Still a long way to go Bert, although a very slight gap opening up at the top and mid table I'd be happier if come 10-12 games in we're still sat nicely in a play of position. I believe that will give us a better idea of where we're at but don't forget that our cup run didn't help our league campaign, although I do still wonder how the squad could turn it on so well in the cup and lack so badly in the league, still onwards and upwards.
Leatherhead started well with 2 early goals, but 2nd half eastbourne were the better side and should have scored before the 2 injury time goals. If we can find 3/4 good players am convinced we can go close,
Aside from Guernseys special case ( whole island to themselves, no local competing county style leagues ) we will have the highest average attendance comfortably I would imagine
The return of dynamic young striker Johan Ter Horst could be just the lift Ryman League Division One South club Folkestone Invicta need as they attempt to bounce straight back from their FA Cup defeat with a victory in the FA Trophy this weekend.
Ryman League Division One South high-flyers Leatherhead have released one experienced striker and immediately signed another. Allan Tait signed for the Tanners earlier this season after spells with Spurs, Deal Town, Folkestone Invicta, Crawley Town, Eastbourne Borough, Dartford, Kingstonian and Metropolitan Police, who he is expected to rejoin.
In Tait`s place in the squad comes much-travelled Leroy Griffiths, who left Ryman Premier side Harrow Borough last month.
Cracking game near the top tonight. Worthing 0 Crawley Down 0 after 28minutes. Now worthing winning 6-3 after 53minutes. Mr I'm too good for Ryman South Carey on the scoresheet.
Chipstead doing us a favour beating Walton Casuals 3-2 putting us 2 points behind them with 3 games in hand. A return to winning ways on Saturday is a must.
Great result! Looks like Walton are doing a bit of a Crawley down and falling away form wise... We really need to make those games in hand count and go at least 4 points clear of them using those 3 games
Seems we're being given every chance to take advantage of our league position, games in hand etc. I really hope we can grab that advantage starting on Monday evening so pray for sun.
I see Leatherhead's 2-0 win over Guernsey last night has gone under the radar. Guernsey dropping a lot of points at the moment and a win for Hastings on the island next week could drop them from the chasing pack. Dare I say already a 3 horse race, Hastings, Leatherhead and Peacehaven.
Would still not count Guernsey out of it as they have several games in hand on the teams above them ( not us though ) I do think that over the course of the season they will benefit ( possibly unfairly? ) from facing weakened teams at home due to players not being able to fly over and although they have to of course make the same trip they have obviously signed players who are aware of the situation and are commited to the away trips.
If Ross Allen stays fit then they will be up there i reckon but if he does suffer an injury then i doubt they can replace him and then may well fall away.
Peacehaven are doing very well but personally would swap Guernsey with them as several teams ( CDG, Walton Casuals ) have had a run at the top but fallen away and think that Peacehaven may do the same, not too concerned about being in the slipstream just yet as the drive and pressure of chasing the leader could be whats getting us through a lot of the games and hope that we are ready and playing well when we do eventually go top ( which im sure will happen soon enough )
Will be top 4.45pm this saturday...then its up to us to open a gap that cannot be bridged...need to put ourselves in control and not depend on others to do us favours. Like you dan i wouldnt discount guernsey as i think they might have a big budget to support them in the second half of the season...also there is usually an outsider who creeps into the final play off position on the last game of the season and often gets promoted by play off final....my outsider would be ramsgate or maybe faversham.
I believe Guernsey were favourites before the season began, I reckon this is because of their large playing budget. But like Dan said, CDG and Walton Casuals have had a run at the top and fallen slightly. I was impressed with Peacehaven when we played them away in a cup match last season, so I wouldn't discount them just yet. I think Jan/Feb time could be am interesting time, particularly this season. With games piling up due to postponments, swapping could occur at the top. We just have to ensure we take full advantage of the games we have in hand and not keep getting draws.
Wow GDG have conceded 19 goals in 2 games.....guess what we go there 18th Jan so maybe this will be our turn for a big score to boost the goal difference....cant wait....hope there is a coach going?
Its a Saturday so yep, almost certainly will take a coach.
I know I'm normally very optimistic but just don't really see us smashing them in anything like the same way due to many reasons.
If you saw CDG's squad yesterday it was 90% kids from the U18's and about 4 seniors, confirmed on twitter by one of their former coaches who left very recently.
Plus they had to fly to Guernsey the day after NYE and there's almost no way that most of their 17-18 years olds wont have a beer or two that night.
They suffered long delays at Gatwick and didn't return the same night as they expected to.
