The Non - League thread

[Royal Rother]

Bracknell have parted company with their manager - mutual consent apparently.

[Warfield ED Stand]

:shock: Bracknell have parted company with their manager - mutual consent apparently.

After 1 defeat!!! Absolutely barmy!!

[Sutekh]

:shock: Bracknell have parted company with their manager - mutual consent apparently.

After 1 defeat!!! Absolutely barmy!!

2 defeats if you include the FA Cup! I would imagine there's more to it than that - or are Bracknell doing a Birmingham...... perhaps 'arry will be next in at the Lane.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Can anyone confirm how many promotion places there will be from the Hellenic this season? I assume its more than the usual 1 with the step 3/4 restructure.

[Four Of Clubs]

Can anyone confirm how many promotion places there will be from the Hellenic this season? I assume its more than the usual 1 with the step 3/4 restructure.

2 based on PPG & there are slightly less places available than Step05 leagues X 2.

... All dependent on grading too of course.

[Sutekh]

Can anyone confirm how many promotion places there will be from the Hellenic this season? I assume its more than the usual 1 with the step 3/4 restructure.

2 based on PPG & there are slightly less places available than Step05 leagues X 2.

... All dependent on grading too of course.

So just want to get the understanding re: promotion at step 5 right for this season :

Across the board there are 14 step 5 leagues :

1. Combined Counties League
2. Eastern Counties League
3. Essex Senior League
4. Hellenic League
5. Midland League
6. North West Counties League
7. Northern Counties East League
8. Northern League
9. Southern Counties East League
10. Spartan South Midlands League
11. Southern Combination
12. United Counties League
13. Wessex League
14. Western League

And because of the re-org, in the Southern region, there is an additional league being created at step 4 to be attached to the Isthmian structure. As result there are more than the usual 14 promotion places available at step 5 but not as many as 28.

So presumably all the league champions will be entitled to promotion should they

a) want promotion
b) have the required ground grading

which leaves not quite 14 places available (could someone confirm the number of additional places?) and those other places will be decided on the PPG ratio for teams as long as they also

a) want promotion
b) have the required ground grading

So can all teams be considered for the additional places irrespective of where they finish in the league or is it restricted to just those that finish in the top 2/3/4? Would seem to work to the advantage of those leagues that have 2, 3 or possibly 4 very strong sides and a weedy load of also rans and a bit tough on those leagues where everyone's a good contender.

Is that appraisal about right or am I hopelessly wrong? I also presume that sides this time won't necessarily be placed in the expected feeder structure i.e. teams on the Hellenic/Southern League side may get shunted over to the Isthmian and vice versa

[Four Of Clubs]

:shock: Bracknell have parted company with their manager - mutual consent apparently.

After 1 defeat!!! Absolutely barmy!!

2 defeats if you include the FA Cup! I would imagine there's more to it than that - or are Bracknell doing a Birmingham...... perhaps 'arry will be next in at the Lane.

... three now - and the latest one clearly suggests something has seriously come adrift: Robins beaten 0-2 tonight at strugglers Ascot!!

Meanwhile Thatcham put eight past Ab Utd at Northcourt - incl (at least) a hat-trick for Cooper-Clark (Shane not John! )

Binfield shared the points with Wantage on Monday night in a good tussle which neither side deserved to lose - ended 1-1.
I was one of 114 souls on a fairly balmy evening at Stubbs/Hill Farm.

Burnham hardly flourished against Div 1 opposition - Holyport, Blues exiting the Floodlit Cup 2-3 at the Gore.

In the same competition:
Henley edged past Aldermaston on pens after a 3-3 draw; the sides meet each other now for the next two Saturdays - League and then Challenge Cup - although Henley break the sequence welcoming Wallingford to the Triangle next Tuesday.

Virginia Water bt Milton 3-1 ; OC Nomads won 4-1 at Shrivenham and Wallingford scraped past Chinnor 1-0.

Plenty of goals around the Southern Leagues
Premier
Slough won 4-1 at Redditch but stay 3rd; Chesham won 3-1 at Stratford and Basingstoke succumbed to a very late pen in a 3-2 reverse at Weymouth.

