VS HERNE BAY
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE | SOUTH EAST DIVISION SATURDAY 15TH MARCH 2025 | KICK OFF 3PM
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN FC
The Vistavis Community Stadium College Lane | East Grinstead | RH19 3LS
Tel: 01342 325885
FROM THE CHAIR
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Vistavis Community Stadium, particularly to our visitors from Herne Bay and, of course, our match officials.
Both teams had good results on Tuesday. I thought we were excellent in our 2-1 win over Beckenham Town, especially in our defensive work. When the chances came we took them and we won't see too many better free-kicks all year than the one Charlie Gibson scored with to put us in front.
Meanwhile, Herne Bay were winning 5-1 at Erith Town and, like ourselves, can look upwards rather than over their shoulders. Hopefully it will make for an open and attractive game.
The March fixture schedule is pretty relentless. On Tuesday we make the relatively short trip to play-off contenders Merstham before embarking on a lengthier trip next Saturday to Hythe, a side we beat ten days ago.
The boys are on a good run at the moment with ten points from our last six games. Get behind the team today and hopefully that form can continue!
OWNERSHIP STATEMENT
In accordance with the Football Association's Rule 2.13 (publication of ownership) in relation to Step 1 to Step 6 Clubs within the National League System East Grinstead Town FC is an unincorporated association / members club and a Community Amateur Sports Club (reg no CASC 02270).
Followuson:
ClubManagement:
Chair & Treasurer: Richard Tramontin
Secretary & Vice chair: Brian McCorquodale
Senior Football Officer: Steve Norris
Head of Recruitment: Matt Wheeler
Commercial Manager: Steve Norris
Club Welfare Officer: Brian McCorquodale
Disability Welfare Officer: Stuart Gibson
Safety & Facilities Officer: Barry Bryant
Bar Manager: Stuart Gibson
Press Officer: Bruce Talbot
ED&I Officer: Andy Dodson
FootballManagement
Manager: Drew Cooney
Assistant Manager and Team Coach: Ian Nicholls
Assistant Team Coach: Steve Sargent, Matt Wheeler
Physiotherapist: Kit manager:
Disability Team Manager:
Youth Coordinator & Development: Under-18 Managers:
Under-16 Amber Manager:
Under-16 Black Manager:
Under-14 Manager:
Under-12 Amber Manager:
Under 12 Black Manager:
Under 11 Manager:
Shannon McEvoy
Adam Robinson
Ant Bowler
Jay De Vito
Lewis McDonnell & Kevin Wright
Lewis McDonnell
Nigel Leach
Sean Clarabut
Ted Symes
Tom Butcher
Ben Payne
FROM THE Dugout
We welcome everyone for the third game in seven days against Herne Bay. They are off the back of a great 5-1 win on Tuesday away at Erith Town, so don’t be misled by their league position as they are without doubt one of the more established teams at this level.
We too are off the back of a great result on Tuesday night with a convincing 2-1 win over play-off hopefuls Beckenham Town. The lads were fantastic throughout and really deserved the win. That’s three games unbeaten with six more to come this month so plenty of opportunities to extend that undefeated run.
It was good to have Charlie Harris back on Tuesday and both new signings Brady and Chris got some minutes which was also really pleasing.
For me there were a couple of stand out performances from Ricardo Thonpson in midfield and Matt Wearie, who along with the returning Harrison Parker has really shored us up defensively over the last few games.
We hope to continue the good form today before we have another really tough game against the league's form team Merstham away on Tuesday night.
As ever we thank everyone for their support home and away and look forward to seeing you all at today’s game. Please get behind the boys.
