The Non - League thread

[Four Of Clubs]

....here's an early warning of the 2nd Jan NL fixtures:

Saturday 2nd January 2016

NAT
Woking v Aldershot Town - Cards grabbed the points when these met at The Rec on Boxing Day
NATN
Corby Town FC v Brackley Town – Saints still at the wrong end of the table but have had a relatively good December; 2 wins 1 draw from 5 … and have at least climbed up to 3rd bottom
NATS
Basingstoke Town v Sutton United - quick return game – Sutton up in 3rd and top of the form table (last 6 games) were 2-0 winners at Gander Gn Lane on Boxing Day
Concord Rangers v Ebbsfleet United
Dartford v Chelmsford City
Havant & Waterlooville v Gosport Borough
Maidenhead United v Oxford City - these two drew a blank when they met last Saturday.
Maidstone United v Margate
St Albans City v Bishop's Stortford
Truro City v Bath City
Wealdstone v Hemel Hempstead Town
Weston-Super-Mare v Hayes & Yeading Utd
Whitehawk v Eastbourne Borough

ISTHP
Kingstonian v Farnborough

SOUTHP
Chesham United v Dunstable Town
Hungerford Town v Slough Town
SOUTH1C
Beaconsfield SYCOB v Uxbridge
Fleet Town v Egham Town
Petersfield Town v Godalming Town
Potters Bar Town v Chalfont St Peter
SOUTH1S&W
Banbury United v Wantage Town
Didcot Town v Burnham
Marlow v North Leigh
Winchester City v Bashley - doubtless a chance for Bentley to fill his boots - only scored three in the league during December - probably a good bet that he'll double that in this one match?

CCLP
Ashford Town (Middx) v Knaphill
Badshot Lea v Westfield
Bedfont Sports v Windsor
Camberley Town v Chessington & Hook United
Cove v Spelthorne Sports - first game back for Cove after being given a few weeks grace to find a new squad.
– don’t think they are expecting much but it’s good that they look as if they may now be able finish the season – albeit they’ll need to be pretty thick-skinned, as it’s a pretty unforgiving league and many big defeats are likely between now and May.

Epsom & Ewell v Redhill
Hanworth Villa v Guildford City
Hartley Wintney v Farnham Town
Horley Town v Chertsey Town
Sutton Common Rovers v AFC Hayes
CCL1
Abbey Rangers v Ash United
Banstead Athletic v Dorking
Bedfont & Feltham v Sandhurst Town
Epsom Athletic v Cobham
Eversley & California v CB Hounslow United
Farleigh Rovers v Worcester Park
Sheerwater v Frimley Green
...would expect these last two to be 14:00 KOs as neither have lights.

HELLP
Abingdon United v Thame United
Ascot United v Binfield - expect another big turnout for this one – ‘Moles’ have been on a poor run of late apart from putting 10 past hapless Woodley in a Cup competition.
Brackley Town Saints v Milton United
Flackwell Heath v Kidlington - top of the table clash – won’t be the title decider of course and Thatcham/Ascot are still in contention, as are Highworth who hit eight past RWBT on Monday - but the winner of this will get a big morale boost for the forthcoming games.

Highworth Town v Bracknell Town
Oxford City Nomads v Ardley United
Royal Wootton Bassett v Brimscombe & Thrupp
Thatcham Town v Lydney Town
Tuffley Rovers v Longlevens AFC
Wokingham & Emmbrook v Highmoor-Ibis
HELL1E
14:15 Chalfont Wasps v Rayners Lane
14:15 Headington Amateurs v Holyport
Bicester Town v Didcot Town Res'
Wantage Town Res v Reading Town
Woodley United v Old Woodstock Town

WESSP
Andover Town v Team Solent
Whitchurch United v Hamworthy United
WESS1
Andover New Street v Romsey Town
Fleet Spurs v New Milton Town
Hythe & Dibden v Tadley Calleva
Pewsey Vale v East Cowes Victoria
Ringwood Town v Alton Town

