Can Becks hold onto- or increase- their advantage at the top?

Can Becks hold onto- or increase- their advantage at the top?

Beckenham Town travel to fourth place Erith, whilst the Ites will look to cut their lead- and hold onto their one hundred percent record. It’s our Pitching In Isthmian South East preview.

What a season Beckenham Town have had so far- almost a one hundred and eighty degree turn from this time last year. Becks have a four point lead over our two one hundred percenters at the top, and with Ramsgate in Cup action will hope to at least retain that lead at the top with victory at Erith Town, although the fourth place Dockers are in fine form and will have something to say about that. The hosts scored five goals against Hythe Town last weekend, and are unbeaten at home in all competitions, so will pose a stern test for our leaders.

Third place Sheppey United take their one hundred percent record on the road to Phoenix Sports, their hosts yet to win in League, FA Cup and Trophy- although they did pick up a penalty shootout victory in the Kent Cup in midweek so will hope to build on that. The sides picked up three points each when they met last season, Sports winning three-one at Mayplace in March. 

Burgess Hill Town will climb into the top five if they can defeat East Grinstead Town in a Sussex derby. The Hillians have won three in a row in the league, whilst the travelling Wasps are only a point further back and will also have an eye on the top five. This is the visitors first match since they defeated Phoenix Sports a fortnight ago, but they don’t have a good recent record against Hill, losing the last four times they’ve met- and indeed only once in eleven attempts.

Deal Town are the fourth of four clubs on nine points, and will hope to add three more as Eastbourne Town make the long trip from one seaside to another. Deal haven’t won a League match since the end of August- although they have won matches in the Velocity Cup and Kent Cup since then, whilst Eastbourne Town have won two league matches so far this season, both of them on the road. They drew two-two with Three Bridges in midweek.

Merstham welcome Littlehampton Town to Moatside. The visitors have had an up and down sort of campaign so far, but defeated Burgess Hill Town in the Trophy last weekend despite ending the match with nine men. That said, they have only one league victory so far. Merstham are without a win in four in League, Cup and Trophy, and didn’t have much look against the Golds last season, losing twice.

Broadbridge Heath are also hosts in a Sussex derby, as Lancing travel to take on the Bears. Heath crashed out of the Trophy last weekend, but otherwise have been in good recent form, losing only one of seven in all competitions prior to that- the defeat a narrow one against one hundred percent Ramsgate. They’ll hope to quickly bounce back against a Lancers side who followed a win against Phoenix Sports last weekend- their first of the season- with defeat against Croydon Athletic in midweek. The Lancers took four points from the meetings between the sides last season. 

Steyning Town welcome Hythe Town to Sussex. Neither side are in the best of form, although the Cannons will have been glad of a Kent Cup win over Sheppey in midweek which ended a three match losing streak and eased the memory of a five-nil hammering at Erith Town last weekend. Steyning have one win in six in all competitions, and haven’t won a home match in any competition since an FA Cup win over Crawley Down Gatwick on August 17th. A win this weekend would take them above their visitors.