It was an intruiging weekend of Ryman Premier Division football where the scarcity of goals (Hornchurch's match excepted) was more than made up for with some very interesting results. A match by match review can be found below.
Aveley 0-0 Kingstonian (Prediction 1-3)
A good point for Aveley, and time may prove this to be a good point for Kingstonian as well having had to play with 10 men for more than an hour following the dismissal of Tom Bird for what was deemed to be a reckless and dangerous challenge on Donovan Wilson 20 minutes into the match. Rob Tolfrey, Gary MacDonald and Tom Hutchison were by all accounts excellent as they kept a lively Aveley side at bay, whilst Bobby Traynor and Allan Tait both forced good saves from Dave McCartney in the Aveley goal before half time. The hosts best chances fell to Ellis Remy in the first period but he was unable to stretch Tolfrey unduly. The K’s custodian did make good saves from Reed and Bonnet-Johnson in the 2nd period to keep them on terms whilst Sam Clayton could have snatched the 3 points for the visitors late on but his header was off target. The K’s will be hoping to kick start their season tonight against Horsham whilst next up for Aveley is a tough looking trip to Margate
Aveley Next Match: Tomorrow A v Margate
Kingstonian Next Match: Today H v Horsham
Billericay Town 2-1 Leatherhead (Prediction 2-0)
The Tanners were the only of the promoted sides not to record a win on Saturday as Billericay came from behind to take the points at New Lodge. The visitors, playing their first Premier Division match since 1983 began well and took a 12th minute lead through new signing Danny Gainsford, heading home Mark Simmons’ cross at the far post. Greg Andrews went close to extending that advantage but was denied by Nick Morgan before ‘Ricay worked their way into the game. Jay May twice went close before Chico Ramos was caught in possession outside his penalty area and Benson Kpaka lifted the ball into the vacant net for the equaliser. After the break the Blues came out much the stronger and got the reward their endeavours merited when Junior Luke was allowed time and space in the penalty area 18 minutes from time to beat Ramos and seal the three points for the Essex side. Billericay travel to Harrow tomorrow looking to make it 2 wins from 2, whilst Leatherhead will be looking to bounce back at home to Tooting and Mitcham.
Billericay Next Match: Tomorrow A v Harrow Borough
Leatherhead Next Match: Tomorrow H v Tooting & Mitcham
Canvey Island 1-2 Carshalton Athletic (Prediction 1-1)
The new look and much fancied Robins got off to the perfect start at Park Lane with a 2-1 win over a strong looking Canvey Island outfit. Kevin Dobinson got Canvey off to a decent start with the opener after 18 minutes before Ryman fans everywhere fainted in shock as the news that Dean Lodge had been brought down inside the penalty area 7 minutes later. Dean McDonald duly applied the finish from the spot. Paul Vines grabbed the winner from a Lodge right wing cross with 18 minutes remaining and although Canvey hit the bar late on through substitute Ellis Skidmore, Carshalton held on to record an impressive away win. A good review of the day is available here by Stuart Fuller, a Robins fan. Carshalton meet Wealdstone at Colston Avenue tomorrow evening whilst Canvey travel to AFC Hornchurch looking to get their first points on the board.
Canvey Island Next Match: Tomorrow A v AFC Hornchurch
Carshalton Next Match: Tomorrow H v Wealdstone
Hastings United 0-1 Wingate & Finchley (Prediction 0-1 – BONG!)
Klaxons blare at the wonder of a correct scoreline. Wingate got life in the Premier Division off to the perfect start by the Sussex coast coming away with an impressive 1-0 win thanks to a strike by Leon Smith in the 31st minute after being allowed time and space to pick his spot and fire past Lloyd Anderson in the United goal. The home side forced just one save of note from Wingate keeper Bobby Smith – an acrobatic save from a deflected Fred Foreman free kick late on as the home side in the words of their own match report, were ‘left to face up to the fact that they simply failed to adequately test a far from watertight looking Wingate defence enough to have merited anything more than they got from the contest.’ All of which left the headline writers delighted at the prospects of writing up another ‘Norman’ conquest at Hastings. Hastings face another successful newly promoted side tomorrow in East Thurrock United whilst Wingate host Lowestoft Town.
