CHAIRMAN’S NOTES

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to The OHOB Community Stadium for today’s Isthmian League South East Division match against Ashford United.

We extend a warm welcome to Tommy Warrilow, his players and staff, the Nuts and Bolts’ officials and supporters as well as to this afternoon’s match referee Jonathon Wilks and his assistants Ian Lane and Kyle Mann and of course our own Wasps supporters. We trust you all enjoy your short stay and our hospitality.

Tommy Warrilow’s Ashford United have only lost one of their last nine matches, a 5-1 defeat against Cray Valley who sit above them in the final play off place with three more points.

Wasps last played the Nuts & Bolts back in August at Homelands - Johan Ter Horst scored for the hosts in the 12th minute and again on the hour mark, but goals from Thibault Abie and Matt Daniel in the last fifteen minutes squared things up and we came home with a point.

Ironically following a run of 11 consecutive Saturday / Tuesday matches, we haven’t now played for a fortnight after last Saturday’s home match v Whitehawk was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. We also had to postpone Thursday night’s scheduled Under 18s match so hopefully today’s match will be able to be played.

Our last match was a 5-0 defeat away to league leaders Ramsgate. We were still in the game at 1-0 down when in the 65th minute, Junior Savane was red carded for a mistimed tackle in the opponents’ half which most people considered a harsh decision except for the man in the middle who of course is the one that counts. We conceded a second goal 9 minutes later when the assistant referee adjudged the ball had crossed the line when Matt Pierson and his defenders were adamant it hadn’t and then we capitulated and conceded three more in nine minutes.

Prior to that match, we had beaten an in-form Hythe Town here at East Court who had been unbeaten in their previous seven and we were looking for some momentum which we hope to pick back up today.

Please give a warm East Court welcome to Thomas Cooney who made his Wasps debut a fortnight ago at left back and a welcome back to his home town team to striker Ben Aubrey who has been at Dorking Wanderers this season.

It’s still all very tight in the bottom half of the table –Corinthian and Faversham still occupy the bottom two places with 20 and 24 points respectively. Haywards Heath with 31 points and VCD Athletic on 34 points occupy the two Inter-Step play off places. Then come Burgess Hill in 16th place on 35 points, with Lancing and Sittingbourne on 36 points. Wasps sit in 13th with 37 points and a game in hand which is at home against Whitehawk on Tuesday (ko 7.30pm).

We travel to Hythe next Saturday, then we are at home on Easter Saturday against Sittingbourne and away on Easter Monday at Chichester City.

Whatever the outcome of this afternoon’s match, I trust everyone enjoys their visit to The OHOB Community Stadium and I wish you all a safe journey home.

Enjoy the match

Richard Tramontin (Chairman)