Flackwell Heath get back on track with second straight league win

Matty Ayres. Photo credit: Jeremy Vaughan @jezz_takes_pics (instagram)

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Flackwell Heath secured consecutive league wins for the first time this season as they overcame Enfield 2-0 away from home on Saturday.

Recent weeks have been challenging to say the least for Chris Ayres and Paul Shone’s side, as they managed only one win in 10 matches in all competitions.

Their form dipped badly after crashing out of the FA Cup in the final qualifying round at Maldon & Tiptree, and they started to nosedive down the Southern League Central Division suffering six league defeats in seven matches.

They’ve managed to turn around their listing season in recent matches, with Saturday’s win their second in a row in the Central Division and their fourth game unbeaten.

This return to form began with baby steps, a 1-1 draw away to the London Lions and a 2-2 home draw with Northwood - when they came from two goals down to salvage a deserved point.

Beaconsfield Town were put to the sword 3-1 last week, with goals from Jack Shakespeare (30'), Lewis Pegg (68') and Eli Grant (93') seeing the Heathens come from behind for their first win since November 1, and on Saturday they managed to back that up with another relatively routine away win.

Lucas Wynn fired the visitors ahead after 18 minutes, racing onto a lovely through ball from Anyanwu to coolly put the ball into the back of the net.

The visitors then doubled their advantage with a couple of minutes to play when Eli Grant’s cross was buried by Juwon Akintunde.

Ayres will have been pleased to see his side claim their third 2-0 away win in the league this season, and their prospects are looking an awful lot brighter ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Ware at Wilks Park.

Saturday’s result lifts the side back up to 13th in the table, now 11 points off the play-off places with a match in hand on most sides above them,

After Ware they face four away games before Christmas at Milton Keynes Irish on Tuesday next week, Hitchin Town on December 13, Rayners Lane on December 16 and leaders Leighton Town on December 20. Should they come through that spell with a decent return of points, they might be able to make a charge on the play-offs in the second half of the season.

Marlow sit just beneath them in the Southern League Central Division table after the Blues game at Stotfold was postponed on Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch.

The Blues’ recent good form has been checked by successive away defeats to Milton Keynes Irish (4-1) and Aylesbury United (2-0), but they’ll be hoping to bounce back this evening at home to Leverstock Green.

Leverstock have dropped down the table after a disappointing run of 15 matches without a win in all competitions. Their last victory came at home to Thame United back in late August, but they have managed to top up their points tally with several draws since then.

The Blues then visit AFC Dunstable on Saturday, who’ve picked up only 10 points from 18 matches so far. In theory this is presents an excellent opportunity for the Blues to bounce back to form and continue their climb up the table.