Pitching In Isthmian Performance of the Month Awards, April 2023

The last month tends to be the most critical, so here we honour some fine performances under pressure.

Pitching In Isthmian Premier

Bishop’s Stortford went into the penultimate weekend of the regular season knowing that one more win could be enough to hand them the title- although as it turned out, it wasn’t! The Blues welcomed an Enfield Town side who had gone four matches without a win- a run which had seen them removed from the top five- and who were desperate for three points of their own as they looked to keep their play off dreams alive. Stortford had won the last four meetings between the clubs, and they went ahead in this one ten minutes before half time, Darren Foxley with the opener. Just after the restart the Towners gave themselves (and the rest of the top four) hope with an equaliser, Michael Bakare levelling, but the Blues were ahead once more ten minutes later, Anthony Church sending most of the one thousand, three hundred and forty eight watching on into raptures. They were even more delighted when Foxley scored again with twenty five minutes to go, and when Ryan Charles added a fourth the outcome- of this match, at least- was secure.

Congratulations to the National League bound Blues, who now have our Performance of the Month trophy to add to their cabinet.

Pitching In Isthmian North

AFC Sudbury were already guaranteed second place, but our long time leaders weren’t prepared to rest on their laurels as Brentwood Town arrived the MEL Group Stadium. The travelling Blues were five unbeaten, and indeed had lost only one of their last ten, but they were a goal down after twelve minutes, Harrison Chatting the scorer, and it was two-nil a quarter of an hour later, Sakariya Hassan doubling home advantage. With twenty four minutes left Nnamdi Nwachuku scored for the FORTY EIGHTH time this season to make it three, and a few minutes later Hassan made it four. With eleven minutes remaining Josh Stokes added a fifth, and that’s where it stopped.

The Yellows are awarded Performance of the Month- something else to celebrate!

Pitching In Isthmian South Central

Walton & Hersham welcomed Basingstoke Town in what looked to be a title-decider. It turned out that is was no such thing- but what a match it was nonetheless. The Swans had won their previous thirteen matches, and striker Eddie Simon- who had just been starring on Sky Sports News- had scored a hat trick in each of their last four, so it was no surprise when Simon hit the scoresheet once more, breaking the deadlock on twenty two minutes. Walton added a second just before the break, Mitchal Gough with what looked to be a crucial goal, but George Reid made a match of it by pulling a goal back seven minutes after the restart. The Swans then struck a killer blow, Alex Kelly with a third seventeen minutes from time, and it got worse for Stoke as Billy Upton saw red. A penalty from Harry Mills made it four-one with eight minutes to go, and it was five three minutes from time, Jordan Adeyemi with that one. The Swans went two points clear at the top.

Walton now have another trophy to go with the one they lifted at the Play Off Final.

Pitching In Isthmian South East Division

Whitehawk travelled to East Grinstead Town hoping to narrow the gap to the leading duo, and on the back of a run which had seen them win seven of their last nine- but it turned out that the Wasps weren’t impressed by such statistics. Ben Aubrey put the hosts ahead on fifteen minutes only for Nathan Cooper to hit back six minutes later, but the hosts were ahead again by half time, Omar Folkes restoring their advantage two minutes earlier. It looked as if the visitors had taken a point- at least- when Alfie Rogers levelled with ten minutes to go, but deep into added time Ben Aubrey got a winner for Town, and lifted his side to thirteenth in the process, opening up a six point gap over the bottom four.

Congratulations to the Wasps, who take our final Performance of the Month prize of the campaign.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.