AC Mill Hill vs Loughton Orient

History will be made whatever the result as leaders AC Mill Hill take on Loughton Orient for the first time in the JC MSFL.

The home side, who if you remember were my pre-season tips for the title, have enjoyed an excellent first half of the season and they go into the new year with a four point advantage, albeit having played more games than their promotion rivals.

Joe Levy’s men are one of three teams who have broken away at the top and they know only a win will do on Sunday.

Looking ahead to the game, Levy told JC Sport: “We are missing a few who have selfishly gone on holiday, but are looking to put a near full-strength side out.

“We are looking forward to meeting Loughton for the first time and hope to start 2013 and we finished 2012.”

Dan Curtis’s Loughton boys have enjoyed the break, with brothers Marc and Dean Silver opting to catch some sea air in Brighton. No doubt they would’ve spoken to Gus Poyet at the Amex Stadium in a bid to find out just how their team can turn the corner.

Defeats against basement battlers L’Equipe and Norstar B at the back-end of 2012 and the prospect of 26-goal Mill Hill hotshot Ben Zloof coming in search of an MSFL record fifth consecutive hat-trick is the last thing they need right now.

But gaffer Curtis believes he has the players capable of coming up with a real coupon spoiler.

Curtis told JC Sport: “We practically have a full squad to pick from this weekend which is great news. Jaimie Sinclair has recovered from his ankle injury and we will wait until later on the week to see if he is ready. His return will be a massive boost for us.

“We want a very different second half of the season and are more than capable of putting a good run together.

“Sunday’s game will be very hard against a good team in AC Mill Hill, however it’s the type of game we thrive on and can’t wait to get out there and play.”

In Marc Silver, Curtis has the perfect player to try and stop Zloof in his tracks. It’s just the rest of them I worry about!

Top-Scorers
Mill Hill– 26 Ben Zloof
Loughton – 3 James Lester

Form Guide
Mill Hill– W, W, W, D
Loughton – L, L, L, W

Venue - Copthall, Ref – Nigel Burns

JC star man: Scott Ackerman (Mill Hill)

DC Prediction: AC Mill Hill 3 Loughton Orient 1