The Non - League thread

[Alan Partridge]

NL Review for the holiday w/e so far – again I’ve left out those games Postponed.

Preview of B/H Monday fixtures up sometime tomorrow but the weather is set to be very damp again.

Good Friday 30th March

Maidenhead United Ab Sutton United match Abandoned with Magpies trailing 2-3 at HT
Solihull Moors 0-0 Aldershot Town
Woking 2-3 Macclesfield Town leaders grab all three points deep into stoppage time
NATN
Brackley Town 0-0 Harrogate Town
NATS
Braintree Town Ab Oxford City - halted after 1/2 hour
Dartford 1-0 Hampton & Richmond Borough
Havant & Waterlooville 2-0 Weston-super-Mare
Truro City 3-3 Hemel Hempstead Town

ILP
Dulwich Hamlet Ab Dorking Wanderers - Match abandoned on 17’

SLP
Dunstable Town 0-3 Slough Town

CCLP
Epsom & Ewell 0-1 Colliers Wood United

HELLP
Slough Town Challenge Cup
Chalvey Sports 0-2 Langley
- Got to this this before the torrid scuffle with the ‘Fakies’ late PM
- Played @ a very soggy Gore Burnham FC – which got increasingly bog-like with a 2nd half downpour
- Outsiders from the nominally lower ranked East Berks League won 2-0 and were comfortably better on the day. Big crowds came out to see the inter-Slough bash – estimate well over 400.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Easter Saturday March 31st

NATS
Chippenham Town 4-0 Eastbourne Borough

SLP
Chesham United 2-0 Redditch United
Farnborough 0-4 Kings Langley
SL1E
Ashford Town (Middx) 4-1 Uxbridge
Beaconsfield Town 1-1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds att 411
Bedford Town 2-0 Chalfont St Peter
Fleet Town 0-4 Hayes & Yeading United
Marlow 1-0 AFC Dunstable
SL1W
Didcot Town 1-1 Cinderford Town
Swindon Supermarine 2-2 Mangotsfield United
Taunton Town 3-2 Kidlington

- some fairly sad news coming out of the Southern League this week; it seems that Shortwood Utd (nr Nailsworth and very close neighbours to FGR) will 'self-demote' at the end of this season, as they can no longer remain viable at STEP04.
(not sure whether that's a drop down to Western/Midland Combination or Hellenic - that's down to the whim of the FA apparently - so just as likely to be the Essex Senior League )
I believe their Reserve side have now resigned from the Hellenic Div One West, with immediate effect and the club have announced they will not be running a 2nd Team for 18/19 but seek to develop a youth side
- some ripples of very similar difficulties nearer home at Nor Lye - who also seem to be battling the Financial burden of new grading mandates for STEPS 3 & 4. I'd imagine there could be quite a few 'small' clubs around the Southern league in particular who are looking nervously at their projected income/outgoings - the FA are introducing some pretty hefty requirements that some may simply avoid and drop lower to survive. This authoritarian approach to enforced grading, is rapidly turning Promotion into something more and more STEP05 teams will view with mixed blessings.
- 'woods demotion coupled with another club at STEP04 going (can't remember which one at the moment) sets up some intriguing possibilities across the STEP05 promotion picture - it seems possible that all 2nd placed STEP05 sides may be eligible for promotion - given correctly graded facilities of course.

CCLP
Horley Town 0-1 Guildford City
Spelthorne Sports 2-2 Farnham Town Farnham battle to another decent point but they desperately needs wins to get them out of the drop zone and they are running out of games fast.
Sutton Common Rovers 1-1 Redhill
CCL1 Cup
Eversley & California 2-0 FC Deportivo Galicia
Worcester Park 0-1 Staines Lammas
CCL1
Cobham 3-0 Frimley Green

HELLP
Abingdon United 0-2 Brimscombe & Thrupp - fixture reversed due to pitch problems at B&T - it is in the base of a river valley! Return fixture now set for NEXT Sat (7th)
Ascot United 4-3 Lydney Town
Bracknell Town 3-1 Royal Wootton Bassett Town
Oxford City Nomads 4-3 Highmoor Ibis
Thatcham Town {EIGHT} 8-1 Longlevens
HL Supplementary
Flackwell Heath 3-1 Penn & Tylers Green