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...and just by way of a bonus titbit from something usually beneath the radar on here - here's the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup ties - being played on Saturday for STEP06/07 and below.
The competition had approx. 64 entrants - included about half a doz. reserve sides - is now down to the last 16 - the survivors are a mix (remaining sides in brackets) of South Mids Div One & Two (5) , Aylesbury & District (1) , East Berks (1), United Counties (1), North Berks (3) , Hellenic Div One (2) and Thames Valley League (3 - two of these from the 2nd tier - Division One)

B&B Intermediate 4th Round
Risborough Rangers v Loughton Manor
13:30 Old Bradwell United v Pitstone & Ivinghoe United
13:30 Hale Leys United v Lynch Pin
13:30 APBS FC v Olney Town
13:30 Abingdon Town v Letcombe
13:30 Lambourn Sports v Finchampstead
13:30 Westwood United v Long Wittenham Athletic
13:30 Cookham Dean v Maidenhead Magpies

... missing both last years finalists from the match played at Newport Pagnell, - winners Reading YMCA (surprisingly beaten at home last month by Cookham Dean) beat Wok & Emm 4-2 in the Final. The 'Sumas' are not eligible to enter in 15/16, as they were promoted to STEP05.
I would expect the favourites to be Hale Leys unbeaten & top of SSM Div2 or Risborough from the league above. Olney are, for me anyway, an unknown quantity, coming from the extreme northern reaches of the bi-County 'footprint' and a league (UCL) I've barely dipped into.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
..... and while I'm in 'County' mode here's the draws for the Senior Cup & Trophy:

Cup Semi-Finals
Wednesday 13/01 Chesham Utd v MK Dons
Monday 11/01 Beaconsfield SYCOB v Aylesbury

Trophy Quarter Finals - to be completed by 22/01
Windsor v Newport Pagnell Town
Flackwell Heath v Thatcham Town
Ascot United v Binfield
Holmer Green v Milton United

[mx]

....here's an early warning of the 2nd Jan NL fixtures:

Saturday 2nd January 2016


Winchester City v Bashley - doubtless a chance for Bentley to fill his boots - only scored three in the league during December - probably a good bet that he'll double that in this one match?

]

Been looking forward to this one - hoping for a 10 (TEN) - 0. Given the amount of rain down here, and tomorrow's forecast, I doubt the pitch will be playable though.

[Linden Jones]

The national league fixtures tomorrow are the reverse of Boxing Day which usually makes for some combative encounters. Speaking of which with no non league football south of Bromsgrove today I've edited a highlights video of Maidenhead United's infamous Berks & Bucks Cup Semi-Final win at Windsor in 1999:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEtMq-fI_Ts

[Four Of Clubs]

UPDATE: Weather is philthy out there - swathe of postponements - in the time I have available here's those still ON at about 13:30 today:


Saturday 2nd January 2016

NAT
Woking v Aldershot Town
NATN
Corby Town FC v Brackley Town
NATS
Concord Rangers v Ebbsfleet United
Dartford v Chelmsford City
Maidstone United v Margate
St Albans City v Bishop's Stortford

ISTHP
Kingstonian v Farnborough

SOUTHP
Chesham United v Dunstable Town
SOUTH1C
Beaconsfield SYCOB v Uxbridge
SOUTH1S&W
Banbury United v Wantage Town

CCLP
Ashford Town (Middx) v Knaphill
Camberley Town v Chessington & Hook United
Horley Town v Chertsey Town
Sutton Common Rovers v AFC Hayes
CCL1
Farleigh Rovers v Worcester Park

HELLP
Abingdon United v Thame United
Brackley Town Saints v Milton United
Royal Wootton Bassett v Brimscombe & Thrupp
Thatcham Town v Lydney Town
HELL1E
14:15 Headington Amateurs v Holyport

...nothing surviving in the Wessex League (apart from Lymington) is evidently far worse further south/west

[Hoop Blah]

Have Tadley still got the lad up tops who scored a hatful last season?

