Can the chasing pack eat into Becks lead?

Leaders Beckenham Town start the weekend with a five point lead- but they’ve also played five more matches than second place Ramsgate so can’t afford to slip up as Deal Town come to call. Becks have lost only one league game on their own patch- against Margate last month- whilst the visitors are without an away win since the end of August, but to put that statistic into perspective have all but two of their last ten matches at home! They will be striving to avoid a third consecutive defeat on their travels- and to pick up three points which could lift them as high as seventh.

Second place Ramsgate have played eight matches- four at home and four on the road- and won them all, a perfect record, the only one left in the League. The Rams face a tough task, however, as sixth place Burgess Hill Town are only two points behind them and are in fine form, having lost only one of their last nine in the League. Ramsgate have beaten Hill the last five times they’ve met, but the travelling Hillians won’t be too concerned about that as their side has been rather impressive. 

Sheppey United, in fourth, are on the road to the seaside, taking on Herne Bay. A win for the Ites could take them as high as second, anything other than victory could see them drop out of the top five altogether, as they are one of three sides on twenty two points. Bay sit nine points further back- albeit with games in hand- and they’ll be hoping to get back to winning ways following their defeat at Sittingbourne in midweek. The two sides have already met this season, United winning on penalties in the Velocity Cup. 

Margate are having a fine season, our fifth place side having lost only once. They’ll be looking to maintain their unbeaten home record- and deliver a third win in a row- as Eastbourne Town make a Jolly Boys outing to the Kentish coast, although we suspect that the visitors charabanc is unlikely catch fire after the game, even in the slim chance that they play like plonkers. Town are twelfth, and indeed have picked up more points on the road than at home, but are looking to avoid a third successive league defeat.

Erith Town welcome Broadbridge Heath to Thamesmead. The Dockers have hit a bit of a slump, with only one win from six, whilst the Bears are trying to prevent a third successive loss- but did win impressively at Ashford United the last time they were on the road, and indeed have been impressive on the road all season, winning three of their four games on their travels.

Merstham play host to bottom side Phoenix Sports. The Moatsiders have lost only once at home- although they’ve only won once, too, the other three matches ending in draws. They saw a five match unbeaten run end at Deal last Saturday, although may have got something out of the game had they been able to play most of it with eleven men. Sports are still looking for a first win of the season, and improved performances of late haven’t yet brought them any points- they’ve lost their last nine league matches, and will be determined not to let that run extend into double figures. 

Sevenoaks Town head to Sussex to take on Steyning Town. Oaks put up a fight before losing against Premier Division Cray Valley PM in the velocity Cup in midweek, and prior to that were three unbeaten- whilst the Barrowmen have dropped into the bottom four after losing their last five and will hope to get their first win since the end of last month.

Three Bridges welcome East Grinstead Town- to Chatham, which is rather a long way from home, and rather a long way for the Wasps to travel for what has always been a fiercely contested A264 derby. Bridges have delivered some improved performances of late, winning two of their last three as they begin to get used to being on the road all of the time, whilst Town are having an inconsistent campaign and will be looking to get back to winning ways after having to wait eleven days since their defeat against Ashford United. 

Hythe Town and Lancing, twentieth versus twenty first, are both rather desperate for points. The Cannons have lost their last half a dozen league matches and are rather in freefall, whilst the Lancers have taken only one point from their last six- but despite that would go above their hosts with victory. A win for the hosts might even lift them out of the bottom four. Six meetings between the sides since Lancing were promoted to our level have delivered two wins each, and two draws- but the Lancers took four points last season.