Thanks Drew
FIXTURES & RESULTS
AUGUST
Sat 3 AugAGlebeFA Cup EP2-0192Folkes, Tighe
Sat 10 AugAMargateIsthmian South East0-0402
Sat 17 AugHRedhillFA Cup P1-3193Spinks
Fri 23 AugHAFC Croydon AthleticIsthmian South East2-1228Lawson, Weaire
Mon 26 AugASevenoaks TownIsthmian South East2-2107Harris, Daniel
Sat 31 AugHDeal TownIsthmian South East2-3124Daniel, Tighe SEPTEMBER
Tue 3 SepHMersthamVelocity Cup 20-1115
Sat 7 SepAHartley WintneyFA Trophy 1Q1-2163Harris
Tue 10 SepHBroadbridge HeathIsthmian South East1-293Folkes
Sat 14 SepAPhoenix SportsIsthmian South East2-186Daniel, Weaire
Sat 28 SepABurgess Hill TownIsthmian South East1-2415Humpherston OCTOBER
Tue 8 OctANewhavenSussex Cup 21-1Harris
East Grinstead Town win 7-6 on penalties
Sat 12 OctASteyning Town CommunityIsthmian South East3-2110Andrade Filipe, Tighe, Folkes
Tue 15 OctHAshford UnitedIsthmian South East1-3113Tighe
Sat 26 OctAThree BridgesIsthmian South East1-066Christmas NOVEMBER
Sat 2 NovHErith TownIsthmian South East0-4123
Tue 5 NovABroadbridge HeathIsthmian South East2-4107Daniel, Tighe
Sat 9 NovHPhoenix SportsIsthmian South East4-2101Harris, Humpherston, Christmas, Daniel
Tue 12 NovHLancingSussex Cup 30-277
Sat 16 NovAAshford UnitedIsthmian South East0-3434
Sat 30 NovHLancingIsthmian South East1-3119Jabbie DECEMBER
Tue 3 DecHRamsgateIsthmian South East2-1102Lovatt 2
Sat 14 DecAHerne BayIsthmian South East2-1374Thompson, Harris
Tue 17 DecABeckenham TownIsthmian South East2-2182Tighe, Harris
Thu 26 DecAEastbourne TownIsthmian South East1-1309Tighe
Sat 28 DecHMargateIsthmian South East0-2210
JANUARY
Sat 18 JanALittlehampton TownIsthmian South East1-0278Harris pen
Tue 21 JanASittingbourneIsthmian South East0-3189
Sat 25 JanALancingIsthmian South East6-2263Lovatt 3, Daniel 2, Tighe
FEBRUARY
Sat 15 FebHSteyning Town CommunityIsthmian South East0-1139
Tue 18 FebHSheppey UnitedIsthmian South East2-196Daniel, Humpherston
Sat 22 FebARamsgateIsthmian South East1-21208Tighe
MARCH
Sat 1 MarHThree BridgesIsthmian South East0-1220
Tue 4 MarHHythe TownIsthmian South East2-195Own goal, Lovatt
Sat 8 MarAErith TownIsthmian South East0-0107
Tue 11 MarHBeckenham TownIsthmian South East2-1121Gibson, Daniel
Sat 15 MarHHerne BayIsthmian South East3pm
Tue 18 MarAMersthamIsthmian South East7.45pm
Sat 22 MarAHythe TownIsthmian South East3pm
Tue 25 MarHSevenoaks TownIsthmian South East7.30pm
Sat 29 MarHLittlehampton TownIsthmian South East3pm
APRIL
Wed 2 AprHBurgess Hill TownIsthmian South East7.30pm
Sat 5 AprASheppey UnitedIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 12 AprHSittingbourneIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 19 AprADeal TownIsthmian South East3pm
Mon 21 AprHEastbourne TownIsthmian South East3pm
Sat 26 AprAAFC Croydon AthleticIsthmian South East3pm
TEAM LINE UP
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN F.C.
Mattie Pierson nn
Warren Colman nn
Tom Cadman nn
Michael Wilson nn
Matthew Weaire nn
Glenn Wilson (C) nn
Finlay Lovatt nn
Charlie Harris nn
Connor Tighe nn
Alex Andrade Filipe nn
Omar Folkes nn
Matthew Daniel nn
Kieran Humpherston nn
Will Hoare nn
Luke Harrison nn
Harrison Parker nn
Charlie Gibson nn
Brady Ayoola nn
Colours: Amber & Black
HERNE BAY
Folarin Awoleke nn
Josh Bexon (G) nn
Vince Bowman nn
Dan Carrington nn
Sinnkaye Christie nn
Harley Earle (G) nn
Liam Friend nn
Kane Haysman nn
Scott Heard nn
Jack Hillier nn
Archie Hill nn
Myles Judd nn
Artem Kuchkov nn
Jordy Ndozid nn
Theo Osinfolarin nn
Joshua Reid nn
Fenn Roberts nn
Kane Rowland nn
Mike Salako nn
Skye Salmon nn
Monty Saunders nn
Ethan Smith nn
Frankie Smith nn
Carter Wilson (G) nn
NEXT MATCH
Sevenoaks Town
Tuesday 25th March 2025
7.30pm
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Joel Lamping
Assistant Ref: Chandon Chapman
Assistant Ref: Alex Gordon
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN HISTORY
Programmes from the Past by Lester Medcalf
I'm going back a few years for programmes produced for two games played in the past on today's date. First up is East Grinstead v Peacehaven on 15 March 2008 in division two of the Sussex County League.
