GUTZMORE DOUBLE HELPS TOTTERNHOE TO VICTORY OVER HIS FORMER CLUB

It was a bitterly cold evening in Hertfordshire on Tuesday 7th March - as kick off approached the temperature hovered around -1 to zero with a frost settling on the playing surface at The John Clements Sports and Community Centre. It was most certainly a night for a hat, gloves and layers of clothing for the 52 spectators in attendance which included a good number who had made the twenty mile trip from Totternhoe. 

This was 7th v 5th in the table with the visitors going into the game on the back of a 3-1 home win against Buckingham United on Saturday - Codicote had won 0-4 at AFC Caddington which had ended a run of three defeats in a row. 

The game was a highly entertaining one with some tackles flying in and some impressive attacking play of which Totternhoe had the better of in the first 45 minutes with the half time score being 1-2. 

Cod goalkeeper Judicael Mottaz, who has made three appearances for Premier Division side Potton United this season, won't want to remember Tott's first goal as he allowed former Cod striker Kadeem Gutzmore to nick the ball from a back pass to score an easy tap in. It was an unfortunate mistake that many goalkeepers make in their career with Mottaz making up for it with a good save with his feet only a few minutes later to keep the score at 0-1. 

With the score a 2-2 with only around ten minutes to go the home side had a brilliant chance to make it 3-2 with a shot from the edge of the box going very close past the post. 

It was the visitors who scored the winner with a composed finish from Gutzmore past Mottaz to take the three points in a really competitive game. 

Totts still have an outside chance of the title with games in hand over teams above them although as you can see from the table it's clearly Old Bradwell United, currently in second place, who are favourites to finish top. They currently have a +72 goal difference and only only one league defeat all season which was at Aston Clinton in October. 

Tott's best chance of silverware is in the Division Two Cup where they are though to the semi-final stage where they play Eynesbury United away next Tuesday evening. Leighton Town Development await the winners of the Old Bradwell United v Berkhamsted Raiders semi-final. 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - LONG 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - SHORT 

Codicote, Eynesbury United (8th) and Leighton Town Development (3rd) are the only clubs to apply for promotion from the Spartan South Midlands League Division Two for this season - who may well be promoted at the end of the season remains to be seen? 

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION TWO 

CURRENT TABLE - TOP FIVE ONLY 

POS	TEAM	P	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
1.	NEW BRADWELL ST PETER	22	+38	55	WWWWWW	85
2.	OLD BRADWELL UTD	17	+72	48	WWWWWW	93
3.	LEIGHTON TOWN DEV	21	+34	48	WWWDWW	81
4.	MK COLLEGE	24	+21	43	WWWLWL	67
5.	TOTTERNHOE	17	+27	41	DLLWWW	86

@thecoldendofficial Defence & Attack - Codicote v Totternhoe. #Soccer #football #nonleague #nonleaguefootball #Grassrootsfootball #goal #goalkeeper ♬ Building A Rep - Mark B. & Blade

MARTYNOV AND FRANTUZOV TWO OF THE STARS ON THE OPENING WEEKEND OF THE BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

CELEBRATION TIME FOR THE YOUNG FC MINSK SQUAD

(courtesy of @minsk1954)

The theme for the opening weekend of the Belarusian Premier League was youth. The first goal of the season was scored by 17 year old FC Minsk attacker Timofey Martynov - his side won 2-0 against Slavia Mozyr with the average age of the ten players who started in outfield positions being just 19.1 years of age. 

BATE Borisov won 0-2 at Gomel with 18 year old midfielder Alexander Frantuzov scoring their second goal. 

It was nearly a fantastic result for First League Champions Naftan Novopolotsk who went down 2-1 at Shakhtyor Soligorsk with an 88th minute equaliser disallowed for a debatable foul on Shakhtyor's goalkeeper. The home side's second goal was scored by 20 year old Maksim Kovalevich which was his first goal in the Premier League. He has spent the last two seasons with Shakhtyor Petrikov - He scored 22 goals in 24 games for Shakhtyor Soligorsk II in the 2020 reserve league. 

Naftan only had Artem Drabatovich and Ignati Sidor left from the the starting XI in their final game of the 2022 First League season. 

