It’s a South Central weekend

Friday Night Football comes from Colston Avenue, as Sutton Common Rovers play host to second place Harrow Borough. Borough, who triumphed in the Velocity Cup on penalties in midweek, have lost only once in the league this season- defeat at Farnham Town in their last league match, back on September 14th. Victory against Rovers would take them level with Farnham at the top, but they’d need a miracle to overtake them as our current leaders have a goal difference fifteen goals better- and when you consider that Borough have the second best goal difference, it perhaps exemplifies just how good Farnham have been so far. Rovers are in ninth, and have played some fine football this season. They will hope to build on their win at Badshot Lea last time out, but their best performances this season have all come away from home- perhaps it’s time the Sutton faithful were rewarded!

Onto Saturday, and Farnham Town, who currently have a perfect record after six matches and average more than four goals a game, will hope that the boys in blue don’t manage to lock them out as Met Police come to town. There aren’t enough superlatives to do justice to Farnham’s form so far, whilst their visitors are in twelfth, and inconsistent- their last three league fixtures delivering a win, a draw and a defeat.  They’ll need to be at their best this weekend. 

Third place Westfield are on their way to South Park Reigate. Field bounced back from two defeats to win against Hanworth Villa in the Velocity Cup in midweek, whilst the Sparks are still searching for a first league win of the season- although they’ve only lost once, their other three matches ending level. The hosts haven’t scored a goal in their last four matches, and very much need to put that right. The Woking side have won three of their last four meetings with the Sparks, the other ending level. 

Horndean, in fourth place, kick off an hour prior to everyone else to allow visitors Guernsey to get back to the airport on time. The Deans picked up a superb win at Exmouth Town last weekend, and have lost only once in eight matches, whilst the Green Lions are still looking for their first win and have only one point so far. 

Hanworth Villa play host to Moneyfields. The Villains have gone three matches without a win and will want to get their promotion charge back on track, whilst the Moneys are yet to record a victory in any competition but the County Cup, and have earned both of their points so far with draws against Rayners Lane and Raynes Park Vale. Sadly for the visitors, if the forecast is correct there’s no rayn on Saturday!

Leatherhead welcome Hayes and Yeading United to Fetcham Grove. Both sides were expected to be amongst our promotion contenders, and United are just outside the top five, whilst the Tanners are back in sixteenth but that’s partly because they’ve been a little busy in cup competitions. They’ve won five of their last six matches, only Cup defeat at Premier Division Dartford getting in the way. 

Ascot United are, when you take all competitions into consideration, our form side. The Yellas have won their last seven matches in all competitions, their last three in the League, and may well leap into the top five if they can extend that run to eight. Raynes Park Vale are the latest side to head to the Racecourse Ground, Vale two points further back, four without a win, and without a league triumph since August Bank Holiday Monday.

Kingstonian are at their Raynes Park home, Binfield the visitors. The travelling Moles will hope to quickly get over their midweek mauling at Farnham Town, seven-nil the final score, but are without a league win all season and will be rather desperate for three points and a first victory in six matches. The K’s lost at Sittingbourne in the Cup last weekend but have only one defeat in the league- and surely Eddie Simon is due a goal after having gone five matches without one? The last time he took on the Moles, in March 2023 whilst with Walton and Hersham, he scored a hat trick. 

Southall played some fine football in the second half against Harrow Borough in midweek, before departing the Velocity Cup on penalties- but The All have averaged only a point a match so far and will need more if they are to be in the promotion shake up once more. They welcome Hartley Wintney, the Row three points better off but with only one win from four in all competitions. Last season saw Southall win both matches between the sides, and by an aggregate of five goals to nil.

Uxbridge are at home to Ashford Town. The hosts are five unbeaten in all competitions, winning four and recording three clean sheets, so will be full of confidence. The travelling Tangerines picked up their first league win of the season at Hartley Wintney in midweek, and after a very narrow defeat against Farnham Town last weekend might believe they’ve turned a corner- and perhaps they have. The sides have already met twice this season, in the FA Cup, Uxbridge coming through narrowly after a replay. 

Rayners Lane are our draw specialists, four of their seven matches so far ending all-square. They will hope for their second win of the campaign as Badshot Lea come to call, the Baggies propping up the rest having picked up only one point from their six fixtures so far.