Saturday 31st October
Saturday’s Premier Division Fixtures
Beckenham Town v Erith & Belvedere
Chislehurst Glebe v Corinthian
Petts Wood & Holmesdale v Sutton Athletic
Premier Division Preview – Bottom Two Face Off in Crucial Clash
It’s Halloween in the SCEFL Premier Division, and while the FA Vase takes centre stage this weekend, there could be a few frights in store for the six clubs involved in Saturday’s reduced league programme.
Just three fixtures are scheduled, but none carries more significance than the meeting between the division’s bottom two, where Beckenham Town host Erith & Belvedere in a clash neither side can afford to lose.
For both clubs, the opening months of the season have been something of a nightmare.
Beckenham’s return to the SCEFL following relegation from the Isthmian League has certainly not gone to plan. Hopes of an immediate return to Step 4 have quickly faded, with the Becks currently sitting 17th after collecting just eight points from their opening 12 matches.
Eight consecutive league defeats have left supporters searching for some light at the end of the tunnel, while the recent departure of manager Adam Griffin has added to the problems at Eden Park Avenue.
However, if Beckenham’s season has been frightening, things have been even scarier for Saturday’s visitors.
Erith & Belvedere are rooted to the bottom of the table with just three points from 11 games, having suffered ten defeats and conceded a horrifying 39 goals along the way.
Last weekend’s 4-0 home defeat to Faversham Strike Force was the latest setback for the Deres, who desperately need to find a way of stopping the rot.
With five points separating the two clubs, Saturday offers a genuine opportunity for one of them to put their early-season horrors behind them.
A Beckenham victory would open an eight-point gap between the sides, while an Erith & Belvedere win would reduce the difference to just two.
Whatever happens, somebody could be in for a Halloween treat at Eden Park Avenue.
Elsewhere, Chislehurst Glebe welcome Corinthian in a meeting between two sides hoping to avoid another weekend of disappointment.
Glebe sit 13th with 13 points from 11 matches, having suffered a frustrating 3-2 defeat at Larkfield & New Hythe last Saturday.
Despite taking the lead inside the opening minute, Glebe eventually left empty-handed after conceding an 87th-minute winner.
Corinthian arrive just one place and one point behind their hosts, although they have played two fewer matches.
Their most recent outing was one they will be keen to forget, with Phoenix Sports running riot in a 5-1 victory at Gay Dawn Farm.
Both clubs will be hoping for a much happier Halloween afternoon as they attempt to climb towards the middle of the table.
The final fixture sees Petts Wood & Holmesdale entertain Sutton Athletic, with both sides enjoying considerably brighter fortunes than some of their Premier Division rivals.
Petts Wood & Holmesdale have begun to put their early-season difficulties behind them and produced an impressive 3-1 victory over Snodland Town last weekend.
Goals from Armani-Jordan Martin, Omotunmise Akanni and Jesse Rowe secured the points, lifting the Oakley Road side to 11th place with 14 points.
Sutton Athletic, meanwhile, sit eighth with 16 points from ten matches and will be looking to continue their progress up the standings.
With only two points separating the clubs, a home victory would see Petts Wood & Holmesdale leapfrog their visitors, while Sutton have the opportunity to strengthen their position in the top half.
There may be only three Premier Division fixtures this weekend, but there is plenty at stake.
And as Halloween arrives, the biggest question is whether Beckenham Town or Erith & Belvedere can finally lay their early-season ghosts to rest.