Men's team pre-season fixtures 2024/25

[Pink Panther]

Who impressed PP?

I don't want to get carried away by pre-season games, as it will be very different in the league games. As various managers keep saying in their media interviews, it's more about practicing tactics for various situations and working on combinations than getting results. However Sam German looks an immense prospect and we're lucky to have him for the season. He plays with amazing composure and authority for a 19/20 year old. He's very comfortable on the ball and already seems to have a great understanding with his more experienced teammates. On several occasions, including his goal, he was pushing into midfield in open play while Wynter (a more quietly impressive performer) dropped back to cover him. Apparently AJ was attending a wedding, while Wanadio, Porter, Hansson (minor knocks) and Ramsay were also absent, so there were still quite a lot of unnamed traillists. I'm losing track of all these, but I'm fairly sure the young looking left winger who scored the first goal and a substitute right back were new. I'm a bit surprised we haven't confirmed any further signings in the past couple of weeks, as I'm sure at least 2 or 3 must be nailed on by now, including "Triallist SBJ"!

It’s not 10yds from the ground, I meant after the game!

Ah! I thought you meant the wrong way from the Old House at Home! You made the schoolboy error of impetuously diving into the nearest pub to the station for your first pint, thereby wasting valuable drinking time, instead of exploring the furthest options first and saving the station pub for a final pint before the journey home! I wanted to do the Surrey Hills Brewery near their previous ground, but that was much too far a trek in another direction before the game and it closes at 5pm.

 

[lwrs79]

Did German play against us for Kingstonian in march? It looks like he went on loan there from jan?

I don't want to get carried away by pre-season games, as it will be very different in the league games. As various managers keep saying in their media interviews, it's more about practicing tactics for various situations and working on combinations than getting results. However Sam German looks an immense prospect and we're lucky to have him for the season. He plays with amazing composure and authority for a 19/20 year old. He's very comfortable on the ball and already seems to have a great understanding with his more experienced teammates. On several occasions, including his goal, he was pushing into midfield in open play while Wynter (a more quietly impressive performer) dropped back to cover him. Apparently AJ was attending a wedding, while Wanadio, Porter, Hansson (minor knocks) and Ramsay were also absent, so there were still quite a lot of unnamed traillists. I'm losing track of all these, but I'm fairly sure the young looking left winger who scored the first goal and a substitute right back were new. I'm a bit surprised we haven't confirmed any further signings in the past couple of weeks, as I'm sure at least 2 or 3 must be nailed on by now, including "Triallist SBJ"!



Ah! I thought you meant the wrong way from the Old House at Home! You made the schoolboy error of impetuously diving into the nearest pub to the station for your first pint, thereby wasting valuable drinking time, instead of exploring the furthest options first and saving the station pub for a final pint before the journey home! I wanted to do the Surrey Hills Brewery near their previous ground, but that was much too far a trek in another direction before the game and it closes at 5pm.

 

[Pink Panther]

Did German play against us for Kingstonian in march? It looks like he went on loan there from jan?

Yes, he partnered Matt Drage at centre back.

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

I don't want to get carried away by pre-season games, as it will be very different in the league games. As various managers keep saying in their media interviews, it's more about practicing tactics for various situations and working on combinations than getting results. However Sam German looks an immense prospect and we're lucky to have him for the season. He plays with amazing composure and authority for a 19/20 year old. He's very comfortable on the ball and already seems to have a great understanding with his more experienced teammates. On several occasions, including his goal, he was pushing into midfield in open play while Wynter (a more quietly impressive performer) dropped back to cover him. Apparently AJ was attending a wedding, while Wanadio, Porter, Hansson (minor knocks) and Ramsay were also absent, so there were still quite a lot of unnamed traillists. I'm losing track of all these, but I'm fairly sure the young looking left winger who scored the first goal and a substitute right back were new. I'm a bit surprised we haven't confirmed any further signings in the past couple of weeks, as I'm sure at least 2 or 3 must be nailed on by now, including "Triallist SBJ"!



Ah! I thought you meant the wrong way from the Old House at Home! You made the schoolboy error of impetuously diving into the nearest pub to the station for your first pint, thereby wasting valuable drinking time, instead of exploring the furthest options first and saving the station pub for a final pint before the journey home! I wanted to do the Surrey Hills Brewery near their previous ground, but that was much too far a trek in another direction before the game and it closes at 5pm.

Did Hudson get much of a run out, PP? Anything to note? If I've been keeping track, that was his first outing.

 

[Pink Panther]

Did Hudson get much of a run out, PP? Anything to note? If I've been keeping track, that was his first outing.

