Friday 21 February 2020

BETVICTOR ISTHMIAN LEAGUE - WEEKEND PREVIEW

SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2020

PREMIER DIVISION
Bishop's Stortford v Hornchurch 
Bowers & Pitsea v Leatherhead 
East Thurrock United v Cray Wanderers 
Folkestone Invicta v Wingate & Finchley
Haringey Borough v Bognor Regis Town 
Horsham v Cheshunt 
Kingstonian v Worthing 
Lewes v Brightlingsea Regent 
Margate v Carshalton Athletic 
Merstham v Enfield Town
Potters Bar Town v Corinthian-Casuals 

The game of the day comes at Rookery Hill where East Thurrock United, fresh from their important 2-0 home victory over Carshalton Atlhetic in midweek, entertain fifth placed Cray Wanderers. The home side are in eighth placed on 48 points from twenty seven games played with The Wands on 55 from thirty games played making this another must win game for The Rocks in the race for the play-offs. Table topper's Worthing are scheduled to travel to Kingstonian although this game is subject to a pitch inspection as, i suspect, a few other games will be too with all the rain we've been having. 

MATCH ACTION FROM THE RECENT FC ROMANIA v CHIPSTEAD GAME - THE CHIPS ARE BACK IN HERTFORDSHIRE TOMORROW AT HERTFORD TOWN.

Second placed Folkestone Invicta welcome twenty-first placed Wingate and Finchley to the Kent Coast in a game both teams need the win for different reasons. The Blues are four games unbeaten (2 draws and 2 wins) with Luke Ifil getting a 90th minute equaliser at home to Bowers and Pitsea last weekend when they have been down to 10 men following Sean Grace's red card on 58 minutes. This will be a hard game for Invicta who have lost two in their last six games but won 1-0 at title rival's Worthing last weekend.  

NORTH DIVISION
Basildon United v Cambridge City 
Brentwood Town v Felixstowe & Walton United @ Tilbury FC
Bury Town v Great Wakering Rovers 
Canvey Island v AFC Sudbury 
Coggeshall Town v Hullbridge Sports 
Grays Athletic v Maldon & Tiptree
Heybridge Swifts v Aveley 
Histon v Tilbury 
Soham Town Rangers v Romford 
Witham Town v Dereham Town 

Table topper's Maldon & Tiptree won an important game 1-2 at Bury Town (3rd placed) in midweek and go to Grays Athletic tomorrow. With games in hand over Heybridge Swifts in 2nd place and Bury Town along with being in front by 6 and 9 points ahead it's The Jammers who are firm favourites for the title. 

The game of the day comes at Scraley Road where Heybridge Swifts welcome FA Trophy heroes and currently 4th placed Aveley. Swifts were 2-4 up at Canvey Island last Saturday but the game ended up 4-4 with The Islanders scoring two late goals from Michael Finneran and Tobi Joseph. Aveley drew 3-3 at AFC Sudbury with Alexander Akrofi scoring his 14th and 15th league goals of the season.

ROMFORD TAKE A TRIP TO SOHAM TOWN RANGERS TOMORROW WHO HAVE FIVE WINS IN THEIR LAST SIX LEAGUE GAMES. 

At the bottom of the table Felixstowe & Walton United are without a win in eight games and with Romford starting to win a few games now they will need to pick up points in their fight to stay off the bottom of the table. They travel to 17th placed Brentwood Town in a game scheduled to be played at Tilbury's Chadfields ground. Romford travel to Soham Town Rangers (11th) looking to get their third win a row - Rangers are one of the form sides of the division with five wins and one defeat in their last six league games.  

ACTION FROM THE RECENT HERTFORD TOWN v HARLOW TOWN GAME.

SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION 
Barking v Tooting & Mitcham United 
Bedfont Sports v Ashford Town 
Bracknell Town v Staines Town
Chalfont St Peter v Uxbridge 
FC Romania v Chertsey Town 
Hanwell Town v Waltham Abbey 
Hertford Town v Chipstead 
Marlow v South Park 
Northwood v Ware  
Westfield v Harlow Town

It's second v fifth at Reynolds Field as Hanwell Town welcome Waltham Abbey - The home side have four wins in six games with The Abbotts on three wins, one draw and two defeats in six games. The home side need to pick up a win to keep up the pressure on table topper's Ware who have scored 76 goals in their 27 games played so far. They go to bottom of the table Northwood who are under the new management of Rob Ursell following the departure of Jamie Leacock - There were a number of new faces in his first game against Bedfont Sports and there is likley to be more tomorrow with defender Dave Thomas (from Hanwell Town), attacking midfielder Luke Jones (from Chalfont St Peter), forward Radu Stefanoaica (from Broadfields United) and Excellence Muhemba (from Harrow Borough) all joining the club this week. Stafanoaica has scored 12 goals in 19 appearances for the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division side this season and was in Uxbridge's youth set up last season. 

Staines Town are without a league win in thirteen games and went down 2-0 at relegation rival's Ashford Town in midweek - they have a tough away trip to Bracknell Town tomorrow. The Robins are without a defeat in nine league games and are in good form under new boss Bobby Wilkinson (formerly of Hungerford Town and Wealdstone) who was appointed in early December. The Swans with just two wins all season are in real danger of a third relegation in six seasons. 

SOUTH EAST DIVISION
Chichester City v Hythe Town 
Cray Valley PM v Burgess Hill Town
Faversham Town v Phoenix Sports 
Guernsey v Ashford United 
Hastings United v Sittingbourne
Haywards Heath Town v Sevenoaks Town 
Herne Bay v Three Bridges 
VCD Athletic v Whitstable Town 
Whitehawk v East Grinstead Town 
Whyteleafe v Ramsgate 

In the South-East division just three points currently separate the top three of Ashford United, Hastings United and Whitehawk. Fourth placed Cray Valley are only two points off of Whitehawk so it's all to play for in the race for the title. 

Ashford United make the trip to Guernsey and will have former Hornchurch striker George Purcell in their line up. He has joined his fourth Isthmian League club of the season this week having started with Canvey Island before joining Grays Athletic and Great Wakering Rovers. 

Hastings United host Sittingbourne and Whitehawk host bottom of the table East Grinstead Town. Sittingbourne are without a win is 6 league games but did win 3 in a row before their current winless run. 

CRAY VALLEY HAVE WON THEIR LAST FIVE GAMES IN A ROW.

Ashford United are the form side of the division winning 8 and drawing 1 of their last 10 games - their solitary defeat came against title rival's Cray Valley who have won their last 5 games in a row and have been hitting the back of the net on a very frequent basis - they have scored 18 times in their winning run. Former Dulwich Hamlet striker Gavin Tomlin has scored 5 of those goals. They host 15th placed Burgess Hill Town tomorrow. 

ACTION FROM RAMSGATE v CHICHESTER CITY ON THE OPENING DAY OF THE SEASON.

  

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