Our programme back then - which was produced by Lee Quinn and Bruce Talbot – was a good read with lots of different items and it even had its own “looking back” piece. It went back 60 years to 13 March 1948 - “well almost the same date” - and told us that we had been at home to Worthing. The match wasn't played here at East Court but on our previous ground at West Street (shared with the East Grinstead Cricket Club). We had won 4-0 with Aubrey Sinden and Bert Pope each scoring twice. Let's move to 2008 with the programme's league table showing us top of division two with our visitors from Peacehaven in seventh place. There are three different pieces in the programme talking about our 2 most recent games – at home to Broadbridge Heath where we had to wait to the 90th plus minute before seeing a goal. Fortunately it came to us thanks to Tom Saunders. Then a midweek trip to Lancing where Lancing scored an early goal with Marc Pelling and Michael Belli quickly responding to put us ahead well before half time. Only one goal in the second half and it didn't come our way as Lancing equalised some five minutes from the end. We had played the away league game against Peacehaven in January and our team manager Steve Norris tells us that they fully deserved to beat us 3-1 after we scored first through Liam Bull. It had been only our second league defeat. And here at East Court Peacehaven scored the first goal. And for a long time it looked like the only goal. But with 10 minutes left we had a penalty which Mannie Neville converted. And to make things even better Ben Burns scored a winning second goal five minutes later.
DOUBLE ACHIEVED OVER CHICHESTER
Next we'll have a look at the programme for East Grinstead v Chichester on Saturday 15 March 2014 in division one of the Sussex County League with Marc Pelling on the front cover. Richard Tramontin's Chairman notes tells us that he had had to miss a couple of our recent games –when we only managed to pick up one point – but had seen our most recent game against Dorking which we had won. Fortunately none of the other teams around us in the league had won. He then went on to talk about something we'd like to see here in 2025 – “the weather has improved” and so had the pitch. He then talked about the work that would need to be done to the pitch over the summer break.
Team manager Simon Funnell reminds us that we had played the away match against Chihester in October and we had won 3-1 (goals from Sam Schaaf, Michael Belli and Marc Pelling). And he was also able to congratulate the player - who is now our 2025 team manager - Drew Cooney and wife Gemma on the birth of a baby girl. The programme's league table shows us in fourth place with Chichester 9th. Sam Schaaf and Michael Belli repeated their goal scoring in the away match with a further goal each. A third goal came from Kieran Pamment – his first goal for us - as we won 3-0. If your memory has been jogged by this article then I’d be happy to hear from you at lestermedcalf@btinternet.com.
HERNE BAY PLAYER PROFILES 24/25
Goalkeeper Harvey Earle started his career Maidstone United playing for their under 21s Loaned to Sittingbourne in 2023 and then transferred to them for the start of the 2024/25 season. Transferred to Bay in February 2025.
Frankie Smith. Smith was at Kent County League Kings Hill in 2021/22 winning the Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield. In the summer of 2022, he joined Hythe Town and then moved on to Hollands & Blair in September 2022. He was also in the SCL Youth Development League Southern Premier League for Soccer Elite FA U19 SEFA Blue. Voted as players player in the 23/24 season.
Dan Carrington is a defender/midfielder who came out of the Ebbsfleet United Academy and made 150 appearances for Faversham Town. He signed for Herne Bay from Ramsgate in January 2020 and over the next three seasons made 42 appearances for Bay. Spent time with Faversham Town and Erith Town
Defender Liam Friend spent 10 years with Folkestone Invicta and made nearly 550 appearances for them. Has since been with Margate, Ramsgate, Ashford United and Chatham Town
Myles Judd experienced defender. Started his professional career at Leyton Orient, joined Dover Athletic after a loan spell at Barnet.
Moved to Hemel Hempstead. Had a brief spell at Welling United before joining Ramsgate last season
Midfield / Forward, Ethan Smith was a regular member of Hythe Towns’ first team squad for the23/24 season. Joined Bay for the 24/25 campaign
Scott Heard with over 550 appearances for Whitstable Town, Folkestone Invicta (two spells) Dagenham & Redbridge and East Thurrock United. Signed for Herne Bay in February 2024.
