We’ve a big North Boxing Day, with four of the top five in action!

Hashtag United have been in magnificent form of late, having won their last six matches and kept clean sheets in the last three. Their visitors, Brentwood Town, have fallen right off the pace, with four defeats and a draw from their last five, but are surely too good to stay in mid table for long? They’ve fallen nine points behind the top five, and will need to start picking up points fairly quickly if they are to force themselves back into the promotion picture. The Tags won their earlier meeting this season, three-one- that’s two wins in a row against the Blues. A hat trick of wins would narrow the gap on Sudbury to one point.

Stowmarket Town are three points further back, in third place- and have been on a fine run. They’ve taken twenty six points from their last thirty, and last lost a league match on August 16th. They hit the road to Wroxham, a side they defeated by the only goal of the game on August Bank Holiday Monday- but the Yachtsmen have undoubtedly improved since then, and come into this match on the back of their best run of the season, five games unbeaten.

Heybridge Swifts have hit their first bump in the road of the season. Our fourth place side have gone four matches without a win and lost the last two- but there will never be a better time to rediscover their form than a local derby against Maldon & Tiptree. The Jammers are third from bottom and four points from safety, and we’ve no doubt that the Swifts fans have delighted in their rivals struggles this season- but they have a new manager in Peter Taylor and will undoubtedly want to impress the former Leicester City and England boss. With two defeats from their last six they do seem to be on an upward curve, although progress has been slow.

Lowestoft Town have slipped from first to fifth in recent weeks, with four defeats and only one victory from their last six. The Trawler Boys welcome neighbours and tenants Gorleston, and will view it as the chance to kickstart their form once more. The Greens are second bottom, have won only twice this season, and have one win and six defeats from their last nine- and have picked up all of their points against sides at the bottom end of the table. They lost their last meeting with the Trawler Boys by six goals to one.

East Thurrock United could find themselves in the top five if they can continue their fine run with a win at Tilbury. The Rocks have been superb of late, taking twenty five points from their last thirty and winning eight of their last ten matches. The Dockers are two unbeaten, and that’s an improvement- but can they keep that going? They did win the last match between the two sides, at Rookery Hill.

Grays Athletic may be ninth, but they are only three points behind fifth place Lowestoft. Athletic will hope to have turned around a period of poor form with two wins from their last three, whilst visitors Witham Town have been in freefall, having lost their last five matches- mand indeed eight of their last nine. Town won the first meeting of the two sides this season, two-one.

New Salamis, who start the weekend in tenth place, have been the best performing of our promoted sides and could close to within a point of the top five if they can defeat Great Wakering Rovers. Salamis have not won in their last two, but were in great form prior to that, whilst Rovers seem to have forgotten how to win, nine matches- seven defeats- since their last victory. Salamis won their first meeting, on August Bank Holiday Monday, by two goals to one.

Image: Alan Edmonds.

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