A day for more Hornets heroics- whilst in the Premier we’ve a three way battle for top spot

Horsham hit the road in the Emirates FA Cup First Round, the Hornets and their irrepressible support- who have already presented a bar of lard to the opposing chairman- travelling to face League Two Play Off chasers Chesterfield. We’ve really no idea why this isn’t on TV!

The hosts are protecting an eight match unbeaten record, and indeed haven’t lost a home match all season. Horsham won’t be afraid of that, however, as they also have an eight match unbeaten record and indeed have won their last five without conceding a goal! The outcome will be decided in one match, as of course the FA’s inexplicable decision to abandon replays comes into play from this stage of the competition. If the tie is level after ninety minutes, extra time and perhaps penalties will be used to decide a winner. 

The winners will pick up £45,000 whilst the losers get £15,000. 

The very best of luck to the Hornets- once again, you’ve given us many reasons to be proud.

In Pitching In Isthmian Premier, leaders Dover Athletic play host to sixth place Potters Bar Town- the side they defeated eight-nil on the opening day of the season. Athletic are top of the table on goal difference- and indeed have scored significantly more goals than anyone else, an average of three a game- whilst the Scholars have improved remarkably since that opening day hammering and could climb as high as third if they can get their revenge. Athletic’s vulnerabilities have been only apparent at home- two defeats to South East side Sittingbourne, the latest of them last Saturday, the best example- which should improve the visitors confidence. Town have taken seven points from their last three matches.

Second place Billericay Town travel to Whitehawk, looking to take advantage of any Dover slip up. The Blues are the only unbeaten side in the Division, eleven matches without defeat, and have won three of their last four- but they’ve been far better at home than on the road, four of their six league matches on their travels ending in draws. The Hawks are outside the bottom four by only one point and have gone four games without scoring a goal, a run which has seen them take only one point. Billericay defeated the Hawks three-nil on opening day.

Former leaders Lewes find themselves two points behind the top two, defeat against Horsham in their last league match doing the damage. That was their only defeat in five so they are hardly in poor form, but they have lost their last two on the road, so they travel to Chatham Town looking to end that run. The Chats have had an up and down sort of season so far but are decidedly on the up, five matches unbeaten in League and Cups and having won four of those. Lewes won their encounter on opening day two-nil, but they lost both matches against the Chats last season.

Fourth place Wingate and Finchley take their fine form on the road, as they travel to Dulwich Hamlet. The Blues are five unbeaten in the league, and have won three in a row on the road, defeating leaders Dover along with Dartford, and delivering a six-one thrashing to Hendon last time out. They are looking to do the double over their hosts, after defeating them three-two on opening day. Hamlet are three points behind in seventh place, and this will be their fourth home match in a row- but their ample support haven’t been given much to cheer as their side have lost the first three. Hamlet did the double over the Blues last season. 

Cray Valley PM were perhaps unlucky to lose to Dartford on opening day, and the Millers have a chance of revenge as they head to Princes Park. They sit in fifth place, and are three unbeaten in the League, but have lost their last two in FA Trophy and County Cup so will want to get back to winning ways. Talking of getting back to winning ways, the Darts are having a terrible time, having taken only one point from their last five league matches, but after a six match winless run in all competitions got back to winning ways when defeating Erith Town in the Velocity Cup earlier this week. 

Victory in Cheshunt in midweek hoisted Canvey Island up to ninth place, and the Gulls could climb as high as sixth if they can defeat visitors Chichester City. Their league form has seen them lose only one of six, but to give City some hope Canvey have been much more successful on the road than on their own patch. City ended a three match losing win by hammering Plymouth Parkway in the FA Trophy last weekend, and are looking to do the double after a two-one win on opening day.

Hendon’s win in the Velocity Cup in midweek perhaps helped banish the memory of the two thumping defeats that preceded them, and the Greens will hope to continue building back their confidence as they travel to twentieth place Bowers and Pitsea, who they narrowly defeated on opening day. Bowers won their last two home games in the League, but have since lost two in Cup competitions, albeit one narrowly and one on penalties. 

Carshalton Athletic and Folkestone Invicta meet at Colston Avenue. A County Cup win for the Robins in midweek followed four matches without a victory, but they have lost only once at home this season. Invicta are four unbeaten, and indeed have won three of those, and are looking for a third win in a row on the road- but they don’t have much luck against Athletic, and haven’t defeated them in eleven meetings, six wins for the Robins and five draws, including on opening day.

Cheshunt have seen a three match winning streak followed by two one-nil defeats, but won their last two on the road and will be hoping to get back to winning ways as they travel to Bognor Regis Town. Bottom side Bognor are three points further back and have lost their last four matches, including their last two at home. They also lost to the Ambers on opening day. 

Second bottom Cray Wanderers are hoping to do the double over Hashtag United, the Tags one point and two places above them at kick off. Wands are three League matches unbeaten- although they’ve scored only one goal in those two hundred and seventy minutes, but will prefer to focus on three consecutive clean sheets. The Tags hit Grays for six in the Velocity Cup in midweek, and have only one defeat in five across League and Cups- and that came against the leaders, so they’ll be happy with their form.