Maidstone United are top of the Vanarana South Division after the Christmas and New Year period but only by two points from Ebbsfleet United and Oxford City. Hakan Hayrettin's team made it six wins in six league games with today's 2-0 home victory over Tonbridge Angels in front of 3,116 fans at The Gallagher Stadium.
Ebbsfleet United narrowly won 1-0 against Dartford in front of another huge crowd of 2,566 people to make it four games unbeaten in league games.
Oxford City have played at step two since the 2012/13 season when they were promoted from the Southern League to the Vanarama North Division - there best ever finish in a full season came in 14/15 when they finished in sixth position of the North Division. They have played in the South Division since 15/16 and were looking good for a play-off spot last season before it was unfortunately curtailed - they were in fourth position. David Oldfield has been in charge since March 2020.
Aside from Maidstone United the form side of the division are Dorking Wanderers who were top when the 20/21 season was ended and many people's favourites for promotion to the National League. They have won seven of their last ten league games scoring an impressive twenty-nine goals in the process.
Dartford had a brilliant start to the season and topped the table but their form has dropped off at a somewhat alarming rate. The Darts won seven of their first eight league games but have since only won two in ten which came against struggling Billericay Town and mid-table Hemel Hempstead Town.
The crowds continue to flock to Champion Hill to watch Dulwich Hamlet - 3,334 saw their game against Welling United today but it was their former player Dipo Akinyemi who scored the only goal of the game for The Wings to pick up a valuable 0-1 victory which puts them 10 points away from the drop zone. Peter Taylor has been in charge at Park View Road since late September when Stephen Lovell left the club.
At the bottom of the table it's been a difficult season for Billericay Town who occupy the only relegation spot and could return to the Isthmian League Premier Division they left in 2018. They have changed manager in October when Kevin Wilson left New Lodge to be replaced by the former Welling United, Grays Athletic and Heybridge Swift's boss Jody Brown.
It was a good start for Brown as he watched from the stands to see The Blues win 2-1 at Dulwich Hamlet following his appointment and then in his first game in the dug-out saw another 2-1 win over Slough Town at home. Since then though it's been eight defeats and three draws with his side failing to score in eight of those games - three of the last four games have ended 0-0.
They have only scored three times in those eleven games via Michael Chambers,
Charlie Lee and Joe Felix.
It doesn't get any harder for the Essex side as they host table topper's Maidstone United at home this coming Saturday.
Braintree Town are just above them with just two wins from their seventeen games played which came against Hemel Hempstead Town and Tonbridge Angels.
Like their county rivals it doesn't get any harder in their next as The Iron have to travel to in-form and free scoring Dorking Wanderers this coming Saturday.
RESULTS OVER CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR PERIOD
Sunday 26th December Billericay Town 1-3 Concord Rangers
Chelmsford City 3-0 Braintree Town
Chippenham Town 1-4 Bath City
Dorking Wanderers 8-0 Havant & Waterlooville
Oxford City 3-2 Slough Town
Tonbridge Angels 0-1 Maidstone United
Tuesday 28th December
Braintree Town 2-2 Dartford
Concord Rangers 1-3 Chelmsford City
Ebbsfleet United 0-0 Billericay Town
Havant & Waterlooville 0-0 Hemel Hempstead Town
Hungerford Town 0-3 Chippenham Town
Maidstone United 4-1 Welling United
Slough Town 4-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough
Sunday 2nd January
Bath City 2-0 Chippenham Town
Concord Rangers 0-0 Billericay Town
Dulwich Hamlet 0-1 Welling United
Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Dartford
Havant & Waterlooville 1-3 Dorking Wanderers
Maidstone United 2-0 Tonbridge Angels
Slough Town 2-2 Oxford City
St Albans City 1-3 Hemel Hempstead Town
FIXTURES
Monday 3rd JanuaryHungerford Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Saturday 8th January
Billericay Town v Maidstone United
Chelmsford City v Bath City
Chippenham Town v Slough Town
Dartford v Dulwich Hamlet
Dorking Wanderers v Braintree Town
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Concord Rangers
Hemel Hempstead Town v Ebbsfleet United
Oxford City v Eastbourne Borough
Tonbridge Angels v Hungerford Town
Welling United v St Albans City
SOME STATS AND FACTS
Chelmsford City, Tonbridge Angels, Braintree Town and Billericay Town all have just one win in their home games played.
Hemel Hempstead Town have not yet won a game at home.
Chelmsford City (18th) have three wins, three draws and three defeats in their nine away games compared to title challenger's Dorking Wanderers (4th) three wins, three draws and four defeats in their ten games played.
Dartford are unbeaten at home with Oxford City unbeaten on their travels - The Hoops still have to go to Ebbsfleet United, Maidstone United and Dorking Wanderers in their remaining games.
Welling United have the worst defensive record conceding 46 goals in just 19 games played.
Dorking Wanderers, with help from their recent 8-0 win, have the best scoring record - they have netted 44 times 18 games played.
Billericay Town have not won in eleven games - Tonbridge Angels have not won in ten games with their last victory coming against Billericay Town!
CURRENT TOP FOUR v TOP FOUR TABLE
| POS |
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
GF-GA |
GD |
PTS |
PPG |
| 1. |
DORKING WANDERERS |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6-2 |
+4 |
6 |
3.00 |
| 2. |
MAIDSTONE UNITED |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
6-5 |
+1 |
6 |
2.00 |
| 3. |
OXFORD CITY |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4-7 |
-3 |
3 |
1.00 |
| 4. |
EBBSFLEET UNITED |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2-4 |
-2 |
0 |
0.00 |
REMAINING FIXTURES FOR TOP FOUR v TOP FOUR
22/1/22 - DORKING WANDERERS v EBBSFLEET UNITED
25/1/22 - DORKING WANDERERS v OXFORD CITY
25/1/22 - MAISTONE UNITED v EBBSFLEET UNITED
19/2/22 - MAIDSTONE UNITED v OXFORD CITY
26/2/22 - MAIDTONE UNITED v DORKING WANDERERS
12/3/22 - EBBSFLEET UNITED v OXFORD CITY
26/3/22 - EBBSFLEET UNITED v DORKING WANDERERS
ODDS FOR THE TITLE
via William Hill
EBBSFLEET UNITED 3/1
DARTFORD 3/1
DORKING WANDERERS 7/2
MAIDSTONE UNITED 9/2
OXFORD CITY 5/1
DULWICH HAMLET 12/1
The bookmakers still have Dartford as second favourites for the title which on current form isn't quite right in my opinion - As always please gamble responsibly (gamcare.org.uk)
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