PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION WEEKEND PREVIEW

DENOTES PROMOTION TO STEP TWO 

DENOTES QUALIFICATION FOR THE PLAY-OFFS OR RELEGATION 

DENOTES STEP 3/4 PLAY-OFFS

POS	TEAM	P	GD	PTS	FORM
1.	WORTHING	15	+16	37	DWWWWW
2.	ENFIELD TOWN	14	+16	29	WWDWWL
3.	FOLKESTONE INVICTA	14	+14	29	WWDDLW
4.	LEWES	15	+16	27	WLWDLW
5.	BISHOP'S STORTFORD	15	+9	26	WWDWDW
6.	KINGSTONIAN	14	+5	26	WLDWWL
7.	CHESHUNT	15	+10	25	WDWWDW
8.	MARGATE	14	+2	24	WLWWLD
9.	CARSHALTON ATHLETIC	14	+14	22	DWDLWW
10.	BOGNOR REGIS TOWN	14	+7	22	WWWDLD
11.	MERSTHAM	15	+1	21	WWWLLW
12.	HORNCHURCH	15	+4	20	DLDWWL
13.	CORINTHIAN-CASUALS	14	0	19	WLWLWW
14.	POTTERS BAR TOWN	13	0	18	DDWWWL
15.	HARINGEY BOROUGH	16	-3	18	DLDDLL
16.	WINGATE & FINCHLEY	14	-7	15	DLWLLL
17.	BOWERS & PITSEA	12	-7	12	WLLDLW
18.	EAST THURROCK UNITED	15	-23	12	LLLLLW
19.	CRAY WANDERERS	12	-12	10	LLWDLL
20.	BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT	16	-32	10	LLLLLL
21.	HORSHAM	12	-2	9	LLLDLW
22.	LEATHERHEAD	16	-28	8	LDLWLL

WEEKEND FIXTURES 

BISHOP'S STORTFORD v WINGATE & FINCHLEY 

The Blues are unbeaten in seven league games and recorded a good 2-1 home win over Enfield Town in midweek - their winning goal was scored in the 96th minute! Wingate & Finchley are struggling for any sort of form of late with their only win against struggling Brightlingsea Regent in their last six league games. They were well beaten 1-4 at home to Folkestone Invicta on Tuesday evening.

ENFIELD TOWN'S GOAL AGAINST BISHOP'S STORTFORD FROM TUESDAY 

BOWERS & PITSEA v HARINGEY BOROUGH 

The entire crowd present at B&P's game at Brightlingsea Regent in midweek will still be wondering how they picked up three points in the game as up until 88 minutes they were 2-0 down. They scored on 88mins and then two in injury time to win the game! Two of the goals were scored by substitute Michael Ademiluyi - It was B&P's first league win in five games. It's been a disappointing season by Haringey Borough's high standards so far with just four wins in sixteen games  - they are without a league win in nine games.    

 

BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT v POTTERS BAR TOWN 

Up until the dying moments it was a good first game for new Regent manager Brett Munyard on Tuesday evening so despite the defeat I'm sure he'll take lots of positives from it. Louis Hawes (goalkeeper), Andy George, Zack Littlejohn, Luke Skinner, Dom Locke all made their debuts for Regent in this game having followed Munyard from Essex Senior League side White Ensign. Striker Dan Gilchrist was another debutant who has recently left AFC Sudbury where he was a substitute in their FA Cup First Round game with Colchester United - He has also played for Stanway Rovers.  

The Scholars narrowly lost at Worthing in their last league game and were 0-1 up at Bedford Town (top of the Southern League Division One Central) in their FA Trophy game on Saturday before it was abandoned due to an incident in injury time that has been well reported elsewhere - the FA have since awarded the tie to them and they now travel to Braintree Town in the next round. 

Forward Kazaiah Sterling has been The Scholar's star player since making his deubt in October against Horsham. Sterling, 22,  was released by Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and played football league games for Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers and Southend United as well as in the Scottish second tier for Greenock Morton. Since his arrival he has scored 5 goals in as many games. Former Enfield Town forward Ben Ward-Cochrane scored the goal in the game at Bedford Town on Saturday which was a wonderful team goal passing out from the back described as like watching Barcelona by some present in the ground - Although the way the Spanish team are playing this year it would be best to chose another team to compare it to. 

Lee O'Leary's side only have defeats to Worthing, Cheshunt and Hornchurch in their last ten games.

EAST THURROCK UNITED v CORINTHIAN-CASUALS 

This will be new joint manager's Marc Harrison and Liam Wallace's first game in charge of The Rocks. James Bracken has built an incredibly hard working squad at Corinthian-Casuals whose only defeats in their last six league games have come at home to Enfield Town who scored late goals to make it 2-1 and 0-2 defeat also at home to in form Bishop's Stortford. They also ran St Albans City very close in their FA Cup 4th QR tie with The Saints scoring a 90th minute equaliser in the first game and then losing on penalties in the replay at Clarence Park. Their hasn't been any announcements made in respect of new signings for the Essex side but i'm sure one or two will join over the coming weeks. 

