Local derbies come thick and fast over the festive season and Princes Park hosts a mouth watering fixture between Thamesmead Town and VCD Athletic on Wednesday evening.
Both teams were involved in big scoring games on Saturday. Thamesmead edged a 4-3 thriller at Horsham whilst the Vickers drew 2-2 with Ashford United.
Danny Parish and Leon Smith put the Mead two up in three minutes in Sussex and Parish added a second just after the hour mark.
Tony Nwachukwu pulled one back two minutes later but Scott Kinch restored Mead’s three goal lead before Horsham scored two late goals to set up a nervy finish..
Shomari Barnwell put improving Ashford one up at VCD but Kemo Darboe equalised from the spot with just over twenty minutes remaining after Aymun El-Moyhalbel was tumbled in the area.
Rashid Kamara put VCD ahead three minutes later but they were unable to hold their lead and Rohdell Gordon headed home an equaliser in the final minute.
There are five points between the two teams with the Mead holding the upper hand although their win on Saturday was their first in the league since Bonfire Night. Meanwhile VCD’s draw was their first shared points game since 3rd October.
When the two teams met on August Bank Holiday Monday at VCD, the hosts claimed the bragging rights. Darboe put them ahead and Steven Carvell added a second on the stroke of half time. Alex Teniola scored to give the Mead some hope in the second period but Darboe’s second ensured victory for the Crayford based club.
For VCD manager Keith McMahon these fixtures have a little extra significance as he was manager of Thamesmead for nine years having already been assistant manager for the previous two years. He was also a director of the club. In that time, he gained them promotion from the Kent League, then in 2012-13 he took them into the Ryman Premier.
Four months after leaving Thamesmead he re-joined VCD, the club where he started his management career and he has been there ever since.
In last season’s corresponding fixture, the team’s shared the points in a 2-2 draw at Bayliss Avenue. VCD enjoyed the better of the first half but couldn’t take advantage and the teams went in goal-less at the interview.
Zapato Caicedo gave the Vickers a deserved lead early in the second half but goals from Teniola and Paul Vines turned the game on it’s head before Caicedo’s second ensured the honours were shared.