With only goal difference separating the top two, the title race will go to the final day

Leaders Walton & Hersham may lead Basingstoke Town only on goal difference, but their form of late has been that of champions. The Swans, seventeen without defeat, welcome Southall to the Sports Hub this weekend looking for three more points which will strengthen their grip on the title- whilst The All, who have already played the Swans three times this season, look to become the only side to beat them twice. The sides first met in September, the Swans triumphing four-nil in the FA Trophy, and they then met once more in the Velocity Cup, Walton going through on penalties after a one-one draw. A league meeting five days after that match saw Southall win three-two.

Basingstoke may find themselves three points behind before they even kick off, as their match at Guernsey is on Sunday. They have won eight of their last ten, but will their defeats against Hanworth Villa and the Swans cost them? The Green Lions may turn out to be no pushovers either, having lost only one of their last ten- and we’ve no doubt they’ll be looking for revenge for the eight-nil defeat they suffered at the hands of Town in December. That defeat was suffered by a much depleted Guernsey side, with only three players on the bench, and they seem to have almost a full squad to pick from this weekend.

Third place Marlow are already guaranteed a play off place, but they’d like to ensure home Semi-Final advantage so should have all the motivation they need as they take on Uxbridge. They surprisingly lost to South Park last time out, but prior to that were ten unbeaten and will hope that defeats was nothing more than a blip. Uxbridge have lost four of their last five, and a third minute goal from Toby Raggett won the match for Marlow when the two last met.

Northwood are three points short of guaranteeing their play off place, and will hope to pick up those points as they travel to South Park Reigate. The Sparks, in ninth, could still mathematically qualify for the play offs- but they’d need a set of freak results for the sides above them for that to happen, probably alongside rather unlikely margins of victory in their final two matches. They are three unbeaten, however- whilst the travelling Woods are crawling towards the line with only one win from six.

Fifth place Hanworth Villa welcome third bottom Bedfont Sports in a match critical for both sides. The Villains have a point advantage and a game in hand over sixth place Chertsey Town in the race for the play offs; whilst Sports find themselves two points from safety with two games left, and only above the automatic relegation positions on goal difference. Villa have six wins from their last eight, whilst Sports have one win from ten- but it was in their last match.

Another match critical at both ends sees Chertsey Town host Merstham. The Curfews are outside the top five by one point, having played a game more than the side directly above them, so will be desperate to pick up three points. The visiting Moatsiders, however, have an even more pressing need, as they currently occupy the second automatic relegation position despite being only two points from safety. The hosts have won three of their last four, whilst the visitors have taken only one point from their last five matches.

Binfield are four points away from the top five and probably need to defeat Chipstead if they are to have any chance of crashing into the top five. The Moles have only three wins from ten, whilst the Chips, who yesterday announced that their manager Rob Kember would apart at the end of the season, are five unbeaten and hoping to deliver a best ever league finish. The last time they met they took a point each in a one-one draw.

Four points away from the top five with two matches to go, promotion looks a tall order for Leatherhead, but the Tanners will hope to keep their dream alive with victory at already relegated Tooting & Mitcham United. Six matches unbeaten, they’ve won more matches since the start of March than the sorry Terrors have managed all season, our longest serving club sadly departing with a whimper rather than a bang.

Westfield, comfortably ensconced in mid table, welcome a side who would give anything to be comfortable, fourth bottom Sutton Common Rovers. The visitors have actually been in very good form, with only two defeats from ten, and are only one point behind Ashford Town with a better goal difference so will be confident about their survival hopes. Field, in contrast, have lost three of their last four.

Finally, Ashford Town open the gates of the Robert Parker Stadium to Thatcham Town. The Tangerines have been in freefall, with eight defeats from their last ten- indeed two points from the last thirty available to them. If ever there was a good day to get back to winning ways today would be that day, as another failure against the Kingfishers could see them drop into the bottom four- indeed, if results went against them it could even see them drop into the bottom two. Thatcham have lost their way a little, with three defeats from their last four, but are entirely safe in mid table.

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