The big winners of the weekend were Dynamo Minsk who won 3-0 against Isloch with Brazilian Orinho on the score sheet alongside Vladimir Khvashchinskiy and Vladislav Morozov. Khvashchinskiy scored 22 goals in 27 games for FC Minsk last season and could be a key player for Dynamo - Morozov scored against his former club. 

Last season's runner's up Energetik-BGU won 1-0 at home to Slutsk via Ilya Grischenko goal - they spent much of the game with ten men following Yamoussa Camara's red card (second yellow) on 40 minutes. 

The only other red card of the weekend came in Dynamo Brest's 0-1 home defeat to Torpedo Zhodino where Edgar Olekhnovich was red carded just prior to the half time whistle for an off the ball clash. Former Rukh Brest and Dynamo player Evgeniy Shevchenko scored the only goal of the game watched by a crowd of 6,137 which was the top crowd of game week one. 

In the final game of the weekend it was Smorgon who picked up three points on their return to the top tier with a 1-0 home win over Belshina Bobruisk. 19 year old Matvey Dukso's free kick in the 85 minute bounced in front of Belshina's keeper Aleksay Kharitonovich who was unable to make the save. The home side had missed a penalty kick in the first half via former Krumkachy Minsk player Vitali Litkhtin. 

RESULTS 

FRIDAY 17th MARCH 

FC MINSK 2-0 SLAVIA MOZYR (543)

SATURDAY 18th MARCH 

SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK 2-1 NAFTAN NOVOPOLOTSK (1,150)

GOMEL 0-2 BATE BORISOV (1,200)

DYNAMO MINSK 3-0 ISLOCH (3,150) 

DYNAMO BREST 0-1 TORPEDO ZHODINO (6,137)  

SUNDAY 19th MARCH 

ENERGETIK-BGU MINSK 1-0 SLUTSK (477)

SMORGON 1-0 BELSHINA BOBRUISK (820)

NOT IN ACTION - NEMAN GRODNO 

FIXTURES 

FRIDAY 24th MARCH 

BELARUS u21 v ANDORRA u21 -  UEFA EURO 2025 QUALIFYING GROUP G

being played in Armenia due to the current UEFA ban on International matches being played in Belarus 

SATURDAY 25th MARCH 

BELARUS v SWITZERLAND - UEFA EURO 2024 QUALIFYING GROUP I

being played in Serbia due to current UEFA ban on International matches being played in Belarus 

TUESDAY 28th MARCH 

GREECE u21 v BELARUS u21 - UEFA EURO 2025 QUALIFYING GROUP G 

ROMANIA v BELARUS - UEFA EURO 2024 QUALIFYING GROUP I 

FRIDAY 31st MARCH 

NAFTAN NOVOPOLOTSK v GOMEL 

SATURDAY 1st APRIL 

SLUTSK v FC MINSK 

TORPEDO BELAZ ZHODINO v SMORGON 

ISLOCH v DYNAMO BREST 

SUNDAY 2nd APRIL 

BATE BORISOV v ENERGETIK-BGU 

NEMAN GRODNO v SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK 

SLAVIA MOZYR v DYNAMO MINSK 

NOT IN ACTION - BELSHINA BOBRUISK 

THE FIRST LEAGUE OPENING WEEKEND'S FIXTURES TAKE PLACE ON THE WEEKEND OF THE 1st and 2nd APRIL - MORE NEWS ON THESE GAMES SOON. 

WEEKEND PREVIEW - THE BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK TOMORROW WITH FC MINSK PLAYING SLAVIA MOZYR

It was three years ago that many people across the world gained a strong interest in Belarusian football as it was the only country left who played on during the first lockdown. The clubs of the Belarusian Premier League such as Neman Grodno, Slutsk and Belshina Bobruisk acquired many fans in the United Kingdom alongside the more well known BATE Borisov and Dynamo Brest. 

I wrote about the league over the course of the 2020 season and some of the 2021 campaign but just didn't have the time to keep it up - However, I have still kept an eye on the leagues as well as the country in general. 

THE COLD END is a football website so I will try and keep it to beautiful game only and not the current political situation in Belarus. 

BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH DAY ONE PREVIEW

FRIDAY

FC MINSK v SLAVIA MOZYR 

Former Belarus u21, Gorodeya and Belshina Bobruisk boss Sergey Yaromko has been appointed manager after Vadim Skripchenko's departure to City rival's Dynamo Minsk. As is usual with FC Minsk they have a very young squad with centre forward Kirill Zabelin recruited from First League side Lida where he scored 11 goals in 24 league games last season. Currently their oldest outfield played in 24 year old midfielder Egor Lapun who has joined from First League side Shakhtyor Petrikov. 

Despite losing 1-0 to Slutsk in the Belarusian Cup Quarter Final Second Leg last week Slavia Mozyr went through to the Semi-Finals 2-1 on aggregate thanks to 2-0 First Leg win. 

Slavia have a trio of Moldovan Internationals in their ranks in Christian Dros, Igor Costrov and Anderi Cobet. Former Shakhtyor Soligorsk and Gomel boss Ivan Bionchik is the new man in charge of Slavia this season - they finished the 2022 season in 10th with FC Minsk in 6th. 

SATURDAY

NAFTAN'S LAST GAME IN THE TOP TIER WAS IN NOVEMBER 2017 WHEN THEY LOST 1-2 TO ISLOCH. 

SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK v NAFTAN NOVOPOLOTSK

The 2022 Champions welcome the 2022 First League champions on the opening day of the season. Naftan return to the top tier for the first time since the 2017 season. 

Shakhtyor Soligorsk who won the title for the third season in a row by five points last season have been hit with alleged match fixing allegations with a "criminal case being initiated against a representative of the Shakhtar football club' - Read more details here. I'm not sure what the current situation is at present? 

The vastly experience Yuri Puntus (Vitebsk, Slavia, Torpedo Belaz, Belshina, Smolevichi and Dynamo Brest) is the boss at Naftan - the record of promoted clubs in recent years isn't great aside from Gomel. 

Puntus replaced the title winning boss Vyachelsav Gerashchenko in December who has joined relegated DNEPR Mogilev. He joins after a short spell from July to December with Vitebsk who were relegated from the top tier last season. 

Naftan have made a number of singings including Georgian midfielder Revaz Slaukvadze who may well start in this game. 

The departures of Roamn Stepanov, Ilya Chernyak, Roman Yuzepchuk, Dmitri Podstrelov, Milos Satara, Ziam Divanovic, Maxsim Plotnikov and Nikola Antic show Shakhtyor's squad won't be as strong as it was last season.  All have joined clubs overseas. 

Togo forward Euloge Placca might step up to be a player for the champions this season having made just eight league starts last season scoring four goals. 

FC GOMEL v BATE BORISOV 

The giants of the Belarusian game were runner's up in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Their third place finish in 2022 was the first time they had finished lower than the top two since 2005 when they were fifth. The fifteen time champions have a new Manager for the 2023 season in former Rukh Brest boss Kirill Alshevskiy who has been in charge since October 2022. 

Alshevskiy has recruited 31 year old centre-forward Dennis Laptev who has returned to Belarus following a two year spell with Torpedo Moscow. He started his career with Slavia Mozyr and has also played for Shakhtyor Soligorsk, Dynamo Brest and Rukh Brest. Laptev has 30 full International caps for Belarus and his scoring record in the Premier League reads 83 goals in 201 appearances. 

Laptev scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 Belarusian Cup Quarter-Final Second Leg last weekend. 

Dmitri Antilevskiy, 25, has also recently signed for BATE from Dinamo Tiblisi - He is a full Belarus International right sided midfielder/attacker who will add experience to their squad. 

Gomel have had highly respectable fourth and seventh place finishes after their return to the top tier in 2021. Vladimir Nevinskiy will be looking for more of the same this season. He has signed 22 year old Turkish midfielder Furkan Akin from Moldovan side Dinamo-Auto. 

DYNAMO MINSK v ISLOCH 

A City derby to open the season with as Vadim Skipchenko takes charge of Dynamo for the first time having moved from FC Minsk at the end of last season. Dynamo had a good pre-season with eight wins, two draws and only one defeat.

Vladamir Khvashchynski follows Skipchenko and rejoins Dynamo from FC Minsk. The 32 year old Belarusian International had a great 2022 season scoring 20 goals in 27 league games. 

The signings of Pavel Sedko from Gomel along with a trio of players from last season's runners up in Alexsandr Svirepa, Artem Makavchik and Andrey Rylach also look astute signings. 

