Thursday, 20 January 2022

PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION UPDATE AND NEWS

PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION TABLE
BOTTOM ELEVEN PLACES 
Leatherhead are still somewhat cut adrift at the bottom of the Isthmian League Premier Division. They are under new management of Luke Tuffs who has moved to Fetcham Grove from Ashford Town (Middx) having previously been in charge of Hartley Wintney and Knaphill. Tuffs is the third manager for The Tanners this season following the departure of Nikki Bull in October and Mustafa Bashkal's short spell in charge having joined from Essex Senior League side Clapton to replace Bull. 

Tuffs has made a number of signings including centre-back Cameron Black who joins on loan from Vanarama South high flyer's Dorking Wanderers having started the season with Leatherhead, Winger Michael Fernandes on a dual registration deal with Farnborough, Louie Paget also joins on a dual registration from Farnborough having played under Tuffs for both Hartley Wintney and Knaphill. Seth Owens has also joined from Farnborough where he played regularly for the first team this season. 

Striker Antonio German has also signed and is a hugley experiences striker - His last club was Malaysian Premier League club Royal Malaysia Police FC. The 30 year old started his career with Queens Park Rangers making 22 first team apperances for the West London club from 2009 to 2011 as well as loan spells with Aldershot Town, Southend United and Yeovil Town. He then played for Stockport County, Bromley, Brentford, Gillingham, Northampton Town, Partick Thistle, Ebbsfleet United, Hemel Hempstead Town and St Albans City. He has also played in India for Kerala Blasters and Gokulam Kerala as well as Selangor in Malaysia. 

Winger Josh Bohui, 22, joins from Hayes & Yeading. He started his career in the academy systems of Brentford and Manchester United before moving to Dutch side NAC Breda. He spent the 20/21 season in League Two with Colchester United before making one single appearance for Waltham Abbey earlier this season prior to moving to Hayes & Yeading. 

Another highly experienced player in midfielder Jermaine McGlashan has joined from Maidstone United - He will be player/assistant manager at Fetcham Grove.  The 33 year old has played over 300 football league games with Aldershot Town, Cheltenham Town, Gillingham, Southend United and Swindon Town in his career.

Midfielder Mitchell Gough has joined from Walton Casuals and counts Farnborough, Hayes & Yeading and Harrow Borough as former clubs.  

Aaron Lamont, another midfielder, has joined form Kingstonian where the former Ramsgate player made 25 appearances for The K's this season.  

Pochu Mendez-Calucane has also joined having previously played for Merstham. 
 
Tuffs got his first point on the board with a 0-0 draw at Cray Wanderers on Wednesday evening. The Tanners travel to Haringey Borough on Saturday. 

They are followed by East Thurrock United, Cray Wanderers, Bowers & Pitsea and Brightlingsea Regent and Potters Bar Town. 

Regent got an important 2-0 win at home to The Scholars on Tuesday evening. Lee O'Leary's side have games in hand over all the teams around them - Striker Joe Boachie has joined the club on a full time basis having joined on a dual registration basis earlier in the season from Concord Rangers. 

Winger Eddie Carrington has also joined having played 4 games for Leatherhead earlier in the season scoring against Potters Bar Town in The Tanner's 3-4 victory at The LA Construction Stadium. The 19 year old was part of the academy set up at Tottenham Hotspur up until the end of last season. 

Bilal Sayoud has also recently joined The Scholars from Wingate & Finchley - Sayoud has also played for Enfield Town and for Coventry City's academy team. 

Bowers and Pitsea have lost their last six league games in a row and are in real danger of dropping into the relegation zone. 

PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION TABLE 
TOP ELEVEN PLACES 

It's business as usual at the top of the table with Worthing sitting top of the pile. Having said this The Mackerel Men have lost two games in their last six which came at Margate (4-2) and Carshalton Athletic (2-1) with former Dulwich Hamlet and Enfield Town striker Harry Ottaway scoring both goals. 

The form side of the division are Hornchurch who have won their last seven league games in a row with impressive victories over Kingstonian, Bishops Stortford and Margate in the run. The Urchins go to Worthing this weekend in one of the games of the day - I think they could well continue their winning form. Worthing follow this game with a midweek home fixture against Folkstone Invicta! 

With just ten points between Margate in 10th and Enfield Town currently in 2nd place the race for the play-offs look set to be a very exciting period. 

Enfield Town have had an up and down period over the past eight games losing to Cheshunt and Lewes as well as drawing with Cray Wanderers, Bognor Regis Town and Haringey Borough. 

Andy Leese has made what could be a key signing in Jake Cass who recently departed Bishop's Stortford - The Striker made his first appearance for Town scoring a goal in their recent 3-4 victory at Horsham. He scored 10 league goals for The Blues this season prior to his departure from the club including a penalty kick against Enfield. 

Margate have made an interesting signing in midfielder Benas Vaivada who makes the jump up from Step Five side Tower Hamlets. The 20 year old made his debut for The Gate coming off the bench in their recent defeat to Hornchurch. Vaivada made 15 appearances and scored 4 times for the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division side. 

FORTHCOMING FIXTUES 

Saturday 22nd January
Bishop's Stortford v East Thurrock United 
Bognor Regis Town v Potters Bar Town 
Bowers & Pitsea v Merstham 
Cheshunt v Horsham 
Cray Wanderers v Carshalton Athletic 
Folkestone Invicta v Wingate & Finchley 
Haringey Borough v Leatherhead 
Kingstonian v Enfield Town 
Lewes v Brightlingsea Regent 
Margate v Corinthian-Casuals 
Worthing v Hornchurch


The two games of the day on Saturday form me are the aforementioned Worthing v Hornchurch fixture and fifth placed Kingstonian welcoming second placed Enfield Town to King George's Field. It's a hugely important three games for Enfield Town as they host Carshalton Athletic on Tuesday evening followed by a visit of Margate a week on Saturday. 

Tuesday 25th January
Bishop's Stortford v Bognor Regis Town 
Cheshunt v Bowers & Pitsea 
Enfield Town v Carshalton Athletic 
Haringey Borough v Kingstonian 
Hornchurch v Horsham 
Lewes v Cray Wanderers 
Worthing v Folkestone Invicta

Saturday 29th January
Brightlingsea Regent v Cray Wanderers 
Carshalton Athletic v Cheshunt 
Corinthian-Casuals v Worthing 
East Thurrock United v Haringey Borough 
Enfield Town v Margate 
Hornchurch v Lewes 
Horsham v Bowers & Pitsea 
Leatherhead v Bishop's Stortford 
Merstham v Kingstonian 
Potters Bar Town v Folkestone Invicta 
Wingate & Finchley v Bognor Regis Town

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