RIDGEONS PREMIER DIVISION PREVIEW SATURDAY 7th JANUARY 2012

welshwatcher Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:17 pm

ELY CITY V WALSHAM Le WILLOWS
Leading up to The Christmas - New Year games this would have been a nailed on home banker with Ely having lost just once in 19 league games while The Willows had struggled all season to find a winning formula. The visitors had been playing decent football with little reward, so to beat the league’s top two in consecutive games has certainly shaken up the form table. They still face a big ask going into the game with The Robins currently third in the table but who would now bet against them making in a 1, 2, 3 in consecutive games.

FC CLACTON V DEREHAM TOWN
The home side couldn’t follow up an excellent point against the second placed side in their New Year fixture as they were beaten heavily by Stanway but they will feel they have a good opportunity here against a side that will be looking to put the last couple of months behind them. From being title contenders at the end of October they are now mid table following four defeats in their last six games although they did collect maximum points on Monday. Six points separate the two but FCC have three games in hand so this is a big game for both clubs.

FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED V BRANTHAM ATHLETIC
The Seasiders lost by a single goal on Monday to halt a six match unbeaten run while the visitors had a miserable festive period with defeats against two sides battling in the relegation area of the table. Both will be looking to get back on track here with Brantham’s away form far more impressive than The Seasiders home form. On the plus side the home team have conceded four times in the last six games while Brantham have conceded 13 but the visitors have the fire power to win any game and it would be unlikely they will go three games with finding the net.

GREAT YARMOUTH TOWN V WIVENHOE TOWN
The Bloaters battle continues both on and off the pitch with the ‘Save The Bloaters’ campaign building daily and what’s to say they can’t pull off a result here. The Dragons of course will have a big say having beaten Brantham on their travels last time out. Victory for the visitors could see them out of the relegation zone depending on what happens at The Unwin Ground while the home side have a mountain to climb if they are to catch those above them, but with nothing to lose and playing for pride anything can happen.

KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD V WISBECH TOWN
Royal’s manager Paul Tong will have a smile on his face following his festive success as his side stretched their unbeaten sequence to five games and climbed one place in the table although his success will be tinged with regret that his two wins came over his former club as they struggle to survive. The Fenmen arrive having picked up just three points from nine but the two defeats were against two of the top three sides. Both will fancy taking maximum points from this encounter with the visitor’s away form suggesting they are the more likely of the two to achieve that.

MILDENHALL TOWN V CRC
Three points and three places separate these two in the table with CRC having the advantage plus a game in hand. Neither has fulfilled the potential many thought they had at the beginning of the season but both are capable of beating any side in the league on their day. Although both have had one this season, the most unlikely result is a no score draw, between them they have scored 110 and conceded 88 goals so just two goals will bring up a double century between. Who will get them is anybody’s guess but both will fancy a positive result from the game.

NORWICH UNITED V HADLEIGH UNITED
Not a great Christmas & New Year for the home side, losing and drawing in fairly local derbies while their visitors picked up six points from their two games. Hadleigh have lost just twice in their last eight although their form has been somewhat erratic while the Planters had gone six unbeaten before the New Year defeat at Dereham. Their last home defeat was in October against Wisbech and they are never easy opposition for any side but their visitors have won five times on the road to date although conversely they have lost the same amount as have the Planters at home.

STANWAY ROVERS V HAVERHILL ROVERS
Stanway have a decent home record, Haverhill a poor away one but the home side after an excellent run have won just twice in the last eight games. Haverhill won for the first time in five games on Monday, a high scoring affair against CRC when they won 5-3 at The New Croft so that will be a big confidence boost for them. The visitor’s loss column is in double figures and while safe at present they cannot afford too many more reversals for fear of being dragged into the struggle at the bottom of the table.