Too tight to call

Our battle for the top three is showing no signs of becoming any less tense. With only one point between them, and third place Stowmarket Town with a game in hand, it is too tight to call. Canvey Island and Aveley, in first and second, play the first of their eight remaining matches tomorrow, whilst Stow play the first of their nine- and on paper, at least, it looks as if the Gulls have the easiest challenge to start with, as they travel to Coggeshall Town.

You never know quite what you’re going to get from the Seed Growers, in thirteenth and- for their supporters, anyway- maddeningly inconsistent. Ther Gulls, however, look to be close to their best form, and have scored nine goals in their last three matches, conceding only one. So far this season the Gulls have defeated Town twice- four-one in the FA trophy and one-nil in the league.

Aveley’s unbeaten run in the league stretches back fourteen games, but they will face a tough test as they travel to Felixstowe and Walton United. The Seasiders lost for the first time in six matches last time out, but are still very much in the play off shake up, three points behind fifth place Hashtag United with two games in hand. The last time they met the Millers won five-nil; we suspect tomorrow’s match will be far more difficult for the title chasers.

Stowmarket Town, with that game in hand and the best defence in the division, will need to be at the top of their game as they travel to the Len Salmon to face Hashtag United. The Tags went fifth with a massive win at Brentwood Town on Tuesday, and have taken thirteen points from their last fifteen and will be desperate not to drop any at this stage. Stow, however, are nine games unbeaten, having won seven of them and kept a clean sheet in their last five. The last time the two met was a goalless draw, a result which will probably suit neither side this time around.

Grays Athletic will be looking over their shoulders a little, as Hashtag have closed to within one point and both Brentwood Town and Felixstowe are four points behind with a game in hand. Athletic host Witham Town tomorrow, their visitors needing the points for an entirely different reason at the other end. Athletic’s long unbeaten run came to an end at Stowmarket last time out, whilst the visitors improved form took a knock against Felixstowe.

Brentwood have lost form at the wrong time, losing three of their last four and indeed five of their last ten. That run has seen them relinquish their place in the top five, and they travel to Heybridge swifts desperate to put their play off chase back on track. Swifts are nine points further back and will probably think it’s too late for them to join the end of season party, and they’ve lost six of their last ten- but there have been moments when they’ve been very good indeed. Brentwood won by the only goal of the game when they met in mid November.

AFC Sudbury are coming up on the rails and pose a real threat to at least four of the seven sides above them. The Yellows have a seven match unbeaten run under their belts; a run which has seen them keep six clean sheets and concede only one goal. They travel to Tilbury, the Dockers not quite mathematically safe from the relegation dogfight and on the same inconsistent run which has put them at the wrong end of the table, with three wins and five defeats from their last ten.

Dereham Town have seen themselves slip out of the promotion picture and fall to eighth, six points behind the side in fifth place- albeit with two games in hand. The Magpies will hope to fill their boots tomorrow as they welcome a Romford side marooned at the bottom, and having conceded twenty seven goals in their last five matches.

Maldon & Tiptree, in tenth, are seven points off a play off place, and haven’t been the force we expected them to be this season despite some very good moments. The Jammers have only lost one of their last nine, however, so shouldn’t be counted out just yet, and they will head to Great Wakering Rovers with hope. Rovers have put an eight point gap between themselves and the bottom three, and put five goals past Romford last time out, but the Jammers should pose an entirely different test.

We’ve a blue on blue battle as Bury Town travel to Barking. The hosting Blues are five points from safety, after six consecutive defeats and without a win in nine, whilst their visitors have had some bright moments and are well away from being in trouble at the bottom, but not much nearer the top, either. It’s been a season of injury and inconsistency for Town, and so far a season to regret for Barking, who lost four-nil the last time the two met.

Finally, we’ve a big battle at the bottom as Basildon United host Hullbridge Sports. The Bees have pulled seven points clear of their third bottom visitors but have still taken only eight points from their last thirty, whereas Sports were much improved until very recently, a five game unbeaten run coming to an end with defeats to Hashtag and Tilbury. The Hashtag loss was perhaps expected, the Dockers loss- a four-nil home hammering- perhaps not, and their fans will be hoping they haven’t rediscovered their malaise from earlier in the season.

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