Ryman League Keeper's Awards - October 2014
East Thurrock United keeper Andy Walker and Burgess Hill Town stopper Josh James can celebrate winning the Ryman League's 'safest hands' laurels
for the second month in a row.
Along with Dulwich Hamlet's Oshane Brown, they were unveiled on Monday as October's winners of the Ryman League’s Precision Golden Gloves Awards.
The monthly ‘safe hands’ honours in the Ryman Premier, Ryman North and Ryman South divisions returned last season with new sponsors from Nottingham-based Reydon Sports PLC.
The UK's largest sports and leisure wholesale and distribution company, they are sponsoring the accolades through their Precision Goalkeeping brand with the keepers each set to receive a pair of Precision Goalkeeping gloves provided by ProKit UK, the nominated retailer administering the awards on behalf of Precision Training.
Teenage keeper Brown wins his first award of the campaign on the back of his impressive form since stepping up at Champion Hill to replace Hamlet's injured number one Phil Wilson. In six league and cup outings for manager Gavin Rose, Brown conceded just four goals to take the Ryman's top fight accolade.
Rocks keeper Andy Walker might have conceded twice in Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup First Round defeat at Hartlepool United but he helped manager John Coventry and his side get there after being beaten just six times in league and cup action in October, two of those coming in the Essex Senior Cup.
After kicking off his career at Colchester United in 1998, the 32-year-old played professionally for Colchester United and Exeter City and also had a stint at Doncaster Rover. Since then he’s been between the posts in Non-League at Tonbridge Angels, Wingate & Finchley, Bromley, Maidstone United, Billericay and Cray Wanderers.
Hillians stopper James also continued his top form to take his second golden gloves honour of the season in Ryman South, the 21-year-old conceding just five times in seven league and cup outings.
The keeper was on the books of Brighton as a youngster and signed on at the Green Elephants Stadium in the summer from Sussex County League outfit Ringmer after previously playing for Peacehaven & Telscombe and in the Ryman League for Worthing.