Fleet accept relegation
Isthmian League round-up Ebbsfleet
Ramsgate have brought in a young striker with a prolific scoring record. Seventeen-year-old George Nikaj has scored over 50 goals a season for three years running.
Nikaj is a former Charlton youth striker but left the club due to rules over players needing to live within a certain distance of their training ground, which led to him moving to Dover. Ramsgate boss Matt Longhurst said: “We had been keeping our eyes on George for a little while prior to lockdown and he impressed. He’s also highly thought of in the Thanet area.
“I am delighted to be able to bring him to the club where he will be given an opportunity for senior football.”
Sevenoaks Town returned to training last week and manager Micky Collins has praised the club for the safety measures put in place. He said: “There have been great safety measures put in place here and it’s been an eye opener as to what we have to do and can’t do, and we’re ready to test it with a little session with some of the first-team.
“We’ve invested in a temperature scanner and other high-tech things to ensure our ground is absolutely in tip-top condition for when we do come back.
“I’ve been doing this a long time and situations like this are just unprecedented, so it’s still a case of safety first for everyone.”
VCD have appointed former Sittingbourne and Ramsgate manager Nick Davis as their new manager. Davis has most recently been no.2 to James Collins at Faversham Town.
He replaces Keith McMahon who had been in charge of VCD for the past five seasons.
Manager James Collins has added set-piece specialist Grant Brown to his Faversham Town squad.
The 27-year-old brings added experience to the squad and Collins says he’s glad to be working with a player who has played a part in his own progression as manager. Collins said: “Grant is a player who has been with me at most clubs.
“I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for some of the performances he put in for me in my early years of management.
“It’s another important signing, as Grant will also add a bit of experience to our young squad.”
Experienced wide-man Damien Ramsamy has also joined Collins’ new-look squad at Salters Lane.
Steve King says his Dartford team are champing at the bit to get their play-off campaign underway.
The Darts warmed up for Sunday’s eliminator match at Slough Town – which will be streamed live online – with a friendly win over National League Boreham Wood.
A goal from Charlie Sheringham sealed a 1-0 victory and they won a penalty shoot-out competition too as goalkeeper Alhaji Sesay starred with three spot-kick saves.
It’s been a good build-up to the match for manager King, who is now preparing his side for their first proper match since a 3-0 win over Chelmsford City on March 14.
“The lads were brilliant,” said King, following their win at Meadow Park against a side who are fighting for a place in the Football League during their own play-off campaign.
“They are champing at the bit and it has opened my eyes to a few players who may not have started or featured but they have possibly come into the frame now, people have done themselves no harm.
“The result will help breed confidence and it helps with the winning mentality that we had, but the result didn’t matter, we just wanted to get through with no injuries and to try and play some decent football and show what we can do.”
King played two different shapes and named different sides in each half of the match. It means players are going
Ebbsfleet United have decided against making a legal challenge over relegation from the National League.
Fleet dropped a place into the bottom three by 0.002 of a point after the table was decided on an unweighted points-per-game basis.
The club would have stayed up had the play-offs in National North and South not taken place but they are now due to start this weekend.
Relegation still has to be ratified but that’s now likely to only be a formality and they have accepted they are set for National South football next season.
A club statement said:
“Having regard to the wider interest of the National League, Ebbsfleet United have decided to accept the NL position and what that entails and will decline to proceed with the legal challenge process available to the club. “An unweighted points-pergame system saw us moved down one place into the relegation positions by 0.002 of a point.
“Perhaps most frustratingly for our club is the great effort and goodwill displayed in February to ensure our home match against the travelling Stockport County squad went ahead – despite extreme weather conditions, in the form of Storm Dennis, rendering the majority of matches to be postponed in the London region.”