HORNCHURCH v CANVEY ISLAND - Saturday 23rd December
The Christmas and New Year period is always a fantastic time for non-league football with lots of local derby games and big crowds attending games. There is a full fixture list across all Pitching-In Isthmian League Divisions and the big news recently has been Hornchurch finally losing a game when they went down 2-0 at Chatham Town in front of 1,568 fans on Saturday 16th December. They play Canvey Island this Saturday and don't have a game on Boxing Day.
The Islanders are on a run of bad form losing three league games in a row which included a 1-4 home defeat against Potters Bar Town last weekend. This is the first time they have conceded 4 goals at home in a league game since April 2022 when Maldon & Tiptree won 1-4 - They did follow this up with a 13-0 home win against Romford so The Urchins beware!!
BOGNOR REGIS TOWN v HORSHAM
Both teams are in West Sussex but with a 30 mile trip through the wonderful South Downs National Park some may argue this isn't a proper local derby? The Rocks are down in 14th position but have only lost five games which is the same as current second placed Chatham Town. They have drawn 8 games - Manager..... they can start winning games instead of them ending all square they will start moving up towards the play-off zone.
Emirates FA Cup heroes Horsham are placed just outside the top five and have a very good squad of players. The fact striker Jack Mazzone has been used mostly as a substitute
The Hornets will be favourites for this game but it could end all square?
CHESHUNT v ENFIELD TOWN
There are just four miles between Enfield Town and Cheshunt making what some fans call the 'A10 EL CLASSICO' a real local derby. The Ambers spent last season in the Vanarama South Division but are back in the Isthmian Premier after relegation. The game at Theobalds Lane in the 21/22 season ended 2-1 to Cheshunt with a crowd of 966 watching. Mo Camara (now with Herne Bay) and Rowan Liburd (now with Sevenoaks Town) scored for Craig Edwards side with Sam Youngs scoring for The Town.
There was no game played in the 20/21 season so you have to go back to the 19/20 season when The Ambers lost 2-3 on Saturday 18th January 2020 in front of 556. Youngs was on the scoresheet for The Town along with Billy Bricknell who netted twice.
Town are having a brilliant season under the management of Gavin MacPherson with The Ambers currently fourth from bottom with Craig Edwards not having a real settled starting XI with 41 players being used in league and cup games compared to Town's 30 players.
They will most probably have recent signing Antonis Vasiliou in their team. The former Barnet attacking midfielder has scored 4 goals since signing from Margate in October. He scored 2 goals for Wingate & Finchley in their 4-1 win over Enfield Town in February 2022.
With lots of local interest in this game , a 1pm KO and both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur not in action could there be a four figure crowd in attendance?
CONCORD RANGERS v BILLERICAY TOWN
Just a few seasons ago this all Essex game was a Step Two game. In the 21/22 Vanarama South season The Beachboys won 1-3 at New Lodge on Boxing Day with 744 watching followed by a 0-0 draw on Canvey Island on Sunday 2nd January in front of 763 people.
The Blues, in the play off places, will be heavy favourites for this game. Gary McCann's side lost 1-4 to Vanarama National League side Wealdstone in the Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round in midweek.
Ranger's boss Sammy Collins will be encouraged that they are unbeaten in their last two home league games which ended 1-1 versus Horsham and 4-1 against Lewes. Harrison Day scored a hat-trick against The Rooks with former Braintree Town and Sittingbourne midfielder Simo Mbonkwi and Duane Acheampong who has played for Woking and Hungerford Town previously. Both are recent signings for The Beachboys.
CRAY WANDERERS v MARGATE
After their play-off place last season many fans expected The Wands to be much higher up the league placings that their current lowly 18th place. What could be promising is that despite their position they are only 7 below their points total after 18 games last season so if they put together a few wins in a row you just never know?
What has been good news for Cray Wanderers in the developments at their new Flamingo Park ground are well underway with a pitch and floodlights in place. This is great news for London football as The Wands have been without a home ground since they moved out of Oxford Road in 1998.
The Gate, under the new management of Mark Stimson, are in 16th place - A win for Cray will move them above their Kent rivals.
There has been some player movement since the former Grays Athletic, Hornchurch and Stevenage boss arrived at Hartsdown Park. Ellis Ashworth has signed from North Division side Basildon United. He can play in defence or midfield and counts Royston Town, Harlow Town, East Thurrock United and Royston Town as former clubs.
Defender Harrison Hatfull who recently played his 100th game for The Gate has departed to join league rival's Dulwich Hamlet.
