Will Athletic get back to winning ways- or can the Blues and Millers narrow the gap?

Leaders Dover Athletic saw their long unbeaten record Wanderer away last weekend, but still hold a five point advantage at the top of the table and will look to extend that as they travel to Cheshunt. The Ambers got back to winning ways in midweek with victory over Bowers and Pitsea, but might find Athletic rather more difficult to defeat, particularly given the fact that our leaders have the only unbeaten away record in the Division- and indeed one of only two in the entire league (step forward North Division Heybridge Swifts). That said, the form book gave Cray Wanderers only a slight chance at Crabble last weekend, and look what happened!

The two sides met on the Kent coast in an FA Trophy game in October, Athletic three-nil winners.

After defeating the leaders, Cray Wanderers face second place side Billericay Town, so will undoubtedly think that the fixture schedulers haven’t done them many favours! They’ll have taken enormous confidence from that Dover victory, which has seen them put six points between themselves and the bottom four, and indeed they are looking for a fourth consecutive victory after wining each of the last three by one goal to nil. The Blues have also taken ten points from the last twelve available, but have drawn fifty percent of their fixtures on the road- which is perhaps why they are five points behind in the title race, as they’ve actually lost fewer matches than Dover. 

Third place Cray Valley PM don’t have too far to travel as they head to Dulwich Hamlet, and if you want to go and haven’t yet bought an online ticket, we’d strongly recommend you do- you don’t want to arrive and find a sold out sign. The Millers are top of our ten match form table and without a league defeat since September 28th, whilst Hamlet are having a hit and miss sort of campaign, and have gone six matches without a win. 

Dartford have been in superb form. Ten unbeaten, a run which has taken them up to fourth place, they were impressive on the road in defeating Horsham in midweek and will have to be impressive once more as they head to Folkestone Invicta. The hosts were doing rather well until recently, but have now lost three in a row so will be rather desperate to stop that run. Invicta are only four points away from the top five, whilst the Darts are up to fourth- but have four chasing clubs within three points of them so won’t want to let up. 

Chatham Town have only one defeat from sixteen in all competitions, and look to extend that as they head to South London to face the side two points and three places behind them, Carshalton Athletic. The Robins are seven league matches unbeaten and should pose a tough challenge to the Chats- and they took four points from Chatham last season, although also suffered a Velocity Cup hammering at the hands of tomorrow’s opponents. 

Wingate and Finchley welcome Lewes, sixth v seventh. Both sides have been in mixed form, the Blues having lost their last four, the Rooks with one win in five. Lewes have only beaten the Blues once in nine meetings, and the North Londoners won both encounters between the sides last season.

Canvey Island welcome a Horsham side who are struggling to translate their knockout form into league consistency. The Hornets find themselves in thirteenth despite their Cup heroics this season, winning two and losing three of their last five, the most recent of those defeats arriving as they hosted Dartford in midweek. They’ve particularly struggled on the road this season, with only two wins from nine, whilst the Gulls have been far better on the road than at home. Canvey have won three of their last four and are three points away from the top five- and yet would fall behind their visitors should they lose. 

The Hornets have won the last five meetings between the sides- including an FA Trophy win on the Island in October.

Potters Bar Town, still groundsharing whilst they wait for their new pitch and other improvements to be completed, are at home to bottom side Bognor Regis Town, the Rocks desperate to pick up some points and under the new joint-managerial dream team of Howell and Birmingham for the first time. The Scholars three match unbeaten run crashed to an end against Hashtag United last weekend, whilst the Rocks have one win- and eight defeats- from their last ten matches, which is why they are eight points from safety. Both of last season’s meetings ended all-square.

Hendon head to Chichester City in a green on green battle. The sides are separated by four places in the table, yet are two of five clubs who have the same number of points. Hendon hope to avoid a fourth successive defeat, whilst City will hope that they are back on an even keel after taking four points from two Sussex derbies. 

Hashtag United travel to Whitehawk, twentieth v fourteenth, seven points between the sides. Four wins in a row have lifted the Tags well away from the drop zone, whilst the Hawks, a point away from safety, have looked revitalised by Shaun Saunders return as boss and have taken seven points from their last nine.

Hastings United welcome Bowers and Pitsea to Pilot Field. United are one point above the drop zone after a run of two wins from ten, but are looking to go three unbeaten; whilst Bowers have lost their last eight matches and gone five hundred and forty six minutes without a goal. They are seven points from safety, and have won only once on the road.