Two teams in the bottom three of the Southern Counties East Football League Division One meet when Halls Athletic entertain Banstead Athletic.

Coming into the weekend Halls were third from bottom of the table having won twice, drawn twice and lost eight times. Banstead were a point behind having played a game more and occupied penultimate place ahead of Lydd Town on goal difference having recorded two wins, one draw and ten defeats.

In Halls’ last outing at Staplehurst Monarchs, it was nil-nil when the match was cut short in the first half due to fog. Their last completed league match was at the end of October when beaten one-nil at home by Minster to a Jake Munday goal with fourteen minutes remaining.

Two consecutive one-nil victories, one of which was in the Challenge Cup, have given them a confidence boost. They defeated Staplehurst in the league with a goal five minutes into the second half, scored by Carter de Ste Croix. They had to wait longer in their cup tie against Premier Division Petts Wood and Holmesdale. Substitute Frankie Harris scored the winner with eleven minutes left on the clock.

When Halls and Banstead met in Dartford last term, the spoils were shared. Ryan Golding put the hosts ahead in the eighteenth minute, however, two goals in three minutes just before half term put the visitors in control. Jay Andrews and Sam Haughey, from the penalty spot, were the goalscorers. It appeared that it was going to end that way until Ben Martin earned the hosts a point in the ninth minute of stoppage time.