However - looking at the league stats from Full-Time - Brett Denham is probably the guy you mean - seemingly got 40 goals last term (top scorer in the division) and he is reported to have notched 6 in 8 games this.

Yeah, thats the fella, quite a young lad who really seems to have the gift for goals.

Looks like he's been doing a bit of travelling and so missed a chunk of the season so far.

[Four Of Clubs]

...results from those few NL games that survived the downpours - were a few late call offs too....

Saturday 02nd Jan

NAT
Woking 2-1 Aldershot Town att 3708
NATN
Corby Town FC 1-1 Brackley Town
NATS
Concord Rangers 0-0 Ebbsfleet United
Dartford 1-1 Chelmsford City
Maidstone United 2-1 Margate
St Albans City 1-1 Bishop's Stortford

ISTHP
Kingstonian PP Farnborough - Match referee called it off at 13:50

SOUTHP
Chesham United PP Dunstable Town – called off about the same time as the Kings v ‘boro game above
SOUTH1C
Beaconsfield SYCOB PP Uxbridge – ditto – called off about an hour before KO
SOUTH1S&W
Banbury United {EIGHT} 8-1 Wantage Town - poor Freds swamped by Puritans in one of only seven Southern league games that survived

CCLP
Ashford Town (Middx) 6-4 Knaphill - Ashtrees splash their way back to top spot with Hartley's game v Farnham rained off
Camberley Town 3-0 Chessington & Hook United
Horley Town PP Chertsey Town
Sutton Common Rovers 2-1 AFC Hayes
CCL1
Farleigh Rovers PP Worcester Park

HELLP
Abingdon United 1-1 Thame United
Brackley Town Saints 4-1 Milton United
Royal Wootton Bassett 2-1 Brimscombe & Thrupp
Thatcham Town 4-3 Lydney Town – Kingfishers survive the floods and nab top spot in a 7 goal thriller with the big clash of Flackwell v Kiddy being posptoned
HELL1E
Headington Amateurs 1-1 Holyport

B&B Intermediate 4th Round
Old Bradwell United 2-4 Pitstone & Ivinghoe United
Cookham Dean 2-1 Maidenhead Magpies

... the other 6 ties were postponed most probably be rescheduled for NEXT Saturday - though the floodlit clubs may have scope to host their ties midweek - e.g. I think I noticed Ab Town's v Letcombe may have been arranged for the 12th Jan

[Linden Jones]

Nicky Forster sacked by Staines
http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/headlines ... rture.html

[AthleticoSpizz]

Doesn't sound like a sacking....it's not even by "mutual consent"

Blackmans replacement?

[Huckleberry Hound]

Sounds like he was close to being sacked a few weeks ago though.

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/footba ... n-10699437

Opportunity for Drax?

[Four Of Clubs]

...left it late this w/e owing to the rotten weather - as at c.11:15 here's what still ON in local NL - expect plenty more to be off following Refs Inspections so check first if you are venturing out ...

Fixtures 160109

FA Vase 3rd Round Replays
S Shields v Morpeth
Dunston UTS v Seaham RS
Newton A v Atherton Coll
Marske U v Team Northumbria (tba)

FA Vase 4th Round
Cleethorpes Town v Alvechurch
Hereford v Leicester Nirvana
AFC Wulfrunians v Nuneaton G
Sunderland RCA v Sleaford Town
FC Romania v Camberley Town
Berkhamsted Town v Hullbridge Sports

Sunday AFC Dunstable v Salisbury

NAT
Aldershot Town v Chester FC
Wrexham v Woking
NATN
Brackley Town v Alfreton Town
NATS
Bath City v Maidstone United
Chelmsford City v Weston-Super-Mare
Eastbourne Borough v Basingstoke Town
Ebbsfleet United v Truro City
Gosport Borough v Wealdstone
Hemel Hempstead Town v Havant & Waterlooville
Margate v Maidenhead United
Sutton United v St Albans City

