Tale Of Two Form Sides Set The Stage For A Cracker
Two of the country’s form sides go head-to-head on Saturday as Vanarama National League leaders Bromley make the trip to Somerset to take on Yeovil.
The table-topping Ravens head into the clash on the back of midweek victory over fellow high-flyers Woking at Hayes Lane – a win that moved them four points clear of the chasing pack.
Neil Smith’s troops now boast an impressive 13 game record and, having inflicted the Cardinals’ first defeat in 11 matches, will be looking to halt the Glovers’ six match winning run this weekend.
European Champions Liverpool are the only side who can match Yeovil’s current hot streak and Bromley boss Smith is expecting another tough contest come kick-off.
“We knew it would be a tough game against Woking who were ten games unbeaten”, he said.
“Yeovil have put a fantastic run together so we don’t expect anything but a hard game, but we will make sure that we are ready for it.”
There has been little to cheer of late for Yeovil fans. Three relegations in six years saw their 16-year stay in the Football League abruptly ended.
But with off-the-field matters settled and the Glovers sitting pretty in joint-second, things are starting to head in the right direction once more.
“We are having so many great experiences at the minute especially with the fans,” Sarll told the club’s official video service.
“But we need to make sure we are balanced and humble. We need to keep our feet on the floor and understand what it takes to win games.
“Winning games is the hardest thing so we’ve got to make sure we reset Thursday and Friday before we get ready for Saturday.”
By Sam Dalling- Vanarama National League website
Vanarama Stat Attack: Shots’ National League starts come under the microscope!
We’re very nearly at a quarter of the way through already – exactly where these first seven weeks have gone is anybody’s guess.
There’s no doubt things have improved for the Shots, even if fans have yet to have a home win to enjoy. Danny Searle seems to really be getting his feet under the table – and the stats back that up.
We’ve been taking a closer look at the starts made over the years and if we really should be reading anything into them. Stay with us here!
First, let’s compare the opening seven weeks of last season to what we’ve seen so far this term.
Well, the team have one more point on board than in September 2018 and even if six losses so far are disappointing, it’s one less than a year ago. The new-look Shots have scored a goal more and, interestingly, let in five less than 12 months ago.
Of course the club’s best start in recent years came in 2017-18. They were top after 11 matches with 20 points under Gary Waddock. In the end they had to settle for a fifth place finish.
The year before they also ended the season in fifth after securing 19 points from a possible 33 to kick-off the season.
The team had very solid 17 points on the board from the first 11 National League matches in 2015-16 but in the end they could only register a 15th place finish.
So what exactly can we read into a start to the season?
Let’s revisit last September again and have a little look. This time last year the team leading the way were Harrogate Town with 25 points and seven wins. They ended in sixth.
Wrexham will say the first six or so weeks gives us no insight at all – a good job looking at their start to the new campaign.
The Dragons were second, winning seven of their first 11. A few months and a few managers later, they finished in fifth and limped out in the play-offs in the Eliminator.
Eventual champions Leyton Orient were third, just a few points behind, with Salford City, who would go on to take the second promotion slot, sitting just behind them.
calling-the-shots.com 