Saturday Preview: National League South

Two of the pre-season title favourites come together at Melbourne as Chelmsford City and Dartford look for three points to really get their championship chase back under way.

Both clubs await the FA Cup first round with excitement but Rod Stringer and Tony Burman know the importance of a league victory on Saturday.

Dartford are fourth while Chelmsford are a place lower having. Following a September to forget the league, October has begun brighter for the Clarets and their manager Stringer wants to make the most of home advantage.

As does Bath City manager Jerry Gill, and the Romans have told fans they can pay what they want to see them take on leaders Braintree Town at Twerton Park.

St Albans City’s last home game - against Bath - drew a crowd of over 1,500 on Non-League day.

Ian Allinson needs the fans to keep turning out as the Saints, joint leaders of course. look to go top when the welcome Hungerford Town to Clarence Park.

Truro City know their title resolve will be tested for sure on Saturday afternoon.

The White Tigers go to Wealdstone, who are solid at home lately but know they need to start winning more games if they are to get into the play-offs.

Oxford City are looking to climb out of the bottom three and face a Hemel Hempstead Town side who have eyes on the other end.

Whitehawk just need a win and Steve King’s much changed charges hope the day will finally arrive on Saturday - Hampton & Richmond Borough come to the Enclosed Ground having just been dumped out of the FA Cup by Truro.... and missing a big first round trip to Charlton Athletic.

From struggling to superb, Welling United are all of a sudden one of the division’s form teams.

They will put that to the test with a long trip to Gloucester City, while Bognor Regis Town take on Chippenham hoping to put distance between themselves and the bottom three.

East Thurrock need to forget about their 3-0 FA Cup defeat at Ebbsfleet and get back on track in the Vanarama National League South according to their manager John Coventry.

If they can do that and win at Eastbourne Borough their tails will again be up, while Havant’s less than convincing home form needs to be put right when they welcome Poole Town along the south coast.

Heartbroken Concord Rangers manager Adam Flanagan maintains he has full faith in his players after the pain of an extra time defeat to Woking on Tuesday.

They can ease that agony with an important victory at home to Weston-super-Mare - the Seagulls sitting just outside the bottom three can be sucked right into trouble unless they perform to their maximum in Essex this weekend.

PHOTO BY ED BOYDEN