Felixstowe and Bury resume their top spot battle

Felixstowe and Walton United are back on their own patch, which perhaps isn’t good news for visitors Grays Athletic. The Seasiders have taken thirty four points from thirty six at home this season, unbeaten and scoring goals for fun, whilst Athletic have rather lost their way, taking only one point from their last five matches. United have won the last three meetings between the clubs, and will be rather determined to win once more given second place Bury Town are only three points behind with a game in hand.

Bury are on the road to Redbridge, and although they have lost only one of their last ten have shown some uncharacteristic vulnerability of late, although after one point from two matches immediately before and after Christmas they got back to winning ways against Concord Rangers last weekend. The hosting Motormen, however, have lost four in a row, a run which has seen them slip to fourteenth. Last season Town did the double over these opponents- and indeed they’ve defeated them the last four times they’ve met.

Third place Brentwood Town have a tough trip to Tilbury. The Blues are nine matches unbeaten, whilst the Dockers seem to have got over their mixed run of form and are three unbeaten, and outside the top five only on goal difference. 

Witham Town, two points behind Brentwood in fourth place, make the trip to Basildon United. Town have developed an inconsistent streak, their last seven matches adopting a L-W pattern, which means they are due a W this time around. The Bees have been stuck generally in the red, taking only three points- all draws- from their previous ten matches. 

Fifth place Waltham Abbey will be aware that there are three sides within striking distance, and we’re only counting out Heybridge Swifts due to their significantly poorer goal difference. The Abbotts travel to face Concord Rangers, looking to get back to winning ways after a late New Years Day defeat to Walthamstow, whilst the Beachboys are three without a win despite delivering some improved performances.

Walthamstow’s late winner at Waltham Abbey meant that they clinched a fifth win in a row, and the East Londoners have actually won seven of their last eight. They welcome Maldon and Tiptree, the Jammers also in good form prior to their unexpected New Years Day loss to Sporting Bengal United, a defeat which ended a nine match unbeaten run.

Brightlingsea Regent are only two points away from the top five after a run which has brought only one defeat in ten, and look for a fifth consecutive win as they take on Cambridge City. Their visitors have also found their feet, and have taken thirteen points from the last fifteen available, form which has lifted them to tenth spot- albeit six points behind their hosts. 

Heybridge Swifts have finally found some home form of late, but have gone two matches without a win, which is why they have slipped to ninth- albeit only three points away from fifth spot. Swifts welcome Haringey Borough to Scraley Road, the visitors four points from safety after a run of one win from ten. 

Mildenhall Town are the hosts for Newmarket Town, seventeenth v twenty first, five points the gap between them. Hall have drawn their last four matches but are six without a win, whilst the Jockeys were impressive three-nil winners over Redbridge on New Years Day, but that was their first win in seven. The visitors are five points from safety, the hosts four points clear of the drop zone.

Sporting Bengal United are only one place above the bottom four, but opened up a four point gap courtesy of their morale-boosting two-nil win at Maldon on New Years Day. The East Londoners are back at home, Gorleston making the long trip from the seaside, the Greens only two places and one point better off after a terrible run of form, only two wins- and seven defeats- from their last ten. The visitors are hoping to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat.

Finally Wroxham, in nineteenth, host bottom side Ipswich Wanderers. The Yachtsmen are four points from safety, albeit with two games in hand, whilst their visitors are eleven points away from salvation, have taken only two points from their last ten matches, and, despite some improved performances of late, are without a win since September 17th. If they are to have a chance of a great escape they are going to have to start turning decent performances into victories soon.