It’s another busy weekend of local football. MIKE BACON and CARL MARSTON give their thoughts and predictions
FA CUP
Fourth qualifying round
Leiston v Barnet.
Well, Leiston have had a superb run to get this far and this will be an acid test. National League Barnet will be hot favourites to down the Blues, but then again so were Step 2 Telford in the last round and Leiston won on penalties. The drama and excitement of the FA Cup could all be at Victory Road this weekend.
MIKE: 0-2, CARL: 1-3
Banbury v Bury Town
A real free hit this for Bury Town and one they are quite capable of pulling off. Banbury had endured a mixed start to life in the Southern League Central Premier Division and play a step above Ben Chenery’s team. But Bury are in generally good form.
MIKE: 1-2, CARL: 0-1
SOUTHERN LEAGUE
Central Premier Division
Alvechurch v Needham Market
Just one defeat all season - and that in the FA Cup - new Suffolk Premier Cup champions, Needham Market, will travel to Worcestershire in buoyant mood. And why not? Alvechurch have only won one of four home games this season in all competitions - Needham will expect a point at the very least.
MIKE: 0-1, CARL: 2-2
Lowestoft v Stratford
Three defeats from the last four games, visitors Stratford don’t do draws. Unlike the homesters, who are becoming to drawing games in the league. The Trawlerboys lost in the Suffolk Premier Cup this week to Needham, but will take confidence from having beaten Kevin Horlock’s team on the night - even if they did lose on aggregate.
MIKE: 2-2, CARL: 2-1
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE
North
AFC Sudbury v Brentwood
Isthmian North has a frightfully tight look to it with just four point separating Histon in fourth and Witham at the bottom! So a win - any win - will shoot you up the table and for Sudbury they will see this as a golden opportunity to pick up a victory. Former Leiston coach Tony Kinsella has joined Mark Morsley on the first-team coaching staff this week. MIKE: 2-0, CARL: 2-2
Felixstowe & Walton v Hullbridge
A great FA Trophy result for the Seasiders last week will be just what Stuart Boardley will have been looking for. Now can they bring that confident performance into their league form. Hullbridge have already won two on the road and will be no pushovers.
MIKE: 2-2, CARL: 2-1
THURLOW NUNN
Premier Division
Hadleigh v Norwich United.
Table-topping Norwich United come to Millfield on the back of comeback victories over Mildenhall and Swaffham. However, Christian Appleford’s team have steadied the ship of late and are back to being hard to beat. Could this be the first league defeat of the season for the Norfolk side? MIKE: 2-1, CARL: 1-2
Mildenhall Town v Stowmarket
Should be a good one this. The home side have scored 13 goals in their last four games, while Stowmarket have 15 from their last four. Stow haven’t really got into a rhythm of games yet due to call-offs, while Recreation Way is never an easy place for visiting teams.
MIKE: 2-3, CARL: 2-2
Whitton v Walsham
It’s four games without a win now for Whitton and they were knocked out of the Vase last weekend by White Ensign. They’ve been conceding too many goals of late as well. Meanwhile Walsham continue a rather mixed bag of results, but are already in far better shape than this time last season.
MIKE: 1-1, CARL: 2-3
Woodbridge v Kirkley & Pakefield.
What an odd start to the season for the ‘Peckers, who are still looking for their first win of the season, eight games in. They missed a late penalty at Brantham in midweek which might have picked that win up, but the table doesn’t make pretty reading. Kirkley on the other hand have made a good start to the season and sit third.
MIKE: 2-1, CARL: 1-3
OTHER FIXTURES: Ely v Haverhill, Godmanchester v Brantham, Stanway v Gorleston, Swaffham v Newmarket, Thetford v Long Melford.
First Division North
Ipswich Wanderers v Wisbech St Mary
Free scoring Wanderers against leaking goals Wisbech, it would be a frightful shock if the Humber Doucy Lane didn’t pick up all three points in this clash.
MIKE: 4-0, CARL: 3-0
Debenham v Mulbarton
Big game at the Leisure Centre this, with Mulbarton pushing for a top-four place, while Debenham, who have had some tough fixtures to start the season, will hope to begin a climb out of the bottom six.
MIKE: 1-3, CARL: 1-2
OTHER FIXTURES: Cornard v Downham, Diss v March, Framlingham v Norwich CBS, Haverhill Borough v Fakenham, King’s Lynn REs v Sheringham, Needham Res v Lakenheath.
SUFFOLK & IPSWICH LEAGUE
Senior Division
Bildeston v Old Newton
After a slippery start to life in the Senior Division, Bildeston are at last finding their feet. A superb win over Champions Cranes last week will have boosted them, while Old Newton are also going well, although they will be frustrated a last-minute equaliser at Claydon last weekend cost them two points.
MIKE: 2-4, CARL: 2-2
OTHER FIXTURES: Bourne Vale v Benhall, Capel Plough v Leiston St Margarets, Cranes v Achilles, East Bergholt v Cops, Trimley Red Devils v Haughley, Westerfield v Claydon.
LAST week, there were no predictions from Mike last week as he was away and Carl got all his wrong! So, the current score stands at Mike 37, Carl 29... 1 point for a correct result, 3 for a correct scoreline.
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