2016-17 National League South

[Joe.]

Wouldn't surprise me if they decide to segregate us either.

We've finally landed Darren McQueen on a season long loan from Colchester.

Bagged another brace in the 3-2 win at Folkestone last night. Not bothered with pre season thus far (it's shite) but I'll be delighted if he can show this kind of form against better clubs.

 

[Aberstone]

He'll score a hat-trick on September 10th.

We won a game last night (huzzah), 1-0 at Staines with Danny Green scoring the goal.

 

[Aberstone]

They're doing predictions in the North so thoughts on the South?

My tuppence worth:

Champions - Ebbsfleet United
Play-off winners - Chelmsford City
Relegated - Hungerford Town, Truro City and Whitehawk

Playoffs should be interesting, I actually expect our local Hertfordshire rivals (Hemel and St. Albans) to make them. Welling or Dartford to occupy the other playoff place. I'd love it if we could sneak in but there are far too many question marks surrounding us.

 

[Raymondo316]

Whitehawk is gonna be a real interesting one.

With their foreign revolution i can see them either doing a Sutton or really struggling...cant see there being a middle ground. All i know is the team talks are gonna be rather interesting for the 2-3 English players they have.

To be a fly on the wall in that dressing room....

 

[Joe.]

Really don't know how this is going to go. The loss of Godden could be huge, but with Bubb, Kedwell, McLean and Parkes all capable of hitting double figures, it may not be that big. Really could go either way.

Defensively I'd say we are stronger. Nathan Ashmore in goal for the full season could be key. Brandon Hall made far too many mistakes. With Phillips, Winfield, Clark and Greenidge vying for the centre back positions, there's good competition. Jack Connors is a bit of an unknown to us, but has decent pedigree. Can see Matt Fish being pushed out by Academy player Ollie Boulding.

Not been to any pre seasons but judging by the lineups it looks like we will be playing with 3 at the back and wing backs, so none of this defensive at home shit we saw last season.

Hope we win it, but don't expect us to. Other than that, I hope Dartford fail to make the play offs (a third play off final defeat to a Kent side will really make me give up), and I hope Whitehawk go down. Absolute wankers them lot.

 

[Joe.]

Danny Kedwell named captain with Dave Winfield as vice. Good choice I think, there were 3 or 4 really strong candidates I feel.

Can't wait to get going now!

 

[Aberstone]

Forgot Stortford in my predictions earlier up so they can replace Truro as a side to go down.

We've signed Ciaron Brown who will be hopelessly out of his depth and attacking midfielder Dylan Williams on loan from Cambridge United until January 1st. Shaun Derry seems to rate him and he impressed those who attended our 2-1 win at Wingate & Finchley on Tuesday night.

 

[Joe.]

Reckon you can give it a shot at play offs?

 

[CrazyImp]

If Ebbsfleet don't win this division then they should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Joe.]

If Ebbsfleet don't win this division then they should be ashamed of themselves.

We won't. Well, I don't know. I hope we do, but I don't expect it. Will be closer than a lot of people think, I know that much.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Who has brought who in the South - http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/vanarama-national-league-south-signings-48923/

 

[Aber gas]

Whitehawk's recruitment is hilarious.

 

[You Orns]

Was at Saint Albans v Concord Rangers.

Good win for Saints, they had the chances to win it more emphatically than they did but did survive a lucky disallowed goal right at the end. 2-0 was probably a fair result though.

Quite healthy crowd of 606 considering the opposition and I'd estimate the traveling support was around 30.

 

[Joe.]

We played well today. Poole were good in the first half, restricting us to one goal and just a couple more shots. Tired badly in the second half and we took advantage.

Jack Powell is on another level. He won't be here long.

 

[Aberstone]

Dartford 2-2 Wealdstone (Att: 1,002)

Really entertaining game and in my opinion at least, a fair result. Both teams had multitudes of chances and with the heat taking its toll, the game really opened up in the last 10 minutes.

Dartford took the lead on half time with a Elliott Bradbrook strike as our defence were caught on our heels. In fairness they'd had a goal disallowed and a header which had managed to hit both posts and ricochet out.

We equalised early in the 2nd half which I hope is on video, total football which carved Dartford right open allowing Elliot Benyon to tap in from 2 yards.

