RYMAN PREMIER WEEKEND PREVIEW

FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY 21st FEBRUARY 2015

AFC HORNCHURCH v CANVEY ISLAND 
BILLERICAY TOWN v KINGSTONIAN 
DULWICH HAMLET v MET POLICE 
EAST THURROCK UNITED v BURY TOWN 
GRAYS ATHLETIC v TONBRIDGE ANGELS 
HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH v BOGNOR REGIS TOWN 
HARROW BOROUGH v VCD ATHLETIC 
LEISTON v MAIDSTONE UNITED 
LEWES v ENFIELD TOWN 
MARGATE v HENDON 
WINGATE & FINCHLEY v LEATHERHEAD 
WITHAM TOWN v PEACEHAVEN & TELSCOMBE 

The game of the day at the bottom of the table is a must win relegation six pointer at Earlsmead as Harrow Borough (22nd) play VCD Athletic (23rd). Harrow lost another game against a team fighting to avoid the drop on Tuesday evening when they went down 3-1 at Witham Town. The home side went 2-0 up via goals from Ryan Charles and Danny Emmanuel with Harrow pulling a goal back via recent signing Dan Moody just prior to the break. Harrow piled on the pressure and reports state that they were the better side in the second half only for Witham to score a 3rd decisive goal in the 93rd minute via a Luke Callender free-kick which crept under the wall and into the net. Ex Enfield Towner Taylor Hastings made his second start for Witham Town in this match which was their third game without a defeat. 

VCD are seven games without a win but they do have four draws in those against Kingstonian, Witham Town, Canvey Island and on Saturday at home to Leiston. A draw will not be a good result for either side. 

The game of the day at the top of the table comes at Hartsdown Park where Margate (2nd) entertain Hendon (4th). The Gate have won their last three league games with new centre-forward signing Freddie Lapado scoring 3 goals in the last 2 games. Since the turn of the year Hendon have played 6 league games winning 2 drawing 2 and losing 2.

Table topper's Maidstone United go to eighth placed Leiston (who lost 0-1 at home to Margate in midweek). The Stones fielded a much changed side at their Ryman League Cup Quarter-Final 2-0 defeat at Hendon on Wednesday night which saw Manager Jay Saunders playing his first game of the season.

It has been announced the forthcoming Kent Derby between the two title rivals at The Gallagher Stadium on Saturday 28th March will be an ticket game - When was the last time that has happened in the Ryman League? This is because interest in the game is likely to be way above the current capacity of 2,226. Margate have been allocated 500 tickets for the hugely anticipated game. 

Dulwich Hamlet, after the unexpected 1-0 defeat in midweek to Lewes, will look to get back to winning ways at home against sixth placed Met Police. With both Margate and Maidstone United having three games in hand over Hamlet being one and five points ahead of them are they now out of the race for the title? The Met have lost their last two games so will be looking to get some points on the board again in the race for the play-offs. 

Fifth placed East Thurrock United entertain bottom of the table Bury Town who have had a real tough run of fixtures since beating Canvey 4-3 and drawing with Bognor Regis Town 1-1 at the beginning of January. They have since lost against Kingstonian, Maidstone United, Margate and Dulwich Hamlet. 

Billericay Town (12th) with an outside chance of making the play-offs if they win their games in hand entertain Kingstonian (7th) at The New Lodge. Many of the other play-off chasing teams will have an eye on this game with a draw possibly the best result for them.

The Cold End will, weather permitting, be at The Dripping Pan to watch the Lewes v Enfield Town game. Their management team left the club earlier in the week with an interim manager appointed for the Dulwich Hamlet midweek game and Saturday's game. Martin Hinshelwood is in temporary charge of the Sussex club having been working with the Academy this season. He has a wealth of experience having been in caretaker charge of Brighton & HA on three separate occasions and also temporary manager with Gary Alexander at  Crawley Town in 2013. The 61 year old represented Crystal Palace between 1972 to 1977 before injury cut short his playing career. 

Above - Memories of a great game in 2012

Despite being in 18th place in the table The Rooks have a pretty decent home record having won seven of their eighteen games played and lost only five. The visit to The Dripping Pan will always bring back memories of the first game of the 2012/13 season and Town's first in the Ryman Premier League. Town recorded a highly memorable 1-2 victory thanks to goals from Mark Kirby and Liam Hope in the August summer sunshine. Some fans say this was the day football in Enfield returned to the glory glory days. 

The Lewes fans always give us a great welcome and the ground is many people's favourite in the league. The club are celebrating Chinese New Year with amongst other things double cooked chips and curry source on the menu. 

Town will include new signing Leon Wilson in their squad. He follows the successful recent signings of Bobby Devyne and Ricky Gabriel from Brimsdown FC. He is a midfielder who has played 19 times for The Limers this season scoring 4 goals in the process. 

If you fancy a punt on the game you can get odds of 17/11 for a home win, 13/5 for a draw and 13/10 for an away win. In the relegation game of the day Harrow are best priced evens with a VCD away win at 2/1 and a draw at 11/4. 

The outright odds for the title are currently 1/4 for Maidstone United, 11/4 for Margate and then a huge gap to Dulwich Hamlet at 33/1 along with Hendon and Leiston at 66/1. 

Wherever you are watching your football at the weekend enjoy your day - The Cold End hopes you see goals, entertainment and have a great weekend.