Pitching In Isthmian Performance of the Month Awards, January 2023

There were many fine performances to celebrate during January, some of them delivered in absolutely foul weather! Here are our winners.

Pitching In Isthmian Premier

Brightlingsea Regent welcomed Bishop’s Stortford with both sides experiencing contrasting fortunes. Stortford had only one defeat in their previous fifteen matches and were hoping to go top with another victory, whilst Regent were rock bottom, and had gone fifteen matches without a win. It looked easy to predict the outcome- but it absolutely wasn’t, Regent delivering a fine performance and taking all three points with two second half goals, Suleyman Zuhdu grabbing them both. The result proved to be a catalyst for a Regent revival, and we’re going to send them our congratulations and a shiny trophy to remember it by, as we’ve decided that this was our Performance of the Month.

Pitching In Isthmian North

When Coggeshall Town welcomed Basildon United on Saturday 28th January they did so without a win all season. Performances had improved enormously in the previous few weeks, but that victory had remained elusive- and it looked as if that story would continue as United took the lead with only seven minutes left. The Seed Growers, however, decided that wouldn’t do. First George Frodsham grabbed an equaliser, and then with the final whistle looming, Josh Osude popped up to score a winner- and deliver a crucial, joyous three points for the hosts. Many congratulations to all at the club, our Performance of the Month award winners.

Pitching In Isthmian South Central

Northwood have led the South Central Division for most of the season, and when they welcomed Hanworth Villa on January 2nd the gap between Woods and the rest was four points. The Villains, however, had already knocked the Woods out of the FA Trophy, so made the trip full of confidence- and it was confidence which was well founded. In a one-sided match they delivered two goals in each half- Kyen Nicholas with two, George Wells and Jacob Erskine the others- and although the hosts got one back just before the end it wasn’t really much of a consolation. Many congratulations to all at Villa, on a fine first Isthmian season so far and a magnificent performance against our leaders, one which will now have a permanent reminder.

Pitching In Isthmian South East Division

Three Bridges welcomed leaders Ramsgate on January 28th. The Rams were a point clear at the top, and Bridges twenty four points behind them and in the bottom four- but that didn’t tell the whole story. Bridges had been superb on their own patch, and yet they’d been hammered by the Rams on the Kent coast only two months earlier. Surely, despite their positive home record, the visitors would be just too good for them? They weren’t. Curtis Gayler opened the scoring in the first half, and despite the Rams efforts the hosts doubled their advantage after the break, Noel Leighton with the second, and held on for a comfortable victory to move out of the bottom four. Congratulations to all at Jubilee Field, who take our Performance of the Month award.