It’s the battle of the top two

Dover Athletic, five points clear at the top, will perhaps face the toughest test of their title credentials so far as Cray Valley PM head to the coast. Athletic are nine league matches without a defeat- eight of them victories- whilst the Millers have the same unbeaten run, although with two more draws. The sides have met this season, in the Kent Cup, with Athletic triumphing- but we suspect that both line ups will look rather different this weekend. 

Third place Wingate and Finchley head to Aveley, to take on Hashtag United. The Blues were on a fine run prior to last weekend’s narrow defeat against Horsham, whilst you never quite know what to expect from the Tags, but they did follow last Saturday’s win at Dulwich Hamlet by scoring eight in the County Cup in midweek. Despite the North Londoners fine 23-24 campaign, the Tags took four points from their meetings.

Billericay Town, who have lost two of their last three, will hope to get back to winning ways as a confident Hendon side make the trip to New Lodge. The Greens are four unbeaten, wining three of them, and have scored twelve goals without reply in their last two- but they have had their difficulties on the road this season, and indeed are without a travelling away win- whilst their hosts are unbeaten at home. 

Fifth place Folkestone Invicta have charged into a play off spot after winning four matches in a row, and will hope to stay there- or perhaps to climb a place- as they travel to rock bottom Whitehawk. The Hawks have a new manager, who is in fact their old manager, Shaun Saunders returning and hoping to deliver a rescue act, but they have gone ten matches without a win, ten matches during which they’ve scored one solitary goal. A Charlie Walker hat trick saw the Hawks defeat the Stripes back in February, three-two the final score, and the home fans will hope that Walker finds his shooting boots this weekend. 

Lewes welcome Canvey Island to the Dripping Pan, seventh v ninth. The Rooks have lost their way a little, with only two wins from their last ten, whilst the Gulls have won six during the same period, and are particularly effective on the road, five of their last six away matches seeing three points head back to the Island. Three of the last four meetings between the sides have ended in away wins. 

Carshalton Athletic, two points away from the top five, travel to take on Cray Wanderers. Athletic are looking to go six unbeaten, although their progress has slowed due to draws in their last two; whilst Wands, in the bottom four on goal difference, have only one win- and three defeats- from their last four, but have been far more effective on the road than on their own patch. Athletic haven’t beaten Wands in six attempts- their last win against these opponents coming five years ago to the day. 

Dulwich Hamlet travel to Cheshunt, both sides looking to regain their form. Hamlet have lost three of their last four, the Ambers have won one of their last five, and both sides need points- the hosts because they are only out of the bottom four on goal difference, the visitors because they’ve slipped to four points behind the top five. The last six meetings between the sides have brought five Hamlet wins.

Hastings United bounced back from their Hendon hammering last weekend with a draw against Carshalton Athletic in midweek, but find themselves only a point above the bottom four. United are back at Pilot Field once more, Dartford the visitors, the mid table Darts looking to mount a play off challenge after going six unbeaten- although they did draw four of those. 

Chatham Town travel to take on second bottom Bognor Regis Town. The Chats might be in twelfth place but they have put together an eight match unbeaten run, the only problem being that those matches included five draws. If they could turn one point into three they’d undoubtedly be back amongst the promotion contenders. The Rocks have only two wins from ten, and indeed only three all season, and the last five matches have brought one win and seen them concede four goals three times. Last season’s meetings between the sides both ended in home wins- and how the Nyewood Lane faithful would like to witness one of those. 

Potters Bar Town have plummeted down the table to fourteenth, courtesy of a seven match winless run, and welcome the side one place and one point better off, Chichester City. City have only one defeat from five, and this, so far as we can tell, will be the first ever meeting between the sides.

Horsham have been a surprise this season, magnificent in cup competitions, alarmingly inconsistent in the league. The Hornets find themselves in fifteenth place, but will point out that they are only seven points away from the top five with two games in hand. They have been very good at home this season, although lost on their own patch to Folkestone Invicta in midweek, and will want to bounce back as Bowers and Pitsea make the trip. Bowers, two points from safety, are looking to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat.