Urchins and Millers have the chance to go top

Hornchurch were knocked off their perch by Aveley on Saturday, but the Urchins have the chance to climb back up there as they travel to Billericay Town tonight.

Hornchurch start the night two points behind leaders Potters Bar Town with a game in hand, and a point behind second place Bishop’s Stortford, who have also played a match more. Prior to that game with the Millers they were nine unbeaten in the Pitching In Isthmian Premier, but they won’t face an easy task at New Lodge, as they face a Billericay side who scored five goals against Horsham on Saturday and have promotion aspirations of their own. The Blues are seven points behind fifth place Aveley, but they do have two games in hand.

Folkestone Invicta are the hosts for Aveley. Invicta start the night in a surprisingly lowly position, seventeenth, but after four consecutive league defeats they did get back to winning ways against Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday, and have striker Ade Yusuff in fine form, on fifteen goals already. The visitors have lost only one of their last six in all competitions and- as we already mentioned- defeated Hornchurch at the weekend- and a victory will send them top if the Urchins fail to win.

We’ve an exciting night in prospect at Scraley Road as two of our top performing sides meet in Pitching In Isthmian North. Heybridge Swifts have only one league defeat this season, and they could climb as high as fourth place with another victory- but they couldn’t have a larger obstacle to overcome, as unbeaten leaders AFC Sudbury arrive looking to open up a four point gap at the top. Swifts, who are also preparing for the arrival of Hereford in the FA Trophy on Saturday, have a perfect home record in the league, five wins from five, whilst the visiting Yellows have dropped all of their points this season away from home- although two draws hardly seems to be a negative!

Pitching In Isthmian South Central delivers three matches, and a positive result could see third place Westfield climb to second, and perhaps narrow the gap on leaders Northwood to four points. Field, who have two games in hand over the leaders but are seven points behind, travel to face another of our form sides, Hanworth Villa. The Villains have taken ten points from their last twelve and will move up to seventh if they can add three more; whilst their opponents from Woking are six matches unbeaten- winning five of them.

Binfield will hope that their win over Bedfont Sports on Saturday will banish all thought of their previous poor run, and could climb to sixth if they can defeat Guernsey. The Green Lions have lost only two of their seven away matches this season, so should prove stern opposition. POSTPONED.

Uxbridge and Leatherhead meet at Honeycroft. Uxbridge have delivered some fine performances this season without being able to put a consistent run together, and fell to narrow defeat- every defeat is narrow- against Chertsey Town at the weekend. The Tanners know exactly what a lack of consistency looks like, having followed each of their last two wins with an immediate defeat. If that pattern continues, they are due a win this evening.

Ashford United could climb as high as second place in Pitching In Isthmian South East if they can take three points tonight, but Beckenham Town will have something to say about that, as they look to claim a place in the top five. The Nuts and Bolts have taken only one point from their last two matches- both against promotion rivals- and lost against Chatham Town on Saturday, although they were undefeated in eight league matches prior to the Chats coming to call. Beckenham Town will consider themselves as promotion rivals, too, and after winning two of their last three will hope that they’ve found their mojo once more. Fifteen goal Louie Theophanous will look to add to his tally.

A win for Cray Valley PM could see them climb into the top five. The Millers welcome Faversham Town, who will hope that their newly constructed squad will begin to knit together and lift them off the bottom of the table. Cray are undefeated in four league games, although they have drawn the last two of them- and indeed have drawn more than they’ve won this season, which perhaps explains why they start the night in eighth place.

The Velocity Cup sees Chatham Town welcome Sittingbourne, with the winners hosting a Fourth Round tie against Herne Bay or Sevenoaks Town.

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