Ukranian Artem Kuchkov dynamic midfielder, joined Bay this season. Played for Southern Counties East Premier division Lordswood last season
Striker Kane Rowland started with Margate and Whitstable Town. Has been a prolific goal scorer for both Sittingbourne and Ramsgate. Signed for Bay in July 2023.
Striker Michael Salako joined Herne Bay in September 2023 from Maldon & Tiptree. Previous clubs include Brightlingsea Regent, Basildon United, Hullbridge Sports, Corinthian-Casuals, Tooting & Mitcham United, Walton & Hersham and Bowers & Pitsea. Bays’ leading goal scorer and voted supporters player of the 23/24 season.
Kane Haysman Midfield player who made his professional debut in 2013 for Gillingham. Played for various clubs, Sutton United, Eastbourne Borough, Staines Town, Chelmsford and Kingstonian, before joining Margate. Joined The Bay this season
Forward, Joshua Reid another new signing for this season from Southern Counties East Premier Lordswood. Very quick and direct winger.
Left sided forward, Monty Saunders came through the youth ranks, playing a few games in the 22/23 season. Followed Ben Smith to Ramsgate but returned to Bay. Loaned out to Canterbury City last season.
Defender Skye Salmon joined Bay at the start of this season. Previously with Billericay u23s, Margate and Glebe
Young keeper Carter Wilson came up through the Herne Bay youth ranks. Has huge potential. Had trials with Colchester United and Cambridge City
Central defender Sinn’kaye Christie joined Bay from Isthmian South- East rivals, Sheppey United. Previous clubs include Dover Athletic, Ramsgate, Margate, Cray Wanderers and Haywards Heath
Young defender Jack Hillier came through the youth ranks with Herne Bay Harriers. Currently plays for the post 16 academy, U18 s and 23s. Proved to be a good full back stand in for the injured Frankie Smith
Midfielder, Alfie Hill another youth player currently plays for the post 16 academy, and u18s games against Watford and Dartford. where he netted twice.
Midfielder, Alfie Hill another youth player currently plays for the post 16 academy U18s and U23s. Very competitive midfielder player and has not looked out of place playing for the first team.
Theo Osinfolarin returned to the club from Erith Town. In February 2025. First signed foy the Bay in June 2023 making 40 appearances, including 9 from the bench. Previous clubs, Welling Utd, Greenwich Borough, Ashford Utd, Brightlingsea Regent, Cheshunt, Ramsgate and Erith Town.
Defender, Folarin Awoleke signed from Sutton Common Rovers in February. Made his debut for the club against Phoenix Sports
Former Sheppey United midfield player Jordy Ndozid was given a free transfer and joined The Bay in February.
S 24/25
HERNE BAY MANAGEMENT TEAM 24/25
James Collins - First Team Manager. James Collins joins us having previously managed at Lordswood, Erith Town, Faversham Town, Cray Valley, and Chatham Town, where he won two trophies during his spell. Enjoyed three season with Faversham Town before he took up the post at Bowers & Pitsea in May 2022 The Essex club, who had finished 16th in their previous season in the Isthmian Premier but were relegated in the 2022/23 season, along with Herne Bay. Achieved promotion back to the Isthmian Premier in the very next season. Resigned in December 2024 from the Essex club.
Liam Friend- Assistant Manager and player, Liam Friend, Joined the club at the start of the 2023/24 season when Steve Lovell took the reins and appointed Liam captain and has led the club ever since. Made over 565 appearances for Folkestone Invicta. Made over 100 appearances at Ashford United and Margate. With over 800 appearances at non-league Step 3 and 4 levels. Has captained every club he has played for.
Joe Denny - Coach Gillingham schoolteacher played for Ebbsfleet and several Southern Counties Premier division clubs and Herne Bay. He was part of the promotion side. An ACL injury curtailed his playing career, so he started in management at Lordswood. Hopes to return to playing following surgery
Joe Radford- Goalkeeper Coach Born in Herne Bay started his career playing for Gillingham youth. Had lengthy spells at Dover Athletic and Margate (formerly Thanet United). Also played for Canterbury City, Hythe Town, Ashford Town, Tonbridge Angels and Farnborough. Was Ramsgate goalkeeping coach before joining Herne Bay.
Sam Stone Physio
Aaron Smith Kitman
