With five points between the top five, the promotion race is heating up

Leaders Dover Athletic travel to in-form Hashtag United looking to get back on an even keel after three wins and three defeats from their last six. Athletic’s issues have all come on their own patch- they remain unbeaten on the road- but they have seen their lead at the top cut to one point so are vulnerable for the first time in months. The Tags are ten points away from the top five but have lost only one of their last ten, and will be looking for some revenge for a four-two defeat back in October.

Second place Billericay Town had the chance to take over at the top last weekend but then Horsham decided to get in the way, inflicting their first defeat in ten matches. The Blues face a side with even bigger problems at New Lodge, Dulwich Hamlet having slipped to fifteenth after a a run of one defeat in ten- a run which leaves them only five points above the drop zone, and without a manager. 

Cray Valley PM host a green ‘derby’ with Bognor Regis Town making the trip north. The Millers are three points from the top, and have only one defeat from ten, whilst the Rocks are rock bottom but full of optimism after coming from behind to defeat Dulwich Hamlet with ten men last time out. They are ten points from safety, so in need of a few more unlikely victories if they are to escape. A Freddie Parker hat trick gave the Millers a three-two victory at Nyewood Lane in October.

Dartford are looking for a seventh successive win as they take on Wingate and Finchley in North London. The Darts are our form team, unbeaten in the league since October 19th, when the victors were…Wingate and Finchley! The Blues have gone nine matches without a win, a run which has seen them slip to fourteenth. The Darts start the weekend in fourth, four points away from the summit.

Horsham are in magnificent form as they travel to face Lewes in a Sussex derby. The Hornets have won seven in a row- the last three to nil- and have opened up a nine point gap between themselves and sixth place. The Hornets defeated the Rooks two-nil in October, and Lewes have only won two of their last ten, a run which has seen them slip down to thirteenth. They have only lost twice at the Dripping Pan, however. 

Chichester City, in seventh, are at home to Bowers and Pitsea. City are six unbeaten and looking for a fifth win in a row, whilst Bowers are eight points from safety and with only one win in ten. They are looking for a rare double, however, having defeated City two-one when they last met.

Cray Wanderers will be heading to Hastings United and hoping for another one-nil win. Wands have climbed to ninth after a run of only two defeats in ten- a run which includes six single digit victories, including their last three. United have only two wins from their last ten, and start the weekend three points from safety as a result. The sides have already met twice this season, Wands winning three-nil in the Cup and the sides playing out a goalless draw in the league.

Folkestone Invicta welcome Canvey Island for a seaside ‘derby.’ Invicta are tenth, twelve points between them and the top five, with only one defeat in five- although it was the last time out, a hammering against Cheshunt, so they’ll want to quickly consign that to the memory banks. The travelling Gulls have lost four in a row, a run which has left them only four points above the drop zone, and lost to Invicta in October, an own goal delivering a win for the Stripes. 

Hendon are under new management and really need a new manager boost, as they’ve now lost eight matches in a row, and haven’t scored for five hundred and seventy one minutes. That run has left them only two points above the bottom four so they really can’t afford another defeat, but Carshalton Athletic head to the big smoke looking to inflict one nonetheless. The Robins are five without a win, but ended a four match losing streak with a draw against Whitehawk on Monday- and will think that should have been a win. 

Cheshunt host Whitehawk, seventeenth v nineteenth. There are three points between the sides- although also a massive goal difference in the Ambers favour- but both are in decent form. Cheshunt are looking for a fifth unbeaten match, whilst the Hawks have one defeat in seven and a new-found confidence. The Ambers defeated the Hawks two-nil in October with a goal at the end of each half. 

Our other match is on Sunday, as Potters Bar Town welcome Chatham Town. The sixth place Chats got back to winning ways against Wingate and Finchley last weekend, after three defeats, whilst the Scholars have lost three of their last four but have lost only three times at home all season. The Chats came from two down to draw with the Scholars in October.