East Gwent Senior League

DIVISION One leaders Mathern A visit Rockfield Rovers on Saturday with 25 points already banked.

Rovers, relegated from the county league at the end of last season, are keen to return at the first attempt but they are currently third in the table with Underwood second.

Mathern have quietly put extra pressure on their title rivals while Underwood have been progressing in the Gwent Amateur Cup.

Underwood and Rovers have games in hand on Mathern but due to the small number of teams in the division, all teams must play the others three times in order for the campaign to be considered legitimate – a requirement if a team finishing in the top two places, wants to be promoted to the county league.

The third fixtures are still to be decided but the venue for such games could be decided by a toss of a coin as a number of clubs share their ground with other teams playing in higher leagues which take priority.

Underwood entertain fifth-placed Caldicot Town on Saturday knowing that Town can be brilliant – or average – depending on the players available for selection.

If players are promoted to Town’s Welsh League or Welsh League Reserves teams, their East Gwent League team can be weakened but when there is no call on players, Town’s third string can be a match for anyone in the East Gwent Senior League.

In their last match, Town drew 1-1 at home to Thornwell Red and White who visit Caldicot Castle on Saturday.

Thornwell manager Terry Woodward was pleased with his team’s performance.

“I think we deserved the draw,” he said later. “We played well against a good Caldicot side with more than a few of their second team in it.

“Tony Reynolds scored our goal and it was good to have Dan Northey making his first start of the season in goal for us.”

In the other match in the division, Tintern Abbey welcome Undy Athletic.

The race for the Division Two title is likely to hinge on the head-to-head results between the two rivals, Underwood B and Chepstow Town who both have 28 points from 10 games each with third-placed Sudbrook 13 points adrift.

Having drawn 2-2 in Underwood’s home game in September, it’s likely the title will be decided on goal difference and Underwood already have an advantage over Town who will want to hand out a double-figure score against visitors Portskewett and Sudbrook on Saturday.

In other games, Severn Tunnel entertain Chepstow Athletic and Sudbrook CC are home to Mathern B.