SOUTHP
Dunstable Town v Hungerford Town
King's Lynn Town v Chesham United
Slough Town v Kettering Town
SOUTH1C
Bedford Town v Fleet Town
Chalfont St Peter v St Ives Town
Godalming Town v Kings Langley
SOUTH1S&W
AFC Totton v Marlow
Wantage Town v Didcot Town

CCLP
AFC Hayes v Epsom & Ewell
Bedfont Sports v Chertsey Town
Spelthorne Sports v Badshot Lea
Westfield v Horley Town
Windsor v Colliers Wood United
CCL1
Ash United v Sheerwater
CB Hounslow United v Farleigh Rovers
Cobham v Eversley & California
Dorking Wanderers Res v Abbey Rangers
Frimley Green v Banstead Athletic
Sandhurst Town v South Park Res
14:00 Worcester Park v Staines Lammas

HELLENIC
SUPP R2
Abingdon United Tytherington Rocks
Bracknell Town North Leigh United
13:45 Chalfont Wasps Ardley United
Fairford Town Easington Sports
Milton United New College Swindon
13:45 Stokenchurch Reading Town
SUPP R3
Abingdon United Tytherington Rocks
Bicester Town Wantage Town Res'
HELL Challenge R2
Highworth Town Highmoor-Ibis
HELL Challenge R3
Ascot United Thame United
Lydney Town Oxford City Nomads
Royal Wootton Bassett Cirencester Town Dev'
Thatcham Town Shortwood United Res'
Wycombe Q-F
13:30 Great Missenden Flackwell Heath

WESS1
Alton Town Amesbury Town

[Four Of Clubs]

Results from where games lasted the deluge this w/e in NL -

Saturday 9th January

FA Vase 3rd Round Replays
S Shields P-P Morpeth
Dunston UTS 1-0 Seaham RS
Newton A P-P Atherton Coll
Marske U 2-1 Team Northumbria

FA Vase 4th Round
Cleethorpes Town 2-1 Alvechurch
Hereford A-A Leicester Nirvana Abandoned on 45 mins Hereford leading 3-1
AFC Wulfrunians 2-3 Nuneaton G
Sunderland RCA P-P Sleaford Town
Newport IoW P-P Ashford United
FC Romania 1-2 Camberley Town – Two Red cards given to home players and their manager was sent to the stands
Berkhamsted Town 4-2 Hullbridge Sports

Sunday 10th AFC Dunstable 0-3 Salisbury

NAT
Aldershot Town 3-1 Chester FC
Wrexham 1-3 Woking
NATN
Brackley Town 1-4 Alfreton Town
NATS
Bath City 0-2 Maidstone United
Chelmsford City 2-3 Weston-Super-Mare
Eastbourne Borough 1-2 Basingstoke Town Manny Williams on 91 & 92 mins for Dragons
Ebbsfleet United 0-0 Truro City
Gosport Borough 1-1 Wealdstone
Hemel Hempstead Town 2-0 Havant & Waterlooville
Margate 3-2 Maidenhead United
Sutton United 5-0 St Albans City

SOUTHP
Dunstable Town 1-0 Hungerford Town - winner on 91’
King's Lynn Town 2-0 Chesham United
Slough Town P-P Kettering Town passed inspection mid-AM then called off by match Ref after torrential rain 11-13:00h
SOUTH1C
Bedford Town 2-2 Fleet Town
Chalfont St Peter 1-4 St Ives Town
Godalming Town 0-1 Kings Langley
SOUTH1S&W
AFC Totton 2-2 Marlow
Wantage Town P-P Didcot Town

CCLP
AFC Hayes P-P Epsom & Ewell
Bedfont Sports P-P Chertsey Town
Spelthorne Sports 6-2 Badshot Lea
Westfield P-P Horley Town
Windsor 0-1 Colliers Wood United
CCL1
Ash United A-A Sheerwater - Abandoned early 2nd half
CB Hounslow United P-P Farleigh Rovers
Cobham A-A Eversley & California - Abandoned on 69’ – floodlight failure
Dorking Wanderers Res P-P Abbey Rangers
Frimley Green 2-3 Banstead Athletic
Sandhurst Town P-P South Park Res
Worcester Park P-P Staines Lammas