Abdul Babdanogo  is also a new signing - the 24 year old midfielde joins from Portuguese Second Tier side CD Trofense.  He will join his fellow Burkinabe playe Abdoul Gafar in the league who currently plays for Slutsk. 

Dmitri Komarovskiy took over as Isloch boss in December in his first managerial role. The former BATE Borisov and Shakhtyor Soligorsk centre forward was assistant last season and finished his playing career with the club in 2021. 

A new signing is Prince Kwabena Adu is 19 year old Ghanian centre forward who moves from Bechem United. Adu was included in The Guardian's Next Generation 2020 list and has represented Ghana at under 20 level who described him as a "clever and mobile striker with explosive rapid acceleration and nifty dribbling". Could he follow in the famous and much loved Momo Yansane's footsteps? Mo joined Isloch as a 21 year old in 2019 and went on to score 23 goals in 57 starts for the club. 

He also could be a replacement for Daniel Sosa who left Isloch recently to join Ukrainian club Krivbass. He joined Isloch in July 2021 and scored 15 goals in 43 Premier League games. 

DYNAMO BREST v TORPEDO ZHODINO 

The 2019 champions and one of the best supported clubs in Belarus struggled last season and were in real danger of relegation eventually finishing just above Arsenal Dzerzhinsk in the final table. 

Former Belarus National Team boss Igor Kruishenko was appointed manager in December joining from Indonesian Liga 1 side Periskabo 1973. 

Dmitri Baga will bring some much needed experience to Dynamo's midfield. The 33 year old spent last season with Gomel and is most well known for his time with BATE Borisov from 2008 to 2015 and 2017 to 2020. 

Torpedo will be move into this game with some confidence following their victory (on penalties) over Shakhtyor last weekend. 

Dmitri Molosh has been in charge of Torpedo since December 2021 and will look to improve on their eighth place finish last season. 

SUNDAY

ENERGETIK-BGU v SLUTSK 

A truly amazing 2022 season for such a small club with limited resources as The Students finished as runner's up above the giants of BATE Borisov which was an outstanding achievement for former Smorgon boss Pavel Rodnenok who was appointed last February. 

Many players have departed since and they will certainly miss the goals of Uzbekistani striker Bobir Addulkholikov (26 goals in 30 games) who has moved to Khazhstani club Ordabasy. 

Slutsk who gained many fans during lockdown have finished 14th, 9th and 11th since 2020. The result of this game could be an indication of where Energetik will be this season. Alexsandr Gurinovich, 37, is the new boss of Slutsk having been promoted from Assistant - He has also previously been manager of their reserve side as well as playing for the club. 

SMORGON GOT THEIR FIRST WIN IN THEIR SIXTH GAME OF THE BPL IN 2021 - THEY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF WINNING ON THE OPENING WEEKEND THIS SEASON?

SMORGON v BELSHINA 

Belshina haven't had a spectacular pre-season with just two wins, two draws and five defeats from nine games played alongside two 5-0 defeats in the two legged Belarus Cup Quarter-Final. In the friendly games they have netted just four times with fourteen goals conceded. 

Belshina were relegated in 2020 but bounced back at the first time of asking in 2021. Last season they finished in twelfth place but had only one win in their last twelve league games played - It looks like another season towards the bottom of the table for Albert Rybak's side. 

24 year old centre-forward Ilya Sen makes the move up to the top tier after playing for Volna Pinsk, DNEPR Mogilev and Sputnik Rechitsa in the First League.  He scored 10 times in 22 league games for Volna last season. 

The Bears return to the top tier after relegation in 2021. They finished as runner's up of the First League last season. 

Igor Trukhov has been in charge of Smorgan since November 2021. Nigerian centre-forward Idris Nuradeen has been signed on loan from BATE - He spent the 2022 season with Arsenal Dzerzhinsk where he made only two starts. His only goal in the Belrusian Premier League came back in 2021 when he was on loan with Smorgon in a 1-0 win over FC Minsk. 

With the Premier League only running with fifteen clubs this season Neman Grodno are not in action. Maxline Rogachev did win the promotion/relegation play-off against Arsenal Dzerzhinsk but were denined a licence to play in the top division. 

BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2023 (15 CLUBS) 

BATE Borisov

Belshina Bobruisk

Dynamo Brest

Dinamo Minsk 

Energetik-BGU Minsk 

FC Minsk

Gomel 

Isloch

Naftan Novopolotsk - Promoted from First League 

Neman Grodno 

Shakhtyor Soligorsk

Slavia Mozyr 

Slutsk 

Smorgon - Promoted from First League 

Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino 

BELARUSIAN FIRST LEAGUE 2023 (17 CLUBS) 

Arsenal Dzerzhinsk - Relegated from Premier League 

Baranovichi

Bumprom Gomel - Premier from Second League 

DNEPR Mogilve - Relegated from Premier League 

Lida

Locomotive Gomel 

Maxline Rogachev

Molodechno 2018 

Niva - Promoted from Second League 

Orsha 

Osipovichi 

Ostrovets

Shakhtyor Petrikov

Slomin 2017 

Vitebsk - Relegated from Premier League 

Zhodino-Yuzhnoe - Promoted from Second League 

A VERY GOOD WEEK FOR THE TAGS AS THEY WIN AGAIN AND AFC DROP POINTS

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	POSS PTS
1.	HASHTAG UNITED	31	27	1	3	84-30	+54	82	WWWWWW	103
2.	AFC SUDBURY	31	23	4	4	70-39	+50	73	WDLWLD	94

It's been a great week for Hashtag United who won their twentieth league game in a row with a 1-2 victory over Heybridge Swifts on Saturday and saw their nearest challenger's AFC Sudbury losing in midweek at Stowmarket Town (0-1) and drawing at New Salamis on Saturday - the were 1-0 down in North London only for Somalian International  Sak Hassan to rescue a point with a goal in the 89th minute. 

The Tags are now strong favourites for the title but like I've said before their manager Jay Devereux will have his player's feet firmly on the ground over the next seven games! 

REMAINING FIXTURES

SATURDAY 18th MARCH

AFC SUDBURY v BASILDON UNITED 

HASHTAG UNITED v FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED 

SATURDAY 25th MARCH

GORLESTON v AFC SUDURY 

STOWMARKET TOWN v HASHTAG UNITED 

SATURDAY 1st APRIL

AFC SUDBURY v STOWMARKET TOWN 

HASTAG UNITED v COGGESHALL TOWN 

SATURDAY 8th APRIL 

GORLESTON v HASHTAG UNITED 

MALDON & TIPTREE v AFC SUDBURY 

MONDAY 10th APRIL 

AFC SUDBURY v COGGESHALL TOWN 

WITHAM TOWN v HASHTAG UNITED 

SATURDAY 15th APRIL 

AFC SUDBURY v BRENTWOOD TOWN 

HASTAG UNITED v GREAT WAKERING ROVERS 

SATURDAY 22nd APRIL 

BASILDON UNITED v HASHTAG UNITED 

GREAT WAKERING ROVERS v AFC SUDBURY 

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE - THE BATTLE TO BEAT THE DROP

CURRENT TABLE

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
16.	BALDOCK TOWN	29	9	3	17	44-54	-20	30	DLLLLW	57
17.	COLNEY HEATH	29	6	5	18	24-52	-28	23	LWLWDL	50
18.	HODDESDON TOWN	28	5	7	16	26-62	-36	22	LLWLDL	52
19.	ARLESEY TOWN	27	5	6	16	26-45	-19	21	DLDLWL	54
20.	LONDON COLNEY	27	2	3	22	19-73	-54	9	LDLWLL	42

CURRENT FORM - LAST TEN GAMES

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS
1.	ARLESEY TOWN	1O	3	4	3	11-10	+1	13
2.	BALDOCK TOWN	10	2	2	6	12-20	-8	8
3.	COLNEY HEATH	10	2	2	6	9-17	-8	8
4.	HODDESDON TOWN	10	1	2	7	3-22	-19	5
5.	LONDON COLNEY	10	1	1	8	7-29	-22	4

In the battle to beat the drop from the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division it will be a remarkable turn around of form if London Colney finish outside of the bottom two - Their only wins this season came back on the opening day of the season away at Cockfosters and more recently at fellow struggler's Arlesey Town. 

With a seven point gap between Baldock Town and Colney Heath many fans would be thinking it's now down to a battle between three teams as to who finishes in 19th place. 

