Tight at the top!

League leaders Hornchurch have been in superb form of late. The Urchins have won their last five matches in all competitions, scored nineteen goals in the process, conceded two, and have three clean sheets from their last three. They host Cray Wanderers, much improved on last season’s version but experiencing a bit of a blip with only one point from their last two matches. If they turn up in the kind of form which saw them score four at Folkestone on September 13th then we’ll have a fabulous match.

The last time they met, back in April, the Urchins won five-nil, with three of the Hornchurch goals coming in the last five minutes of the match.

Second place Potters Bar Town are on the road, making the long trip to Folkestone Invicta. The hosts have won five of their last six matches, that defeat to Wands their only aberration; whilst the Scholars got back on form after a two match losing streak by defeating Brightlingsea Regent in midweek. The Scholars have taken only two points from their last eighteen against these opponents, and the last time they met, in January, was a day that no Invicta fan- or Scholars fan, albeit for different reasons- is likely to forget, the Kent side winning seven-nil.

Aveley welcome Herne Bay. The visitors will hope for a reaction after a six-nil thrashing at the hands of Hornchurch in midweek, whilst the Millers have taken their foot off the pedal somewhat, with only one win from their last four in all competitions.

Bishop’s Stortford are beginning to look more like the side who came closest to challenging Worthing last season, but the Blues will need to be at their best as they travel to face Horsham as fourth hosts fifth. Two wins and a draw from their last three has lifted Stortford up the table, whilst the Hornets have won only one of their last four in all competitions. The last three meetings between the sides have ended in a draw- but we suspect that it will take a win to send either side to the summit at 5PM on Saturday.

Hastings United’s campaign has suddenly improved, two one-nil wins in a row seeing them climb to eighth. Carshalton Athletic are their visitors, the Robins unbeaten in three matches which have delivered two wins, albeit against lower league opposition in the Cup.

Margate and Enfield Town meet in a mid table battle at Hartsdown Park. Both sides have aspirations of being involved higher up the table, and the Blues will hope to hold onto their unbeaten home record, whilst the Towners have looked much improved whilst taking four points from their last two matches. Town have won four of the last five meetings between the clubs, the last one of those a four-nil victory in January.

Canvey Island welcome Corinthian-Casuals to the seaside. The Gulls last league win was on August 27th- they’ve drawn every league match since; whilst Casuals would love that record, as they haven’t managed a victory in any competition since the opening day, and have lost their last three matches- although they might point out that two of the victors are in the top three.

Bognor Regis Town were in turns scintillating and frustrating in a two-two draw with one of our draw specialists, Kingstonian, on Wednesday night- and they face our other draw specialists, Wingate & Finchley, at Nyewood Lane. The Rocks haven’t won a league match since that six-one thumping of Aveley on August 20th, whilst the Blues haven’t won a league match at all, drawing five of their seven games. The Blues took four points from the Rocks last season.

Billericay Town play host to Lewes, the Blues in their best form of the campaign so far, the Rooks seemingly having lost their way. Town have three wins and a draw from their last four matches in all competitions, and have Alfie Cerulli in fine form, with six goals in his last four matches. The Rooks only win in the last month came against Sheppey United in the Cup, and a four-nil thumping at the hands of Pitching In Isthmian South East Three Bridges in midweek left normally philosophical supporters in a fury on social media. Travelling fans will hope for a reaction.

After five draws from seven matches, Kingstonian fans will be hoping that their side can start turning draws into victories. They hit the road to Bowers & Pitsea, the hosts without a win since August 20th and having themselves draw three of their last four. Two of the last three meetings between the sides ended level.

Finally, Brightlingsea Regent welcome Haringey Borough with both looking to bounce back after midweek defeat. Regent have lost their last two league matches, conceding seven goals in the process, but have won two matches in the cup scoring six, so seem to just be searching for consistency. Borough had gone five league matches without defeat until they ran into a fast improving Billericay Town in midweek. Regent won their last meeting, in April, by three goals to nil- ending a run of five victories for Borough.

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