Chances came and went and then Sahr Kabba came on. Within a 30 second period, he gives the ball away, concedes a free kick and also a penalty which Ryan Hayes duly dispatched.

Thankfully we'd snatch a point in the 95th minute, David Hunt's corner headed in by Eddie Oshodi.

I'm trying to put together an away following table so number of away supporters from other contributors is most appreciated. 175 of us at Princes Park yesterday.

 

[Joe.]

Around 20-30 Poole in a crowd of 1,031.

 

[Joe.]

The Conference doing their bit for us tonight - getting Concord away out of the way early on!

 

[Joe.]

Concord 0-1 Ebbsfleet.

Totally dominated the play in the first half, without actually creating much. First chance came within the opening 5. Linesman flagged for a free kick on the edge of the area, but Sean Shields continued his run into the box and flashed across goal. Unfortunately everybody else had stopped as they thought it was a free kick!

Couple of efforts went wide, before Dave Winfield of all people got hold of the ball on the edge of the area and struck a sweetly hit strike into the bottom of the corner.

Second half was non existent from us, bar one effort from substitute Sam Deering that rattled the ball. Concord were better, but didn't really trouble the goal until the end, with JP Kissock clearing off the line.

Although far from impressive, we would have drawn that last season. Early signs are good as we go into Saturdays game away at Hungerford.

Attendance: nothing official from what I can tell, but looked around 200 or so of us. Didn't look much over 300-350 altogether if I'm honest.

 

[Joe.]

452. Well I'll be fucked. Genuinely didn't look many more than a hundred of them.

 

[Aberstone]

Hopefully this is posted...

Wealdstone 2-2 St. Albans City (Att: 824)

Another entertaining game, with a draw probably being a fair result when it's all said and done (still think we were the better side). We look so much livelier moving forward but can't defend to save our lives at the moment.

Monday's crowd was higher than anything we got last season which is encouraging. 90-100 Saints made the short trip.

 

[Aberstone]

Goals vs. Dartford:

Highlights vs. St. Albans

 

[Joe.]

Not sure if Kedwell is fit for Saturday but if not, we will have no fit strikers. Bubb, McLean and Sheringham all injured.

 

[Joe.]

Looking like the beginning of the end for Matt Fish. We've signed a right back. Marvin McCoy.

 

[Aberstone]

As I said on Twitter, dodgy spell at York aside - Marvin McCoy should be a competent replacement for Matt Fish. Him and Keiron Forbes (now at Maidenhead) were a lethal right hand combination for us in the 2009-10 season.

Home to Margate tomorrow, no idea what to expect really.

 

[Joe.]

As I said on Twitter, dodgy spell at York aside - Marvin McCoy should be a competent replacement for Matt Fish. Him and Keiron Forbes (now at Maidenhead) were a lethal right hand combination for us in the 2009-10 season.

Home to Margate tomorrow, no idea what to expect really.

Forbes is at Maidenhead?! What happened to him? He was class at Forest Green the season we went down!

Hungerford away for us. Ground #111. Like you, don't know what to expect.

 

[Aberstone]

Wealdstone 2-1 Margate (Att: announced as 658 at the game, 689 on the Conference website).

The scoreline doesn't reflect our dominance. Goals from Elliot Benyon and Omar Koroma (both assisted by the brilliant Danny Green) put us 2 up at the half time interval. We'd waste multiple chances in the second half to kill the game off before Margate made it squeaky bum time with a clever finish in the 90th minute.

We deservedly held out however to register our first win of the season.

 

[Shrimper92]

Not a good start to the season for Concord

 

[DarkSithLord]

Decent start to life at this level for Hungerford.

 

[Joe.]

Hungerford 1-1 Ebbsfleet. Attendance 400 and something, 200 or so of us. No more. Decent turnout I thought.

Didn't arrive until 2 (supporters coach arrived at 3.15) because of M25 traffic, so headed straight for the club bar. Nice set up there. Tidy little ground although the pitch slants at both ends. Not ideal.

Didn't think much of the game, not many chances. Either side could have won it and I'll settle for the point. We missed Kedwell badly.

Shitehawk at home on Tuesday. Absolutely hate them.

 

[Aberstone]

Whitehawk will beat both of us over the next 7 days.

Statement from Margate's chairman.