Canvey Island's bid to finish runners-up in their first season as a Ryman League Premier Division club could stand or fall by their results over the next four days.

They follow tomorrow's (Saturday's) home clash with in-form Slough Town by travelling on Monday to a St Albans side who, despite falling out of the title race in recent weeks, still currently stand fourth in the table.

Gulls own outside bid to challenge for the championship almost certainly disappeared with defeat at Chesham last weekend. That setback saw them drop a place to third, being overtaken by the team that beat them, who are managed by ex Billericay boss John Kendall.

A win tomorrow could see Jeff King's Gulls back in second spot as Chesham face a desperately difficult game at Aldershot, who are now probably the only side who can make a realistic bid to stop Dagenham winning the title.

Even before they go to St Albans - the venue will have unhappy memories as they were knocked out in the FA Cup there earlier in the campaign - Gulls will face no easy task tomorrow.

For Slough have won four, drawn two and lost only one of their last seven Premier games. Not that Canvey's form has been anything less than spectacular.

That defeat by Chesham was the only one they've suffered in the past 13 matches in all and tomorrow they'll hope to be strengthened by the return of Paul Abrahams and Sammy Cooper, who missed last Saturday's game through injury and illness respectively.

Another boost is that attack leader Neil Gregory, who had been expected to sit out the game through suspension after picking up five bookings, has been cleared to play.

As his fifth caution came after the end of February, the former Colchester United man has been handed a warning as to his future conduct by the FA rather than face a one-match ban.

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