We’ve a three way fight for the top spot. Can the Gulls and Stow bounce back- or can the Millers beat the Tags and stay top?

We have a clash of the North titans, as new leaders Aveley travel to the Len Salmon to take on our form team, Hashtag United. It would be difficult not to describe a side who won seven-nil last time out- Aveley- as our form team, but that, erm, tag, must be applied to the Tags, who have won their last six matches- a run which has seem them climb to fifth and boss Jay Devereux pick up our Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month award. Will there be a curse attached? Find out tomorrow!

Aveley image courtesy of Lambpix.

Stowmarket Town fell from the summit when losing to Dereham Town, and Stow will hope to climb back up there with a win over Witham Town. Stow had gone ten unbeaten before that defeat, whilst Witham don’t have a win in their last ten- although they have drawn five of those, so can be rather difficult to beat.

Canvey Island, a point behind our top two, could also be back on top on Saturday evening. The Gulls will be licking their…beaks in anticipation as they travel to Romford, hit for seven by the Millers on Monday and having lost their last eleven matches to sink to the bottom of the table. Canvey will hope to have recovered from their shellshock at losing a two goals lead to lose to Great Wakering Rovers on Monday.

Dereham Town are in fourth place, and will be thinking, “defeating the leaders, completed it mate…twice” after their wins over Stowmarket and Canvey. The Magpies travel to sixth place Grays Athletic, their hosts having lost their last three matches and needing a boost to get them back into the top five.

AFC Sudbury and Maldon and Tiptree have both slipped down the table in recent weeks, and both will want to find an upwards trend once more. The hosting yellows have taken only four points from their last eighteen, which is why they start the day in eighth place; whilst the Jammers have won their last two, but they were playing our two bottom sides so the yellows may prove a rather sterner test.

Heybridge Swifts, six games unbeaten, welcome Basildon United. The Bees got back to winning ways last time out, walloping Tilbury four-one; whilst Swifts have only two defeats in ten and defeated Coggeshall Town last time out.

The Dockers of Tilbury have looked a shadow of their former selves this season. They host Bury Town, who certainly won’t have given up on their promotion ambitions and are just five points outside the top five with two games in hand. Town have drawn too many games of late, but they did wallop local rivals AFC Sudbury last time out; whilst the Dockers only have one win from their last eight.

Felixstowe and Walton United welcome Barking to the Goldstar Ground. The Seasiders are in fine form, with three wins and a draw from their last four; whilst the visiting Blues have only one win from ten, although have looked rather more like their old selves in recent weeks.

Finally Great Wakering Rovers, fresh from that fine comeback win at Canvey, welcome Coggeshall Town. Rovers have only two defeats from their last eight, both against sides currently in our top five, whilst the Seed Growers have lost five of their last seven, the only win coming against bottom side Romford.

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