WALTHAM ABBEY
Town's near neighbours and rivals from Capershotts have had a dismal first season in the Ryman Premier winning only four games since former Ware and Harlow Town boss Glen Alzapiedi took over the hot seat from Tony Tillbrook and Andy Purcell in late August. Three away victories at Bognor Regis Town, Cray Wanderers and Canvey Island was eventually followed by a home victory versus Hendon on the 21st November. The 1-o victory was their first win after 9 home games. Alazapiedi has brought in Andy Keepence, Xaniel Doku, Josh Cooper and the returning Jordan Bostock from Brimsdown Rovers amongst others since he took over. Just five players remained in the starting line up on Boxing Day that started the season on the 15th August. They need to find a goalscorer with Billy Holland top scoring with only 7 goals from 18 league games but with a manager of Alzapiedi's quality they can stay up but need to start winning at home with their next two league games at Capershott's looking tough against Boreham Wood (10th place) and Kingstonian (3rd place). Current fifth bottom Cray Wanderers visit on the 30th January which is a must win game and may be considered a relegation six pointer for the Essex side.
BILLERICAY TOWN
Brian Staham's team have picked up form over the last few weeks winning three in a row against Boreham Wood (2-0 home), Tonbridge Angels (1-0 away) and smashing Canvey Island 4-1 at home on Boxing Day . This was after winning only one game in their first thirteen league matches. Another team that is much changed from the opening day of the season with only five players starting the Boxing Day game that started on the opening day of the season. It's good to see ex Town centre-back Chris Wild playing regularly for the The New Lodge side since he departed from Goldsdown Road. They are desperately short of goals, scoring only 14 in 16 games, take into account the 4 goals scored against Canvey and it reads only 12 in 13 games. Billy Bricknell scored a hat-trick in the Canvey game to up his season's total to only four goals and he is top scorer. Their Goals Against colum is at the other end of the scale as The Blues have only let in 19 goals all season with only table toppers Dartford on 16 goals ahead of them in the goals conceeded total. This is even more impressive when you see they have kept 5 clean sheets in 16 league games and two games have been lost 1-5 and 0-4 at home to Kingstonain and Carshalton Athletic. Take these two freak results out of the form line and Statham's team have only conceeded 10 in 14 games which has to considered play-off form. They have only lost six games with only only Dartford (1 game lost) and 4th placed Wealdstone (2) bettering them.
With games in hand over most teams above them I can see no problem's in Billericay staying up and if they can get a goalscorer I can even see them pushing for a play-off place come May.
Their return match with Canvey Island is scheduled for the 2nd January (according to reports they dominated the Boxing Day game and didn't allow the visitors to attack) and with The Islander's conceeding more goals in their 2-5 loss at home to Dartford on Tuesday night skybet.com's odds of 2/1 for an away win look very good value indeed. Look for the Essex side to move up the table in January as they have four home and three away games which makes it a possible 21 points to play for.
BOGNOR REGIS TOWN
Enfield FC fans of old will always have fond memories of visiting Nyewood Lane in the 1990's. The game is 1993 sticks in the memory of many fans; Their used to be a bookies at the ground where you could bet on the result of the game and with Enfield is 3rd place in the Premier and the home side already relegated at the bottom on the table there was a small amount of money put on a 0-5 victory for the E's. With the score at 0-5 with only minutes to go supporters were busy discussing how they would spend their winnings only for E's Legend Carl Richards to get a sixth and run celebrating towards the travelling fans who comically berated him for scoring and ruining their bet. The 92/93 season was a poor season for Bognor with their first league victory coming on the 28th December in 3-2 home win versus Bromley.
Above - The programme for the 0-6 game on the 17th April 1993.
The Rocks have had an eventful couple of season's with relegation from the Blue Sqaure South last year following a seven point deduction for fielding an unregistered player and the clubhouse burning down. Club legend Jack Pearce is now General Manager and Darin Kilpatrick who spent most his playing career at Nyewood Lane is now in the manager's hot seat. A famous name is also playing for the Rocks this season in Charlie Oatway the 17 year old son of Brighton HA legend Anthony Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Gerry Gordon Stephen James Oatway aka Charlie Oatway. Oatway Junior has made a good start to his career netting four times in 19 league games.
