Will the Urchins inflict more pain on Borough- and the rest of the title hopefuls?

Leaders Hornchurch start the weekend with a nine point lead at the top of Pitching In Isthmian Premier, and they’ll hope to at least retain that advantage as struggling Haringey Borough come to call. The Urchins have lost only once this season, and have won their last four- whilst Borough have only three wins from thirty matches and three points from the last twenty one available. The visitors seem to be better on the road than at their own Coles Park, and it isn’t that their defence is particularly diabolical, all recent defeats coming by an odd goal rather than a hammering, but they are rather toothless at the other end, with by far the worst goals per game record in the Division. They’ve only defeated the Urchins in one of their last ten meetings- and that was the first of that ten- although five of those encounters have ended in draws.

Second place Chatham Town are on the road to take on tenth place Lewes. The Chats have won two and lost two of their last four, and will need to improve that consistency if they are to have any chance of catching Hornchurch, but will be buoyed by their midweek Velocity Cup win over third place Billericay. The Rooks got back to winning ways last weekend at Hastings, a welcome victory after three defeats, and will be hoping to continue in that fashion and make a start in cutting the four point gap between themselves and fifth place. When the two sides met in Kent in September, the Chats won three-nil.

Billericay Town have lost three of their last five league matches and went out of the Velocity Cup on penalties in midweek, so the Blues will be desperate to bounce back, having fallen thirteen points away from the leaders. They have what looks to be a tough challenge, Horsham making the trip to New Lodge, the Hornets in eighth- eight points behind the Blues albeit having played three games fewer. The visitors are seven matches unbeaten, and another three points could actually see them into the top five if other results go their way.

The Hornets have won only one of their last eight fixtures against the Blues, and the last time they travelled to New Lodge, in November 22, lost five-three.

Fourth place Wingate and Finchley play host to Hashtag United. The Blues are three unbeaten- and (partially interesting fact) are one of only two sides yet to draw a home match, the others being bottom side Kingstonian. They’ve won their last seven at home, and the Tags haven’t been in the best of form home or away, with only one win from ten. Two goals from Alfie Cue gave the Tags victory when the sides met in September.

Hastings United, in fifth place, are on the road to Potters Bar Town. United find their grasp on fifth place is looking rather precarious at present, a consequence of defeats in their last two, and will hope to return to an even keel- but the Scholars aren’t likely to make that easy. They’ve lost only three of their last ten, and are ten unbeaten at home- and will be hoping to complete a double, a Brandon Adams goal giving them victory in their first encounter of the campaign.

Enfield Town will hope to get back into the top five, but to do that they might have to win at Carshalton Athletic. Last Saturday’s three-nil win at Canvey Island ended a five match winless streak for the Towners, whilst Athletic have lost only one of their last five- but have also won only one of their last five. The Robins ended a four match losing run against these opponents by winning three-nil at the QEII Stadium in September.

Bognor Regis Town picked up the Manager of the Month Award for January earlier this week, and Robbie Blake’s charges are only two points away from a top five spot, courtesy of a fine seven match unbeaten run- the first six of those seeing them victorious. The Rocks, hoping to avoid a curse, have the challenge of travelling to face a side without a manager and without a win since the end of September, bottom placed Kingstonian. That winless run is now fifteen matches, and it has left the K’s ten points from safety.

Bognor defeated the K’s two-nil at Nyewood Lane in September.

Dulwich Hamlet will hope to bounce back from late defeat against Hornchurch last weekend as they head to Concord Rangers. That loss ended a five match unbeaten run for the side in pink and blue, whilst Rangers have also one defeat from six, although their run includes rather more draws. Hamlet are six points away from the top five, whilst the Beachboys are five points from safety- although they do have four games in hand over fifth bottom Cheshunt.

The last five meetings between the sides have seen two Hamlet wins and three draws, but Hamlet are hoping to do the double after a two-nil victory in September.

Canvey Island and their supporters head to another seaside, as they travel to take on fourth bottom Margate. The Gulls have lacked consistency this season but were back in business last weekend when the hit Billericay Town for three, and will want to make it four wins from six and inflict even more misery on Margate. Gate have taken only three points- all draws- from the last thirty available, and are without a victory in their last eighteen games- but they haven’t lost to the Gulls at Hartsdown Park for fourteen years. Away from Hartsdown Park, mind you, the story is rather different- and Canvey won their first encounter this season by four goals to one.

Whitehawk welcome Folkestone Invicta to the Sussex seaside, only a point separating the two sides. Both sides have three wins from ten, and both are two unbeaten. The sides drew one-one on the Kent coast in September- and we include the fine poster the Hawks have produced to promote this match!

Finally, we’ve an amber battle as Cheshunt play host to Cray Wanderers. The hosting Ambers find themselves only one point above the relegation zone and with only one win from ten, whilst the travelling Wands have lost only two of their last ten but have become rather fond of draws, five of those ten finishing level. Wands start the weekend ten points better off than their hosts, in sixteenth place, and will be hoping to complete a double after defeating Cheshunt two-one in September.

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