Pitching In Isthmian Performance of the Month, September 2023

September saw much fine football, and some standout results. Our Performance of the Month Award winners are as follows:

Pitching In Isthmian Premier

Chatham Town had a magnificent start to their very first Pitching In Isthmian Premier campaign, and had a one hundred percent league record when Cray Wanderers came to call on Saturday 9th September. That record was soon lying around them in pieces, as the visitors delivered a darn good thrashing, leaving with three points and five goals. It was two-nil at the break, Frankie Raymond and Cameron Thompson with the goals, and soon after the restart Raymond added a third. Nyren Clunis got in on the act with eleven minutes remaining to make it four-nil, and although the Chats then got a goal back that just annoyed the visitors, and Archy Taylor quickly made it five.

Congratulations to the Wands on a magnificent victory, and a prize to remember it by.

Pitching In Isthmian North

Gorleston ended last season in magnificent form, and started this campaign in a similar way. On Saturday 16th September they travelled to Bedford Town, a side who had a one hundred percent league record and had defeated the Greens North Division rivals Walthamstow five-nil in the previous round. It looked as if they might be up against it when Town went ahead just after the break, but Gorleston weren’t prepared to put up with that and quickly hit back through Alby Matthews, went ahead through Henry Pollock and then got a third eight minutes from time, Matthews once more doing the damage. The hosts- who, by the way, have played three more matches since and won them all- got a goal back late on, but the Greens held on for a magnificent three-two win, and now they have more silverware (well, if we’re honest, glassware) to place in their trophy cabinet. Many congratulations.

Pitching In Isthmian South Central

When Raynes Park Vale hosted Badshot Lea on the last day of the month, they did so from a rather high altitude. Top of the table, with a one hundred percent record and fifteen perfect points, they were five points clear at the top and hopeful of extending that lead.

The Baggies had other ideas.

They were head after ten minutes, Kai Allsopp with the opener, and although Vale quickly levelled that was as good as it got for the hosts. Baback Dehgani ensured that the visitors regained the lead almost as soon as the second half started, and within ten minutes Anuar Ceesay had added a third. They weren’t finished, Mohammed Regragui making it four-one eleven minutes from time, and that perfect start to the season for Vale was no more than a pleasant memory.

Congratulations to all at Badshot Lea.

Pitching In Isthmian South East Division

Merthyr Town, in third place in Pitching In Southern Premier South, were the long distance hosts for Sheppey United in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. Town had lost only twice this season and they went ahead on eighteen minutes, but it took only three minutes for the unbeaten Ites to hit back through Josh Wisson. The visitors then went ahead, Richard Hamill giving them the lead with twenty minutes left, and four minutes from time Danny Leonard surely ensured a giant killing, making it three-one. The Ites then sent their fans wild with a fourth, Oscar Housego plunging most of the nine hundred and eighty nine watching on into utter dismay.

A magnificent win for the Ites, a joyous- if rather lengthy- journey home from Wales for the team and supporters, and now a trophy to stand as a permanent reminder of a momentous day.

Many congratulations to all at the club.

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