We could have new Boxing Day leaders in the South Central

Northwood waved goodbye to forward Sydney Ibie this week, as he went up in the world and signed a professional deal with Dagenham & Redbridge, but they’ll need to put that happy-yet-sad departure quickly behind them as they travel to Southall, as they know that they have Walton & Hersham snapping at their heels. The Woods haven’t had a match since December 10th, but they scored five in that one, putting behind them two prior defeats. Southall may prove difficult to overcome, however, as they have only one defeat from their last tenand they are particularly good at home, with only one defeat all season. Woods won their previous meeting, two-nil, with goals from Josh Helmore and Luke Tingey.

The second place Swans welcome Leatherhead to the Sports Hub. Walton have already defeated the Tanners twice this season, winning two-nil in the league and three-one in the FA Trophy, and they seem to have fought their way past an inconsistent spell by winning their last two to close to within a point of the leaders. With a better goal difference than Northwood, any slip from the Woods could see the Swans take over at the top with just a draw. The Tanners have won only three of their last ten- and only one of their last five- and start the weekend only a point above the bottom four.

South Park, under new management, will climb to third if they can defeat Merstham at Whitehall Lane. The Sparks have won three of their last four matches by two goals to nil, whilst the Moatsiders still only have one win all season and are seven points from safety. The Sparks won their last meeting by two goals to one.

Chertsey Town have surprisingly slipped to ninth, five points away from the play off places. The Curfews have only one win from their last four- but they have only one defeat, too. They travel to face the side one place and two points behind them, Hanworth Villa. The Villains have gone off the boil a little, without a win from their last two matches, but are unbeaten in two matches against these opponents this season, after an FA Cup win and a league draw.

Thatcham Town will look to build on their midweek win at Tooting as they welcome Uxbridge. The Kingfishers are in their best form of the season so far, with only one defeat- and three wins- from their last five; whilst Uxbridge will need to quickly get their minds back to the bread and butter after their midweek Trophy defeat at Dagenham. They’ve lost three of their last five league matches and have fallen to ten points behind the top five, so any promotion pretentions will need an upturn in form to be realised.

Fourth bottom Bedfont Sports welcome Ashford Town, who are four places and four points better off. Sports seem to be rediscovering their mojo, four games unbeaten and with eight points from twelve; whilst the Tangerines have lost five of their last six- but did defeat Sports by the only goal of the game when they met in August.

Finally, two of our strugglers meet at Imperial Fields, as Tooting & Mitcham United welcome Guernsey. Both sides are five points from safety, and both have been in terrible form, each with only one win from their last ten matches, and each six games without a win. The Green Lions have picked up both of their wins this season on the road, whilst the Terrors have taken only four points from twenty four at Imperial Fields. This looks like a must win for both sides.

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