Whitstable Town FC

A cracking contest to look forward to at Oakwood this weekend as third place Whitstable Town travel to second spot VCD Athletic for only their fourth away match of the current campaign for Town's first visit to the new ground located in Crayford.

Can Town split the difference?

A cracking contest to look forward to at Oakwood this weekend as third place Whitstable Town travel to second spot VCD Athletic for only their fourth away match of the current campaign. This will also be Town's first visit to the new ground located in Crayford, which so far has had mixed fortunes for Vickers. Three wins, a draw and one defeat at their new home, in the Kent Football League. There have also been some good crowds there and Saturday should be no exception, the match being a great draw for the impartial non-league fan as well as Oysterboys and Fordy fanatics. Honours were shared last year with the away side winning in both matches, VCD playing at Harrow Meadow back then. To provide an edge to the game the sides are currently only split by goal difference in the league, by three goals although Town have three games in hand, and nothing less than a win for the Reds will alter that situation on Saturday. Town already have one of the larger and more vocal travelling supports and all are welcome to join in as the twelfth man.

The league leaders, Thamesmead, travel for a difficult match at Hythe Town. Mead have shown a few signs of faltering in cup competitions and Hythe are definitely in the ascendancy and will test their visitor's mettle. Ought to be a tremendous game, Hythe are pushing to break into the top four while Croydon and Greenwich are playing away games, and Mead will want to take advantage of any slip ups in the VCD match. Home advantage should prove decisive.

As briefly mentioned above Greenwich are away from home at Faversham Town and Croydon play at Herne Bay. Another tough game for Faversham who have been dropping down the table, they've had few league matches lately the last being a home defeat to VCD on the 11th. Borough's league fixtures have been equally scarce, they lost at home against Croydon and they appear not to be as strong since the sudden change of management. Both looking to kick start a resurgence, Faversham are probably favourite to do so. Croydon are very much in form and will surely take the points at struggling Bay, who's only outlet appears to be their veteran striker. However, this will be Bay's first league game since beating Beckenham on the 11th, 2-1, and things may have changed but somehow I think the Trams will be the hungrier as they shoot for fourth spot above Greenwich.

Beckenham Town host Sevenoaks Town which marks the halfway point in Beck's season, game 16. With only twenty points they need to show a great improvement for the rest of the season to maintain a top half position. Oaks are still a good bet for a top six finish, but they must take something from games like this. I believe they have a better than even chance of all three points Saturday.   (Match postponed - Peter 1/12/06. See below)

Only eleven games gone but things look bleak for Deal Town (12 pts.) and Erith Town (5 pts.) who play each other at the Erith Sports Stadium. The Dockers haven't won since their first game and Deal haven't won in the league since the middle of September, so something has to give. Deal are the only side below 8th with a positive goal difference and three points could lift them four places to tenth, sufficient motivation on the day I would say.

The KL draw specialists meet each other at the Small Glen where Slade Green welcome near neighbours Erith & Belvedere. Between them they have 11 draws in 24 league games and the neighbourly thing to do would be to share again. Dead cert draw I would say!

Finally for the KL, Lordswood travel to Sporting Bengal United to collect three points and their best winning margin for the season. Bengal are still on target to ship more than 100 goals in a season, yet again, with 47 from twelve games….and counting.

Tunbridge Wells play their Kent Senior Trophy 2nd round tie against Holland & Blair, which they are destined to win (as all their previous cup games) and county sides Crockenhill host Bearsted (KO 1.45) in the same round.

Late News: Beckenham are now playing at home against Milton Athletic in the KST 2nd round, kick off at 1.30p.m. Unfortunately this means Sevenoaks now have no game this weekend.

For Belmont Road afficianados, and residents of Windsor House, the WTFC Reserves play Erith & Belvedere in the 2nd round of the 1st/2nd Division Cup.

Wherever you watch your football, enjoy it to the full!