Greenie's Friday Preview

We’ll start this week with the Wings of Welling United and two contrasting games for Adie Pennock’s side. 

A fine 3-1 win at Eastleigh last weekend followed by a 2-4 home hammering by Histon on Tuesday and from all accounts it could have been worse! 

Pennock will be hoping that Tuesday was just a blip in the form at Fortress Park View Road, but with Yeading the visitors tomorrow they face another awkward 90 minutes as they try move the wins column ahead of the defeats column by 3 to 2. 

That said the Wings two defeats have both been in midweek and so they are indeed going for a hat trick of Saturday wins – a like quirky “Greenie Fact” to get us under way this week.

In the Ryman Premier, I saw the Angels soar to the summit with that 6-1 demolition (no that’s the wrong word – more like try drubbing) of Worthing when Jon really was the “Main” man scoring either three or four times dependant on who you speak to!  Scott Gooding scored one (or two!!!) as Tonbridge literally ripped their Sussex opponents apart almost at will. 

To me the difference in the Angels on Tuesday and last season was new striker Andy Martin who just added a bit of needed size and weight to the front line.  Next up for the Angels is Carshalton Athletic at Longmead who were relegated from Conference South last season and will be a real test for Tony Dolby’s men.

With Tonbridge Angels one of three sides with perfect records, the rest are lead by the two Thanet sides, with Robin Trott’s Margate just ahead of Jimmy Ward’s Ramsgate on goal difference. 

But after week one the plaudits must go to the Rams who have started off by beating last seasons beaten Play Off finalists Heybridge before holding AFC Wimbledon to a goal less draw on Tuesday. 

Tomorrow the Rams face another of the pre season big spenders Bromley at Hayes Lane in another test of just how far this particular group of Rams have come in the past two seasons!

For Margate, the new player boss will be pleased that they comfortably dealt with Worthing last weekend – Danny Hockton's first half hat trick sealed a fantastic opening 45 minutes to the season; a 45 minutes that was surely beyond even the wildest dreams of the most partisan Gate fan. 

Tomorrow they welcome Slough Town to Hartsdown Park and Trott will know that a good home record will be a huge boost to any promotion dream!

For Neil Cugley’s Folkestone Invicta, Steve Norman’s free kick on Tuesday at Billericay rescued Invicta’s first point of the season after losing last weekend.  The Folkestone boss also knows that tomorrow they’ll be facing a Heybridge side still smarting from their ropey start to the season, and Cugley will also be hoping that Matt Carruthers will continue his build up at the start of the season, after missing last weekends defeat for what was declared “personal reasons” – personal reasons that lead to an internal fine for the winger.

Gravesend & Northfleet tomorrow head west and brave the holiday traffic on the M4 as they visit Forest Green’s new home in Gloucestershire. 

Liam Daish’s side lost one nil to York at Stonebridge Road last weekend in a very poor performance – especially given the 4-1 midweek drubbing of Tamworth.  Or were Tamworth really THAT bad?  I thought the Midlanders were poor, but not that bad. 

It’s a problem for Daish’s side as after their 3-2 opening day heartbreak defeat at Aldershot their next run of games all looked winnable and could have been won.  Now after no midweek action the Fleet head West looking to burst back into life against a Forest Green side so far pointless.

And so to the Ryman One South and the early Kent domination of the League!  Dover Athletic, Cray Wanderers, Maidstone United and Sittingbourne all have won their opening two games albeit in contrasting fashions (Cray winning both games without conceding whilst the Bourne won a seven goal thriller at Horsham YMCA), but six points is six points whatever happens and gives you a good platform to build on especially with the Bank Holiday weekend upon us. 
Which makes tomorrow’s games so important.

Dover welcome Fleet to Crabble (Fleet paying their second visit to the County in four days after losing a five goal cracker in the rain against Maidstone on Wednesday); the Stones themselves welcome Whyteleafe to Bourne Park (last term Whyteleafe were probably one of the most unpredictable sides in the division); Steve Lovell’s Sittingbourne travel again this time to Leatherhead (a tough trip this for the Brickies and a chance for Lovell to really assess his new charges) and finally Ian Jenkins takes his Cray side to Corinthian Casuals (last season whipping boys) who were thumped by Chatham on Tuesday. 

That game in turn provided Phil Miles’ side their first win after an encouraging draw with Croydon Athletic a week ago.  The Chats 4-1 win was the Medway side’s biggest win for a while. 

And finally to the Darts who are still celebrating the fantastic news that their return to Dartford has now been pencilled in for Armistice Day – November 11^th – but thoughts of that must be put out of their minds and they must build on their encouraging start but they face a tough nut tomorrow when Kingstonian visit Ship Lane in Thurrock.

Unfortunately there has to be one down side, and that comes from Ashford Town who have been unfortunate in both of their opening games, as they’ve lost both of them by a solitary goal. 

But Tim Thorogood knows that it could just take one win to turn everything around and will be hoping that it comes tomorrow when Moseley visit Homelands.

Finally in the Kent League early leaders Greenwich entertain new boys Faversham who recorded their first win last weekend (congrats to TC and his side); Lordswood host Croydon looking to forget Tuesday’s 6-0 home thumping by Hythe in the FA Cup, whilst Hythe return to league action by hosting Erith and Belvedere, and Erith Town welcome Whitstable.

That’s it from me today then – I’m off to the seaside tomorrow to see the Gills at Blackpool – and boy don’t Ronnie Jepson’s side need three points and they’ll be regular updates from three other non league games.

Don’t forget a busy day on Monday too – there may be a Sunday Preview (in truth it all depends on the trip home from the Golden Mile) but if not I’ll be back next Friday when our main focus turns to the FA Cup…

Enjoy your weekend….
Mike Green