Will the Mackerel Men extend their lead- or can Invicta narrow the gap?

Leaders Worthing got back to winning ways in midweek, and travel to Kingstonian with a five point lead at the top of the Premier Division. When the two sides met back in September the Mackerel Men ran out two-one winners, but there has been a lot of water under the bridge since then (and a fair amount everywhere else too) and the K’s have become rather difficult to beat. Their problem is that although they don’t lose many, they draw rather a large number; indeed they’ve drawn almost fifty percent of their matches this season, thirteen out of twenty seven including six of their last ten. The hosts are fifteen points off a playoff place at the moment, although they have three or even four matches in hand over the sides in the top five so won’t have given up on that goal just yet. Worthing have the best away record in the Division, with only one defeat all season, whilst the K’s have the joint second-best home record.

Second place Folkestone Invicta host second bottom Wingate and Finchley. Invicta will be buoyed by their win at Worthing last weekend, and although they are five points behind the leaders they can close that gap to two by winning their game in hand. The visiting Blues are in their best form of the campaign, unbeaten in four and with eight points from twelve. When they met at Summers Lane in September the final score was one-one, and a repeat of that would probably please the visitors more than the hosts.

Third place Hornchurch travel to face Bishop’s Stortford, so Jamie Cureton will be heading back to the club he was managing until a few weeks ago. The Urchins don’t have a win in four matches, but have drawn the last three of them, whilst Bishop’s have taken only three points from their last twenty seven- and have lost their last four.

Carshalton Athletic slipped up at East Thurrock United in midweek, the Rocks bringing their opponents three match winning streak to an end. The Robins head to the Kent coast to take on Margate, who have drawn their last three matches and lost the two prior to that, so their supporters will be hoping that their side can get back to winning ways. We've illustrated this article with a sunny picture of Margate- call it subliminal messaging if you like!

East Thurrock are at home again, and they welcome Cray Wanderers to Rookery Hill. Wands are fifth, unbeaten in nine, and haven’t yet lost a game this decade, so United, who had gone three matches without a win before that midweek victory over Carshalton, will have their work cut out but will be confident they can make more ground on the top five. They are nine points behind Wands, but have three matches in hand, so this one is important to both sides if they are to keep their promotion hopes alive.

Horsham, who have fallen out of the playoff places in recent weeks, host a resurgent Cheshunt. The Hornets got back to winning ways last time out, their victory over Haringey Borough their first in five matches, but the Ambers seem to love travelling to Sussex at the moment as they walloped Lewes at the Dripping Pan by six goals to one two weeks ago and then travelled back to the county to knock Worthing out of the Velocity Trophy. They’ll hope that good things come in threes.

Enfield Town have fallen seven points off the playoff pace, but they do have at least two matches in hand over the top five. Victory at Merstham would help them regain momentum, but if their recent win-lose-win-lose-win pattern is to continue then the Moatsiders would be grateful! Merstham are showing their best form of the season, unbeaten in five, and victory could take them as high as seventeenth.

Ninth place Bognor Regis Town travel to White Hart Lane to take on Haringey Borough. The Rocks lost to Enfield last time out and have only one win in four, whilst their hosts only have two wins from their last ten matches, and none from their last five. Both sides have been injury hit of late, although they do each have a couple of fit strikers, which is more than anyone else on White Hart Lane can say at present. Spurs fans looking for goals know where they can find them!

Leatherhead, in tenth place, travel to Bowers and Pitsea, which is probably just as well given that Fetcham Grove sadly seems to be a water feature at present. Hopefully they’ve not been caused too much costly damage and have been able to salvage their kit, which was cut off by the floods earlier this week. Bowers defeated Brightlingsea Regent seven-nil in midweek, so will be happy to have another home match so soon. They have only one defeat from their last seven, form which has seen them climb to twelfth, although they are nine points behind the Tanners.

Potters Bar Town, who start the day in thirteenth, entertain Corinthian-Casuals. The Scholars were walloped by Carshalton last time out, but that seems to be an isolated aberration as generally when they lose it is narrowly. Their wish to put that defeat behind them will be tested by Casuals, who have been in good form with only one defeat in five- and that came against Folkestone Invicta.

Lewes have won only one home match this season, but have looked better at the Pan since the arrival of new manager Hugo Langton, drawing with Hornchurch before putting up a fight in defeat to Worthing in midweek. They’ll probably look at the arrival of Brightlingsea Regent and think they’ll never get a better chance to give the home faithful something to shout about, given their opponents were defeated seven-nil in midweek and have only taken six points from a possible forty five on the road this season. Regent will want to quickly find form, as they don’t have a victory from their last five matches and have fallen to the bottom of the table.

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