HELLENIC all games Postponed except:
Hellenic Challenge Cup Round 3
Royal Wootton Bassett 2-3 Cirencester Town Dev'
Thatcham Town 4-2 Shortwood United Res'
Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup Round 4
Lambourn Sports 3-4 Finchampstead - in the Q-Fs due to be played on Sat 23rd Jan - Finch will play the winners of this Tuesday nights' tie (weather permitting) between Abingdon Town and Letcombe

WESS1
Alton Town 4-1 Amesbury Town
- Got to this – arrived quite early, for me, at least 20 mins before KO – but still had sold out of progs
- many ‘Anoraks’ from miles around had gravitated to the only game certain to be on (3G surface) - attendance possibly close to three figures - so about twice their average at the old ground. Played on their ‘new’ old ground a bit further up Anstey Lane away from the old Bass Brewery ground, that they had played on for many years; indeed the owners (Molson Coors) wanted them to vacate the site for housing development as long as 10 years ago.

[Sutekh]

Seems to have been a pretty amazing 3 points for Basingstoke on Saturday, trailing 1-0 until the 91st minutes!

Also I see a good point for Truro at runaway leaders Ebbsfleet.

Don't what's wrong at Maidenhead though, 1 win in 8 league games now. Are they and Basingstoke returning to type I wonder.

Finally a good 3 points for Woking keeping them on the trail of the play offs. Be really great if they could sneak league football at some point and a possible future local derby for Reading.

[Ark Royal]

Barrow 3 Tranmere 4. Tranny 3-1 down in the 90th minute and then score three in injury time to win it!

[Four Of Clubs]

First B&B Senior Cup Semi-Final - astonishingly -went ahead tonight (Mon 11th)

Finished: Beaconsfield SYCOB 2-3 Aylesbury

Other semi-final due Wednesday 13th : Chesham Utd v MK Dons

...elsewhere matches at Farnborough and Highmoor/IBIS postponed.

Prospects not good for tomorrow's NL games - not that there are that many scheduled but plenty in serious doubt with pitches waterlogged and more rain - some heavy - forecast for mid-PM.

EDIT - update from 14th Jan
B&B Senior Cup result: Wed 13th - Chesham Utd 4-4 MK Dons - AET FT score 3-3 -Dons led 2-0 on 10' were pegged level by 18' and were 3-2 up until 86 mins - presumably MK Dons couldn't put out that strong an XI (as I believe they had done in the previous two rounds) bearing in mind they were being walloped by the Clarets the night before.

Very few NL matches survived the wet on Tuesday - yet there were a handful played at venues I'd have put money on to be off :
Egham bt Kings Langley 1-0 in the Southern Central - on what must have been a swamp at the Runnymede Stadium;
Fleet Town progressed in the Russell Cotes Cup 2nd Round, with a 5-3 win at Lymington - in the previous round of the same competition Bashley kept to type with a 0-5 reverse against improving Petersfield.
Winchester City fell behind very early on at home to Eastleigh in the Hants Senior Cup 3rd Round but won it with two very late goals .

.. in the CCL only a few could proceed- Hartley Wintney got back to winning ways and re-took top spot in the league 1-0 at Horley - in the CCL Premier League Cup there were big wins for Camberley and Ashford.

Only a couple of Cup Ties could be played in the Hellenic - Flackwell as expected, coasted to a 5-0 win over Great Missenden in the Wycombe Senior Cup Q-F

..... and finally (the game I got out to )

B&B Intermediate Cup 4th Round @ Culham Road Abingdon Town 0-4 Letcombe
- atrocious conditions by the time I got there - yet was fairly dry as I left N 'ding around 19:00 but the rain commenced more or less as the Ref blew to start the game (early).
- puddles grew throughout the game especially in the Centre Area and both goalmouths - made for several hilarious panicky defensive moments - included the obligatory ball stuck right on the line from a long range lob over a stranded keeper - as the conditions ranged from light to heavy drizzle to downpour - good open contest won by the Villagers. They had just a bit more quality and solidity about them where it really mattered - though the Abbots gave it a good go and didn't tire against nominally higher ranked opposition - a healthy crowd at his level of probably over 40, on what was a horrible night to be out watching football.

