SCORING RUN PUT ROCKS ON A ROLL...
NOTHING gives a team more confidence than a regular scoring run. Goals don’t necessarily mean you are unbeaten, but at least you have had something to celebrate and confidence should never disappear if you are scoring every week.
East Thurrock United really enjoyed last season.The Rocks scored in their first 31 games which only just took them into the top ten of the Ryman Premier Division at the time, but their confidence was second to none.
Sam Higgins was emerging as the top senior goalscorer in the country and as the season developed he was backed up by Tom Wraight and Lewis Smith who scored 42 between them.That consecutive goalscoring run at the beginning of a high scoring season gave the club the spirit to win the play-offs and a first promotion to the National South.
The Ryman Premier Division was certainly the place to be for consistent goalscoring as, apart from East Thurrock, Tonbridge Angels completed a 29-game scoring run which took them up to third place and Dulwich Hamlet finished the season with an unbroken scoring run in their last 27 games. No wonder they get such good crowds.
As the table shows, scoring runs may be attractive and goals are also fun to score and to watch. But if goals don't bring victories, your club’s league position may not improve. However, if the scoring run comes after some disappointing results, then perhaps finding safety away from the foot of the table may be an equally exciting welcome reward. Frome Town and Marine certainly produced their regular scoring when it was really needed, while FC United of Manchester and Farnborough produced their consistent runs in mid-season.
Farnborough confused their supporters and followed their consistent scoring run with nine defeats in 11 games, scoring in just five of them. However, continuing their completely inconsistent season, they were only beaten twice in their last 13 games with a positive goal difference of 21-13.
The 32 clubs listed above, who enjoyed scoring runs of at least 13 games, are very balanced between five leagues. But the senior competition, the National League, has only two representatives. This probably shows that their defences are tougher to break down, so full marks to FC Halifax Town and Forest Green Rovers for finding the net in their consistent scoring runs
Sadly, for FC Halifax Town there was no happy ending in the league, as their excellent run was followed by a loss of form, but at least a Wembley victory boosted morale and has given encouragement for the future.