Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month, October 2025

Our congratulations for some superb performances go to the following clubs:

Pitching In Isthmian Premier

On Tuesday October 14th a Canvey Island side who were at the bottom of the table and without a win welcomed a Brentwood Town side who were at the top of the table and had yet to taste League defeat. It looked, perhaps, like a guaranteed three points on the road for the travelling Blues- but it turned out that it was anything but. 

The match welcomed the first goal of all of our fixtures that night. It went to the Gulls, and it went to Kwabena Yeboah in the very first minute. Brentwood won’t have worried too much, as they’d come from behind so many times this season it almost seemed to have become compulsory, but they may have been a little more concerned when Max Fiddes made it two eleven minutes later. 

The Blues got one back on twenty two minutes, Alejandro Machado halving the deficit, and they drew level nineteen minutes from time, Daniel Ogunleye scoring his sixth of the season. If the visiting fans were now expecting a winner, they’d have been shocked when Finlay Dorrell restored Canvey’s lead eight minutes from time- and to the delight of the home faithful, who, let’s be honest, deserved some delight, the Gulls held on for three crucial points. 

Canvey take our Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month Award for that victory- and it seemed to spark life into their season, as in the five matches played since then their only defeats have come in penalty shootouts! 

Pitching In Isthmian North

On October 4th Tilbury hit the road to take on one of our former clubs in the FA Trophy. Chertsey Town were their hosts- the Curfews these days sitting pretty in the middle of Pitching In Southern Premier South. 

New Dockers signing Tyler Forbes got the first goal of the match, putting the underdogs ahead on twelve minutes. Chertsey levelled nineteen minutes from time and must have fancied their chances of completing a turnaround, but the visitors had other ideas, and with only three minutes to go were ahead once more, Juwon Akintunde restoring their lead. This time, they held it, to knock out their ‘giant’ - and, although of course they won’t have known it at the time, to win our Performance of the Month prize. 

Tilbury have since defeated Hadley in the next round of the Trophy, and are currently looking forward to a trip to take on Dagenham and Redbridge in Round Two. We suspect if they win that one they’ll have a great chance of taking this prize in November, too!

Pitching In Isthmian South Central

October was a mixed month for September’s Performance of the Month winners, Hendon- but it started remarkably well, and indeed saw them record the result which won them November’s prize before we’d even had the chance to deliver the trophy for October! Two matches, within four days, and two Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month Awards- surely that must be some kind of record?

Premier Division Dulwich Hamlet, occupying a Play Off spot, welcomed a Hendon side who were in blistering form, seven unbeaten in all competitions. Perhaps it wasn’t too much of a surprise, then, when Hendon went ahead on five minutes, Keegan Cole scoring from a free kick, but the story of the day was two Hamlet spot kicks, both saved by Josh Strizovic in the visitors goal, which gave Hendon a fine victory. 

Congrats to all in Green- we’ll have yet another Trophy with you shortly!

Pitching In Isthmian South East Division

We spent most of last year travelling to Sittingbourne to deliver Performance of the Month prizes for FA Trophy giant killings, so perhaps it shouldn’t be such a surprise that we’re off to Woodstock once again, as the Brickies pick up our October prize for an FA Trophy giant killing. Indeed, they had not one FA Trophy giant killing in the running, but two!

On October 4th the Brickies hosted Pitching In Isthmian Premier side Hashtag United, and went ahead after only two minutes, Chris Arthur with the goal- and it turned out to be the only goal. On October 25th they welcomed another Pitching In Isthmian Premier side, Cray Valley PM, Henry Sinai putting them ahead nine minutes before half time, an own goal extending their lead early in the second half, and a stoppage time penalty for the Millers making little difference. 

We’ve decided that the Tags victory is perhaps the most impressive of the two, but honestly you could probably pick either. Perhaps we’ve reached the point where we should just rename this the Shepherd Neame Sittingbourne Award and be done with it? Still, at least our fabulous sponsors will have only a short distance to travel from their home in Faversham to make the presentation! 

Congrats again, Brickies. 

Many thanks to our sponsors, Shepherd Neame, the oldest brewers in Britain. With pubs and hotels across the country, Shepherd Neame should be your first choice for accommodation after a long away trip, or just for a refreshing drink or a nice meal before or after the game. You can find out more about what they have to offer by heading to their website- here.