Fix up, look sharp, we have much to get through this week after an action packed weekend of Ryman League football. Lots of thrills and spills, goals and erm, lols. Beginning with Saturday afternoon in this particular update.
Something About Clipping The Robins’ Wings
Carshalton 0-3 Hendon (Prediction 2-1)
I stayed true to my word and didn’t attend the Carshalton match on Saturday, instead watching Final Score on the red button until I remembered that MOTD and the Football League Show were far more interesting when I didn’t know the results already. I had updates coming through the twitter feed on my home and with us 2-0 up at half time in Surrey, I awaited with some trepidation, the inevitable fightback from the home side. Carl McCluskey’s first goal for the club after 11 minutes was added to by a bullet near post header from Greg Ngoyi six minutes later. Elliott Godfrey’s deflected free kick 2 minutes after the break ensured the expected fightback never materialised and completed a very professional and impressive 3-0 win leaving us with a 100% record and with out blank sheet extended by another 90 minutes. A more in depth report of proceedings can be found here. The result was enough for me to consider staying away more often.
There was perhaps some encouraging news off the field as well in terms of a letter from Paul Dipre offering the Carshalton 10 a meeting to try and find a resolution ending the stand off and uniting the club as they try to move forwards. It seems that events of the past week or so may have led to the realisation that whilst the club is so fractured, it cannot progress. It hasn’t been a good week for Dipre with the Wealdstone board defending their supporters vehemently against what appear to be unsubstantiated accusations that a bottle was thrown at the Carshalton dugout last week, two defeats without a goal being score against ourselves and Cray yesterday and a potential U-turn in the offing as well. I genuinely hope that dialogue between the two parties can be opened and that the Carshalton owner / manager has now realised that you cannot run a club successfully without having the fans on your side first. Anything other than that is wholly counter-productive.
Urchins Suffer Hornets' Sting
AFC Hornchurch 0-2 Horsham (Prediction 3-2)
Not a great day for the Urchins of Bridge Avenue as they slipped to a 2nd consecutive home defeat, this time against a buoyant Horsham side who proved that their midweek victory at Kingsmeadow was no fluke. Things began ominously for Hornchurch when they lost their goalkeeper Darren Behcet to injury in the 12th minute, colliding with Elliot Styles when claiming a corner. After six minutes of treatment, Styles took over the gloves and Ronnie Fletcher came on at centre half. Neither side really troubled either goalkeeper before half time, but Matt Armstrong-Ford was called into action after the break as the home side stepped up the tempo saving well from Lewis Smith. The opening goal came in controversial circumstances when David McSweeney was adjudged to have committed an infringement inside the penalty area when many thought he had won the ball cleanly. Tony Nwachukwu ignored the furore and jeers to confidently net the spot kick for his 4th goal of the season and gave the Hornets the lead. Hornchurch responded strongly, but were unable to get themselves back into the game. The already irritated home crowd were then incensed when strong shouts for a penalty were waved away and Frankie Curley saw red for a challenge that was either two footed, or mistimed, depending on which version of events you believe, 2 minutes from time. Debutant substitute Conor Hider sealed the points for Horsham in stoppage time when he calmly guided Tommy Youle’s pass past Styles. A good 3 points for Horsham and another 3 points dropped by the Urchins in a game they thought they should have got something from.
Five Star Bury Hand Out A Pasting To Hastings
Bury Town 5-0 Hastings United (Prediction 2-1)
I thought Bury would bounce back strongly from their midweek reverse against us, but didn’t forsee a 5 goal hammering of Hastings who themselves had impressed at Rookery Hill in the week. It took just 10 minutes for Bury to take the lead when midfielder Kieran Leabon’s deflected shot evaded the grasp of Lloyd Anderson in the Hastings goal and Lee Smith made light of the torrential downpour 33 minutes in to double the home side’s advantage with his 2nd goal of the season. Marcus Garnham in the Bury goal then made a good save before the break to deny Kenny Pogue and gave them the springboard from which to take complete control in the 2nd period. Sam Reed finished off a crisp passing move in the 69th minute to make it 3-0 and as Hastings heads dropped, Russell Short and substitute Craig Nurse added late goals to ensure the biggest win of the season so far came Bury’s way. For them, Tuesday’s defeat was nothing more than a lingering memory, for Hastings, I suspect the journey back to East Sussex was a very long one indeed.
