Great Wakering Rovers face one of their toughest home tasks tonight.

For the visitors to Burroughs Park tonight are Ryman Division One North leaders Northwood.

Apart from topping the table, having won 14 of their 22 matches and lost just five, Northwood also boast the highest goals for tally of any Ryman club -- they've hit the net no fewer than 50 times.

By contrast Rovers have fallen to a position only just clear of the relegation zone with some recent defeats.

Slight hope for the village hosts, however, lies in the fact that Northwood's record defensively is not so hot as they have let in 30 goals -- the highest tally of any club in the top nine.

In fact it is three more than Wakering have conceded from 20 matches down in 19th place, but sadly Alan Hull's men have netted only 23 themselves and, until they start troubling opposition goalkeepers more successfully, look certain to continue to put pressure on their own rearguard.

Hull is currently looking to strengthen his side with the signing of a couple of new players and they are certainly going to be below full strength over the holiday period.

Published Tuesday, December 17, 2002

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