Letcombe now travel to Finchampstead in the next round due to be played on 23rd January. ( the last 8 )
- as I wrote previously - there are still a couple of 'big-hitters' (Risborough Rangers and Hale Leys Utd) left in the competition from the Spartan South Mids. Fortunately for the other survivors, they may meet each other in the Q-F. There two more 4th round games delayed by the weather, scheduled for this Saturday Loughton Manor (from MK) v Risborough (winners go to Hale Leys) & Westwood Utd v Long Wittenham (Olney Town await the winners of that one).
The other Quarter Final tie sees Cookham Dean (Thames Valley Premier) host Pitstone & Ivinghoe (S.Mids Div Two)

... my usual Preview of this weekends' matches due out tomorrow probably ...

[Four Of Clubs]

... here's tomorrow's NL matches - assuming most of the troublesome venues have dried out by then. However there is also a good outside chance many will now be off due to frost!

Saturday 16th January

The FA Trophy – 2nd Rd Proper
1 Dulwich Hamlet v Guiseley
2 Dover Athletic v Southport
3 Havant & Waterlooville v Welling United
4 Truro City v Macclesfield Town
5 Braintree Town v Stourbridge
6 Chester v Hungerford Town
7 Eastbourne Borough v AFC Fylde
8 Sutton United v Curzon Ashton
9 Torquay United v Wrexham
10 Grimsby Town v Weston Super Mare
11 FC Halifax Town v Barrow
12 Eastleigh v Gateshead
13 Bognor Regis Town v Altrincham or Leamington
14 Bradford (Park Avenue) v Nantwich Town
15 Woking v Maidenhead United
16 Oxford City v Cheltenham Town

The FA Vase – 4th Rd Proper
2 Hereford v Leicester Nirvana
4 Coleshill Town v Dunston UTS
6 Sunderland RCA v Sleaford Town
7 Newton Aycliffe P-P Marske United
8 Bowers & Pitsea v Sutton Common Rovers
9 Kidlington v Knaphill
10 Newport (IW) v Ashford United
11 Moneyfields v Bristol Manor Farm
15 Hartley & Wintney v Bradford Town
16 Bodmin Town P-P Ipswich Wanderers

NATN
Brackley Town v FC United Of Manchester
NATS
Basingstoke Town v Hemel Hempstead Town
Dartford v Bath City
Margate v Chelmsford City
Whitehawk v Hayes & Yeading Utd

SOUTHP
Chesham United v Merthyr Town
Cirencester Town v Slough Town
SOUTH1C
Aylesbury United v Egham Town
Beaconsfield SYCOB v Godalming Town
Fleet Town v Aylesbury - pitch reported as frozen NOW with more sub-zero temps due - pitch inspection early tomorrow AM
Petersfield Town v Chalfont St Peter
SOUTH1S&W
Bishops Cleeve v Bashley
Bridgwater Town v North Leigh
Didcot Town v Slimbridge
Marlow v Cinderford Town
Shortwood United v Burnham
Taunton Town v Wantage Town
Winchester City v Mangotsfield United

CCLP
Badshot Lea v Windsor
Chertsey Town v Chessington & Hook United
Colliers Wood United v Westfield
Cove v Farnham Town
Epsom & Ewell v Spelthorne Sports
Guildford City v Horley Town
Hanworth Villa v AFC Hayes
Raynes Park Vale v Redhill
CCL1
Abbey Rangers v Sandhurst Town
Banstead Athletic v Cobham
Bedfont & Feltham v Worcester Park
Eversley & California v Staines Lammas
14:00 Farleigh Rovers v Epsom Athletic
Frimley Green v CB Hounslow United
14:00Sheerwater v Dorking
South Park Res v Dorking Wanderers Res

