Greenie's Good Friday Preview

Friday 14th April 2006

A manager said to me at the start of the season that you win “nothing in August Greenie!” Well there is a possibility that that same manager could be celebrating promotion come 5:00 on Easter Monday but more of that later…
But first the Easter programme for us kicks off this afternoon (Good Friday) as Folkestone head into deepest darkest Essex to play Heybridge Swifts who at the moment are flying. Third in the League, the Swifts are eyeing the top of the table, whilst Neil Cugley’s side are safe in the knowledge of mid table, and to be fair their toughest test (on and off the pitch) will come on Monday, when Margate return to Cheriton Road for the first time since the tragic death of Paul Sykes a year ago this week!

More of that game in a “special” Sunday Preview and of course a huge plug there for the SYKO CHALLENGE too – now only two weeks away!

Talking of Margate – they’re at home in Ryman Premier tomorrow again with Robin Trott in charge. A one nil win over Hampton last weekend was a dream start for Trott, whose side now face another Play Off chasing side in Worthing. The caretaker manager will know that another three points and the Gate should be safe!

In the Southern League, its effectively the last chance saloon for the Play Off hope of both Chatham Town and Dartford as the two meet at Stonebridge Road.

For the Chats boss Steve Binks it really is the last chance as his side have slipped seven points off the top six with just two wins in their last 10, but one of those wins was against leaders Boreham Wood. So the boss knows that an upset is possible.

For Tony Burman meanwhile, the Darts boss is nearer the Play Off zone, but knows that they’d be right in the mixer if their recent run of one win in ten had been better! Not quite winner takes all but not far off!

Meanwhile, at the other end a win for Steve Lovell’s Sittingbourne over Aveley would surely dispel any lingering relegation doubts. The Brickies go into the game in 18^th just three points above their 20^th placed visitors…

In the Conference and Conference South both Gravesend & Northfleet and Welling United travel to awkward destinations!

The Fleet are in Lancashire again, this time on the coast at Southport, whilst the Wings head south to the County Town of Dorset – Dorchester.

Liam Daish and the Fleet players must be praying that the season ends sooner rather than later as one win in eleven has long ago extinguished any dreams of the Play Offs. Southport meantime (arguably more famous for being home to the Royal Birkdale Golf Club) are just dreaming of still being in the Conference next season. Just one place and two points out of the drop zone, they’ll be a tough assignment for Daish’s men.

Meantime Welling boss Adie Pennock knows his sides Play Off hopes are edging away and tomorrow they face awkward opponents in Dorchester Town.

Now I don’t know why, but teams from Hampshire, Dorset and Somerset are always tough to beat at home but are inconsistent on their travels, and if the Wings aren’t to fall further than the four points that they are already behind the top six, they must get something on the travels.

And so to where the real action could well be this Bank Holiday weekend and that of course is in Ryman One, where the defending Kent league Champions are technically just three points from promotion. The maths for Jimmy Ward’s Ramsgate are simple – FOUR POINTS OVER THE WEEKEND WILL MATHEMATICALLY GUARANTEE THEIR PROMOTION IF TONBRIDGE FAIL TO WIN BOTH THEIR GAMES.

The Rams big advantage is their HUGE goal difference (plus 45 which is almost double that of Tony Dolby’s Angels, but that’s as easy as it is on paper).

On the pitch or should that be the mud of Leatherhead that will surely be tougher. I saw Dover held at leatherhead on Tuesday and the home side are lets just say not the best football side I’ve seen this season, but they are a tough side to beat especially at home – one win in seven has seen their Play Off hopes sink, but they are tough to beat – the last three have ended in draws.

So good luck to Ramsgate, and if you are travelling to Fetcham Grove make plenty of noise as the whole game is on Saturday Sport on Radio Kent’s 774 AM frequency with yours truly and Matt Gerrard.

There’s the full “usual” rolling Sports service available on the Stations FM frequencies – Matt Davison’s Saturday Sport from BBC Radio Kent 2:00 till 6:00!

We’ll also have regular updates from Longmead where the Angels themselves are mathematically in with a chance of automatic promotion, and tomorrow face arguably their toughest remaining game (although I’m sure Tony Dolby would say that they’ve five cup finals left) as Play Off rivals Kingstonian visit.

The Surrey side are a “funny” team as I’ve seen them be very good and utterly appalling this season but with four games left they find themselves now a point behind Dover and outside the top six.

You know the more I think about things the more and more convinced I am becoming that the Angels game with Molesey that has twice now been washed out, will determine who goes straight up. But first Mr Dolby your charges must win both games over Easter to keep the Rams from escaping!!!

Not that its any given certainty that Ramsgate will knock up two wins in the Division no one seems to want to win!

Dover hanging on in their with the Play Off zone after that midweek point at Leatherhead, welcome rock bottom Corinthian Casuals to Crabble and surely three more points!

Given Dover’s season nothing is certain though is it? And I wonder how much Danny Chapman’s absence from their run in through suspension after he was sent off late on Tuesday will affect Clive Walker’s side.

Cray Wanderers head for a break at the Sussex seaside as they head for Burgess Hill and a game that will I’m sure feel very end of season. And all the time we keep reminding ourselves that Ramsgate are reigning Kent League Champions, lets not forget that Ian Jenkins’ side won the same title twelve months earlier and last season made the Ryman One Play Offs and so if you’d have offered them a season of consolidation I’m sure the Wands would have taken it.

Finally to the foot of the table and Ashford Town’s fight for survival, and as they travel to mid table Walton Casuals, Tim Thorogood’s side are now seven points clear of the drop zone with four games left surely there wont be the same desperate phone calls elsewhere on the final day to see if they’re safe or not!

In the Kent League, Maidstone United went top again on Wednesday with a 3-1 win over Deal Town, yet bizarrely don’t play tomorrow! Beckenham Town then can go back to the top with a victory over mid table Slade Green.

So that’s the first part of your Easter Parade this weekend – a parade that could well turn into a victory one come 5:00 for Ramsgate Football Club.

Join me on the Radio from Fetcham Grove and hopefully I’ll be back here on Sunday with a preview of Bank Holiday Monday…

Happy Easter everyone!
Mike Green