In a new weekly series on Kent Sports News, we take a look at the major talking points of the week in addition to looking forward towards the weekend’s fixtures.
Maidstone are the counties’ only National League team to travel away from home this weekend. Looking to build on last weekend’s home win against Torquay, they travel to Solihull Moors. Jay Saunders’ side will be looking for revenge after their 4-2 loss to Solihull at the Gallagher Stadium earlier in the season.
Within the county, Dover host Chester as they look to return to winning ways. Having not won since New Year’s Day, the whites will look to recapture their early season form which made them playoff contenders.
Elsewhere, mid table Bromley will welcome Southport to Hayes Lane on Saturday. You can read a full preview of that matchup here.
The must watch game in the National League South this weekend comes from Poole where Ebbsfleet, who are now 5 points from the top spot after last weekend’s win, face playoff chasing Poole Town.
Four Kent sides in the second tier of non-league play away from home on Saturday with Welling facing Oxford City, which you can read a full preview of here.
Elsewhere, Dartford travel to Wealdstone and relegation threatened Margate play make the long trip to Bath.
In the later stages of the FA Vase, Crowborough host Coleshill town. The round of 16 game will be one of Kent Sport News’ featured matches tomorrow as the Crows look to get one step closer to a Wembley final.
After their Ryman Premier League match was called off in midweek, Tonbridge Angels will welcome Lowestoft Town. The postponed fixture allows Steve McKimm’s team to come into the weekend with extra time to deal with niggling injuries as they look for a repeat result of 2011 when the Angles beat Lowestoft to send them into the National League South for the first time.
Folkestone Invicta, back in the Ryman Premier division for the first time since 2010-2011 will face a tough test as they welcome Havant and Waterlooville to the Fullicks stadium. Invicta may struggle for attacking options with Both Ian Draycott and Ronnie Dolan unavailable.
In another one of KSN’s featured games this weekend, Thamesmead will welcome struggling Ware FC to Bayliss avenue without some big names. Both Lewis Knight and Scott Kinch are suspended for Saturday’s fixture when the mid table Mead look to rise up the rankings.
In the same division VCD host AFC Hornchurch and Phoenix Sports make the trip to north London to face Haringey Borough.
In the Southern division, Herne Bay make the short trip along the north Kent coast to play Cray Wanderers on Sunday. Bay will have gone 12 days without a game when they play at Hayes Lane thanks to their last two league matches being postponed, something which mamager Sam Denley has been “frustrated” by. “I had expected to get points in both fixtures which would have built on our resurgence” he explained. As a result of the game being played on a Sunday- the first game of its kind for Herne Bay in the Ryman League- they’ll be without striker Mark Lovell.
In another of our featured games this weekend, Sittingbourne travel to Walton Casuals with other matches in the Ryman South including Hastings United vs Hythe, Ramsgate vs Chatham and Three Bridges vs Faversham. The lilywhites have recently signed former Folkestone striker Carl Rook who is expected to go straight into the team when they travel to West Sussex.