Does our two horse race now have a third horse?

Felixstowe and Walton United lead the way in Pitching In Isthmian North, but only by goal difference from Bury Town- and with Brentwood Town gaining ground five points further back.

The Seasiders are at home, which must send a shiver through their opponents, Sporting Bengal United. Felixstowe’s home record sees them undefeated at the Martello Ground, indeed they’ve won every match but one, whilst their visitors, who are only three points above the drop zone, have suffered from travel sickness all season. The East Londoners have won only once on the road. 

Second place Bury Town, boosted by that win over Felixstowe on January 7th, will now have to pick themselves up after their midweek thumping at Brentwood Town. The Blues also take on a set of East Londoners, but they have to travel to Walthamstow, their hosts in eighth place- six points away from the top five. Stow had five wins in a row before travelling to Redbridge last weekend and coming undone, but they have lost only one of their last eight on their own patch. 

Brentwood Town are doing their very best to become the third horse in what had appeared a two horse title race. The Blues are protecting an eleven match unbeaten run as they travel to take on fourteenth place Mildenhall Town, but Hall have also been on the up, a run of six unbeaten matches seeing them open up a nine point gap between themselves and the bottom four prior to their narrow defeat at Gorleston on Wednesday. 

Waltham Abbey, in fourth, head to Maldon and Tiptree. The Abbotts have won eight and lost two of their last ten, so will feel they are a match for anyone- but with only three points between themselves and sixth place Tilbury won’t be feeling comfortable despite an impressive goal difference. The Jammers, still without a manager after the surprise departure of Brett Munyard earlier this month, have lost their last two and currently sit in thirteenth place, ten points clear of the drop zone, fifteen away from the top five. 

Fifth place Witham Town seem to have hit something of a bump in the road, their last six matches seeing them win twice and lose four times- including their last two. They find themselves hanging on to a top five spot, with Tilbury only a point behind and with a game in hand. Town welcome a Grays Athletic side who have also had their struggles of late, a run of one point from their last six matches seeing their previously fabulous defensive record depart along with their play off hopes, as they’ve slid down the table to thirteenth. Thirteen is also the points gap between them and the top five.  

Tilbury, with their thoughts firmly fixed on climbing back into the top five, need to make up only one point to achieve that- and after taking ten points from the last twelve available are looking to have banished their recent blip to history. The Dockers welcome Gorleston to Chadfields, the Greens hoping that a poor run of their own came to an end with victory over Mildenhall in midweek- a victory which ended a three match losing streak. 

Seventh place Brightlingsea Regent are in fine form. Only three points away from the top five, Regent have lost only one of their last ten and, perhaps more impressively, are searching for a sixth successive victory. They welcome the side three points and three places behind them, Heybridge Swifts, who have seen their momentum slow after going four matches without a win. The visitors travel well, however, with only one defeat on the road all season.

Cambridge City are climbing the table fast. Our ninth place side are six points away from the top five after a run of seven unbeaten matches, including six wins, and will be confident of adding another three points as they entertain fourth from bottom Haringey Borough. Borough are only three points from safety but have only one win from ten.

Concord Rangers play host to Redbridge, fifteenth v eleventh. The Beachboys are five matches without a win, including four defeats, whilst the Motormen seem to have ended a sticky patch of their own by winning their last two matches, and are six points better off than their hosts. 

Basildon United have slipped to seventeenth- only six points above the drop zone- after a long winless run which new boss Billy Cove will try to end. The Bees- who have taken only three points, all draws, from the last thirty available, host Wroxham, the visitors four points from safety and having seen their revival slow after three matches without a win. 

Finally, we have a bottom two battle, Newmarket Town welcoming Ipswich Wanderers. There are six points between the two, the Jockeys five points from safety, the gap between their visitors and salvation now eleven points. Wanderers have delivered improved performances of late but have been able to take very little from them in the way of points, and time seems to be running out; whilst their hosts haven’t fared too much better but did deliver an impressive three-nil win over Redbridge when they last played, way back on New Years Day, and will hope to build some momentum.