Will the Robins take the title tomorrow?

By Ian Townsend

Chertsey Town will want to put the party on hold, but their visitors Hanwell Town will also desperately want the points. We’ve intrigue at both ends of the Pitching In Isthmian South Central table, and here’s our preview.


Our Champions-elect Bracknell Town could actually be crowned champions if they were to win at Ashford Town tomorrow and second place Chertsey Town were to slip up as they entertain Hanwell Town. The gap between the two is eighteen points with a maximum of twenty one available, so a Robins win and anything less than victory for the Curfews would make sure the trophy will be decked out in red ribbons.

The Robins have only lost two league matches all season, and the chances of the Tangerines making it three must be slim. Ashford, eight points clear of third bottom Sutton Common Rovers, will want to ensure their Isthmian place for next season as soon as possible, so they do have something to play for- but only Chertsey and Marlow with one-nil wins have been able to prove roadblocks to the Bracknell juggernaut so far this campaign.

The Curfews match with the Geordies is otherwise our match of the day, second versus third. With only six points between second and sixth the points are critical to every side, as at least one of the five will miss out on the play offs. Chertsey are six matches unbeaten, whilst the Geordies got back to winning ways in style in Guernsey last time out.

Bedfont Sports have been in magnificent form, and will be confident as they travel to bottom side Staines Town. Sports, who start the day in fourth, have lost only two of their last ten, whilst the Swans have taken only one point from their last thirty and look doomed at the bottom, ten points from safety. The last time the two met the side from the end of the Heathrow runway won four-nil.

Basingstoke Town are the third of three sides who start the weekend on fifty seven points, and they have a game in hand over the other two. Stoke are at home to Sutton Common Rovers, their visitors third from bottom but three games unbeaten and looking much improved, whilst the home side have lost only two of their last ten. When the two met at Gander Green Lane in November, Basingstoke won five-one.

Uxbridge have slipped out of the top five at entirely the wrong time, an inconsistent run which has seen them win only three of their last ten chiefly responsible. The red army are off to face the Green Lions, flying out to Guernsey. Their hosts are thirteenth, six points clear of the bottom three, and in reasonable form with three defeats from ten. A win for Uxbridge could put them back into the top five; indeed could see them up to third.

Marlow welcome Tooting & Mitcham United, the two sides needing the points for entirely different reasons. The hosts have dropped seven points behind the top five and if their play off chances aren’t to bite the dust entirely surely need a victory; whilst the Terrors have terrified only their own fans this season, slipping to fourth from bottom. Another failure could see them in the bottom three, unthinkable at the start of the campaign. They’ve taken only five points- all draws- from their last thirty.

Chalfont St Peter will hope to keep their- increasingly slim- hopes of avoiding relegation alive as they welcome South Park. The Saints looked set for three points against Guernsey in midweek but got none, and that’s been the story of their season, with four points from their last thirty. The Sparks have taken sixteen points from the same period and are three unbeaten, so won’t be short on confidence.

Eleventh hosts tenth as Northwood welcome Chipstead. Woods have seen a fine run come to an end as they’ve lost their last two matches, whilst the Chips are unbeaten in four. It looks unlikely that either will end up in a relegation struggle and the play off’s are already too far away, so this has the look of a mid table struggle, with Woods- who would be seventh were only results away from home included- hoping to have another happy journey home.

Finally, Westfield welcome Thatcham Town. The draw kings of Woking really need three points, as they’ve sunk to within two points of the bottom three- and the two sides below them both have a game in hand. Those eleven draws have been the problem. The Kingfishers are one place and three points ahead, so aren’t out of trouble either, and a home win would see the two swap places.

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Where next?

A Margate trio Margate strengthen for the run in
Too tight to call The Pitching In Isthmian North title race- and the play off race- is too tight to call, and every matchday is critical. Here's our preview of the weekend's action.

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