Toots Edge Seven Goal Thriller
Concord Rangers 3-4 Tooting & Mitcham United (Prediction 1-1)
For the second consecutive away game, Tooting scored 4 goals away from home to give themselves victory in what looks like a thrilling game at Concord. I can’t be sure as I haven’t found anything resembling a report anywhere (and I refuse to buy the NLP). What I can tell you is that Fola Onijube, Kiernan Mason-Hughes, Donaghey and sub Freedom Pigott scored the goals for the away side. As for the detail, I’ll leave it to your vivid imaginations for the time being.
Nothing To Choose Between Rocks and Stones
East Thurrock United 3-3 Wealdstone (Prediction 1-3)
It’s not often you get two sides with matching synonyms as nicknames in opposition but that’s what just shy of 200 people witnessed at Rookery Hill on Saturday afternoon as Wealdstone came back from 3-1 behind to salvage a late draw. Kurtney Brooks had already had a goal chalked off for the Stones when Neil Richmond opened his account for the season for East Thurrock finishing Reiss Gilbey’s neat lay off to give the home side a 19th minute lead. They continued to make much of the running in the first period but were unable to add to their lead, and rarely really threatened Jonathan North in the Stones goal. Within 10 minutes of the restart, Stones had leveled as the Rocks defence failed to clear substitute Alex Dyer’s shot and Richard Jolly got himself up and running for the season, seizing on the loose ball and dispatching it past Richard Wray.
Both sides went in search of further goals that might bring them 3 points and it was East Thurrock who drew next blood as Kye Ruel seized on some poor defending from the Stones to drive the ball past North. Richmond netted his 2nd of the afternoon and what looked like the decider with 17 minutes remaining coolly slotting past North. Dyer ensured a nervy last 10 minutes for the hosts when he powered home a shot to bring the Stones back into the game before the former Northampton midfielder was upended in the penalty area by Gilbey with 5 minutes remaining. The Rocks midfielder was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity and Jolly simply smashed the penalty past Wray to level things up. Despite the man advantage, the Stones were unable to force the fourth goal and both sides had to end up content with a point apiece from a thrilling contest.
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| Richard Jolly (left) re-opened his Wealdstone account with a brace on Saturday |
Honours Even at Earlsmead
Harrow Borough 1-1 Aveley (Prediction 2-1)
Two sides going into Saturday awaiting their first wins of the season left the field still awaiting their first wins. Aveley will be pleased to have broken their goalscoring duck, Chetin Ali giving the Millers a deserved first half lead against a lightweight looking Harrow side as he powered home a loose ball after an miscued bicycle kick at the far post. After the break, a changed and much improved Boro performance saw them grab a share of the spoils as Jon-Jo Bates grabbed his first goal for the club running onto a neat David Lawrence through ball to beat the goalkeeper in confident style. A point then that did little to lift the early season spirits at either side going into the Bank Holiday matches.
King Dethrones K’s
Kingstonian 1-2 Canvey Island (Prediction 2-2)
Kingstonian’s difficult beginning to the season failed to improve on Saturday as Canvey Island came from a goal down to win 2-1 and pick up their second away win on the spin. Bobby Traynor got the K’s off to the ideal start when seizing upon Michael Gordon’s half cleared cross he volleyed the ball powerfully past James Russell for the first of what you suspect will be quite a few goals from his boot this season. Canvey responded well, drawing level 8 minutes before the break after both sides had goals chalked off for offside. Former Brentford winger Alex Rhodes cut in from the left, outpaced Dean Hamlin and lashed a superb drive beyond the reach of Rob Tolfrey to bring the sides level at the break. Both sides pushed on after the interval and both Tolfrey and Russell made good saves to keep the scorelines level. The winner came in the 72nd minute when Danny Heale showed the presence of mind to follow up his own effort that came off the inside of the post to give Robbie King the simplest of tasks to nod home his 2nd goal of the season from close range. Kingstonian pushed hard for an equaliser, Jack MacLeod’s flick over the advancing Russell dropped agonisingly wide whilst Simon Huckle’s late header was off target as well. The whistle went and the Gulls were able to celebrate another away win, as for Kingstonian, the inquest continued.
