Come with fly us tonight when Crawley Down Gatwick touch down at Champion Hill for a major matchup in the battle to escape the Isthmian South.

Having hitting the front of the field in the early days of the campaign the Anvils have hit a sticky patch slipping off the pace as victories have proved harder to come by of late. In the last few months Crawley Down have tumbled from their lofty perch back into the pack currently sitting in seventh spot. Yet having failed to post back to back wins since the turn of the year when the struggling trio of near neighbours Three Bridges, Horsham and the sorry swans of Walton & Hersham were their victims such is the nature of this curious season that even after their fluctuating run of form the Anvils still have kept touch with the playoffs.

It is far cry from the debut days in the Isthmian League last season when they suffered courageous trouncing after courageous trouncing before experience and investment arrived in the shape of former Horsham FC supremo, John Maggs. An éminence grise in that first season, Maggs moved into the Haven hot seat in the summer after Darren Guirney stepped aside, his touch clear in a side bristling with experience that announced its intentions on opening week with a 4-2 win away to Merstham quickly following by a 5-0 demolition of Burgess Hill. Though dumped out of the FA Cup at the first stage at home to Tooting, they made it three from three in the league as an out of sorts Dulwich Hamlet side rolled over. That 3-1 Bank Holiday Monday defeat must still rankle with the Dulwich management and Gavin Rose will be sure to remind his players that a similar capitulation will not be tolerated.

The Anvils continued to keep up the pace, a surprise to some perhaps, until finally suffering their first league defeat in early October at the hands of Walton & Hersham at Stompond Lane. Chipstead suffered in the rebound thrashed 5-1 at the High Road but the wheels were starting to fall off the wagon. Already out of the FA Trophy at the hands of local rivals Three Bridges, hopes of silverware in the cups ended as Worthing dumped them out of the League Cup and Eastbourne Town avenged league defeat by ending the Anvils’ interest in Sussex County FA Senior Challenge Cup at the end of November. Of late the side have avoided defeat though a home draw with Whitstable gave them little to crow about whilst many observers felt they were fortunate to snatch a point from a 2-2 draw at Worthing after twice throwing away the lead.

The aforementioned trio of New Year victories sparked a new hope amongst the Anvils faithful, a torch they carried in the cauldron of Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium and one that remained undimmed after a battling 2-2 draw gave them a share of the points putting a dent in their hosts title ambitions at the same time. A trip to resurgent Folkestone Invicta, winning with kids, proved pointless whilst a day out in Whitstable proved frustrating as the Oystermen failed to crack, the Anvils having to settle for a point after a drab stalemate. A single goal win over Worthing was countered by a similar narrow defeat to the Corinthian-Casuals. Chipstead were narrowly beaten in a five-goal thriller, Sittingbourne held on the road as the goals flew again, 2-2 the final there, before a comprehensive 3-0 win away to a Burgess Hill Town. However in last couple of games they have slipped further off the pace, surprising beaten at home by a resurgent Merstham before a shock defeat on the road at Herne Bay where despite seeing a penalty saved for the second game in succession the Anvils fought back from a 3-0 deficit to level. However mere moments after Luke Blewden had made it three-all, the Anvils were undone as veteran sharpshooter Byron Walker struck the winner two minutes from time.

Key players to watch for will include the aforementioned Blewden, the former Tonbridge Angels hit man who bagged a hat trick against Chipstead amongst his double figure tally this term whilst Jamie Cade has also found himself in the goals. Cade, a former Middlesbrough trainee who once had Bryan Robson following him, represented England at Youth level but found frustration at every turn as his career failed to take off after that early promise. His wanderings in search of success took him as far north as Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Darlington but it was in the south that he caught the eye, scoring 21 goals for Lewes in his 96 games there. A Conference South winner’s medal was his first silverware and also the best finish in the club’s history.

This evening’s game kicks off at 7.45 pm at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD.

Before the game why not enjoy a drink or snack in our cosy clubhouse with live sport on the big screens, conveniently situated just a short walk from the turnstiles?

ADMISSION PRICES

• £9 for Adults
• £4 for Concessions (Seniors - 60+, Under 16s, Unemployed (UB40) & Full Time Students with valid ID)
• Under 12s FREE accompanied by a paying adult.

Correct change would be appreciated in order to speed admission. Many thanks!

Programmes: £1.50