WESSP
Baffins Milton Rovers 3-0 Petersfield Town

- With more travel time available due to Hols we set out for - and got to, a remote Wessex Prem ‘new tick’ at:
Portland United 0-0 Brockenhurst – bit windswept but the ground up on a hill behind the main town close to HMP Portland: had a comfy enough clubhouse did badges – (just) enough programmes and the traffic there/back wasn’t too bad.
- Other negative point was no Hot Food – they are waiting to finish their new Kitchen
- Sadly yielded my first NL 0-0 for about 160 games, stretching back to a blank FA Cup qualifier back in Sept 16.
- For all that, wasn’t too bad a game with plenty of very near misses from both sides – on balance the visitors just shaded the game but the home keeper was faultless between the sticks and ensured parity.

WESS1
Alton 4-0 New Milton Town

Keep an eye on what happens with North Leigh we've heard a few rumours that they are going to just play a reserve/youth side next year with no playing budget.

Have little sympathy for them, they've overspent every year for nigh on 10 years and never done anything. Their manager is on a contract in the 100s a week category. Madness.

[Hoop Blah]

Keep an eye on what happens with North Leigh we've heard a few rumours that they are going to just play a reserve/youth side next year with no playing budget.

Have little sympathy for them, they've overspent every year for nigh on 10 years and never done anything. Their manager is on a contract in the 100s a week category. Madness.

I'd heard/read something about them maybe dropping down or scaling things back but didn't realise they'd been throwing so much money at it for so long.

[Alan Partridge]

Keep an eye on what happens with North Leigh we've heard a few rumours that they are going to just play a reserve/youth side next year with no playing budget.

Have little sympathy for them, they've overspent every year for nigh on 10 years and never done anything. Their manager is on a contract in the 100s a week category. Madness.

I'd heard/read something about them maybe dropping down or scaling things back but didn't realise they'd been throwing so much money at it for so long.

bloke who put the money in is the Eastleigh chairman. Was a real heart warming story when North Leigh drew them away in the Cup the other year and Eastleigh 'kindly' donated the gate receipts to North Leigh aka back to himself.

[Alan Partridge]

shortwood is a shame, nice little club you'd never know it was there unless you purposely went looking for it. Small village (Nailsworth isn't particularly big) at the bottom of the hill where FGR play.

Surprised they've not been able to nab more youngsters from there but the Southern League is tough and getting tougher in terms of costs and commitments. We (Didcot) were supposed to be doing 500miles (round trips) this week, there are some clubs in the league that have loads of games left because of the weather, it's really hard.

[Sutekh]

shortwood is a shame, nice little club you'd never know it was there unless you purposely went looking for it. Small village (Nailsworth isn't particularly big) at the bottom of the hill where FGR play.

Surprised they've not been able to nab more youngsters from there but the Southern League is tough and getting tougher in terms of costs and commitments. We (Didcot) were supposed to be doing 500miles (round trips) this week, there are some clubs in the league that have loads of games left because of the weather, it's really hard.

Nailsworth is barely big enough for one club, let alone 2, esp. when one of those is in the FL.

[Four Of Clubs]

...here's an early preview of this w/e's NL fixtures - seems we may be in for a wet Sat AM so some pitches may not have had the chance to recover from this weeks' persistent downpours.
- a lot of the midweek programme was wiped out and several clubs are switching venues to the nearest available 3G:

Saturday 7th April

NAT
Aldershot Town v Maidenhead United
Bromley v Gateshead
Dagenham & Redbridge v Woking
NATN
Curzon Ashton v Brackley Town
NATS
Chelmsford City v Poole Town
Concord Rangers v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Dartford v Weston-super-Mare
Gloucester City v Bognor Regis Town
Hemel Hempstead Town v Chippenham Town
Hungerford Town v Braintree Town
Oxford City v Eastbourne Borough
St Albans City v Whitehawk
Truro City v East Thurrock United
Wealdstone v Bath City
Welling United v Havant & Waterlooville

ILP
Leatherhead v Staines Town
Needham Market v Dorking Wanderers

SLP
Banbury United v Biggleswade Town
Farnborough v Tiverton Town
Hereford v Chesham United
Royston Town v Basingstoke Town
Stratford Town v Slough Town - - picked up a very useful 4-0 away win at Frome on Wednesday night. Rebels have stretched their lead to a 13 point cushion over Tiverton & Royston, so all but nailed on for the POs with only about half a doz. games to go.
Hereford have a 4 point lead at the top from Kings Lynn; Weymouth and Kettering make up the other PO spots.
- not sure how they are working relegation this season what with additional STEP03 & 04 leagues suddenly being 'shoe-horned' into the Pyramid - but Gosport Boro and Dunstable Town are well adrift at the foot.

