Greenie's Friday Preview - Weekend of Trophy and Vase football

And so the long unbeaten run is over, and as elsewhere perhaps suggested the Wings soared into the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup at Folkestone’s expense, and all that after one of the best Cup ties I have seen for many many years! All in all, not a bad week…

For Liam Daish though, he returned home from Dorset on Wednesday (did you think that the SKY commentators were "biased" towards Weymouth?!?!? - I did and wasn’t that impressed!), the Fleet's first Conference appearance of SKY ended in disappointment as their unbeaten record went.

The Fleet were unfortunate as even Weymouth boss Garry Hill admitted afterwards that "It's true to say that we had a little bit of luck in getting the win but sometimes you need that."

The Fleet should have been playing tonight but because the SKY cameras showed up in Wessex the kick off against Cambridge was moved to tomorrow afternoon!

Daish will be hoping that Mark De Bolla recovers from the injury that forced him off against Weymouth, and with new boss Jimmy Quinn still trying to get his feet under the table at Cambridge, Daish will be eager to put one over one of his former clubs!

The only early kick off tomorrow – because of the England game – involves Kent’s "Saturday kings" Welling.

I actually asked Adie Pennock after their midweek Cup win over Folkestone for an explanation as to why the Wings are perfect in the League on a Saturday thus far!

Pennock, smiled and shrugged his shoulders, and I think he’s hopeful that it may continue tomorrow as at Hayes according to Pennock. Welling have won on every visit since he became boss.

With the Wings sixth and Hayes 18th in the Conference South table, I’m not going to argue!!!

Over in the Ryman Premier the top game of the day undoubtedly is fourth placed Margate’s trip to fifth placed Heybridge.

The Gate, fresh from their pulsating Cup win at Whitstable last weekend will be hoping that their goal scoring form will return as well as leading scorer Danny Hockton who was very very close to playing at the Belmont last week.

I got the feeling that if it had been an important league game in April rather than a cup tie in September, Hockton may well have played! As it is, Robin Trott will hopefully welcome back Jay Saunders into the squad tomorrow…

Elsewhere and Tony Dolby will be hoping that Tonbridge’s midweek Cup win at Banbury won't have taken too much out of his side as they welcome Leyton to Longmead looking to build on their third place start to the season.

The visitors are currently 10th are a difficult proposition on their own ground yet don’t travel too well…

Ramsgate will be hoping that Slough’s miserable start to the season continues as the Berkshire side come to Southwood.

Slough have had a desperate start to the season, and with Jimmy Ward telling this website earlier in the week he was still eyeing a Play Off position these are the sort of games that the Rams simply MUST win!

Folkestone will look to put their Cup exit behind them when they welcome Walton & Hersham to Cheriton Road as its 18th vs. 19th in the table.

Incredibly for a side that did so well at home last season, Invicta have so far just a draw with leaders Bromley to show from all of their home games – a fact that Neil Cugley didn’t need reminding of when I spoke to him after the defeat at Park View Road.

"We’ve changed a lot since the season started, and we’re looking forward to Saturday!" Now whether that means this is the week for that first home win? Well, here’s hoping!

Down in Ryman One South only Dover and Cray aren’t involved in the FA Trophy and Dover could take over at the top if the can beat Kingstonian at Crabble, whilst Cray will be looking to bounce back from their cup exit at Leatherhead on Tuesday as they make the relatively short tip to Whyteleafe!

For our other Ryman One South clubs it’s FA Trophy Preliminary Round action and everyone plays a side from Ryman One North and rather spookily each of our sides are against sides that occupy a similar position in the Northern division.

The exception to that is Chatham (15th in the South) as they host former FA Vase runners up (on no less than three occasions) AFC Sudbury, who are 4th in the North.

Elsewhere, Maidstone (9th South) welcome Bury Town (6th North), Sittingbourne (7th South) goes to Redbridge (9th North), Ashford (18th South) go to Waltham Forest who are bottom of the North.

Lastly Dartford, currently third in the South welcome Ilford, 11th in the North. I spoke with Tony Burman in the week and he couldn’t stress how important their win at Croydon Athletic was last weekend!

Its FA Vase day too, and good luck to Erith & Belvedere (against Cobham), Erith Town who host Romford, Sevenoaks and Thamesmead who travel to Horley and Saffron Waldon respectively, whilst Tunbridge Wells welcome Pagham to the Culverden.

Good luck then to all involved in knock out football this weekend and we’ll be back in seven days from now…

Cheers
Mike Green