Could Colney Heath, who spent the 21/22 season at Step Four,  suffer another relegation and play at Step Six for the 23/24 campaign? 

Hoddesdon Town last played at Step Six from 2005 to 2013 with Arlesey Town relegated from the Southern League in 2018 now in danger of a further demotion to Step Six.  

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES FOR THE BOTTOM FIVE 

Tuesday 7th March

Baldock Town v Shefford Town & Campton 

The home side will be in good spirits following their victory over St Panteleimon at the weekend - Shefford make the short journey on the back of just one win in their last six games albeit that victory was against Dunstable Town. 

London Colney v Risborough Rangers 

The visitors have won four of their last six games scoring 15 goals in the process and beat LCFC 6-0 at home at the end of January. Since that game the home side have drawn 0-0 at home to table topping Stotfold, lost 0-1 twice to St Panteleimon, won 1-2 at Arlesey Town and on Saturday lost 0-3 at home to Dunstable Town. 

Stotfold v Hoddesdon Town 

Hoddesdon Town have just two wins on their travels so far this season which came back in November at Ardley United (0-2) and at London Colney in October (0-1).  The home side have just one defeat at home which was the recent 0-1 defeat to Risborough Rangers. Hoddesdon Town were beaten 3-0 at Leverstock Green on Saturday so will be huge underdogs for this game but with football you never know? 

Saturday 9th March 

Arlesey Town v Harpenden Town 

Cockfosters v Baldock Town 

Dunstable Town v Colney Heath 

Leighton Town v London Colney 

THE BATTLE TO BEAT THE DROP IN THE PITCHING-IN SOUTH-EAST DIVISION

Sammy Moore made headlines when he moved from Potters Bar Town, who at the time were top of the Isthmian Premier, to Faversham Town who were bottom of the South-East Division at the end of November. 

The Lillywhites are now second from bottom in the table and still in real danger of relegation - They have used seventy-four players in league and cup games so far!  They have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six games. 

Haywards Heath Town, VCD Athletic, Sittingbourne and Burgess Hill Town sit above them in the battle to beat the drop from Step Four. 

The bottom two will be relegated with the teams in 17th and 18th possibly having to take place in a step four/five play-off match at the end of the season. 

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	PP
15.	BURGESS HILL TOWN	29	8	8	13	40-43	-3	32	LWLLWL	59
16.	SITTINGBOURNE	29	7	10	12	31-34	-3	31	DLWWDD	58
17.	VCD ATHLETIC	30	8	7	15	36-55	-19	31	DLDLLL	55
18.	HAYWARDS HEATH TOWN	29	7	8	14	38-60	-22	29	LDLLDL	56
19.	FAVERSHAM TOWN	30	5	6	19	32-65	-33	21	LDDWLW	48
20.	CORINTHIAN	29	4	8	17	22-43	-21	20	LLLDDD	47

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

 

Tuesday 7th March

Burgess Hill Town v Cray Valley 

East Grinstead Town v Hythe Town

Haywards Heath Town v Three Bridges

Sittingbourne v Chichester City 

Saturday 11th March 

Beckenham Town v Littlehampton Town 

Burgess Hill Town v Corinthian 

Chatham Town v Haywards Heath Town 

Cray Valley v Ashford United 

Hythe Town v Chichester City 

Lancing v Faversham Town 

Ramsgate v East Grinstead Town 

Sheppey United v VCD Athletic

Sittingbourne v Three Bridges 

Whitehawk v Sevenoaks Town 

Tuesday 14th March 

Corinthian v Three Bridges 

Whitehawk v Chatham Town 

Saturday 18th March

Ashford United v Hythe Town

Chichester City v Chatham Town 

Corinthian v Ramsgate 

East Grinstead Town v Whitehawk 

Faversham Town v Burgess Hill Town 

Haywards Heath Town v Cray Valley 

Littlehampton Town v Sittingbourne 

Sevenoaks Town v Sheppey United 

Three Bridges v Beckenham Town 

VCD Athletic v Lancing 

Saturday 25th March

Burgess Hill Town v Chatham Town

Corinthian v Chichester City 

East Grinstead Town v Ashford United 

Faversham Town v Sittingbourne 

Lancing v Three Bridges 

Littlehampton Town v VCD Athletic 

Ramsgate v Haywards Heath Town 

Sevenoaks Town v Hythe Town 

Sheppey United v Beckenham Town

Whitehawk v Cray Valley

HASHTAG UNITED OR AFC SUDBURY - WHICH CLUB WILL WIN THE PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION TITLE?

