The top two in the SCEFL Premier finally meet this weekend as leaders Glebe travel to the Charles Ground to face Deal Town. 

Glebe go into the game having stuttered in the last week when they were grateful to Ali Fofnah’s last minute penalty to salvage a point against bottom side Welling Town after Sam Bailey’s first half goal looked to have won the game for Town who despite the point remain rooted to the bottom. The leaders followed that up with three very fortunate points at Lordswood in midweek where Anthony Adesite scored the only goal. The three points mean that Glebe head for the coast six points better off than Deal at the top with the home side having seven games in hand. 

For Deal, manager Steve King must be delighted with the way his squad has rallied since their Isuzu FA Vase exit with more points to keep the pressure on Glebe. But they too left it late at the weekend as they too needed a late Jack Penny spot-kick to edge past Sutton Athletic – Daniel Emmanuel equalising Aaron Millbank’s opener for Deal. Tuesday was much more straight forward back at the Charles Ground as goals from Millbank again, Wes Hennessey and Rory Smith saw off Fisher to set up the titanic weekend head-to-head. 

Corinthian and Faversham Town both lost ground on the top two with midweek draws. Corinthian dropped to third as Deal went above them on goal difference with their win. Corinthian had to come from behind against Sutton as Marcel Brown put Athletic in front on Tuesday – Conor Driscoll levelled for the home side – after early and late goals from Steve Ratcliff and Paul Vines saw Punjab stay in contention with a 2-0 win – more on that in a moment. 

Faversham Town missed out in midweek on the chance to close the gap after they were held to a goal-less draw at Holmesdale, after they edged the game of the weekend as they came from behind to win 3-2 at Erith with Jake McIntyre netting the last minute winner. Billy Bennett gave Faversham the half time lead before James Dyer levelled in the first minute of the second half. Billy Bingham restored the visitors lead only for Harry Taylor to level again almost immediately before McIntyre’s late late show. 

The race for the final Play Off place is building to an extraordinary finale. Erith stay fifth after Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Tunbridge Wells – George Goodwin and James Dyer with first half goals – with 59 points from 31 games, but Bearsted and Whitstable both missed out on closing the gap by weekend draws with Holmesdale and Tunbridge Wells. Whitstable did though win 3-0 at Welling in midweek to draw level with the Bears who drew at Kennington on Tuesday. 

The real wild cards in this hunt now are Snodland and Punjab who meet at the GI Landscapes Stadium on Wednesday night. Snodland will go into that game knowing that a win will take them within two points of Erith after they won 2-0 at Rusthall on Saturday. Punjab meanwhile have three games in hand and are eight points behind the Dockers after they got the better of Corinthian at the weekend. 

Yet another late weekend goal left Lydd in contention albeit that they are now six points off the top five as Rory Smith netting late on to beat Stansfeld 3-2. Luke Burdon’s brace were levelled off by Tommy Whitnell and Sam Jeal before Smith’s late strike keeps their hopes alive. 

Apart from the big game at the top this weekend, elsewhere Erith host Whitstable whilst Bearsted, Snodland and Punjab are all at home as the chase for the Play Offs takes more twists and turns.