RYMAN PREMIER DIVISION WEEKEND PREVIEW

Saturday 8th October Fixtures 

Burgess Hill Town v Leatherhead 
Both teams will be buzzing after late goals secured home draws with Havant & Waterlooville and Leiston in midweek - two very late goals pulled Jimmy Bullard's team back to 3-3 against the league leaders with Burgess Hill's Pat Harding scoring in the final moments to make it the same score against the Hampshire side. 
Canvey Island v Metropolitan Police 
Met Police, still without a win and adrift at the bottom of the table, make the trip to Essex on Saturday. Canvey Island drew 0-0 and were knocked out of the Ryman League Cup on penalty kicks (3-1) by D1N Ware in midweek. Tony Stokes has been in good form for The Islanders scoring seven times in the last six league and cup games.   
Dulwich Hamlet v Bognor Regis Town 
6th v 4th - one of the games of the day takes place at Champion Hill. The Rocks have only lost two of their eleven league games so far with Hamlet losing three of twelve. 
Grays Athletic v Tonbridge Angels 
Grays will be more confident following their 3-1 home win against Harlow Town on Wednesday evening which was only their second league win of the season and their first win in nine games. The Angels made a fantastic start to the season but in their last three games have drawn 2-2 versus Leiston and then lost 0-2 at Bognor Regis Town followed by a heavy 5-3 defeat at Mertsham. They overcame a potential Banana skin in the FA Cup last weekend against Hereford so will still be heavy favourites for this game. Stuart Thurgood has recently returned to the club he made 157 appearances for between 2003-2008 as a player/coach. His experience will be invaluable for Athletic's young side both on and off the pitch working alongside Manager Jamie Stuart - he was on the side lines in their midweek win versus Harlow.  
Harrow Borough v Billericay Town 
Two clubs still involved in the FA Cup face off at Earlsmead. Harrow Borough, up until their last league victory which was an amazing 1-4 win at Dulwich Hamlet, have found goals hard to come by in their league fixtures with a record of 0,2,0,0,3,0,0,0,0,4 goals in their games. The Blues are in good form having won their last four league games scoring 11 and letting in just two goals. They drew 1-1 with Tilbury in the Ryman League Cup in midweek winning 4-2 on penalty kicks.   
Havant & Waterlooville v Harlow Town 
The Hawks v The Hawks. Havant have only lost one league game so far and have a brilliant home record winning five and drawing just one game. They will want to bounce back from their 7-0 loss at Ebbsfleet United in the FA Cup last weekend and the 3-3 draw at Burgess Hill Town in midweek. Harlow have no wins on their travels in the league drawing two and losing four of their six games. The away side are always worth a goal with Alex Read in their line-up. 
Kingstonian v AFC Sudbury 
The Suffolk side have lost four of their last six games but will be very pleased with being in seventh place after twelve games played. The K's league form has been up and down with a record of LDLLWWDLWLW so this game is very difficult to predict. AFC's form away from home (50% win ratio) is much better than their home form of only one win is six. 
Lowestoft Town v Hendon 
After four games without a win The Trawlerboys had two good wins at Grays Athletic and at home to Harlow Town followed by a 0-3 home defeat to Dulwich in midweek. Hendon have reserved their best form this season for the FA Cup as the below table shows (SPG denotes scored per game and CPG denotes conceded per game) - Both their league wins have come away from Silver Jubilee Park.  

P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS	WIN%	SPG	CPG
3	3	0	0	10	2	+8	-	100%	3.33	0.67
10	2	4	4	12	22	-10	10	20%	1.20	2.20

Merstham v Enfield Town 
The free scoring Moatsiders drew a rare blank on Tuesday evening losing 1-0 at Worthing in the Ryman Premier. In six out of the fifteen league and cup games they have played so far they have scored over three goals including seventeen in their last six. The difference between their home and away league form is remarkable - On the road they have played four times drawing twice and losing twice hitting the back of the net just once and letting in five in comparison to three wins, one draw and two defeats at home scoring twenty and letting in ten. The Towners form has improved following their slow start to the season - they are unbeaten in five league and cup game scoring fifteen goals and letting in six. 
Staines Town v Leiston 
Still unbeaten and sitting top of the table The Blues will be gutted at not collecting the three points at Leatherhead on Wednesday night having been 1-3 up after 89 minutes. Their scoring record is amazing with a sequence of 3,3,4,4,2,4,4,4,3,4,2,4,2,4 and 3 since the start of the season in both league and cup games. The Swans were knocked out of the FA Cup at Chesham United last weekend - They are unbeaten in four home league and cup games which included a 1-0 win over Vanarama South Maidenhead United in the FA Cup.  
Wingate & Finchley v Needham Market 
Only Folkestone Invicta (11 gls), Harrow Borough (9) and Met Police (7) have scored less league goals than Wingate's 12 (Hendon have also scored 12) but they are in good league form winning three of their last four games scoring eight times. The Marketmen have made a excellent start to their campaign and currently sit in fifth place in the table. They were well beaten 5-1 at Harlow Town in their last away game before narrowly beating bottom side Met Police 1-0 at home last weekend. 
Worthing v Folkestone Invicta
The battle of the seaside towns sees the D1S play-off winners v D1S champions of 2015/16. 15th v 19th in the table. Both sides are out of form winning just one of their last six games so will be looking to get back to winning ways in this one. 

TOP GOAL SCORERS 

PLAYER/TEAM	GOALS
MATTHEW BLAKE (Leiston)	9
RYAN MOSS (Kingstonian)	6
JAKE REED (Lowestoft Town)	6
ALEX READ (Harlow Town)	6

In the race for the golden-boot no player has yet to break into double figures in league fixtures. One more goal from Matthew Blake of Leiston would do it for him as he currently leads on nine goals scored. Blake made the move up from then Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side Norwich United over the summer where he had scored 119 goals in a three season spell with The Planters. It looks like he's taken life at Step three of the non-league ladder with ease. 

FACTS AND STATS 

Met Police are bottom of the table and bottom of the form table - They have one point from their last 18 on offer which came in a 1-1 draw with Dulwich Hamlet. 

Havant & Waterlooville are top of the form table with four wins and two draws from their last six games. 

Five clubs - Met Police, Enfield Town, Merstham, Burgess Hill Town and Harlow Town - have still to register a win away from home. 

Two clubs - Hendon and Met Police - are yet to win at home. 

Enfield Town, Havant & Waterlooville and Leiston are the only three clubs left unbeaten at home. 

Leiston and Dulwich Hamlet are the clubs left with unbeaten away records. 

Leiston are the top scorers on 35 (working out to 3.18 per game) with Met Police on 7 being the lowest equating to just 0.64 per game.  

FANCY A FLUTTER?

BET365.COM make Havant and Waterlooville the title favourites at 15/8 followed by Lesiton at 5/2 and Tonbridge Angels at 6/1. Dulwich Hamlet (11/1) and Bognor Regis Town (12/1)  follow with all the other clubs rated at 25/1 or more. If you fancy a real gamble they rate Met Police at 1500/1 for the title!!!!