Rams and Brickies continue their battle for supremacy

Leaders Ramsgate have Sittingbourne breathing down their necks, and with only two points separating the sides the Rams can’t afford to relax as they head to Erith Town. 

Ramsgate have been in imperious form of late, and they travel to face the Dockers looking for a sixth win in a row. The previous five have seen them amass twenty one goals and keep four clean sheets, whilst Erith were also in good goalscoring form last weekend, hitting Steyning Town for five. When the sides met in late November, Ramsgate triumphed by three goals to one.

Second place Sittingbourne have won nine of their last ten, and are scoring goals for fun. The eighty two league goals they’ve scored is more than any other side in the league, the seventeen they’ve conceded is fewer than any other side in the league, and the last time they lost in the league- indeed the only time- was on Saturday 24th August when Ramsgate got the better of them. Their unbeaten run in all competitions stands at twenty six matches, their unbeaten league run at twenty three. We almost hope that their hosts this weekend, Croydon Athletic, aren’t reading this- but perhaps the Rams (yes, another set of Rams who want the Brickies to lose) might take that as a challenge. Athletic have only one win from ten, but on their day can be rather better than that. 

The Brickies won three-one when the sides met in November. 

Third place Margate welcome second bottom Phoenix Sports to Hartsdown Park. Gate are twelve points behind the leaders, but perhaps more importantly thirteen points clear of sixth place Sheppey United, and with only two defeats all season- only one at home- will be confident of adding three more points to their tally. Sports start the weekend seven points from safety, and are hoping to avoid a third consecutive defeat. Gate won their first encounter of the season two goals to nil.

Burgess Hill Town, in fourth place, have a Sussex derby to look forward to as they travel to Broadbridge Heath. The sides have already met twice this season, Hill winning on penalties in the Velocity Cup after a one-one draw, the Bears inflicting a three-nil league defeat on their opponents in Mid Sussex at the end of November- a surprise result which will leave the Hillians looking for revenge. Hill are nine points clear of sixth place Sheppey, whilst Heath are fourteenth, thirteen points away from the top five, and have gone five without a win- but have played some fine football nonetheless, and have every reason to be confident. 

Fifth place Beckenham Town have rather lost their way. Becks host Herne Bay looking to end a seven match winless run, and indeed with Sheppey United only a point behind may need a win to hold onto their play off spot. Bay are having a dreadful season by their standards, and sit in seventeenth, seven points clear of the bottom four after a run of one win from their last nine matches. They did defeat Becks one-nil at the end of November, however, despite playing the last half hour with ten men.

Sheppey United will hope that they can overtake Beckenham Town and climb into the top five. A win at Eastbourne Town could possibly see them achieve that, but it is unlikely to be easy. The Ites have taken seven points from their last three matches and seem to have got back on an even keel after a blip in the second half of December, whilst Town have become something of draw specialists, one win, one loss and four draws from their last six. Sheppey defeated these opponents by one goal to nil on their own patch earlier this season.

Seventh place Merstham travel to Ashford United. The Nuts and Bolts made a change in the dugout earlier this week, so will have a new manager as they welcome the Moatsiders, and will be hoping for a change of fortune after losing their last three. Merstham are looking to extend their unbeaten run to six matches but will hope for three points rather than one, having drawn four of their last five. They defeated these opponents two-nil at Moatside in November, but were helped by the fact that United played sixty nine minutes with ten men. 

Sevenoaks Town are in fine form, and looking for a fifth successive win as they travel to Deal Town. Oaks will have to achieve that without Jefferson Aibangbee, however, the seventeen goal forward having departed for Ramsgate in midweek, whilst Deal are looking to avoid losing a fourth match in a row. Ninth v eighth, but a Deal win would see them swap places- and get revenge for a two-one defeat at Greatness Park. 

Three Bridges have suddenly found their mojo. Whether it was their return to Jubilee Park that was the inspiration, or perhaps the return of striker Noel Leighton, Bridges are beginning to resemble last years model once more, and will be confident of winning a fifth successive match as bottom side Steyning Town head to Crawley. Town saw a three match unbeaten run crash to an end against Erith last weekend, and are eight points from safety.  Bridges won their first meeting of the season by two goals to one. 

Lancing and East Grinstead Town meet in a Sussex derby. The Wasps, ten points clear of the drop zone, are having a steady campaign but have lost two of their last three, albeit against Sittingbourne and Margate. The Lancers are much closer to danger- indeed three points clear of the bottom four- and have lost three of their last four, but they will have memories of a three-one win over Town in November and will hope to complete a double. They have also defeated the Wasps in the County Cup, so actually they are looking for a treble- and won both encounters between the sides last season, too. 

Fourth from bottom Littlehampton Town host the side one place and four points behind them, Hythe Town. The Golds winless run is now thirteen matches, whilst the Cannons have lost six in a row despite some improved performances and will be rather keen to get back to winning ways. The sides have met five times since Littlehampton’s elevation to our level, and Hythe are yet to lose. The first match between them this season was a two-two draw, Hythe coming from two down to take a point.