With games in hand over most teams above them I can see no problem's in Billericay staying up and if they can get a goalscorer I can even see them pushing for a play-off place come May.
Their return match with Canvey Island is scheduled for the 2nd January (according to reports they dominated the Boxing Day game and didn't allow the visitors to attack) and with The Islander's conceeding more goals in their 2-5 loss at home to Dartford on Tuesday night skybet.com's odds of 2/1 for an away win look very good value indeed. Look for the Essex side to move up the table in January as they have four home and three away games which makes it a possible 21 points to play for.
BOGNOR REGIS TOWN
Enfield FC fans of old will always have fond memories of visiting Nyewood Lane in the 1990's. The game is 1993 sticks in the memory of many fans; Their used to be a bookies at the ground where you could bet on the result of the game and with Enfield is 3rd place in the Premier and the home side already relegated at the bottom on the table there was a small amount of money put on a 0-5 victory for the E's. With the score at 0-5 with only minutes to go supporters were busy discussing how they would spend their winnings only for E's Legend Carl Richards to get a sixth and run celebrating towards the travelling fans who comically berated him for scoring and ruining their bet. The 92/93 season was a poor season for Bognor with their first league victory coming on the 28th December in 3-2 home win versus Bromley.
Above - The programme for the 0-6 game on the 17th April 1993.The Rocks have had an eventful couple of season's with relegation from the Blue Sqaure South last year following a seven point deduction for fielding an unregistered player and the clubhouse burning down. Club legend Jack Pearce is now General Manager and Darin Kilpatrick who spent most his playing career at Nyewood Lane is now in the manager's hot seat. A famous name is also playing for the Rocks this season in Charlie Oatway the 17 year old son of Brighton HA legend Anthony Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Gerry Gordon Stephen James Oatway aka Charlie Oatway. Oatway Junior has made a good start to his career netting four times in 19 league games.
They have had a good Christmas period with an away 2-0 win on the 15th December at Cray Wanderers and a home draw versus Horsham. The stand out result was the unexpected surpise victory on Monday away at 4th placed Kingstonian. The 3-1 win was only their fourth in the league with the above Cray victory along with home wins over AFC Hornchurch and Ashford Town (Middlesex). They also had a fantastic result in a 3-3 draw at Dartford on the 7th November in front of 1,295 people.
Out of the last nine points on offer Bognor have got seven which is good going. Like Billericay their form has upped in December so they can also stay up if it continues. However, Teams around them do have games in hand so this could be their downfall.
The cold end has always had a soft spot for The Rocks and hopes they can stay up this season. Happily I can also report the clubhouse has been re-built and is now open for supporters to use.
HENDON
The selling off and destruction of the historic Claremont Road will ring bell's for the old E's fans. It was terrible to see and The Don's (following the aborted plans to play at the Barnet Copthall stadium) have now entered into a long term deal to share at Wembley's Vale Farm. Former Enfield keeper Gary McCann has been manager for over four years now and is a firm fan's favourite being assisted by Hendon legend Freddie Hyatt.
The 3-0 Boxing day win at Harrow Borough was welcomed by fans and management alike. They have won six of seventeen league games but also lost eight games which has put them down the bottom of the table winning 7 points out of the last 18 points on offer. McCann has a settled side with only 4 players different in the Boxing Day stating XI than on the opening day of the season, Two of the changes were on the bench on the opening day. The Don's have the same goalscoring problems that seems to be the case with all the teams down the bottom of the table, James Bent top scores with only 4 goals in 15 league games. Like Billericay they have a good defensive record only conceeding 28 goals which is encouraging for McCann seeing as most of the teams up the top of the league are at about that level. Hendon, like all the current bottom four can stay up.
The verdict from the cold end is that anyone with a poor run of form from 5th placed Tooting & Mitcham downwards can be pulled into the relegation dog fight. Only nine points seperate 5th place with 19th placed Hendon in the 4th relegation spot. What price the bottom four now will be totally different at the end of the season??? It's going to be very interesting watching.
LINKS
greensnet - hendon fc
bognor regis town
billericay town
waltham abbey
the famous isthmian fans website
this is really good to see, keep it up lads..
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