Hastings Next Match: Tomorrow A v East Thurrock United
Wingate Next Match: Tomorrow H v Lowestoft Town
Horsham 1-3 Bury Town (Prediction 0-3)
An early 2-0 lead gave the away side an early cushion to protect and gave Justin Luchford’s new look Horsham side a mountain to climb to get anything from the game as the points headed back to Suffolk. A bright opening from the Hornets was ruined in the space of two minutes as first Russell Short fired home from the edge of the penalty area and then Lee Smith was allowed the freedom of West Sussex to slide home a second goal after good work from his namesake Stephen. Bury had further chances to extend their lead before the home side grabbed a lifeline 5 minutes before the break. Daniel Morris, who had been prolific in pre-season converting Callum Dunne’s pull back in emphatic fashion. The home side continued to press for an equaliser after the break with Tony Nwakachu particularly dangerous but the game was sealed for Bury 10 minutes from time when ‘Teletext Cup Hero’ Roy Essandoh ran onto a long clearance, held off the attentions of a defender and fired home to effectively kill off the spirited home side. Bury meet Hendon tomorrow evening at home whilst Horsham will be looking to take the positives from Saturday into tonight’s game at Kingsmeadow.
Horsham Next Match: Tonight A v Kingstonian
Bury Next Match: Tomorrow H v Hendon
Lowestoft Town 3-1 Lewes (Prediction 1-1)
An excellent start for my title tips Lowestoft Town as they came from a goal down and a man down to beat fellow fancied side Lewes in convincing fashion at Crown Meadow. You may remember back in the days of the old 1st Division, Lee Dixon sending a measured chip over the head of David Seaman at Highbury in a game against Coventry City. Greg Crane managed a similar feat in just the 6th minute to give the away side the perfect start, although it was more of a calm lob than measured chip. Dominic Sterling and Ian Draycott went close to extending that lead before Andrew Cave-Brown volleyed home the equaliser. Crane then compounded his own personal misery by being dismissed for foul and abusive language before the break leaving his side a man short for the 2nd period. The Trawlerboys made light of their numerical advantage however as Lubo Guentchev continued his hot streak of goalscoring since moving from Hendon as he netted from close range straight from the restart after good work from Matt Nolan and then Chris Henderson, the former Bury Town man made it 3-1 on the break sliding home a low Guentchev cross at the far post to seal Lewes’ fate. Lowestoft will be looking to carry on where they left off at Wingate tomorrow while Lewes host Met Police on Wednesday night looking to get their season underway.
Lowestoft Next Match: Tomorrow A v Wingate & Finchley
Lewes Next Match: Tomorrow H v Met. Police
Met Police 1-0 Harrow Borough (Prediction 2-1)
The Met enjoyed their first ever match in the Isthmian Premier Division as a late Ty Smith penalty spoiled Dave Anderson’s start as manager of Harrow Borough. A strong looking Met side, including goalkeeper Jamie Butler late of Tooting and who I thought had signed for Lincoln created a number of chances against Anderson’s new look Borough side but all were spurned before the 78th minute spot kick awarded after Stafforde Palmer was fouled in the area. Midfielder Smith stepped up and confidently beat Nick Pope to give the home side the perfect start to life in the Premier Division. They travel to Lewes on Wednesday evening whilst Harrow will be looking to get off the mark at home to Billericay tomorrow.