HELLP
Abingdon United v Highworth Town
Ardley United v Royal Wootton Bassett
Ascot United v Thatcham Town
Binfield v Flackwell Heath
Bracknell Town v Thame United
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Brackley Town Saints
Highmoor-Ibis v Longlevens AFC
Milton United v Lydney Town
HELL1E
14:15 Chalfont Wasps v Reading Town
14:15 Finchampstead v Rayners Lane
Henley Town v Penn & Tylers Green
Holyport v Old Woodstock Town
Wantage Town Res' v Bicester Town
Woodley United v Headington Amateur's
Hellenic Supp R1
Cheltenham Saracens v Chinnor
HELL1W
Letcombe v Carterton

WESSP
Andover Town v Alresford Town
Bemerton Heath v Harlequins Whitchurch United
WESS1
Amesbury Town v Fleet Spurs
Christchurch v Alton Town
Hythe & Dibden v Andover New Street
New Milton Town v Tadley Calleva
Pewsey Vale v Ringwood Town

[Royal Rother]

Badshot Lea 2-1 Windsor

Shocking game. BL had 2 shots, 1st minute and last kick of the game - both excellent strikes. Windsor, as has become our way, huffed and puffed, created loads of chances but proved unable to shoot straight. Or shoot at all. Bit threadbare at the moment, winger as striker, right back on the wing, striker as central defender, centre midfielder on the other wing, goalkeeper with sickness bug. As always, we worked hard, had more possession but lacked penetration and the final ball.

Windsor scored fairly late in the game, had all the momentum and looked likely to win, then BL's young and somewhat diminutive keeper made a fantastic point blank save in the last minute and then they went up the other end and scored. Cue huge celebrations and good luck to them.

Shocking pitch. Nobody's fault, the pitch just gets too many games on it by the looks of it. HOWEVER, absolutely shocking form that BL's subs (and others) had an extended kick about session in the f-ing penalty area at half time. Coach setting up shots from the edge of the area. That is just ridiculous. The groundsman, if he'd been there would / should have chased them off with a bloody pitchfork.

Absolutely shocking referee. Booked anything that moved. Pathetic display on a surface that needed a sympathetic handler.

Not a lot of fun was had.

Roll on Tuesday for the next game - weather permitting.

[paultheroyal]

Is the Basingstoke great escape on?

[Four Of Clubs]

and here's the rest of the NL matches that survived the conditions yesterday......

Saturday 16th Jan

FA Trophy 1st Round
Leamington 1-2 Altrincham AET

The FA Trophy – 2nd Rd Proper
1 Dulwich Hamlet 1-2 Guiseley
2 Dover Athletic 2-1 Southport
3 Havant & Waterlooville 2-1 Welling United
4 Truro City 2-2 Macclesfield Town
5 Braintree Town 0-1 Stourbridge
6 Chester 4-0 Hungerford Town – all four goals late 2nd half
7 Eastbourne Borough 1-4 AFC Fylde
8 Sutton United 1-0 Curzon Ashton
9 Torquay United 1-0 Wrexham
10 Grimsby Town 3-1 Weston Super Mare
11 FC Halifax Town PP Barrow
12 Eastleigh 1-2 Gateshead
14 Bradford (Park Avenue) PP Nantwich Town
15 Woking 6-1 Maidenhead United
16 Oxford City 2-2 Cheltenham Town

The FA Vase – 4th Rd Proper
2 Hereford 6-0 Leicester Nirvana
4 Coleshill Town 1-3 Dunston UTS AET
6 Sunderland RCA PP Sleaford Town
7 Newton Aycliffe PP Marske United
8 Bowers & Pitsea PP Sutton Common Rovers
9 Kidlington 3-2 Knaphill - Kiddy have a nice trip to the seaside next round (Sat 30th) - Cleethorpes!!
10 Newport (IW) 1-2 Ashford United AET
11 Moneyfields 0-2 Bristol Manor Farm
15 Hartley & Wintney 3-1 Bradford Town - very tough tie next round host Hereford
16 Bodmin Town PP Ipswich Wanderers

