We've a three way fight for top spot- and six sides in Trophy action

Our leaders Hornchurch are on the road to the coast, where they take on Brightlingsea Regent. The hosts start the weekend in twentieth place, and haven’t won a league match since August Bank Holiday Monday; whilst the Urchins have lost only one of their last eleven. Hornchurch have won the last three meetings between the clubs by an aggregate of eleven-one.

Second place Aveley are also on the road, but not quite so far, as they travel to Bowers & Pitsea. The Millers have only one defeat from their last seven in all competitions, and were superb in defeating Folkestone Invicta five-two at the weekend. Fourth bottom Bowers last won a league match on Saturday 20th August, but had a very good record against these opponents when they were both in the North Division together. The last time they met, in 2019, goals from Alex Akrofi and Jason Raad helped the Millers to a three-nil FA Trophy win, despite the fact they played the majority of the match with ten men.

Potters Bar Town are just a point behind our leading duo and are on the road to White Hart Lane, where they take on Haringey Borough. The Scholars have been grinding out victories of late, but won’t care too much about that so long as they pick up three points. Borough saw a good run- which saw them wallop Kingstonian and Folkestone and draw with Hornchurch- come to an end at Hastings United last weekend, a four-one defeat giving them a miserable trip back to North London. The Scholars won both of their meetings last season.

A win for Canvey Island will take them into the top five- indeed, perhaps as high as fourth- but the Gulls must defeat the side directly behind them in the table, Carshalton Athletic. The Gulls have got over a mini October blip to convincingly win their last three matches, whilst the Robins saw their own good run come to an end against Enfield Town last weekend, but bounced back to score four in the Velocity Cup on Monday night.

Cray Wanderers play host to Wingate & Finchley. Wands are six unbeaten and seem to have consigned last season’s difficulties to the dustbin of history, whilst the Blues have lost their last four in all competitions and start the weekend just three points above the drop zone. Wingate don’t have a good record against the Wands, with just one win from nine- but that victory did come at Hayes Lane lasts eason.

Horsham and Herne Bay meet at the Camping World Community Stadium. The Hornets are yet to find any consistency this season, following a three-two win over Potters Bar Town two weeks ago by conceding five at Billericay Town. That said, they are still thirteen points ahead of their visitors, Bay having lost their last six league matches and their manager.

Into the FA Trophy now.

Beaconsfield Town are the hosts for Folkestone Invicta. Town, mid table in Pitching In Southern Premier South, have won their last three; whilst Invicta have saved most of their best performances for cup matches this season and will hope to quickly put behind them their midweek defeat against Aveley.

Billericay Town welcome National League South side Bath City. The two were at the same level last season and City won both encounters, so perhaps our Blues will have revenge on their minds. They’ve hit a rough patch of late, with only one win from their last four, but there have been some sublime moments this season- and they did hit Horsham for five last weekend. City should be wary of taking on Isthmian opposition- they departed the FA Cup, as you might recall, against Sevenoaks Town.

Hastings United take on Chippenham Town- again. The two met in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup last season and a Kenny Pogue goal sent the National League South side crashing out- and, of course, United have had a promotion since then, and a positive start to their Pitching In Isthmian Premier campaign. They walloped Haringey Borough last Saturday, and then in midweek knocked League Two side Crawley Town out of the Sussex Senior Cup.

Leamington of National League North play host to our promotion-chasing Premier Division Bishop's Stortford. Leamington are the draw specialists of their division, taking one point from more than half of their nineteen matches this season- including their last five matches. If they draw this one it goes to penalties, but our Blues will hope to win in ninety minutes and have lost only one of their last thirteen matches.

Lewes and Bognor Regis Town meet in a Sussex derby. Neither side have had perhaps the campaign we expected from them, but the Rooks seem to have got over their blip and are eight unbeaten; whilst the Rocks also seem to have dragged themselves back onto an even keel, winning three of their last four in all competitions.

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