Whitstable Town FC

The league leaders pay a visit to Slade Green. Unbeaten in in their last nine away games Maidstone have took maximum points from the last five. By contrast Green have lost the last two at home. The Stones do have a tough league schedule ahead, at VCD on Thursday week and home at Bourne Park against Whitstable Town the following Saturday, and so may consider rotating their squad, perhaps a glimmer of hope for their opposition? Whatever, Green will need to keep at it 'til the end of injury time to get anything from this game, the lads in orange have this habit of stealing a result at the death. Slade Green are good enough but will they have the belief? A tight game but three points Maidstone.

Beckenham Town also face stiff opposition at home against a renascent Tunbridge Wells side, who are unbeaten in their last four away matches, three of them wins. Stuttering to a goalless draw against Sporting last week was not the ideal preparation mind you, but this is probably the best time this season to face a Beckenham side that are currently blowing hot and cold. I predict a win by the odd goal in five??which way? I'm not sure ; )

Three important fixtures with repercussions for Whitstable are Greenwich Borough versus Deal Town, Hythe Town v Erith & Belvedere and Thamesmead Town against Sporting Bengal United. In league order?.

I think the Deres will struggle at Hythe Town who rediscovered the winning feeling at Erith last week. The Reds have no problems scoring goals but have found it hard to minimise the damage at the other end while E&B have been winning games with a solitary goal against somewhat weaker opposition of late. I'll give Deres a goal but I think Hythe will score two.

Watertight Thamesmead have won the last three league games to nil with eight scored in their favour. Not a promising prospect for Bengal who carry on defying all punditry. Depending which side shows up they will lose by a narrow margin or a bucketful, but lose they surely will.

Top three contenders Deal Town carry their eight game unbeaten run to Harrow Meadow and are likely to come away nine unbeaten. Still with games in hand Deal are spilling points in the chase with only two from the last six safely pocketed. Boro' aren't the mugs they were earlier in the year and I think might prise another couple from within their opponents grasp. One goal each, Utterson for Deal.

Herne Bay and Sevenoaks don't play until Tuesday evening when they are both at home against Tunbridge Wells and Beckenham Town respectively. Also that night Hythe Town entertain deal Town in an east coast derby. The crystal ball says Deal Town will complete the double over their near neighbours as I suspect all the points will fall to the three away sides.

VCD Athletic return to earth after a great run in the FA vase with a tough PDC quarter final at Lordswood. Vickers have been struggling in recent KL fixtures and will do well to pull out a result in this competition, I think home advantage will help Lordswood through to the semis.

Just one fixture for the Ressies this week as they play a KOFL division one game at Erith Town on Saturday afternoon.

Peter Albin. 14th February