All four local Southern League Premier South sides are in league action this weekend.
After two consecutive 1-1 draws to start the new year, Wimborne entertain a Hungerford side who are yet to play a league game in 2026.
Wimborne are winless in their last eight games, picking up only five points out of a possible last twenty four.
This run includes a 2-0 loss to Poole, and most recently a 1-1 draw at home to Basingstoke, following an equaliser from Basingstoke’s Joe Barough.
Hungerford’s form has picked up as of late, with two wins in their last four games has moved them four points above the relegation zone.
Wimborne sit 17th having only won six games this season, however they are looking to leapfrog The Crusaders with a win over them on Saturday, moving them four points clear of the drop.
In October, Hungerford manager Danny Robinson passed the milestone of a thousand games in charge, and has been in charge at Bulpit Lane for over 2000 games.
Hungerford’s last game was a 3-0 loss at home to Berkhamsted on the 27th of December, a long time to wait to try and right the wrongs from that game.
Wimborne can expect The Crusaders to come out ready from the first whistle Saturday afternoon.
Despite struggling recently, Hungerford are the only team to have taken a point off of league leaders Walton & Hersham, after a goalless draw in late November.
Wimborne will be looking for a better result against The Crusaders this time around, after a goalless stalemate on the 8th of November away from home.
The scene is set for a competitive game at the Wyatt Homes Stadium tomorrow, with Wimborne looking to jump to eighth in the table, as they hope to bolster their play off chances.
A trip further down the south coast now as Weymouth host top of the league Walton and Hersham, who are looking to take a 15 point lead over second place Poole Town, and continue their unbeaten record in the league.
Weymouth sit 18th, a point above the relegation zone and have a tough task ahead, facing a Walton and Hersham team that has only lost twice this season, most recently a 2-1 loss to AFC Whyteleafe following a late Jamie Mascoll winner in the cup.
In the reverse fixture, Walton and Hersham won a 4-0 demolition at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports hub, with goals from Joey Jones, Jack Harry Wood, Johl Powell and Dawid Marcin Rogalski, with the league leaders looking for a similar result tomorrow afternoon.
Weymouth will be looking to build on their four points in their last 3 games, with their last win being a 2-1 victory over Dorchester town before the turn of the new year.
Looking to solidify their safety, Weymouth will be hoping for three points to take them above Hungerford, however, this won’t be an easy 90 minutes for the Terras.
After losing 3-1 to Havant and Waterloo on Wednesday, Dorchester look to bounce back against a Chertsey Town side that have won their last two games, including a seven goal thriller against Tiverton Town, with an 83rd minute winner from Daniel Berry off the bench, securing a 4-3 win for the home side.
Dorchester are winless in their last five, and will be looking to change that as they hope to make a second half of the season push to get themselves out of the relegation zone.
As they sit two points adrift from safety, a win tomorrow afternoon for The Magpies would take them a point above the relegation zone, if other results go their way, which they’ll be hoping for.
Dorchester will need their top scorer Tom Smith to start finding the net again, as their striker hasn’t scored since the 26th of November in a 1-1 draw against Taunton Town.
Chertsey Town will be looking to secure a play offs spot, with the side currently level on points with Sholing and Farnham town, who sit two places above them in the table.
Despite the difference in positions in the table, The Magpies will be feeling confident for Saturday Afternoon, as they are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Chertsey, with the most recent encounter being a 0-0 draw in November last year at The Avenue Stadium.
Coming into this one, Poole sit second in the Southern League Premier South and come off the back of a 1-1 draw away at Hanwell Town.
The visitors to Tatnam, Yate Town, were beaten 2-0 by Sholing thanks to former Poole midfielder Jake McCarthy’s brace.
The last time these two sides met was all the way back in November when Yate hosted the Dolphins, in the IZUZU FA Trophy Fourth Qualifying Round.
Goals from Harvey Slade and Antonio Diaz sent Poole through to the first round, despite The Dolphins going a goal behind.
The two sides were set to meet at The Southwest Interiors Stadium earlier this month, but baltic temperatures saw the game being postponed due to a frozen pitch.
One To Watch:
Without a doubt the player to watch in this one, and in the Southern League in general, is Poole’s number nine, Shaquille Gwengwe.
Photograph: Lauren Kelly
Gwengwe has been on superb form since signing from local rivals Dorchester Town in the summer.
The Malawi international is the Southern League Premier South’s top scorer, finding the net 30 times, in 28 appearances this season.
Gwengwe is also in search for back-to-back home league hattricks, scoring three against Plymouth Parkway, in a 7-0 league win, on the opening weekend in January.
The Dolphin’s number nine isn’t the only one looking for more home goals.
Poole’s left midfielder, IK Hill, signed from Winchester City in the summer has popped up with six goals so far this season.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s game, Hill said: “We’ve got to be winning now, we want to get as close to first place as we can.
“As a group, we’re happy as we’re second, but at the end of the day we all want more.
“I want to win the league.”
Yate proved a tough test in the FA Trophy for Poole and Hill is aware of a difficult game ahead.
“You never know what you’re going to get out of them, they work hard, they play some decent football here and there”, the Poole number ten said.
Hill is also hoping to continue his home goalscoring form.
He said: “I’m hoping to start but as long as I’m contributing to the team, scoring goals, that’s all that really matters in the end.
“At this stage of the season it’s all about getting points.”
Despite leaders Walton and Hersham having two games in hand, Poole could close the gap to nine points with a win.
Yate will be focused on pulling away from the relegation zone, and a win could take The Bluebells into 15th, with Yate currently sat 16th.
The Southern League encounter kicks off at 15:00pm, Saturday 17th January, at Poole’s Tatnam ground.
By Harry Castle & Jacob Deighton
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