Can Hastings and Lewes maintain their perfect start?

Two matches, two wins, three goals scored, none conceded. That’s the record of both of our top two, and both are at home this weekend looking to add three more points. 

Hastings United have been presented with two Sussex derbies to start their season, and now have a third, with Bognor Regis Town taking the trip to Pilot Field. The travelling Rocks haven’t had a positive start to the campaign, losing twice, and they don’t have a positive recent record against United, either, taking only two points from their last four meetings. The two sides last met in Bognor on April 6th, a David Rodari penalty the differene between them. 

This season we have a much changed Lewes side, but the lack of continuity doesn’t seem to have had much of an impact as the Rooks have defeated title favourites Chatham Town and Sussex rivals Bognor Regis Town without conceeding a single goal. They welcome Hashtag United, who picked up their first win in midweek at Canvey Island, but haven’t yet managed to take a point from Lewes, the Rooks winning both encounters last season. 

Third place Billericay Town looked as if they’d top the midweek table, but then Chatham Town spoiled their party with an added time equaliser. The Blues are back on their own patch against another fancied side, Dover Athletic, who won eight-nil on opening day before falling to narrow defeat against local rivals Folkestone Invicta in midweek. We have no recent meetings between the sides to write about- it’s a long time since the two were in the same division.

Carshalton Athletic are on the road to Sussex, where they visit Chichester City- Robins fans, follow the signs for the Festival Theatre, and you might even want to take in a performance of Oliver after the match, once you’ve seen your side attempt to pick a City pocket or two. Athletic started their campaign with a draw in Folkestone before winning a five goal thriller against Wingate & Finchley on Monday night, whilst City defeated Canvey on opening day and were three minutes from taking a point against Horsham in midweek before a late Hornets winner spoiled their night. 

We think this is the first ever meeting between the sides- at least, we can’t find any record of another!

Cheshunt have had a decent start to the campaign, as have their hosts, Cray Valley PM. The Ambers are unbeaten after a win against Bognor and a draw with Bowers, whilst the Millers were unlucky to be defeated by Dartford last weekend and were excellent in victory over local rivals Cray Wanderers in midweek. Again, we don’t think the two sides have ever met before.

Folkestone Invicta will be full of beans after their fine win at Dover in midweek, and they have another tricky trip, this one rather longer, as they head to North London to take on Wingate & Finchley. Invicta take an unbeaten record to Summers Lane, as well as holding something of a hoodoo over their opponents, having defeated them seven times in their last eight meetings, with the Blues taking only one point- that coming in their last meeting back in January. Wingate started the season with a win over Dulwich Hamlet, and came close to taking something from Carshalton Athletic on Monday. 

Dulwich Hamlet quickly got over their opening day defeat, by beating Hendon in midweek, scoring the latest of late goals- there were nine added minutes on the clock when Luke Wanadio kept his nerve to score the winner from the spot. Hamlet are at home once more, Whitehawk the visitors, the Hawks still looking for a point- and a goal- after losing their first two matches. Both matches between the sides last season ended all square.

Hendon and Cray Wanderers meet a few miles away from the current beating heart of Swiftmania, both sides after suffering defeat in midweek- here’s hoping that if there’s any lingering disappointment they can quickly shake it off! The Greens were unlucky in Dulwich on Tuesday night, whilst Wands seemed to let the occasion of the first competitive match at their new ground distract them as they lost to Cray Valley PM. Any Swifties will be made very welcome at Silver Jubilee Park- and it’s so close to Wembley that you’ll still be on time for the opening bars of Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince! 

So far as we can see, this will be the first time the sides have met since the 2013-14 campaign, when Hendon defeated the Wands twice with an aggregate score of eight-nil. Still, that was so long ago that we’re sure there will be no lingering bad blood. 

Dartford look to bounce back from midweek defeat against Potters Bar Town as they welcome Canvey Island to Princes Park. The Gulls have lost both of their opening matches so will be rather desperate to get some points on the board. The sides haven’t met competitively for almost a decade and a half- but back in the days when they did meet regularly the Darts had the upper hand, unbeaten in their last eight meetings. 

Horsham and Potters Bar Town both picked up their first wins of the campaign in midweek, and the two sides meet at the Hop Oast Community Stadium hoping that was the beginning of a winning run. The Hornets needed a late winner to defeat Chichester City, the Scholars quickly put their opening day thumping against Dover behind them to defeat Dartford. Town have taken only one point from the last five meetings between the clubs, the Hornets doing the double last season. 

Finally, Bowers and Pitsea and Chatham Town are still looking for that first victory. Bowers held Cheshunt on their own patch in midweek after a narrow opening day defeat at Hendon, whilst title-favourites Chatham picked up their first point with a late goal against Billericay Town. We can’t find any record of a previous meeting betwen the sides- but both will be rather focused on three points.