Post by Keithsson on Nov 18, 2019 11:46:44 GMT
We travel next to Essex for the second consecutive game against a team of two names. Wingate & Finchley were defeated on Saturday and now we face Bowers & Pitsea. If we can knock them over too that'll be four places vanquished in four days 
Taking nothing for granted there's every reason to be confident we can do that too. Travelling seems to help the 'Rebel engine' roar, the recurring misfiring we're prone to at home doesn't follow us on the road and Bowers & Pitsea are far from the best team we've already faced and left in our rear view mirror.
I am sure someone with better knowledge will be able to say if we've played them before in any of the cup competitions but looking at their league history this is surely a first meeting of the two sides. Bowers United were only ever Essex League before changing their name to Bowers and Pitsea in 2004. They continued to bimble about in the Essex league until 2015 when someone lit a fire under their bed and they shot to two promotions in four seasons. Champions of the Essex League in 2016 they had one consolidation season (6th) then made the play-offs in Isthmian League 1N (3rd). Last season the league was renamed and they secured their IPD place as champions having passed through Isthmian North like a chicken kebab with extra large dose of salmonella
2015-16 Essex 40 31 3 6 118 34 96 1/21
2016-17 ISTH-1N 46 23 9 14 102 66 78 6/24
2017-18 ISTH-1N 46 28 5 13 94 48 89 3/24
2018-19 ISTH-N 38 29 5 4 96 25 92 1/20
We can see therefore they're not a side who are very used to losing in recent seasons. However they've struggled to find their feet so far in the IPD. Bowers are currently 17th with 11 points from 13 games. We're 6th with 25 from 15.
IPD Table - Link
Form wise they're struggling even more. They are 19th over the last six games home and away with just three points secured from the available eighteen. Over the same period we've secured four times as many points. In this period their only points were a 2-0 win against 16th placed Bishops Stortford last Tuesday. They lost the other five to Cray, Hornchurch, Bognor, Horsham and Margate.
At home they've only played five in the league. The Stortford win last week is their only win, the only other point was a 1-1 draw against Wingate & Finchley in their opening fixture. They have only ever lost by a single goal but as well as the aforementioned Bognor and Margate defeats they lost to Enfield. Away from home our run continues, undefeated on the road since 10th August (league AND cup). But for that last second equaliser at Cray we'd be the top away side in the league.
IPD Form (last 6 home & Away) - Link (toggle through for respective home/away form)
Midweek games (teams we can catch in green/catch us in red)...
Monday 18th
Carshalton Athletic v Brightlingsea Regent
Haringey Borough v Hornchurch
Tuesday 19th
Bowers & Pitsea v Worthing
Margate v Bishop's Stortford
Potters Bar Town v Merstham
Wednesday 20th
Kingstonian v Enfield Town
So, it all looks very promising for another three points doesn't it... what could possibly go wrong?
Over confidence and complacency, that's what. I am convinced that is what did us in that embarrassment against AFC Sudbury. On paper that was a solid gold home win all day long... lower league, worse form, we can afford to rest some players, make some changes, drop our percentages reduce our intensity. That backfired spectacularly and so will this game if we do the same.
It was no surprise that having Marvin, Callum and Jessie back in the side, plus Buddy from the bench made us step up hugely compared to the Trophy 'surrender' last time out. Injuries aside therefore we should start with as close as possible to the side that eventually found it's feet and came roaring back at Wingate. Lloyd limped off having come on from the bench and there may be other less obvious knocks we don't know about. Ollie and Danny were still recovering ahead of Wingate and four days may not be enough time for much to have changed for them.
As well as the personnel we need the mindset to be right too. Yes on paper we should have enough to do the job but drop our percentages just one notch, reduce our intensity just a fraction and pound to a pinch of brown stuff we'll be embarrassed again. Just get the job done lads.
Safe travel to those going up and come on you rebels!
Taking nothing for granted there's every reason to be confident we can do that too. Travelling seems to help the 'Rebel engine' roar, the recurring misfiring we're prone to at home doesn't follow us on the road and Bowers & Pitsea are far from the best team we've already faced and left in our rear view mirror.
I am sure someone with better knowledge will be able to say if we've played them before in any of the cup competitions but looking at their league history this is surely a first meeting of the two sides. Bowers United were only ever Essex League before changing their name to Bowers and Pitsea in 2004. They continued to bimble about in the Essex league until 2015 when someone lit a fire under their bed and they shot to two promotions in four seasons. Champions of the Essex League in 2016 they had one consolidation season (6th) then made the play-offs in Isthmian League 1N (3rd). Last season the league was renamed and they secured their IPD place as champions having passed through Isthmian North like a chicken kebab with extra large dose of salmonella
2015-16 Essex 40 31 3 6 118 34 96 1/21
2016-17 ISTH-1N 46 23 9 14 102 66 78 6/24
2017-18 ISTH-1N 46 28 5 13 94 48 89 3/24
2018-19 ISTH-N 38 29 5 4 96 25 92 1/20
We can see therefore they're not a side who are very used to losing in recent seasons. However they've struggled to find their feet so far in the IPD. Bowers are currently 17th with 11 points from 13 games. We're 6th with 25 from 15.
IPD Table - Link
Form wise they're struggling even more. They are 19th over the last six games home and away with just three points secured from the available eighteen. Over the same period we've secured four times as many points. In this period their only points were a 2-0 win against 16th placed Bishops Stortford last Tuesday. They lost the other five to Cray, Hornchurch, Bognor, Horsham and Margate.
At home they've only played five in the league. The Stortford win last week is their only win, the only other point was a 1-1 draw against Wingate & Finchley in their opening fixture. They have only ever lost by a single goal but as well as the aforementioned Bognor and Margate defeats they lost to Enfield. Away from home our run continues, undefeated on the road since 10th August (league AND cup). But for that last second equaliser at Cray we'd be the top away side in the league.
IPD Form (last 6 home & Away) - Link (toggle through for respective home/away form)
Midweek games (teams we can catch in green/catch us in red)...
Monday 18th
Carshalton Athletic v Brightlingsea Regent
Haringey Borough v Hornchurch
Tuesday 19th
Bowers & Pitsea v Worthing
Margate v Bishop's Stortford
Potters Bar Town v Merstham
Wednesday 20th
Kingstonian v Enfield Town
So, it all looks very promising for another three points doesn't it... what could possibly go wrong?
Over confidence and complacency, that's what. I am convinced that is what did us in that embarrassment against AFC Sudbury. On paper that was a solid gold home win all day long... lower league, worse form, we can afford to rest some players, make some changes, drop our percentages reduce our intensity. That backfired spectacularly and so will this game if we do the same.
It was no surprise that having Marvin, Callum and Jessie back in the side, plus Buddy from the bench made us step up hugely compared to the Trophy 'surrender' last time out. Injuries aside therefore we should start with as close as possible to the side that eventually found it's feet and came roaring back at Wingate. Lloyd limped off having come on from the bench and there may be other less obvious knocks we don't know about. Ollie and Danny were still recovering ahead of Wingate and four days may not be enough time for much to have changed for them.
As well as the personnel we need the mindset to be right too. Yes on paper we should have enough to do the job but drop our percentages just one notch, reduce our intensity just a fraction and pound to a pinch of brown stuff we'll be embarrassed again. Just get the job done lads.
Safe travel to those going up and come on you rebels!
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