Twenty for Tags?

It looks very much as if the title is Hashtag’s to lose, and with nineteen wins in a row and a seven point lead at the top they’ve shown no signs of weakness for more than four months. The Tags may have to work hard this weekend as they travel to face a Heybridge Swifts side who also need the points, Swifts having slipped from the top five after defeat at Gorleston. A home win may put them back there, and the kudos which would go with that win would boost their confidence immeasurably- but goodness, they have a task on their hands!

Second place AFC Sudbury are on the road to North London- remember to pay for your parking, away fans- as they visit Coles Park, home of New Salamis. With one win in four the Yellows are looking vulnerable for the first time this season, a vulnerability which has arrived at just the wrong time with their rivals seemingly invincible. Salamis are in ninth, ten points away from the top five, but will have been boosted by their win over play off chasing Felixstowe and Walton United last weekend and have proved resilient opponents all season- only Wroxham have drawn more matches.

Lowestoft Town bring their four match winning run back home, as they welcome relegation-threatened Hullbridge Sports. The visitors have fallen to nine points from safety having lost nine of their last ten; but they did hold the Trawler Boys to a goalless draw in October.

We’ve a clash of the titans at the seaside as Felixstowe & Walton United, in fifth, welcome Grays Athletic. The Seasiders have lost their last two fixtures and have sixth place Stowmarket Town breathing down their necks so can’t afford another defeat, whilst their visitors are on a six match unbeaten run- but only a point better off. Athletic won three-two when the sides met in October.

Stowmarket Town, buoyed by their midweek win over AFC Sudbury, will hope to make it three in a row as Maldon & Tiptree come to call. Victory could see them climb as high as fourth, and given we seem to be developing a four team battle for the last two play off spots a win may be crucial. The Jammers have hit a real downward trend, with only one win from their last eight, and even with a ten point gap between themselves and the bottom four won’t consider themselves safe yet. The three Isthmian meetings between the sides have delivered one win each, Stow winning the last time they met.

East Thurrock United, eight points off the play off’s but now without a manager- although they may have one in place by kick off- welcome Wroxham to Rookery Hill. The Rocks saw an eight match unbeaten run come to an end in controversial fashion against Stowmarket Town last weekend, whilst the Yachtsmen have- uncharacteristically- lost their last two, albeit against sides in the top five. The last time they met the Rocks came from two goals down to win three-two.

Brentwood Town bring their eight match unbeaten run back to the Arena, bottom side Great Wakering Rovers the visitors. Rovers are ten points from safety, but won their first game in five months when defeating Witham Town last weekend and will hope to build on that. The Blues won the last encounter between the sides by two goals to one, despite falling behind after just two minutes.

Bury Town are another side without a manager, and indeed we have a battle of boss-free sides as Tilbury come to call. Town have gone seven matches without a win- seven matches in which they’ve scored only one goal- whilst the Dockers malaise is even worse, seven consecutive defeats and eight points from safety. The Dockers have won the last five meetings between the clubs- how they’d love to make it six.

Two of our most improved sides meet at the Hive, as Basildon United welcome Gorleston. The Bees have opened up a fourteen point gap on the bottom four courtesy of a run which has seen one defeat from six; whilst the Greens climb up the table has been even more spectacular, and they travel having won their last four matches and climbed to fifteenth.

Finally, we have a derby as Coggeshall Town welcome Witham Town. Witham have an eight point gap over the bottom four and a ten point gap over their second bottom hosts, but are in danger of pushing themselves back into trouble having taken one point from their last four matches. The Seed Growers are also without a win in four, but haven’t been defeated by Witham since their elevation to our level. The last three meetings between the clubs have ended all-square.

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