Saturday September 27
FIRST DIVISION
Banstead Athletic v FC Elmstead
Lewisham Borough v Lordswood
Rochester United v Chessington & Hook
SC Thamesmead v Croydon
Tooting Bec v Staplehurst Monarchs
Welling Town v Sheppey Sports
The First Division enters another pivotal weekend, with the table beginning to settle and clubs eager to build momentum as October looms.
Rochester United remain unstoppable – ten wins from ten in all competitions and a staggering +23 goal difference underline their status as the league’s benchmark, even if they don’t yet top the standings. For bottom side Chessington & Hook, still searching for a first victory, this is as tough a challenge as they could face.
Banstead Athletic have endured a sluggish start, rooted in the lower reaches of the table, but a home clash offers a chance to reset. FC Elmstead sit comfortably in mid-table, showing steady form, and if they can add a clinical edge in front of goal, they’ll fancy taking all three points back with them.
Lewisham Borough’s struggles continue, and lifting themselves out of trouble won’t get any easier against high-flying Lordswood. Sitting in the play-off spots and unbeaten on their travels, the visitors will be eager to respond after a bruising midweek defeat and are strong favourites to pile further pressure on Borough.
SC Thamesmead are still chasing a first home win of the campaign, and they’ll see this as a real chance to push into the top half. Croydon, however, have eyes on the play-offs, and victory here would put them right on the heels of the early contenders.
Two evenly matched sides meet in south London, with Tooting Bec currently clinging to a top-six spot and Staplehurst Monarchs just one place behind. With play-off ambitions clear on both sides, this could be one of the weekend’s most fiercely contested battles.
This fixture carries extra weight at the foot of the table, with both sides sitting uncomfortably close to the drop zone. Goals have been hard to come by for each, but with defensive records also shaky, both Welling Town and Sheppey Sports will view this as a must-take opportunity to improve not just their points tally but their goal difference too.