Met Police Next Match: Wednesday A v Lewes
Harrow Borough Next Match: Tomorrow H v Billiericay Town
Tooting & Mitcham 0-1 East Thurrock United (Prediction 1-1)
The Rocks became the third of the promoted sides to enjoy an opening day 1-0 win coming away from Imperial Fields with a single goal victory thanks to a late strike from former Hendon loanee Kayan Kalipha. The away side had the better chances of the first half with Simon Lekhyj twice called into action whilst in the second period, Reece Hall and Karl Beckford both came close to opening the scoring for the home side. The winner came late on when a hopeful cross into the danger area by Kalipha dropped over Lekhyj and inside the far post to give John Coventry’s side the points. A frustrating afternoon then for Mark Beard’s side who will hope that the return on loan from Millwall of last season’s talisman Kiernan Mason-Hughes will provide a boost ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Leatherhead whilst East Thurrock will be looking to continue their good start at home to Hastings United, albeit without the services of assistant boss John Lawrence who has had to stand down due to personal reasons.
Tooting Next Match: Tomorrow A v Leatherhead
East Thurrock Next Match: Tomorrow H v Hastings United
Wealdstone 1-1 Margate (Prediction 2-2)
You suspect had Sven Goran-Eriksson been in charge of Wealdstone he would have summed the performance up this. ‘First half bad, second half not so bad’. Gate took an early lead when Tom Bradbrook’s cross was bundled home in the 6th minute by Kwesi Appiah and then comfortably dealt with any threat offered by the Stones whilst Appiah was denied a second goal after rounding the Jonathan North only by a last ditch clearance by the Stones defence. They continued to press before the break but were unable to add to their lead. Stones boss Gordon Bartlett rearranged his side at the break bringing on Jake Parsons for the disappointing Danny Spendlove and Tom O’Regan for Darren Locke. The two new faces transformed the game in the home side’s favour giving them added impetous down either flank. Indeed, it was O’Regan who netted the equaliser in spectacular style from 20 years out. Peter Dean and Wes Parker had been narrowly off target with headers before this and they continued to search for the winner late on. Wayne Wilson nearly snatched the points for the Gate late on as his long range drive narrowly evaded the post, but in the end both sides were left reasonably happy with a point after the archetypal ‘game of two halves’.
Wealdstone Next Match: Tomorrow A v Carshalton
Margate Next Match: Tomorrow H v Aveley
Cray Wanderers 2-5 AFC Hornchurch (Prediction 1-2)
The Urchins stole to the top of the table yesterday afternoon in emphatic fashion with a five goal salvo that stunned Cray at Hayes Lane. Leigh Bremner gave the home side an early lead with a deft header from a free kick before the floodgates opened five minutes before half time. Michael Spencer took a free kick wide on the right hand side that sailed over Andy Walker, who looked as if he may have been impeded by Frankie Curley and into the net. There was no doubting the second goal on the stroke of half time as Martin Tuohy swiveled and volleyed home a dropping cross from Dave McSweeney in fine style (see video below). Four minutes after the break Tuohy added his second of the afternoon after Cray failed to clear a corner before Tommy Black made it 4-1 breaking from his own half, rounding Walker and coolly beating the two men on the line. Bremner added his own 2nd late on to give the scoreline a tinge of respectability before substitute Jo Flack added the gloss to Hornchurch’s afternoon in time added on seizing on an awful error by Walker to slide home his side’s fifth. The Urchins meet Canvey Island tomorrow whilst Cray travel to Canvey to play Concord Rangers hoping for a better performance defensively.
Cray Next Match: Tomorrow A v Concord Rangers
Hornchurch Next Match: Tomorrow H v Canvey Island
Midweek Predictions
As the midweek programme kicks off this evening at Kingsmeadow, I've decided to post my predictions below. I'll be previewing Hendon's game at Bury Town in more detail tomorrow but after a fair effort prediction wise this weekend, it's time to put my neck on the line once more.
Kingstonian 2-0 Horsham
AFC Hornchurch 2-0 Canvey Island
Carshalton Athletic 1-1 Wealdstone
Concord Rangers 2-0 Cray Wanderers
East Thurrock United 2-0 Hastings United
Harrow Borough 1-1 Billiericay Town
Leatherhead 1-2 Toonting & Mitcham United
Margate 3-1 Aveley
Wingate & Finchely 0-2 Lowestoft Town
Lewes 3-0 Met. Police
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