NATN
Brackley Town 4-0 FC United Of Manchester
NATS
Basingstoke Town 2-0 Hemel Hempstead Town
Dartford 4-1 Bath City
Margate 4-1 Chelmsford City
Whitehawk PP Hayes & Yeading Utd

ISTHP
Grays Athletic 3-1 Farnborough

SOUTHP
Chesham United PP Merthyr Town
Cirencester Town PP Slough Town
SOUTH1C
Aylesbury United 0-3 Egham Town
Beaconsfield SYCOB 0-2 Godalming Town
Fleet Town PP Aylesbury
Petersfield Town PP Chalfont St Peter
SOUTH1S&W
Bishops Cleeve PP Bashley
Bridgwater Town 2-1 North Leigh
Didcot Town 3-1 Slimbridge
Marlow 0-2 Cinderford Town
Shortwood United 5-3 Burnham
Taunton Town 5-0 Wantage Town
Winchester City 2-1 Mangotsfield United

CCLP
Badshot Lea 2-1 Windsor
Chertsey Town 3-0 Chessington & Hook United
Colliers Wood United 3-1 Westfield
Cove 1-6 Farnham Town - home side finally back in business but not unexpectedly finding it hard with an entirely new squad
Epsom & Ewell PP Spelthorne Sports
Guildford City 1-1 Horley Town
Hanworth Villa 5-0 AFC Hayes
Raynes Park Vale PP Redhill
CCL1
Abbey Rangers {EIGHT} 8-1 Sandhurst Town
Banstead Athletic 2-0 Cobham
Bedfont & Feltham 1-1 Worcester Park
Eversley & California 3-1 Staines Lammas
Farleigh Rovers 3-2 Epsom Athletic
Frimley Green 1-0 CB Hounslow United
Sheerwater 1-2 Dorking
South Park Res PP Dorking Wanderers Res

HELLP
Abingdon United 0-2 Highworth Town
Ardley United {SEVEN} 7-0 Royal Wootton Bassett
Ascot United 2-2 Thatcham Town att 130
Binfield PP Flackwell Heath
Bracknell Town PP Thame United
Brimscombe & Thrupp 1-2 Brackley Town Saints
Highmoor-Ibis 1-3 Longlevens AFC
Milton United 1-1 Lydney Town
HELL1E
Chalfont Wasps PP Reading Town
Finchampstead 1-1 Rayners Lane
Henley Town PP Penn & Tylers Green
Holyport PP Old Woodstock Town
Wantage Town Res' PP Bicester Town
Woodley United 0-4 Headington Amateur's
Hellenic Supp R1
Cheltenham Saracens 4-2 Chinnor AET
HELL1W
Letcombe PP Carterton

WESSP
Andover Town PP Alresford Town
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1-0 Whitchurch United
WESS1
Amesbury Town PP Fleet Spurs
Christchurch 6-0 Alton Town
Hythe & Dibden PP Andover New Street
New Milton Town 1-1 Tadley Calleva
Pewsey Vale PP Ringwood Town

[Royalist]

Truro to Macclesfield on a midweek?! Yikes!

[Royal Rother]

Windsor 1-3 Newport Pagnell

All a bit predictable tonight. Pitch held up superbly, despite coating of frost from the KO and all other games in the area postponed. No slipping and sliding of note but we just never looked like shooting, let alone scoring. When we did it was a deflected shot.

2 pens against us. 2nd looked a bit soft but I was too far away to argue it. Ref didn't please anyone tonight from either side. Inconsistent and I don't think the players really knew where they stood.

We battled hard enough but there's no flair around at the moment. We had plenty of possession but so many misplaced passes.

Confidence low.

On we go. But not in an upward direction for now I fear.