THE MATCH: The top two teams in the form guide collide at the Len Salmon Stadium tomorrow.

Bowers and Barking have played some of the most exciting football in the Isthmian North this season, after both made light of bridging the gap between the Essex Senior League and Isthmian North.

Bowers have scooped 20 points from the last 27 on offer and were thumping 3-0 winners at Dereham Town last time out.

Meanwhile, Barking have not lost in 10 games and have taken 24 points from the last 30 on offer to become serious play-off contenders.

Led by former Billericay assistant manager Justin Gardner, Barking will pull to within two points of Bowers with victory tomorrow.

THE INSIGHT: “I have had to miss a very small amount of games for various issues and we hadn’t won,” said Small, who returns to the dugout after missing last weekend’s win at Dereham.

“I am normally quite controlling and I tell Frank (Everett) and Mark (Ashford) what I want. But I said to them ‘do what you want’ this time and we did OK.

“It is crazy we are second in the league. Teams have games in hand but it looks nice.

“Barking are a carbon copy of what we were last year and what we still are. I have a lot of respect for them. They have momentum and their team has evolved. We are very similar in many ways. It will be how the styles match up and whether either can get an upper hand.”

THE TEAM NEWS: Bowers have re-signed midfielder Callum Leahy from Aveley, after he admitted he shouldn’t have left five weeks ago.