DAVE Merris is the clear leader of the Evening Press Player of the Month contest for November.

Last season's Evening Press Player of the Year has taken maximum points in this month's home defeats against Grays Athletic and Burton Albion, being our choice and our readers' selection as the star man in both disappointing games.

In the FA Cup clash against Grays, Clayton Donaldson picked up two points towards the Player of the Year and Player of the Month standings as our second-highest rated player with Darren Dunning picking up the remaining point on offer.

David McGurk (two points) and Joe O'Neill (one) were our second and third-highest rated players in the 1-0 defeat to Burton.

Latest Evening Press Player of the Year standings: Donaldson 22, McGurk 20, Bishop 14, Dunning 12, Merris 12, Convery 9, Dudgeon 5, O'Neill 5, Peat 3, Panther 2, Porter 2, Price 2, Hotte 1.

Evening Press Player of the Month for November standings: (based on Evening Press ratings and including two points per game for the player who polls most man of the match votes from our readers): Merris 10, Donaldson 2, McGurk 2, Dunning 1, O'Neill 1.

STATS ATTACK

Goals: Bishop 10, Donaldson 9, Convery 4, O'Neill 4, Dudgeon 3, Stewart 2, own goal 1.

Goal assists: Donaldson 8, Bishop 6, Convery 6, Dunning 5, O'Neill 2, Mansaram 1, McGurk 1, Merris 1, Panther 1, Peat 1, Stewart 1.

Bad boys: Hotte one red; Dudgeon, Bishop, Price both three yellows; Convery, Donaldson, Dunning, all two yellows; Mansaram, McGurk, Merris, O'Neill, Palmer, Peat all one yellow.

Updated: 10:06 Saturday, November 19, 2005