CRAY FORM COMPARISION - THIS SEASON TO LAST SEASON
| SEASON | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22/23 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 28 | 21 | +7 | 26 | 9/22 |
| 23/24 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 30 | -6 | 19 | 18/22 |
DULWICH HAMLET v CARSHALTON ATHLETIC
Defeat at Enfield Town last weekend ended an unbeaten run of ten league games for Dulwich Hamlet. They had been 0-2 up with 25 minutes to go but ended up losing 3-2. Defender Josh Okpolokpo was sent off on 54 minutes for a second bookable offence with Manager Hakan Hayrettin getting a straight red card at the end of the game after crossing the pitch and talking to the officials.
The Robins have won their last two games which ended a run of five defeats in a row.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA v HASTINGS UNITED
Two South Coast sides who have had a change in management clash at Cheriton Road. Hastings United parted company with Paul Barnes who had only joined in the summer and Chris Agutter rejoined the club in October. Since his arrival they have been in good form winning five, drawing one and losing two of their eight games played as well as advancing in the Velocity Cup beating Chichester City and Folkestone Invicta. The 0-2 victory at Folkestone was seen by 292 people - there is certain to be a much bigger crowd on Boxing Day.
Invicta now have former Margate and Whitstable Town boss Andy Drury in charge after the departure of Michael Everitt and Roland Edge in November. He has been busy signing players with striker Tom Derry (from Bishop's Stortford), attacking midfielder Joe Boachie (from Royston Town), midfelder Seidou Sanogo (from Chatham Town), left-back Chris Sessegnon (started the season with Horsham and just had a short spell with Chipstead) and forward Ruben Soares-Junior (started the season with Tonbridge Angels before moving to Grays Athletic) all joining the club.
HARINGEY BOROUGH v HASHTAG UNITED
Many fans think The North London side have a good quality squad which shouldn't be in the relegation zone where they currently find themselves. They have proved this when they recently came back from 3-0 down at Cray Wanderers to rescue a point and did even better at Billericay Town winning 1-2. Could this be a chance of their first home win of the season?
The Tags have had an impressive debut season at Step Three and go into this game in good form having knocked out Braintree Town in the Essex Senior Cup and won 0-1 at Cray Wanderers followed by a 7-2 home win over Brightlingsea Regent in the Velocity Trophy on Monday night. Luke Parrott, a recent signing from Essex Senior League side Woodford Town, scored a hat-trick in the win over Regent.
KINGSTONIAN v CHATHAM TOWN
There is currently a seven point gap for The K's to overcome if they want to get out of the relegation zone. The K's have three wins at home so far which came against Canvey Island, Cray Wanderers and Folkestone Invicta. The Chats, in second place, will be in a confident mood having been the first team to beat Hornchurch last weekend.
POTTERS BAR TOWN v WINGATE & FINCHLEY
A local derby as Wingate & Finchley make the short 8 mile trip from North London to Hertfordshire. The visitors have surprised many fans with their results this season and are currently in the lofty heights of fourth position in the table. The Scholars, , are unbeaten in four league games of which they have won three against Whitehawk, Kingstonian and Canvey Island. Former Concord Rangers striker Temi Babalola would of enjoyed the 1-4 victory at Canvey Island as he scored twice - He has been in good form scoring four goals in as many games.
These are two of the teams in the Division who don't attract large attendances - Last season's game between the two were seen by 238 and 224. Let's hope a few more fans attend on Boxing Day!
WHITEHAWK v LEWES
Another local derby as just nine miles sperate The Dripping Pan in Lewes and The Enclosed Ground in Brighton. This will be the first league meeting between The Rooks and The Hawks since the 18/19 Isthmian Premier Division season.
Lewes won 0-1 at Whitehawk in front of 612 people with Jonte Smith (last playing for Ballymena United in Northern Ireland) scoring the winning goal via the penalty spot. 881 saw Whitehawk win 1-3 at The Dripping Pan with Duane Acheampong (now Concord Rangers), Ky Marsh Brown and Henry Muggeridge scoring for the visitors and Ben Pope scoring for Lewes.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
FRIDAY 29th DECEMBER
Cheshunt v Margate
Cray Wanderers v Enfield Town
Hornchurch v Lewes
SATURDAY 30th DECEMBER
Bognor Regis Town v Canvey Island Concord Rangers v Hastings United
Dulwich Hamlet v Horsham
Folkestone Invicta v Hashtag United
Haringey Borough v Carshalton Athletic
Kingstonian v Wingate & Finchley
Whitehawk v Billericay Town
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