MATCH ACTION FROM ENFIELD TOWN'S RECENT VISIT TO CORINTHIAN-CASUALS

ENFIELD TOWN v MERSTHAM 

There is a eight point gap between second placed Town and table topper's Worthing following Andy Leese's sides 2-1 defeat in midweek at Bishop's Stortford and the south coast side's 1-3 win at Hornchurch. It was Town's first defeat since losing to a injury time goal at Margate on Saturday 26th September with Stortford's winner also coming very late into stoppage time. They have played six league games at Donkey Lane so far winning five and drawing one against Worthing. The Moatsiders have had a real up and down sort of season so far with their form in their last ten games reading LLWLWWWLLW - On their travels in the league they have won 3 of 8 games at Cheshunt (0-1), Corinthian-Casuals (0-3) and Leatherhead (2-3). They were recently knocked out of the FA Trophy at Step Four side Welwyn Garden City. Former Margate, Leatherhead and Whitstable Town striker John Ufuah is their danger man with seven goals to his name so far this season. 

HORNCHURCH v CARSHALTON ATHLETIC 

Many fans thought The Urchins, after their history making FA Trophy win last season, were going to be one of the teams to beat with the impressive squad that Mark Stimson has built at Bridge Avenue also a factor. They are currently in 12th position having lost 7 of their 15 league games player so far as well as defeats to Wingate & Finchley in the FA Trophy and Bowers & Pitsea in the FA Cup. 

Stimson has freshened up his squad in recent weeks with the signing of striker Billy Bricknell from Enfield Town who is yet to scored in seven games. Defenders Junior Nkwonta and Daniel Obi, both aged 18, have also joined on loan from Vanarama National side Dagenham and Redbridge and started in their recent home defeat to Worthing. 

The Robins are another side whose season so far has been a real up and down affair - After very impressive 6-1 (v Brightlingsea Regent) and 5-0 (v Folkestone Invicta) home wins they followed it up with a 2-1 defeat at Step Four side Welwyn Garden City at the weekend in the FA Trophy. 

I wouldn't like to predict the outcome of this game - It could go either way? 

KINGSTONIAN v CRAY WANDERERS 

GAMES	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
FIRST SEVEN	7	6	0	1	17	7	+10	18
LAST SEVEN	7	2	2	3	8	13	-5	8

The above is a comparison on The K's form this season which was 'title-winning' in the first seven games at a PPG of 2.57 which has now reduced to 1.14 over the last seven played with wins coming at Bowers & Pitsea and at home to Horsham which both ended 1-0. 

Hayden Bird's side did get a morale boosting FA Trophy victory at Sothern Premier Central team Royston Town last Saturday albeit on kicks from the penalty mark after a 1-1 draw at Garden Walk. 

It's been a real struggle for Cray Wanderers this season who are just above the relegation zone with 3 wins in 12 league games played - Two of those victories came in the opening two games against Lewes and Hornchurch so since then their only league win came at Carshalton Athletic 1-3 at the beginning of October. They have had some good wins in the FA Trophy beating Kings Langley and Bedfont Sports at home to set up a home game with Vanarama South side Ebbsfleet United in the Second Round. 

Another really difficult game to predict the outcome of? 

LEATHERHEAD v HORSHAM 

A massive game for both sides and real relegation six pointer as they currently occupy the relegation spots. Horsham will go into this game full of confidence following their 0-6 win at Brightlingsea Regent and a 4-0 home win against Pagham in the Sussex Senior Cup. Manager Dom Di Paola will want the Horsham who achieved brilliant results in the FA Cup against Eastbourne Borough and Woking to turn up to Fetcham Grove on Saturday and not the team who have lost 7 of their 12 league games played so far. 

The Tanners only league wins have come against Bowers & Pitsea on the opening day of the season and more recently against East Thurrock United. If they lose on Saturday they will be well adrift at the bottom of the table. 

LEWES v FOLKESTONE INVICTA 

One of the games of the day as 4th plays 3rd which should be well attended at The Dripping Pan. Invicta got back to winning ways in midweek with a 1-4 win at Wingate and Finchley - Winger Kieron McCann bagged a hat-trick in the game. 

Lewes have scored 39 goals in 15 league games so will be a real test for Invicta's defence who have only let in 16 goals in 14 games. Neil Cugley's side have drawn 5 of their league games so far which had put them eight points behind Worthing at present. 

MARGATE v BOGNOR REGIS TOWN 

8th v 10th in the table - A battle between two sides who could well make the play-off places with the squads they have their disposal. The Gate have 5 wins in 7 league home games with The Rocks currently undefeated on their travels. I think it could end all square here? 

WORTHING v CHESHUNT 

Eight points ahead at the top of the table and only 2 points dropped, which came against second placed Enfield Town, in their last 33 on offer - Worthing are now clear favourites for the title! 

The Ambers are also having a very good season and are unbeaten in six league games with four clean sheets recorded in those games. They will be bolstered by the recent signing of St Kitts & Nevis International striker Rowan Liburd who joins from Vanarama South side Billericay Town and counts Reading and Stevenage among his former clubs. 

Craig Edward's side has an impressive record on their travels with just 1 defeat, 2 draws and 4 wins in 7 league games played so far and have only conceded 2 goals in their last 6 league games. 

They certainly won't be push overs for the current table toppers - I reckon they may come away from the south-coast with a hard earned point. 

COULD THE AMBERS SPRING A SURPISE AT WORTHING ON SATURDAY?