of a six match run which has earned them only one point. They travelled to the Simarco Stadium as recently as January 31st, the hosts winning three-one in the Essex Senior Cup.

Wroxham welcome Basildon United. Only our top two have taken three points from the Yachtsmen during their last thirteen matches, a fine turnaround to their season after early struggles which sees them up in twelfth place and with a twelve point gap over the bottom four as we write. Their visitors are two places but eight points worse off, and have gone five matches without a win. The two sides couldn’t manage a goal between them the last time they met.

Bottom side Coggeshall Town know that a positive result could lift them out of the bottom two- but they’ll need to defeat third bottom Gorleston to achieve that. The Seed Growers have finally found form, unbeaten in three and having won their last two; whilst their visitors also have two wins from their last three as both sides make a concerted effort to escape the drop zone. The two have met three times already this season- the Seed Growers ahead when their FA Trophy First Qualifying Round match was abandoned and winning the rescheduled match on penalties, the Greens taking three points with a two-nil win at Crown Meadow in October.

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