Can the Rooks retain their 100% record?

Leaders Lewes had won every match prior to taking on Step Five Harefield United in the Cup, but departed the competition on penalties after a midweek replay so can get back to the bread and butter this weekend, travelling to Carshalton Athletic and putting their one hundred percent league record on the line- as well, perhaps, as top spot.

Athletic are down in ninth, an inconsistent start to the campaign seeing them eight points behind their visitors, but the Robins were convincing winners over Haywards Heath Town in the Cup last weekend and have taken seven points from the last three meetings between the sides. 

Second place Cray Valley PM have had a fine start to their first season at Step Three, and are looking for a fifth consecutive victory as they travel to the Sussex coast to take on Whitehawk. The Millers success has come with generally the same squad which won the South East title, and any thoughts that it might not be strong enough for the top level have surely been dispelled now. The hosting Hawks have had a poor start to the campaign, winning only once, and were comfortably defeated in the Cup at Hendon last weekend. 

The last five meetings between the sides have seen two Hawks victories and three draws.

Perhaps our biggest match of the day comes from the Crabble, where Dover Athletic, in fourth place, welcome third place Dartford. Athletic will be looking to recover from their surprise defeat against Sittingbourne in the Cup in midweek, whilst the Darts have won their last four matches in all competitions, and hit six in the Cup last Saturday. The last four meetings between the sides have all gone the way of the Darts. 

Fifth place Hendon are on the road to Chatham Town. The Greens only defeat in any competition so far this season came almost a month ago, and they’ve been rather impressive since, so they won’t be at all worried about a trip to our promotion favourites. The Chats have had an up and down start to the season, but they were definitely on the up when they defeated Westfield in the Cup on Saturday. 

Billericay Town are still unbeaten in the League after five matches, but that doesn’t tell the whole story as they’ve drawn more than they’ve won, and they start the weekend six points behind the leaders. The Blues are on the road to Folkestone Invicta looking to begin turning draws into wins, whilst Invicta are two points and four places further back. Both sides are hoping to bounce back from Cup defeats last weekend, and Invicta will be confident, as they defeated the Blues twice last season and are undefeated in their last seven meetings. 

Seventh place Horsham are also on the road, as they travel to Cray Wanderers. The Hornets have had a hit and miss start to the season in the League, with three wins and two defeats, but were convincing when winning four-nil in the cup last weekend. Wands finally got a win in their new ground in midweek, and they did it in some style, scoring eight goals without reply- and will want to build on that to pick up some League points, having lost their last four league matches. The Hornets won both of last season’s meetings, ending a run of sixteen matches without a win against Wanderers.

Potters Bar Town had a bad day on the road last weekend, crashing out of the cup in Lowestoft, but the Scholars are back at their temporary home of Kings Langley as Bowers and Pitsea come to call. Bowers had a morale-boosting Cup win at Billericay last weekend, but are yet to pick up a League victory and currently sit bottom of the table. Victory could lift them out of the bottom four. 

Hashtag United, boposted by a cup win last weekend after three consecutive defeats, play host to Hastings United at Aveley FC. United saw a three match winless streak come to an end as they defeated Redhil, and will hope to build on that, particularly with striker Davide Rodari in sparkling form, with seven goals already. United won both meetings between the sides last seaosn.

Canvey Island have won their last two matches, and will hope to make it three in a row as Dulwich Hamlet come to call. The Gulls have climbed out of the bottom four, whilst Hamlet have lost every match they’ve played away from Champion Hill so far this season, their latest defeat coming against South Central side Leatherhead as they left the FA Cup in midweek. Hamlet won both matches between the sides last season, the last of those coming in mid April. 

Bognor Regis Town are still looking for a first league win of the season, although they did win comfortably in the Cup last weekend so perhaps that will boost their confidence. The Rocks opponents this weekend, Wingate and Finchley, were also winning on the road in the Cup, andf have had a mixed start in the league, two wins followed by two defeats. If that sequence continues they are due a victory, but they’ll need to do better than they did last season, when the two meetings between the sides saw the Rocks take four points. 

Cheshunt and Chichester City meet in North London, sixteenth v fifteenth. Both sides won on the road in the cup last weekend, and the league table sees City a point ahead- although they are still searching for a point away from home. The Ambers don’t have a league win since their victory over City’s neighbours Bognor on opening day, but are so far undefeated on their own patch. We think that this is the first time they’ve ever met- or at least we can’t find any record of another one! 

All matches kick off at 3PM.