Vanarama National League South 22/23 Season Preview
On Saturday Vanarama National League South football returns to Oxford City! In this article we take a look at each of our opponents this season to see what we can expect over the next 46 games.
Bath City
Last Season: 18th
Top Scorer: Alex Fletcher (17)
Stadium: Twerton Park
A disappointing season saw Bath finish in the same position they had in the season previous when the league was curtailed. Keeping hold of top scorer Alex Fletcher was essential as long-serving manager Jerry Gill was allowed to focus on reinforcing a defence that has struggled in recent times. New midfielder Chris Lines joins the midfield with over 500 appearances in the EFL which could help settle an inconsistent squad. Joe Wright, Luke Spokes and Zac Bell will all be eager to show their talent as they aim for more game time under Gill, whereas Kieran Parselle joins from rivals Chippenham and captains the Romans.
BRAINTREE TOWN
Last Season: 17th
Top Scorer: Luke Holness (9)
Stadium: Cressing Road
Having never really found their feet again in the National League South since their relegation from the National League, new manager Angelo Harrop will hope he can push the Essex side up the table after leaving AFC Sudbury. 10 new signings, including veteran defender John White from Southend, will give Braintree a new look as they look to build upwards once again. Matt Rush and Alfie Matthews will be hoping that they can fill the role of a clinical striker as Braintree look to find a proven goal scorer in the young forwards.
Chelmsford City
Last Season: 19th
Top Scorer: Simeon Jackson (11)
Stadium: Melbourne Stadium
Chelmsford have slowly been falling down the table as the seasons go on and Manager Robbie Simpson will be hoping to buck that trend to avoid relegation. Their last four seasons finished with positions of 4th, 10th, 13th and then 19th last year which is a worrying trend for anyone involved with the club. However, the experienced Liam Trotter has joined from National League side Bromley having played over 370 games so far in his career, whilst a familiar face of National League South in Khale Da Costa will provide versatility in attack.
Cheshunt
Last Season: 5th in Isthmian Premier Division
Top Scorer: Rowan Liburd (15)
Stadium: Cheshunt Stadium
Cheshunt will be hoping they can continue their good run of form from the tail end of last season as they wait to see how they will fare in the National League South. Winning promotion with a 2-1 win over Hornchurch in the Play-off final, it may be a long season for Cheshunt if they can’t adapt to the new level. Dajon Golding and Brandon Adams will look to aid the attack score against more experienced defences whilst Wyan Reid and Joe Payne provide useful choices at fullback.
Chippenham Town
Last Season: 7th
Top Scorer: Jordan Young (9)
Stadium: Hardenhuish Park
A great campaign for Chippenham saw them occupy the final playoff spot in a memorable season for the Wiltshire side. Knocking out Dartford on penalties provided a shock to most fans of the league before narrowly losing to Ebbsfleet in the play-offs set a solid grounding to build on. However, after losing leading players like Kieran Parselle & Danny Greenslade, can they repeat last season's play-off finish? Ex-Hoop Pablo Martinez has joined their ranks though and is a very impressive acquisition for this level.
Dartford
Last Season: 4th
Top Scorer: Alfie Pavey (6)
Stadium: Princes Park Stadium
It's been a summer of change a Dartford. Steve King's departure at the end of the season wasn't a shock for many people as Dartford were one of the early season favourites. Alan Dowson is the new man at the help and he has a job on his hands after top scorer Dinanga and second top scorer Ade Azeez have both left the club over the summer. Davide Rodari, Charlie Sheringham and Alex Wall have been brought in to try and make up for the losses whilst Samir Carruthers comes in to replace the influential Jack Jebb as Dartford hope their replacements can hit the ground running like their predecessors did.
Concord Rangers
Last Season: 14th
Top Scorer: Daniel Green (12)
Stadium: Thames Road
After their 6th place finish in 2019, Concord have since found themselves in mid-table more often than not. Chris Search is the latest man to attempt to put them back into the top 7. Grenada international Ricky Modeste, who has played over 350 games in his career, joined the Essex side to add a different dimension to the attack. Melvin Minter and Teddy Perkins also joined the club to shore up the defence as Odei Martin and Joe Payne leave.
Dover Athletic
Last Season: 23rd in Vanarama National League.