SL1E
Ashford Town (Middx) v Chalfont St Peter
Aylesbury United v Hayes & Yeading United
Barton Rovers v Fleet Town
Beaconsfield Town v Arlesey Town
Bedford Town v Marlow
Cambridge City v Hartley Wintney
Egham Town v AFC Dunstable
Hanwell Town v Moneyfields
Kempston Rovers v Aylesbury
Northwood v AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Uxbridge v Thame United
- this division is far tighter at the top than the Premier, with AFC R&D hanging on without being in particularly good form of late. They lead Hayes and Yeading only on GD but the 2nd placed side have played 3 more and only have 4 matches left. Two are promoted automatically from STEP04 this season.
- the league are trying to get all fixtures played by 28th April - which could be a tall order for some - Hanwell for example have TEN games left!
Making up the PO spots currently are:
Beaconsfield - 3 pts behind HandY with games in hand;
Hartley Wintney - who've done magnificently well at their first season at this level - and they lost their talismanic striker Argent to Basingstoke.
AFC Dunstable & Camb City - with Chalfont St Peter in touch and Bedford Town waiting for any major slip-ups.
- at the bottom Arlesey are almost certainly doomed to take the only relegation slot and drop to the SSML - unless someone 'pulls out' at the end of the season - though I believe THIS time around the FA have deemed they will favour promotion over reprieve.

SL1W
Barnstaple Town v Didcot Town
Bishops Cleeve v North Leigh
Paulton Rovers v Kidlington
Slimbridge v Swindon Supermarine
Winchester City v Yate Town
- Taunton need 5 pts from 6 games for the title; Salisbury are 5 points clear of the PO spots which are currently occupied by Bristol MF, Wimborne, & Supermarine & Evesham. Trying to haul these in from not too far back are Didcot, AFC Totton & Ciren Town - with Bideford & Winchester harbouring outside hopes of storming into contention - but they'd need some fairly extraordinary form to manage it.
- with Shortwood and potentially Nor Lye, voluntary dropping to STEP05 - Bps Cleeve may get a lifeline - remains to be seen if there will actually be enough STEP05 clubs willing to come up - particularly to THIS section which entails quite an overhead on travelling.

CCLP
AFC Hayes v Farnham Town
Balham v Abbey Rangers
Banstead Athletic v Spelthorne Sports
Camberley Town v Hanworth Villa
CB Hounslow United v Knaphill
Chertsey Town v Godalming Town
Guildford City v Epsom & Ewell
Redhill v North Greenford United
Sutton Common Rovers v Bedfont Sports
Westfield v Colliers Wood United
CCL1
Ash United v South Park Reserves
Bagshot v Raynes Park Vale
Chessington & Hook United v Badshot Lea
Eversley & California v Bedfont & Feltham
Farleigh Rovers v Kensington Borough
FC Deportivo Galicia v Sheerwater
Frimley Green v Cobham
Staines Lammas v Cove
Worcester Park v Fleet Spurs

HELLP
Ascot United v Longlevens
Brackley Town Saints v Binfield
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Abingdon United
Burnham v Thatcham Town
Fairford Town v Bracknell Town
Lydney Town v Flackwell Heath
Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Wantage Town
Windsor v Tuffley Rovers
HELL1E
Didcot Town Reserves v AFC Aldermaston
Holyport v Milton United
Penn & Tylers Green v Chalfont Wasps
Sandhurst Town v Wokingham & Emmbrook
Thame Rangers v Chinnor
HELL1W
Letcombe v Cheltenham Saracens
HELL Supp
Bicester Town v Oxford City Nomads

