AVELEY FC will be looking to bounce back from last week's 6-1 home drubbing by table-toppers Bognor Regis with an Isthmian Premier trip to Wingate and Finchley today (Saturday, 27 March).

The hosts are winless in the league, having garnered just two draws from their three matches.

Their season started with a 1-1  home draw against Lewes, followed by a 2-2 result at Kingstonian.

Last weekend's trip to Folkestone Invicta ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Whatever today's outcome, Millers will quickly be back in actions with a Bank Holiday fixture against Corinthian Casuals on Monday (3pm).

There are home matches for two sides in the Isthmian North.

Tilbury, with four points from their two league matches to date, will play host to winless Coggeshall Town, who opened their season with a goalless home draws against Grays Athletic, then lost 2-0 at Heybridge Swifts.

Grays, who enjoyed an FA Cup replay win against Stotfold in midweek, are also at home today, with a derby against Brentwood Town at Parkside. Brentwood were a side fancied by many to do well but their return from two matches is a point from an opening day 1-1 draw with Felixstowe.

David Knight

Much-travelled striker David Knight, who started last season with Grays and netted 15 times for the Blues, is likely to be in the Brentwood line-up.  

The prolific striker has been a regular goal scorer during his career and was the Golden Boot winner in the Non League National Game Awards for the 2018-19 season, after he bagged 43 goals for Bowers & Pitsea to help them achieve promotion to the Premier Division of the Isthmian League.

Knight numbers Aveley, East Thurrock United, Tilbury, Cheshunt, Hornchurch, Canvey Island, Wingate & Finchley, Eastbourne Borough and Thurrock among his previous clubs.

On Monday Grays will travel to Witham Town (3pm).

East Thurrock United make the trip to Heybridge Swifts today, buoyed by last week's FA Cup success against FC Clacton.

The Rocks have yet to muster a point in the league, suffering defeats at the hands of AFC Sudbury and Hashtag United, though it would be fair to say they did not get the rub of the green in either match.

As often happens in football, Lady Luck  turned in their favour when they got a highly controversial penalty winner against Clacton in the cup and Rocks fans will be hoping to have her on their side again today against another highly fancied side who have an unbeaten record with a win against Coggeshall and a draw with Barking to their name to date.

John Coventry.

On Monday East Thurrock will be at home against Tilbury, a match that sees the first return to Rookery Hill of John Coventry, who managed the Rocks for more than a decade of almost continued success that saw them reach the National League South and the FA Cup first round twice. The derby kicks off at 3pm.