Top Scorer: Alfie Pavey (6)
Stadium: Crabble Stadium
A club ravaged by financial trouble in recent years is still finding its feet. Relegation was almost guaranteed before a ball was kicked last season with a huge points deduction, as Dover ended their 8 year association with the National League. Andy Hessenthaler has brought in 9 new players in an effort to stop the rot but still faces an uphill battle if he wants to restore good times to the south coast side. Stuart Nelson has played over 500 club games in goal so far and will be a reliable figure in the net for Dover but will they bounce back to tier five at the first attempt?
Dulwich Hamlet
Last Season: 10th
Top Scorer: Danny Mills (13)
Stadium: Champion Hill
Dulwich caught a few people off guard with their quality last season, but it won’t be so easy to do it again. Gavin Rose has had to almost rebuild his winger department, seeing former Hoop Nana Owusu, Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala and Sam Deadfield all arrive at Champion Hill with experience and goals in the National League South. Danny Mills will also have some pressure taken off his back as Dan Smith and George Porter join to give Rose more options in front of goal.
Eastbourne Borough
Last Season: 6th
Top Scorer: Charley Kendall (25)
Stadium: Priory Lane
Knocked out of the play-offs to the Hoops last season, Eastbourne will be hoping they can go one step further this year. Charley Kendall has now left the club for Lincoln so the big question will be if they can replace the goals he leaves behind. Versatile defender Alex Wynter joined from Eastleigh to provide cover and experience at the back for the men in red whilst Kai Woollard-Innocent is an exciting prospect to watch out for after re-joining Eastbourne from QPR in the summer.
Ebbsfleet United
Last Season: 3rd
Top Scorer: Dominic Poleon (17)
Stadium: Stonebridge Road
A fantastic season last time around ended in heart-breaking fashion as they were defeated by Dorking Wanderers in the play-off final after conceding a 99th minute equaliser. Adam Mekki has since joined Dorking whilst Ebbsfleet prepare to finally get that promotion. Mark Cousins, Luke O’Neill and Josh Wright will all bring experience to their new club whilst Franklin Domi and Toby Edser will look to inject some youthful energy to a side that are tipped for another successful season, especially with Poleon still leading the line.
Farnborough
Last Season: 3rd in Southern Football League Premier Division South
Top Scorer: Paul Hodges
Stadium: Cherrywood Road
Farnborough are a team looking to redeem previous wrongs after fighting back from financial trouble and even going into administration as soon as 10 years ago. They secured their place in this year’s National League South after beating Hayes and Yeading 2-1 in the play-off final. Kenny Davis joins the club in midfield after leaving League Two Sutton whilst Kevin Lokko could prove to be an astute signing in defence as Farnborough prepare for what will be a historical season.
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Last Season: 11th
Top Scorer: Ruaridh Donaldson (8)
Stadium: Beveree Stadium
Gary McCann has had a busy summer, bringing in 9 players whilst seeing 13 leave. The best piece of business could be the signing of Tommy Wood from Tonbridge, hopefully the answer to their need of a consistent goal scorer. Luis Fernandez and Cameron Black also join the club to give Hampton’s defence some more youth and versatility. McCann has sensibly added new options all over the pitch for the longer season, giving Hampton a chance to potentially make it into the top 10.
Havant & Waterlooville
Last Season: 8th
Top Scorer: Tommy Wright (8)
Stadium: Westleigh Park
A disappointing end to the 2021/22 campaign saw Havant miss out on a play-off spot by just 2 points in an otherwise promising season. Tommy Wright remains at the club whilst veteran strikers Danny Wright and Jason Prior come in to add excellent options in the attacking department. Jake Andrews and Gianni Crichlow provide depth on the wings as Havant strive to not repeat last year’s disappointment and make sure they have a place in the top 7 in May. Joash Nembhard was snatched up from Hemel as Paul Doswell looked to augment his defensive options.
Hemel Hempstead Town
Last Season: 15th
Top Scorer: Charlee Hughes (8)
Stadium: Vauxhall Road
Slow and steady growth will be the aim for Hemel as they look to climb into the top half of the table. Cole DaSilva, Bradley Webb and Jordan Greenidge all have potential to be key players in a memorable campaign whilst Godfrey Poku joins from league rivals Havant and Waterlooville. Charlee Hughes will be looking to improve on his good campaign last time around and hit double figures for the season, which could help send Hemel into the top 10 and aid in setting up a memorable season.