WESSP
Amesbury Town v Petersfield Town
Horndean v Andover Town
WESS1
Folland Sports v Alton
Hythe & Dibden v Andover New Street
Tadley Calleva v East Cowes Victoria
Whitchurch United v Romsey Town

[Four Of Clubs]

NL results from yesterday:

Saturday 7th April

NAT
Aldershot Town 1-0 Maidenhead United – Kabamba on 89’
Bromley 0-0 Gateshead
Dagenham & Redbridge 1-1 Woking
NATN
Curzon Ashton 0-2 Brackley Town
NATS
Chelmsford City 2-1 Poole Town
Concord Rangers 1-0 Hampton & Richmond Borough
Dartford 3-1 Weston-super-Mare
Gloucester City 3-2 Bognor Regis Town
Hemel Hempstead Town 3-1 Chippenham Town
Hungerford Town 0-1 Braintree Town - 'Crusaders' welcome back Bobby Wilkinson on Mon night as Wealdstone visit the Bulpit.
Oxford City 2-1 Eastbourne Borough
St Albans City 0-3 Whitehawk
Truro City 1-2 East Thurrock United
Wealdstone 2-1 Bath City
Welling United 0-1 Havant & Waterlooville

ILP
Leatherhead 2-0 Staines Town
Needham Market 2-0 Dorking Wanderers

SLP
Banbury United 1-1 Biggleswade Town
Farnborough 2-3 Tiverton Town
Hereford 3-0 Chesham United
Royston Town 1-0 Basingstoke Town
Stratford Town 0-1 Slough Town – Perry Coles on 35’
SL1E
Ashford Town (Middx) 1-1 Chalfont St Peter
Aylesbury United 1-0 Hayes & Yeading United
Barton Rovers 1-0 Fleet Town
Beaconsfield Town {SEVEN } 7-0 Arlesey Town
Bedford Town 3-2 Marlow
Cambridge City 4-1 Hartley Wintney
Egham Town 0-0 AFC Dunstable
Hanwell Town 3-3 Moneyfields
Kempston Rovers 2-0 Aylesbury
Northwood 1-1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Uxbridge 1-5 Thame United
SL1W
Barnstaple Town 0-4 Didcot Town - Diddy up by three at HT
Bishops Cleeve 1-1 North Leigh
Paulton Rovers 0-1 Kidlington
Slimbridge 1-3 Swindon Supermarine
Winchester City 4-1 Yate Town

CCLP
AFC Hayes 1-0 Farnham Town
Balham 2-1 Abbey Rangers
Banstead Athletic 1-3 Spelthorne Sports
Camberley Town 2-0 Hanworth Villa
CB Hounslow United 1-1 Knaphill
Chertsey Town 1-0 Godalming Town
Guildford City 4-3 Epsom & Ewell
Redhill {SEVEN} 7-2 North Greenford United
Sutton Common Rovers 0-1 Bedfont Sports
Westfield 3-1 Colliers Wood United
CCL1
Ash United 1-1 South Park Reserves
Bagshot 0-4 Raynes Park Vale
Chessington & Hook United 1-6 {SIX} Badshot Lea
Eversley & California 2-4 Bedfont & Feltham
Farleigh Rovers 5-3 Kensington Borough
FC Deportivo Galicia 1-3 Sheerwater
Frimley Green 2-2 Cobham
Staines Lammas 0-1 Cove
Worcester Park 2-0 Fleet Spurs

HELLP
Ascot United 1-0 Longlevens - four wins from 6 has seen the Yellamen pull clear of the danger zone
Brackley Town Saints 1-2 Binfield
Brimscombe & Thrupp 4-1 Abingdon United
Burnham 0-6 {SIX} Thatcham Town - big win puts Thatcham back top again - these two meet again this Tuesday at Waterside Park. That same evening Highworth travel to Woodley, Bracknell trudge over to Lydney.
- Highworth then host Windsor on Thursday night.
- The Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup S-F tie : Bracknell v Thatcham, is scheduled for that evening at Larges Lane. This could well be a 'warm-up/taster' for the real title race but is likely to see two very changed/understrength line-ups. Binfield await the winners in the Final.

