As per usual with pre-season its important to get minutes into the legs of the players to build them into "match fitness". But in reality "match fitness" arrives around 3-4 games into the season for most teams. No need to bust a gut with these matches and more important to build up fitness levels. 

Managing the return to injury for Murphy, Pybus, Briggs, Bowerman, and McShane is key. Those 5 will be key to the success of the team next season.

Pybus, Briggs, Bowerman, and McShane are all first 11 when fit. It is clear that Marc intends on rotating striking duties between Murphy and Prior 50/50 at this stage but that will depend on injuries of course. As both will be injured this season for periods of time. 

The starting 11 and bench looks light without those 5 involved...and of course not forgetting Gallagher who I know divides opinion massively but will play a role this season.

Ended up being a fairly positive performance, especially in the first half. Kept the ball well and fitness levels looked pretty good for a first game of pre-season.

Positives:

• Thought Brennan Camp look excellent - was great defensively and looked a threat going forward
• Norville-Williams looked good on the other side as well although missed a sitter in the first half
• Prior looked sharp
• Muitt was sensational - carried on from where he left off at the end of last season
• Clean sheet for Foulkes - not sure he has the same commanding presence that Male did but looked solid enough

Negatives:

• We look a bit short of ideas in the final 1/3rd but that might be somewhat expected as missing Rutherford, Murphy, McShane, Briggs, Bowerman, etc.
• Don't think Tony Craig had his best game in all honesty. I would really be looking at signing cover for that CB role. 
• Fairly quiet game for Carter
• Poole had 2 or 3 big chances that they should have scored from

Solid runout against Poole, not the greatest test in the second half, but remained professional throughout.

Prior and Muitt took their goals well and a great one handed save from close range by Foulkes. Bit of a miss-kick by Carter just before the Muitt overhead goal, but that is exacly what these games are for.

Long list of not quite fit yet players in the run up to this game but I saw Gallagher and Murphy doing running before the game, which is positive. Gaffer seems quite relaxed that the squad will be in a good place in plenty of time for the season. 

Also positive to see some youngsters get involved with first team training and games during pre-season, including the son of a DW Westhumble legend 👍 

Really good performance against Leatherhead, first half especially.  Completely dominated possession, got the playing out patterns going well and created a couple of good chances, but perhaps should have been more. Jimmy continued where he left off last week and Camp was also excellent in support. Alfie looked sharp and took is goals well.  Murphy too looked sharp when he came on - I liked the way that he looked to run in behind and cause problems for defences. He and Alfie will be a handful, with Carter in support (who was a bit quiet today).  Obviously the opposition was not the stiffest of tests but it was a pretty good work out.  Not sure about the value of giving all those youngsters some game time unless they are going to feature this season. Joel Brown was neat and tidy but I don't think he has the physical presence to compete for a place yet.  I assume Pybus will come in for Mooro when fit, but otherwise the starting line up might be as it was today??

@baggy I don't think we've sorted out the left of the back 3 role yet either. Francomb started their on Saturday but i'd much rather see a left footer in that position. I assume Norville-Williams will drop back there once Bowerman is back up to speed although JNW looked a real threat that side in both games so far.

I thought Kuhl looked good as well and could be a better option than Pybus (and Moore/McManus) in that CDM position.

Interesting to see Max Foulkes (brother of Harrison) in the squad on Saturday. I wonder if we will be getting him on loan this season.

@calvertskans Yes glad you said that as thought Kuhl looked really good and could be better for the type of dominant performances we should be showing in NLS over Pybus. Great to have such good options.

@Calvertskans I agree the left side is not yet fixed but the options are good. An attacking ploy would be to play JNW (who I agree looked good) behind BJT.  A more defensive option would be to play Francomb behind either of them.  Similarly, there will be times when Pybus is needed for his screening role and Kuhl for his more creative passing. Nice to have some good options, if they stay relatively fit.  

Marc said in his update today that one of the youngsters will be involved with the first team going forward - I wonder who that will be? I assume Sal Marino due our lack of CB options but could possibly be Hayden Gale or Joel Brown.

Bowerman out of the game tomorrow so expecting something like this:

                              Foulkes

            Camp           Craig         B.Taylor

Muitt                Moore       J.Taylor           Norville-Williams

                               Carter

                     Prior           Rutherford

Still not sure who is going to be the first choice option for the left of the back 3 role...

I think that first half vs Dulwich is classic of Marc Whyte's issues that he still has not overcome. It has plagued him now since the first season in the national league if we are honest. 

You have Craig (39 and 40 next April) and Fuller (39 and 40 in Sept)? You have Luke Moore (36) as DM covering whose legs have gone. That is 3 out of 4 of the back line. 

We ship 2 goals against a team 2 divisions below us in a first half friendly... Surprise surprise not. 

Then in second half its Camp-Gale-Craig with Kuhl as DM we keep a clean sheet. 

Does Marc need this explained to him. I get he likes older lads personally as mates. But this is not a friends with benefits club. Its a professional football team, and you cannot have so many old lads in your team. You need to get real and start waking up. Come on, I know people around him are saying this but please can you say it louder!!! 

To make it clear here. You cannot win the National League south in this day and age with a vets team as your core. 

To my above post regarding the age of Craig, Fuller, and Moore. I am also including Prior. We clearly need a younger forward up top who will be fit for more than 15-20 games. 

Can someone please tap Whyte on the shoulder and notify him of this! 

2nd goal was of course down to where Carter lost the ball, but there's no pace at the back to even try and recover before the goal is scored.

Hey ho and meh really.

Was more pissed off about the lack of a programme or teamsheet to be honest (either we are doing things more professionally this season or we're not) but of course the counter claim will be that it's only pre-season.

Thought Kuhl was good value 2nd half, not afraid to put his foot in, we'll need plenty of that this season against the more agricultural teams.

To be be fair I think Marc will learn quickly about what will and won't work this season and will make the necessary changes early in the season if Torquay and Boreham Wood make us look silly.

@dorking-eagle 

Boreham Wood had a lot of fun against our back line didn't they in our first season as I was there. They won 4-1 and brought the quick lads on as subs who killed us. Our back line with 2 vets who are 35+ is worse than then.  

For us to win the league it is obvious isn't it?

I wonder if Marc is hoping to fast track Gale into the reckoning asap?

On a separate note I thought the pitch was particularly rubbish again, looks like tons more black rubber has been dumped on it (again) 

The lack of pace is an old issue, yes, but I expect Marc not to start with Mooro or Fuller. We looked better with Gale and Kuhl in there. My main worry was the success rate in playing out from the back. Marc says he has a few options there for next season but they didn't work often enough for me and were high risk - hence the two goals.  Jason was coming deep to be play maker at one stage, which is strange option, with Josh Taylor out wide right for most of the half.  I argued last season we should be prepared to go long at times early in the game because the opposition, when fresh, can usually press the defence into a mistake or two.  And you have to mix it up a bit: oppos will push up high if there is no threat in behind (eg why England struggled so much with Kane). 

On the plus side, I thought Jordan looked very assured and contributed well going forward. Also, I liked the movement of Murphy up front and his ability to ask questions of defenders. Good to see Muitt and Briggs getting success down the right - but they need a ball player at CDM to get them in the game. Or someone to bring the ball out of defence, which Gale was prepared to do. Anyway, it was only a friendly and good to test patterns of pay.  I am just pleased that I won't have to sit in front of the loudest gob in Dulwich again this season.