The Blues have their eyes on top spot- but tonight's drama is at the other end

With only three points between first and sixth it’s incredibly tight at the top, and Enfield Town’s short stay at the summit could be over tonight if Bishop’s Stortford can overcome the challenge of Haringey Borough at Coles Park. The Blues have a game in hand over the Towners and are a point behind, but they’ll need to win it as the Donkey Lane side have a better goal difference. Stortford seem to have got back to their best once more after a blip earlier this month, and make their second away trip in four days after hitting Kingstonian for five on Saturday. Borough, however, should be no pushovers- they’ve won three of their last four and will want to continue that upward momentum. They will, however, want to forget the last time the Blues arrived at Coles Park- a six-nil defeat last February.

Carshalton Athletic are only two points away from the play off places and a win tonight will take them into fifth spot- but the Robins travel to a side who need the points for an entirely different reason, second bottom Brightlingsea Regent. The hosts have been much improved of late, with only one defeat from their last four, and delivered an exceptional performance at the weekend, coming from two-one down to defeat one of our form sides, Folkestone Invicta. Four points from safety, the importance of three points at home tonight cannot be overstated. Athletic will want to bounce back from the hammering they took at the hands of our leaders at the weekend, and get their promotion chase back on track.

Lewes haven’t given up on their promotion hopes, but the tenth place Rooks have fallen seven points behind the top five and will want to get back to winning ways after taking just a point from their last two matches. The visitors, Wingate & Finchley, find themselves just a point above the drop zone, but have a good record against the Rooks- indeed, Lewes haven’t triumphed against these particular boys in blue since January 2019, the visitors emerging triumphant on their last two visits to the Dripping Pan.

We have a titanic bottom four struggle at the Len Salmon, as Bowers & Pitsea welcome Corinthian-Casuals. Bowers got back to winning ways against Potters Bar Town at the weekend, but that was only their second win in ten; whilst Casuals have- like their opponents- taken nine points from the last thirty available, but unlike their opponents have lost their last four. Bowers are a point from safety, whilst Casuals are three points further back.

Their last five meetings have seen two wins for Bowers and three for Casuals, who triumphed against these opponents back in August, four-one.

Finally, bottom side Herne Bay welcome a Potters Bar Town side who continue to slide down the table at an alarming rate. Bay were unlucky at Canvey at the weekend, losing three-two to a late, late goal, and had won their two previous matches so are arguably in their best form of the season. The Scholars, in contrast, have taken one point from the last twenty one available to them, and have lost their last four. When the two met on the opening day the Scholars won one-nil, but both sides are rather changed since then.

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