Looking at the points difference at the top and the run ins for each team, I am thinking that Faversham away is the biggest game for the club since Harrogate away. Defeat appears bad enough from the outside but looking at our and other teams run ins it appears to me as now unthinkable and now a must win game. If Faversham beat us on Saturday, and looking at their and in particular, Corinthians run in (we have all forgot about them), I don't think we will make the play offs without a massive slice of luck.
I believe that Dorking and Worthing will make it so we have 8 teams battling for 2 places. Count out Ramsgate and South Park, as they have tough run ins, so that leaves 6.
Looking at the fixtures below I would expect Faversham to get there with victory over us and only Hyrthe at home looking tough. We then have a lot of ground to make up and have Herne Bay and Ramsgate coming up along with South Park away without Medlock and Johnson. And can anyone see Corinthian doing anything else but winning every game left as they certainly have the easiest run in.
Of course this is all hypothetical but if results go to form then I suggest once again that we have to win at Faversham on Saturday.
Faversham 73 points
H Hastings A Sittingbourne A Tooting H Walton Casuals A E Grinstead H Hythe
Hythe 72 points
A Molesey H Ramsgate H Chatham A Sittingbourne H Chipstead A Faversham
Hastings 70 points
A Faversham H Peacehaven A South Park A EGrinstead H Molesey A Ramsgate H Herne Bay
Molesey 70 points
H Hythe, A Totting H Ramsgate A Hastings H Whyteleafe A Sittingbourne
Herne Bay 69 points
A Whytleafe H Folkestone A Walton Casuals H South Park H Carshalton A Hastings
Corinthian 67 points
A Peacehaven H Carshalton H EGrinstead A Walton&Hersham A Walton Casuals H Three Bridges.
well hythe look like they are falling apart which makes faversham look like they have good run in so i go for them 4th. and boy would we like to have corinthian casuals fixtures. they could really sneak into 5th. last game of season could be masive. think 5th place between corinthian, us and Herne Bay but if we lose to molesey at home i think then molesey cornthian and herne bay for 5th. really thought that with squad we have being far better than when we got to play off 2 seasons ago we would have easily got to play off this season but we have make it very hard now
Well I take personal responsibility for what's happened in the last five games following my outrageous statement that the question wasn't 'if we finished in the playoffs' but 'where we finished in the playoffs'.
I had of course completely forgotten that while we can look unstoppable against some of the lesser lights in our league we have always struggled horribly against the better sides.
How often this season have three good results that give us all great hope been followed by an abject failing ? The only thing that has been consistent throughout is our unfailing inconsistency.
Of course, this is not the time to give up hope. But we now really MUST put together a string of good results if we are to reach the playoffs. The stupid thing is I actually believe we have good enough players to do this AND win the playoffs. As has been mentioned, there is far more talent now than we had two years ago.
However it is now very hard to believe this can really happen this season based on our current form.
Sadly I think some of our good results have hidden the truth, probably 60% of games we are poor, 30% adequate and 10% good, we are a shambles if we perform well in next few games we could sneak into play offs, but really would be a travesty if we got promotion.
So you think with the money we have spent and the performances we have produced justifies a promotion, nothing to do with academy don't know why you mentioned that.
Well if we played the academy lads then the chances are very high that we wouldn't get promotion and a travesty as you call it would be averted.
Of course the performances haven't been good enough and frustrating at times however spending the money we have I and I'm sure many other supporters would be satisfied if we got promotion. It's what every team tries to achieve at the start of every season. This time last season we were all concerned about relegation, it just shows that it is possible to build a better squad in the few short months of the closed season to compete in the league so if we did get promoted I know that Garry would be backed to do that once again.
A travesty in my opinion is on lines that Peacehaven are going through at the moment, win back to back promotions followed by what is looking more like back to back relegations, at least we have a chance to win promotion and the build on that from there. I doubt Peacehaven will be.
Don't think our squad has played as well as the team that last won promotion under Nigel Kane. However, at least we are in with a chance of the play-offs and it's still not too late to find some consistent good form.
With Worthing beating South Park last night it now looks like a straight 3 team shoot out for 5th place and a probable play off trip to Dorking. As I said 2 weeks ago, I cannot see Corinthian dropping another point which of course means we have to win 3 tricky ties v Molesey, Ramsgate and Herne Bay, and hope that Faversham slip up, possibly against Hythe last game of the season. How ironic would it be if Jack Harris, who should never have left us, still scores the goal to send us in to the play offs.
Of course, I really hope we can pull this off but looking at the fixtures remaining you may say we are third favourites as things stand. Lets hope Faversham's 5-0 drubbing in last nights R Dyas cup final has dented their confidence.
Hastings H Molesey A Ramsgate H Herne Bay
Faversham H W Casuals A Sittingbourne A East Grinstead H Hythe
Corinthian A W & Hersham A W Casuals H Three Bridges
Agreed Mick - a real bonus! Even without Billy, we can do this if we can produce two (then two more) of our 'good' performances. Yes, a big ask given our inconsistency; but the factor of the Hythe v Faversham last fixture now comes even more into play - particularly if either of those might drop points on Saturday.
Best scenario is Faversham losing against EGT.
But what of Corinthian? 2 easy games and they won their last 5 matches............. We have to win both games!
Agreed Bert that two wins and 86 points plus goal difference will likely be required given the easy run in of Corinthian Casuals (John has long warned of that). But I suspect there might be more twists and turns, in that although Worthing, Hythe and Dorking all look secure of a play off place they will need one more win to be certain.
We need to win with a couple of goals a game (remember how many Faversham hit last week ?) This is a crazy league, any thing can and most likely will happen !
Ummmm......Three Bridges couldn't beat Peacehaven at home tonight.
Never mind, they'll have a proper warm up against Folkestone on Wednesday, which will be the perfect build up for taking points off Corinthian Casuals on Saturday.
Everyone agree ?
can`t three bridges go on a team night out after the season has finished,there performance on Saturday will affect us and Faversham and yes I know it shouldn't come down to the last game but it has might as well give Corinthian the play-off spot now.
1% hope but let be realistic; Corinthian will never let this go.
There is always the referee. We have seen a few demonstrations of games turned on their head by bizarre refereeing decisions and players over-reacting. A slim hope perhaps, particularly given that CC look a disciplined side; but odd results do happen.
Can't really see a hungover Jamie Crellin or Matt Whitehead helping Three Bridges to victory to be honest . But this league is so messed up ... Who knows ?
1-0 to Folkestone in the 90th minute....so maybe a little hope for us on Saturday.
I was assuming Liam was joking regarding TB's Friday night P. Up. Surely it's a joke.