He replaced JBW at left back for the final half hour. This was his first appearance, so presumably he's also missed some of the training sessions. This was Dorking's strongest period of the game, when they were pressing us hard and forcing us to defend in depth, and an equaliser was looking inevitable. Max made several telling challenges and clearances, but didn't really have the time or space to take possession and use the ball.

The triallist keeper only came on with 10 minutes to go, when we were really under the cosh, but we saw out the game fairly comfortably in the end and he barely had anything to worry about!

 

[Roger D]

On Saturday I nipped to Dorking museum pre match and bought a remaindered book on Dorking in WW2 for a quid. It reveals an evacuation train ran from East Dulwich station to Dorking North station (now simply Dorking) on September 8th 1939, carrying around 500 East Dulwich school children.

I wonder how many (future?) Hamlet fans were caught up in that.

Edited to say on 7/1/44 two London male evacuees were among nine killed by a bomb which fell on the village of Westcott, just outside Dorking. The two lads were staying with a relation and it's not clear whether they were part of the East Dulwich evacuation or an informal evacuation. However, their arrival date was September 1939.

 

[lwrs79]

I’ll get carried away.. that midfield 3 of Riley, hands and winter is excellent. Huge upgrade on last season. Defence looks good and wanadio will score 20+ again. Think the squad looks strong and that’s with 5/6 not even playing tonight. 2nd half loads is subs and Hornchurch put on some of their big hitters.

Feeling very confident going into the new season.

 

[pengedragon]

Agree with that, was my first look at them tonight and really liked how we looked without the ball

 

[wphillips7]

Midfield three looked a class act. All young, mobile and aggressive. Hands technically excellent, with a great range of passing.

 

[KPMG]

I liked the way we pressed and played a high line first half.

 

[Ian Kaye]

That first half performance was very impressive I’m liking what I’m seeing. The plethora of subs always spoils the rhythm but I’m getting good vibes about this season.

 

[pengedragon]

Has the striker who played in the first half played previously?

Thought he was impressive. Good finish too

 

[lwrs79]

Hak said after Hornchurch there’s 3 maybe 4 pre-season games left? What have I missed apart from millwall today?

 

[Pink Panther]

Hak said after Hornchurch there’s 3 maybe 4 pre-season games left? What have I missed apart from millwall today?

It's Hythe away today, Haringey away on Tuesday, then Millwall at home next Saturday. The "maybe" fourth one would need to be squeezed in on a midweek evening, and would possibly be mainly for triallists and/or behind closed doors.

 

[lwrs79]

Ah.. I was one week further in my mind. Must be the new season excitement!

It's Hythe away today, Haringey away on Tuesday, then Millwall at home next Saturday. The "maybe" fourth one would need to be squeezed in on a midweek evening, and would possibly be mainly for triallists and/or behind closed doors.

 

[Pink Panther]

Starting XI at Hythe:

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

Has anyone gone today? Any score?

 

[AveryDave]

According to Hythe’s Twitter we won 2-1 with both goals in the last five minutes. Apparently.

Edited:

 

[Pink Panther]

This game seemed to lack the intensity of last week's visit to Dorking. Hythe more than held their own and took the lead midway through the second half from a penalty awarded for a late tackle by the triallist left back. The win was a bit of a smash and grab, with two similar counterattacking goals converted by triallists in the space of about 60 seconds. First was a good finish by the triallist centre forward (black guy with collar length locks and a headband) who has appeared in all the games I've seen, following an excellent run and cross by AJ on the left.. The second came from a similar move down the right, scored by another forward (young looking white lad with blond hair I hadn't previously seen) from a cross by yet another triallist.

That's it for me now, until the proper games start. I've had enough of all the anonymous triallists, two of whom are definitely a former Hemel Hempstead defender who took a year out for work commitments after relocating to South London (according to HH social media) and an experienced short winger who scored against us for Carshalton last Boxing Day.

 

[lwrs79]

Did anyone go to the match last night?

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

Did another friendly get arranged as Hak mentioned in that interview the other day? Or is Millwall literally it?

 

[liamdhfc]

Did anyone go to the match last night?

Won 3-2. Pretty similar to Saturday with a raft of trialists mixed in. Despite being behind twice we always looked like we had a bit in reserve. Nobody new impressed in particular.

 

[AveryDave]

Did another friendly get arranged as Hak mentioned in that interview the other day? Or is Millwall literally it?

Doesn’t sound like it.

 

[lwrs79]

Thanks Liam

Won 3-2. Pretty similar to Saturday with a raft of trialists mixed in. Despite being behind twice we always looked like we had a bit in reserve. Nobody new impressed in particular.

 

[the pink one]