CANVEY Island and Bowers & Pitsea have been handed a boost after two of their Isthmian North promotion rivals were slapped with points deductions.
Potters Bar Town and Dereham Town have both been deducted three points after fielding ineligible players in games earlier this season.
Fourth-placed Potters Bar and fifth-placed Dereham are both on 60 points ahead of this weekend's fixtures - the same amount as Canvey Island.
But both will lose points having been charged by the FA for a breach of rule E10 - failure to comply with an automatic suspension.
The matches in question were Potters Bar's victory against Norwich United in November and Dereham's win against Hornchurch in October.
The matches are not to be replayed and both clubs are not contesting the decision.
Metropolitan Police, of the Isthmian North, have also been deducted three points for the same offence.
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