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	POSS PTS
1.	HASHTAG UNITED	30	26	1	3	82-29	+53	79	WWWWWW	103
2.	AFC SUDBURY	29	23	3	3	69-28	+41	72	LWWDLW	99

Hashtag United's recent victory over AFC Sudbury and subsequent 1-8 thrashing of relegation threatened Tilbury has put them in a strong position at the top of the table. The Tags have now won an incredible 19 league games in a row!! 

Their experienced Manager Jay Devereux will no doubt be keeping his squad's feet firmly on the ground and taking each game as it comes as nothing is certain yet with eight games left to play. 

Hashtag's next game is at Heybridge Swifts next Saturday who are pushing for play-off place but did lost at Gorleston yesterday - AFC Sudbury have two tough away trips coming up in a Suffolk Derby against Stowmarket Town on Tuesday evening before visiting New Salamis on Saturday. 

The North London side had a good 4-3 win over play-off chasing Felixstowe & Walton United this weekend.

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	GF-GA	GD	PTS	FORM	POSS PTS
3.	LOWESTOFT TOWN	28	19	4	5	64-28	+36	61	WLDWWW	91
4.	FELIXSTOWE & WALTON	28	17	4	7	63-35	+28	55	DWLWWL	85
5.	GRAYS ATHLETIC	29	17	4	8	46-29	+17	55	LDDWWW	82
6.	HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS	30	15	8	7	50-30	+20	53	LDWDWL	77
7.	STOWMARKET TOWN	28	15	6	7	48-30	+18	51	LDDLLW	81
8.	EAST THURROCK UTD	30	14	5	11	43-44	-1	47	WDWWWL	71
9.	NEW SALAMIS	30	12	9	9	52-53	-1	45	LDDLLW	69
10.	BRENTWOOD TOWN	29	12	6	11	40-36	+4	42	DDDDWW	69

In the race for the play-offs Lowestoft Town have a six point buffer between themselves and Felixstowe & Walton United. East Thurrock Utd's defeat to Stowmarket Town was a real six pointer with Luke Upson getting the winner in the 90th minute for the Suffolk side. Could they (11) along with New Salamis (9) and Brentwood Town (11) have lost too many games at this stage of the season to have a chance of getting in the play-off places? 

Felixstowe & Walton United's next three games come against Lowestoft Town (3rd), Grays Athletic (5th) and Hashtag United (1st). 

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES 

Tuesday 7th March

Basildon United v Grays Athletic 

Felixstowe & Walton United v Lowestoft Town 

Gorleston v Witham Town 

Stowmarket Town v AFC Sudbury

Saturday 11th March

Basildon United v Gorleston 

Brentwood Town v Great Wakering Rovers

Bury Town v Tilbury 

Coggeshall Town v Witham Town 

East Thurrock United v Wroxham 

Felixstowe & Walton United v Grays Athletic

Heybridge Swifts v Hashtag United 

Lowestoft Town v Hullbridge Sports

New Salamis v AFC Sudbury 

Stowmarket Town v Maldon & Tiptree 

Tuesday 14th March

Brentwood Town v Lowestoft Town 

Hullbridge Sports v Tilbury 

Saturday 18th March  

AFC Sudbury v Basildon United 

Gorleston v East Thurrock United

Grays Athletic v Lowestoft Town 

Great Wakering Rovers v Stowmarket Town 

Hashtag United v Felixstowe & Walton United 

Hullbridge Sports v Bury Town 

Maldon & Tiptree v Coggeshall Town 

Tilbury v Heybridge Swifts 

Witham Town v Brentwood Town 

Wroxham v New Salamis

WILL HASHTAG UNITED WHO ENTERED THE NON-LEAGUE PYRAMID AT STEP SIX IN 2018 WIN THE TITLE OR WILL AFC SUDBURY FINISH TOP AND CLINCH A RETURN TO THE ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION WHERE THEY SPENT THE 2016/17 SEASON?