Also in Ross Allen, Guernsey have a striker who would be great at Skrill South level at least.
Basically a little bit of a freak result and considering that it was CDG's new managers probably 2nd game I would expect a different attitude and lots of more experienced players in by then plus its an away game for us.
Expect John knows the new manager Francis Vines as think he also was boss at Crawley Town.
Would be perfectly happy with a 1-0 win away! The home match in April will hopefully be more emphatic!!
Yeah you got to feel a bit sorry for those youngsters getting mauled 11.0 but for guernsey that goal difference is like getting an extra point.....at the end of the day goal difference might just be a decisive factor....i doubt this scoreline will be repeated but just reflects the lottery element in this league....i do think that teams visiting guernsey are up against it what with mid week games and cancelled flights due to bad weather.....look at sittingboune the other week...spent the day at gatwick and couldnt get a flight now match is scheduled for mid week....look at GDG yesterday....think we would be better off without them or join the french non league!!!
Walton Casuals are having a bad night of it at Burgess Hill. At half-time they're losing 1-0 and down to 9 men following 2 red cards. It looks like they may get a bit of a hammering in the second half.
A heavy 6-1 defeat for them but a good result for Burgess Hill who are moving up the table with games in hand on a lot of the clubs above them. Worth keeping an eye on their progress.
Guernsey 3-1 up against Burgess Hill late on. Will move 7 ahead although we have 6 games in hand. Ross Allen with another hat-trick
You`re right winchy but I remember this time last season when we had a hatfull of games in hand, and we all know what happened then, still IF we get a game this week , it could be the start of the revival, (nice win on tuesday by the way)
-- Edited by rev59 on Thursday 13th of February 2014 06:24:10 AM
-- Edited by rev59 on Thursday 13th of February 2014 06:24:42 AM
Maybe i sound like im looking a bit too cautious for once but well Burgess Hill were one of the few teams to have played as few as us and also were in stunning form so for them to lose could actually be seen as a good result that even further enhances our play off position as we had serious games in hand as well as points on the other teams below except for them.
Regarding Guernsey, 6 games in hand for a team high up the league is quite different from a team with 6 games in hand but at the bottom however as in last season and would fully expect at least 3 wins from those 6 assuming ( trying not to be too optimistic ) there's a couple of draws and say a loss too, that would put us at least say 4 or so points ahead of them again.
Imo its better to stay clear of the chasing pack as a priority in terms of other peoples results. Not sure what every one elses view is though?!
Looking at the league table, games in hand etc and assuming current form for most teams stays roughly the same I think it would be fair to say that 3rd or 2nd is most likely which would give us a home game for the play off semi's and if we were to get through that then with our good fan base compared to most other teams attendance im sure we could turn a final at anyone's ground into the equivalent of a home game too if its not at the Pilot field.....
Agree with all of that Dan. I also thought that it was a good positive result for us, because I think Burgess Hill will be in amongst the mix at the end of the season, despite this result.
Supporters were told at an open meeting on Monday night that the club couldn't guarantee the players' wages for the rest of the season without a cash injection.
Invicta are fourth in the table but they face selling some of their best players if the money isn't raised.
Storm damage at the Fullicks Stadium and the postponement of home games over Christmas and New Year have hit the club's finances, although Invicta remain debt-free.
Folkestone chairman Mark Jenner said: "What the storm damage did was cost us a bit more money, which was unexpected, and the fact we had matches cancelled due to the weather was another contributory factor.
"Truthfully, the back end of the season was always going to be difficult to fund the team that we’ve got. It’s not a particularly expensive side but it’s a long season and the last couple of months are always difficult.
"Normally what happens is you tend to lose players in the second half of the season and your wage bill goes down. We’re keen to keep the boys together that we’ve got and they’re all keen to stay and play right through to the end of the season and at least get to the play-offs."
Invicta manager Neil Cugley put three fundraising suggestions to the meeting, which was attended by around fifty supporters.
The club will sell life season tickets at £1,000 each, while Cugley plans to revamp the 'Friends of Folkestone Invicta' scheme, with the aim of twenty fans donating £100 each.
The manager also hopes selling raffle tickets to people outside the club can increase revenue from £750 to £1,500.
He said: "My aim is to get back into the Ryman Premier, with no debt, and I think we can do that.
"But we do need the money otherwise they’ll have to cut the team."
Our new problem seems to be conceding now :/ start of the season Irish n Ben had best partnership what's happened? One clean sheet in last 11 games is a worry.
Sittingbourne one of the best sides I've seen at the Pilot Field this season. All teams have a blip during a season, could this be the time for Peacehaven.