Fairford Town 0-2 Bracknell Town
Lydney Town PP Flackwell Heath
Royal Wootton Bassett Town 0-3 Wantage Town
Windsor 1-3 Tuffley Rovers
HELL1E
Didcot Town Reserves 2-2 AFC Aldermaston
Holyport 4-0 Milton United
Penn & Tylers Green 0-4 Chalfont Wasps - bit of an anti-climax to P&TG’s last Saturday game for some time at French School Meadows - thy host Sandhurst on Tue 24th in their last league game this season.
– to stay at this level they will have to shift up to Amersham and lodge for 18/19
The One East title may slip away from season-long leaders Bicester Town too - who also only have one remaining fixture away at Thame Rgrs
- Virginia Water can overhaul them as they still have three home games left - so Stag Meadow may see title winners crowned

Sandhurst Town 3-4 Wokingham & Emmbrook
Thame Rangers 5-1 Chinnor
HELL1W
Letcombe 1-0 Cheltenham Saracens
HELL Supp
Bicester Town 1-4 Oxford City Nomads

WESSP
Amesbury Town 3-1 Petersfield Town
Horndean 3-2 Andover Town - Town still lead by 8 pts but 2nd placed Blackfield are slowly hauling them in – got an impressive 4-2 win at 4th placed Sholing – think they will run out of games or energy though.
WESS1
Folland Sports 3-1 Alton
Hythe & Dibden 1-4 Andover New Street – ANS trail leaders Christchurch by 8 points – they have 1 game in hand and host them on what might be a title decider this midweek (Tue 10th)

Tadley Calleva 2-1 East Cowes Victoria
Whitchurch United 2-2 Romsey Town

[Royal Rother]

Poor stuff from Windsor on Saturday.

Really flat performances since the Vase exit. Without teenagers Jack Denton and Hugo Sobte we could be in deep do-do.

Barry Hayles is just not doing enough and some of the talented youngsters who are being brought through are just not ready to play against men.

[Four Of Clubs]

Poor stuff from Windsor on Saturday.

Really flat performances since the Vase exit. Without teenagers Jack Denton and Hugo Sobte we could be in deep do-do.

Barry Hayles is just not doing enough and some of the talented youngsters who are being brought through are just not ready to play against men.

...tough couple of games this midweek then RR - unless the weather intervenes - which the forecast suggests it might for one or both matches

Windsor host Binfield tomorrow (Tue night) - and the 'Moles' are flying - if that's not too bizarre an image
- then they have a trip west to Highworth.
I s'pose the latter game might in some ways be easier, as the former long-time leaders of the division seem to have lost almost their entire strike force to injury or departures - Aysa Corrick has now turned up at Larkhall - had initially signed for Stratford but found the travelling impossible - evidently the suburbs of Bath are more feasible a trip for him - apparently 'lost' the use of his car .

I watch a rare win tonight for the Jam Boys in Wessex One - down at a very boggy and drizzly Longmeadow - Whitchurch overcame Downton 2-1.
Hosts levelled with a late pen - put in on the rebound after a great save - then won it in injury time with a classic mud-befuddled howler - keeper rushing out to under-hit back-pass somehow manages to scuff the ball goalwards, allowing the on-rushing forward to pass it into the empty net.

Highmoor/IBIS and Nomads fought/slopped/wrestled out a 9 goal thriller at Swamp Scours with Nomads coming out winners 5-4 - reportedly another hilarious keeper and thick mud-related incident gave OCN their 5th.

Elsewhere Hungerford were humbled 1-3 by Wealdstone at Bulpit Lane.

Hope the rain relents enough for some games to be played Tue/Wed/Thu - tomorrow's York Rd 'derby' with Woking must be in doubt - it is segregated too - 'Cards' fans being directed to Bell St; Admission £15.

... and next weeks' re-arranged Magpies home game vs Sutton (Tue 17th) - originally abandoned - is free entry if ordered in advance, or £5 on the gate

[Hoop Blah]

...seem to have lost almost their entire strike force to injury or departures - Aysa Corrick has now turned up at Larkhall - had initially signed for Stratford but found the travelling impossible - evidently the suburbs of Bath are more feasible a trip for him - apparently 'lost' the use of his car .

I saw Corrick play for Highworth earlier in the season and he was excellent, a real handful. Since then he's had at last 3 clubs then as he originally went to Evesham when he left Highworth.

