North Velocity

It’s a Velocity Cup Second and Third Round night tonight for four of our Pitching In Isthmian North sides.

In the Second Round two sides who have been suffering contrasting fortunes of late meet at Coles Park, as Haringey Borough, second from bottom, hope for a respite from their recent woes as they welcome leaders Tilbury.

Two weeks ago, as Borough were defeating Sporting Bengal United at Coles Park, we felt that their early season crisis was finally over, as it meant they’d taken seven points from their last three matches and were beginning to climb the table. Since then they’ve conceded five against Brentwood Town and, on Saturday, seven at Gorleston, the only light relief coming in between those two matches in a one-one draw at Waltham Abbey. The last thing you need when you’re rather short on confidence is a match against a side who are sweeping all before them, but that’s what they’ve got, Tilbury making the trip to White Hart Lane. The Dockers are eight unbeaten, seven of those victories including the last four, and in Alex Hernandez have a player who has scored in his last six matches- indeed a player who has eight goals from eight games since joining the club. 

The sides last met on August Bank Holiday Monday, Tilbury running out three-two winners.

Onto Round Three, and Grays Athletic head back to a former-temporary- home, Aveley’s Parkside, where they take on their successors as tenants, Hashtag United. Athletic have lost only one of six in all competitions, and defeated Newmarket Town four-one when they last played, a week ago. The Tags defeated Dulwich Hamlet on penalties in the FA Trophy on Saturday but are having a rather inconsistent season, so the visitors might sense the chance of a giant killing.

Newmarket Town are on the way to face Premier Division Hendon, both sides looking for a return to winning ways. The Greens have lost their last two whilst conceding eleven goals and scoring one, whilst the Jockeys have also lost their last two, conceding seven.