The title race heats up!

It seems like no time at all since Lowestoft Town were six points clear at the top of the Pitching In Isthmian North table, but those days are now long gone, and the Trawler Boys find themselves on top of the pile only on goal difference. This weekend sees the leaders back on their own patch and hoping to rediscover their mojo after losing their last two matches- particularly necessary with Felixstowe and Walton United breathing down their necks! The visitors are Wroxham, the Yachtsmen having won three of their last four- and although Town defeated these opponents two-nil in November they need to guard against complacency, as Wroxham do know how to defeat them- they managed it on one occasion last season.

Felixstowe and Walton United are looking for a NINTH successive win as Heybridge Swifts come to call. The Seasiders are ten unbeaten and even on days when they aren’t at their best seem to have learned how to grind out a victory, and they came from behind twice to defeat these opponents when they last met, in November. Victory for the hosts will put them top if Lowestoft Town are held or defeated, but Swifts will be full of beans after defeating the leaders last weekend- and with five points between them and fifth place will be looking for another three points to boost their play off hopes.

Third place Bury Town have been in magnificent form. With nine wins from ten, and unbeaten since mid November, the Blues find themselves nine points behind the leading duo- on the day of that defeat the gap between themselves and Lowestoft Town was nineteen points, which perhaps demonstrates just how far they’ve come. It might be premature to rule them out of title contention as they search for a eighth successive win, but their hosts, Witham Town, are unlikely to be short on confidence after winning their last three- and hitting five at Enfield in midweek. The last time they met the Blues won three-nil- it might be more difficult this time around.

Brentwood Town start the weekend in fourth, and after a run of one defeat in ten will be looking for another three points as Enfield come to call. The Blues have lost only once in three months, whilst the travelling E’s conceded five against Witham in midweek and have lost five in a row. The Blues won the first encounter between the sides this season two-nil.

Bowers and Pitsea, in fifth place, are on the road to Maldon & Tiptree. The gap between Bowers and the Jammers is now seven points, much of that engineered by a run of one defeat in ten for Bowers and a run of three straight defeats for their hosts. This will be the third time the sides have met this season, Maldon taking the points in a three-two league victory at the Len Salmon, Bowers knocking the Jammers out of the Velocity Cup. A win for the visitors could take them up to fourth, but whatever happens they’ll remain in the top five as sixth place Walthamstow are four points behind.

Walthamstow are on their own patch for an East London derby, Redbridge making the journey. Stow have been in fine form, winning their last three and scoring four goals in each of them, whilst the Motormen have one win from ten- and indeed five points from an available thirty. The meeting between the sides in November delivered five goals- Stow getting the first three of those. Another Walthamstow win could see them close the gap on the top five to one point.

Basildon United are back in action and back on their own patch, Grays Athletic making the trip. In eighth place, the Bees have a seven point gap to make up between themselves and fifth place, so a home win is undoubtedly a must, but they’ve become rather inconsistent, winning two and losing four of their last six. Athletic start the day two places above the relegation zone and have lost their last three- although they can count themselves unlucky against Felixstowe last time out, the Seasiders winner coming three minutes into added time after Grays were twice ahead. The last three meetings between the sides have ended level.

Brightlingsea Regent and New Salamis meet at the Taydal in a mid table battle, four points and four places between the sides at kick off. Regent have taken only one point from their last nine matches, a terrible run which has seen their promotion hopes depart, whilst the visitors have been consistently inconsistent all season long. Their last ten fixtures have brought four wins, five defeats and a draw. The last five have taken a L-W pattern, so they are due a W- and if they get one, they’ll have done a Regent double, winning their last encounter four-two.

Finally, Ipswich Wanderers and their bunch of bananas welcome Gorleston, and Wirth both fruit and greens present this looks to be a healthy day out! Wanderers are in sixteenth, and have only two wins from ten, although they were unlucky last weekend, coming back from three goals down only to lose right at the end against Bury Town- and, of course, their previous match saw them defeat the leaders for a second time this season. The Greens are stumbling a little, having lost their last three, and start the weekend three places- and nine points- better off. The last time Gorleston travelled to Wanderers was for an FA Cup match in the early stages of the 22-23 season, a match which Wanderers won three-nil- but the Greens got revenge for that with a two-nil league win in November.

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