[Sutekh]

Hotting up at the top of the Hellenic Premier with the top 4 well and truly broken away from the rest of the division...

1. Thatcham 33 - 83 - +88
2. Highworth 35 - 82 - +62
3. Wantage 35 - 81 - +48
4. Bracknell 32 - 80 - +80
5. Flackwell 33 - 69 - +35

38 games to be played for each club but as ever the Hellenic doesn’t believe in planning a fixture list for the season and clubs therefore playing their fixtures on the same days. For example despite there being a whole month to go, Highworth are scheduled to play their three remaining games by next Monday evening.

And Bracknell’s trip to Windsor is scheduled for a Friday night rather than the following Saturday - is it on SKY?

With the planned divisional shake up in the summer plus some teams at step 4 deciding to drop down next year it could be good news for all clubs finishing 1st and 2nd at step 5 (and perhaps even 3rd in some cases)

[Royal Rother]

I believe the real reason for the Windsor v Bracknell game being on Friday is that the social club has long been booked out on the Saturday (season supposed to be over by then).

[Old Man Andrews]

Thatcham will win the league now, nothing will stop them which is a shame for Bracknell but you cannot argue against Thatcham deserving it.

[Royal Rother]

Weird game at Stag Meadow yesterday.

Windsor 4-3 Binfield.

Windsor took the lead on 7 minutes from a pen with straight red shown to the offender for pulling back when last man. Then went 2-0 up despite Binfield looking none the worse for being a man down.

Binfield then got a softish pen just before half time so 2-1 at the break.

In the 2nd half Binfield were much the better team cutting us open time and time again, and despite the heroics of our young keeper Sobte they took a deserved 3-2 lead. Windsor’s very young side gave possession away in midfield time after time and Binfield looked rampant.

Then one of our U18s came on for his debut and, despite giving the ball away on occasions like the other youngsters he broke free on the right (only about 3 yards offside to my eyes) and produced a good finish to make it level.

On 87 minutes Windsor got the winner but from the quality on display over the 90 mins it seemed scarcely credible.

A very entertaining evening but all the quality from Windsor camp from Hugo Sobte and Jack Denton, the latter of whom will definitely not be with us next season and you’d have to think Hugo will move on to a couple of levels up from the Hellenic.

No squad stays static but it’s going to be bloody important to get some players with similar qualities in next season because the current squad without those 2 would likely be in a relegation battle.

[Royal Rother]

Thatcham will win the league now, nothing will stop them which is a shame for Bracknell but you cannot argue against Thatcham deserving it.

It doesn’t look that clear cut to me.

3 points behind with a game in hand....?

[Old Man Andrews]

Thatcham will win the league now, nothing will stop them which is a shame for Bracknell but you cannot argue against Thatcham deserving it.

It doesn’t look that clear cut to me.

3 points behind with a game in hand....?

Thatcham should win all their games I would have thought, they have a plus 8 goal difference too.

[Royal Rother]

The way Windsor are defending right now Bracknell could wipe that out when they visit Stag Meadow!

[Old Man Andrews]

The way Windsor are defending right now Bracknell could wipe that out when they visit Stag Meadow!

I am sure it is in here somewhere but what is Thatcham's run in?

[Sutekh]

Looks like Bracknell gained another game in hand on Thatcham last night as their proposed game at Lydney was postponed while Thatcham overturned Burnham 4-0

The run ins for the two are :

14 April

Binfield v Thatcham
Tuffley v Bracknell

16 April

Highworth v Thatcham

17 April

Bracknell v Brackley Town Saints

20 April

Windsor v Bracknell

21 April

Thatcham v Tuffley

24 April

Woodley v Bracknell

26 April

Lydney v Bracknell
Thatcham v Brackley Town Saints

28 April

Bracknell v Tuffley

On top of that Bracknell play Thatcham at Larges Lane tomorrow night in the PPFC (whatever that is)

Looks like it’s certainly not a forgone conclusion with Thatcham still facing a couple of difficult away trips to Binfield and Highworth in quick succession but it’s going to be a tight finish.

[Old Man Andrews]

I think I am going to go along to the Binfield v Thatcham game. Old Roger doing Bracknell a huge favour?? High stakes.