A NEW Year's Day derby at Chadfields tops the local interest tomorrow for the borough's non-League clubs when high-flying Isthmian North Aveley make the short journey to Tilbury.

The Millers go into the match buoyed by being third in the table and having just beaten Grays Athletic in the first of their festive derbies. Aveley are on a run of three successive wins under new manager Danny Scopes and should be brimming with confidence but no doubt Tilbury boss Keith Rowland, who was recently ditched by Aveley, will be determined to get one over his former club.

His first task will be to raise moral after Monday's chastening 5-1 hammering at Canvey Island and then set about plotting a defence against an Aveley attack that has netted 18 goals in its last six fixtures.

Fifth-placed Grays will also need to bounce back after that defeat Monday but will have to be at their best to beat Canvey who travel to Parkside placed second in the table.

East Thurrock United will be at home in the Isthmian Premier in a match between two of the division's strugglers.

As the crow flies there's about 20 miles between the two clubs but it can hardly be classed as a festive derby between the Essex and South London sides but there is nevertheless a lot at stake.

Groundless Cray Wanderers, who play their home matches at Bromley, are second from bottom, a place and two points behind East Thurrock but they have two matches in hand. The bottom two in the division will automatically be relegated so tomorrow's match is crucial to both clubs' hopes of survival in the higher level.

All tomorrow's matches kick off at 3pm.

advertisement