Hungerford Town
Last Season: 12th
Top Scorer: Ryan Seager (27)
Stadium: Bulpit Lane
Hungerford will be going into the new season with the advantage of being difficult to predict. However, they did lose star striker Ryan Seager to Dorking and will be relying on the strikes of Adam Liddle, Leighton Thomas and Niko Muir. An abysmal end to the season saw them drop out of the top 7 but still record a respectable finish though they might not have the same luxury of being able to drop points without fear of fighting against relegation if their new forwards don’t click.
Slough Town
Last Season: 13th
Top Scorer: Alfonso Tenconi (9)
Stadium: Arbour Park
Slough have added a lot of experience to their ranks over the summer. Johnny Goddard, Guy Hollis, George Wells and James Dobson all join the club in its attempt to replicate their midtable finish from the last campaign. Alfonso Tenconi has left to join Stanford in the USA, leaving Slough a little light up front and meaning new forward Elliot Benyon (who signed for the club after leaving the Hoops) will need to take on the role of goal scorer if any hopes of a positive season are to become true.
St Albans City
Last Season: 9th
Top Scorer: Shaun Jeffers (27)
Stadium: Clarence Park
Keeping Shaun Jeffers is arguably St Albans’ best transfer business this summer as they look to make sure that he can fire them to another top 10 finish. With aspirations of a play-off place, Chez Isaac, Munashe Sundire and Christopher Paul have been brought in to re-shape the midfield. A poor run-in denied St Albans a top 7 finish and Ian Allinson has retained much of his squad, giving him a strong base to build on. Tafari Moore also joined the club from Hendon as a player that has the potential to surprise a few people from fullback.
Taunton Town
Last Season: 1st in Southern Football League Premier Division South
Top Scorer: Tobias Holmes (17)
Stadium: Cygnet Healthcare Stadium
Taunton will have safety at the forefront of their minds after winning their league last year. This is their first ever appearance in the National League South and fans of all clubs will be interested to see how they cope with the added strains of the new league. A transfer raid on Bath saw Lloyd James, Dan Ball and David Sims-Burgess all sign on for the 2022/23 season whilst Nathaniel Jarvis comes in from Barry Town to replace the outgoing Tobias Holmes, a feat which will be difficult to do.
Tonbridge Angels
Last Season: 16th
Top Scorer: Tommy Wood (12)
Stadium: Longmead Stadium
It's been a busy summer for Tonbridge Angels, the arrival of Jay Saunders as manager may prove to be a solid decision after long-serving manager Steve McKimm left the club. However, they'll have to learn to live without last season's leading goalscorer Tommy Wood after he left to join Hampton. They've replaced him with Billericay striker Femi Akinwande, a striker who was a rare shining light in 'Ricay's relegation season last year.
Welling United
Last Season: 20th
Top Scorer: Dipo Akinyemi (18)
Stadium: Park View Road
Few would have put Welling as second bottom 12 months ago but their disappointing season still took some by surprise. Warren Feeney will be hoping he can turn the ship around and record a much better campaign this time around. 11 new signings including Stefan Payne and Ade Azeez give Feeney a lot more options as the club move to a full-time model.
Weymouth
Last Season: 22nd in Vanarama National League
Top Scorer: Josh McQuoid (7)
Stadium: Bob Lucas Stadium
A few familiar faces on the south coast will be hoping they can return to the National League at the first time of asking. David Oldfield, Dan Matsuzaka and Harry Kyprianou are all gunning for promotion as Weymouth go through a small revival. Only two sides conceded more in the National League last year than the Terras after a season of underwhelming football, showing the need for defensive reinforcements. These calls have been answered in the faces of Jack Seddon and Nathan Carlyle from Bournemouth and QPR as Oldfield looks to put his stamp on his team.
Worthing
Last Season: 1st in Isthmian Premier Division
Top Scorer: Oliver Pearce (35)
Stadium: Woodside Road
Worthing were crowned Isthmian Premier Division champions after scoring 100 goals and recording 97 points, 10 more than second place. They, understandably, come into the league high on confidence and will be looking to continue the good times for as long as they can. Some impressive signings have flung Worthing in contention to be a 'dark horse' for the campaign this season.