Bremner Treble Sinks Tanners
Leatherhead 1-4 Cray Wanderers (Prediction 1-1)
Leatherhead’s awful start to life in the Premier Division continued as a Leigh Bremner inspired Cray Wanderers handed out a second heavy home defeat to the Tanners in succession. Mick Sullivan included 3 new signings in his side in a bid to arrest their bad start and they went in at half time goalless, Greg Andrews coming closest to breaking the deadlock for the Tanners forcing Andy Walker into a fine save. Sam Long had also gone close for Cray midway through the first half when his drive cannoned back off the crossbar. The away side took the lead 2 minutes after the restart when Tommy Whitnell fired home from the edge of the box. The Tanners responded well, and new boy Craig Davies headed home a Rob Hill corner to bring the two sides back level. In the final half hour of the game, Bremner took over. His first goal came after 61 minutes with a smart turn and shot from 12 yards out before firing through a crowded penalty area seven minutes later to make it 3-1. His personal treble was completed with a simple finish from close range when he was left unmarked to give the Wands a handsome away win and becoming in the process, the first man to 5 goals for the season.
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| Leigh Bremner in familiar goalscoring pose (against Tooting here) was Cray's hero at Leatherhead |
Malcolm In The Middle
Lewes 2-1 Billericay (Prediction 2-0)
Lewes made it 2 wins out of 2 against Billericay Town at The Dripping Pan on Saturday thanks to a pair of goals from Michael Malcolm. His first goal came on the quarter hour when Jamie Cade’s through ball tempted Nick Morgan off his line and Malcolm showed impressive calm from well outside the box to loft the ball over the giant goalkeeper and into the net off the underside of the moon. His second goal came on the half hour with a smart finish from 12 yards out after more good work from Cade. Morgan then denied Paul Booth just before half time before Jay May forced a good save from Stuart Robinson in the Lewes goal. After the break, the Blues came out more determined with Benson Kpaka and Junior Luke both narrowly off target. May pulled a goal back 7 minutes from time with a header past Robinson after a good header back by Rob Swaine, but despite plenty of late possession, Lewes were able to hold on for a good 3 points.
Trawelerboys Find Gate Wide Open
Margate 1-4 Lowestoft Town (Prediction 1-1)
Lowestoft came from behind to inflict a heavy defeat on previously unbeaten Margate at Hartsdown Park on Saturday with a superb 2nd half performance that wiped away the memory of their midweek defeat at Wingate. After a strong start, Matt Bodkin scored his first goal for Gate with a swerving drive past Andy Reynolds in the Lowestoft goal to put the home side ahead after good work by Tom Bradbrook in the 23rd minute. The Trawlerboys immediately changed their approach and began to take a foothold in the game, equalising just before half time as Michael Frew headed home Aaron Cave-Brown’s right wing cross. They came out after the break all guns blazing and took the lead within minutes of the restart. Another Cave-Brown cross wasn’t dealt with by the Margate back four and Chris Henderson, on his first start for Lowestoft nipped in to steer the ball beyond Jack Smelt. A series of Gate corners came to nothing and Lubo Guentchev extended the Trawlerboys’ lead in the 66th minute, seizing on more hesitant defending in the Margate back line to dispatch the ball past Smelt and then late on sub Jamie Forshaw converted Guentchev’s centre on the volley to give the scoreline an emphatic feel about it.
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| Lubo Guentchev: Hendon reject (tongue in cheek), Trawlerboy hero |
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