In One East :
Hayes & Yeading shared 4 goals with new boys and still surprise league leaders Moneyfields
I nipped up to jn3 of the M4 to take in my first game at the (still as yet unfinished) SkyEx stadium - roughly on the site of the old Yeading FC ground: just NE of Hayes and virtually in the shadow of the Southall Gas Tower - I believe this splendid edifice is due for demolition.
No bar available yet and curiously no Mains power in the Stand!
- not a result that looked likely at HT with HandY bursting into a 2 goal lead thanks to the prolific Duku - but the visitors came back strongly to level within 15' of the restart. Hosts just about held on for a point - had to thank opposition forwards for being slightly wasteful late on. Was impressed with the way the newly promoted side turned things around 2nd half.

..elsewhere Fleet smashed 6 past Uxbridge; Marlow surprisingly fell 3-1 at Aylesbury; Beaconsfield won 2-1 at strugglers Thame, who are not finding the step up as comfortable as Moneyfields nor indeed Hartley Wintney - who impressively won by the same score at Egham and stay in 2nd place.

In One West the only local interest saw Diddy humbled 2-4 at the Loop by Winchester - who led 4-0 at the break. Supermarine got a good 2-0 win at Salisbury and shock of the night possibly, (excluding Bracknell floundering at the Racecourse) was lowly Yate battering morning leaders Taunton 4-1 on their own turf.

... that's probably my lot for NL this midweek - severe pre-payday cash shortage - might have to raid offsprings' secret hoards - .... though there are some fixtures around on Wed night that have a certain appeal

As mentioned somewhere above, the stuff of (ex Royals) legends could clash at Cherrywood when Dorchester visit Farnborough in the SLP.
Kidlington host Slimbridge in SL1E

Highworth can return to the top of the Hellenic if they can avoid defeat against Lydney at The Elms - a win would see them go 10 from 10.

There's another game at The Gore in a S.Mids Cup tie: temporary lodgers Southall take on Unite MK

... and in the Hellenic Floodlit Cup Div One East strugglers Thame Rangers welcome Sandhurst Town to the ASM.

[Royal Rother]

I popped down to Stag Meadow to see Virginia Water beat Milton Utd 3-1.

VW Play some decent football now - far better than when I watched them in the last couple of seasons. 1st goal was a worldy volley from outside the area.

Enjoyable evening.

[Royal Rother]

In the Bracknell game Ascot went down to 10 men after 80 mins when ex Windsor dickhead Rob Lazarczuk was given his marching orders (and then refused to leave the pitch at first apparently).

Far from taking advantage of the extra man Bracknell conceded the 2nd goal 4 minutes later.

[Royal Rother]

Former Ascot manager Jeff Lamb appointed at Bracknell.

[Four Of Clubs]

... by way of a brief round-up here's tonight's scores

SLP Farnboro 3-3 Dorchester - boro trailed by three at the break finally levelling on 90'

SL1E Kidlington 2-2 Slimbridge

HELLP
Fairford 2-1 Tuffley - Fairford finally shore up their leaky home defence to grab their first win and move above Woodley & Ascot, though they have played a couple of games more.
Highworth 5-1 Lydney - Worthians storm on at the top and stay 100% from 10 league games
HELLENIC F'lit
Thame Rangers 5-1 Sandhurst Town -

[Four Of Clubs]

... and here's this w/e's NL fixtures - incl next (3rd Qualifying) Round of the FA Cup:

Sat 30th Sept

FA Cup 3rd Qualifying
Zone 1 (‘North’)
01 1874 Northwich v Ossett Town
02 A.F.C. Mansfield v Boston United
03 Stafford Rangers v A.F.C. Telford United
04 Newcastle Benfield v Kidderminster Harriers
05 Nantwich Town v Nuneaton Town
06 Boston Town v Hyde United
07 Banbury United v Shildon
08 Scarborough Athletic v Stratford Town
09 Basford United v Kettering Town
10 Shaw Lane v Lancaster City
11 Buxton v Alvechurch
12 Stockport County v F.C. United of Manchester
13 Ashton Athletic v Chorley (12.30) (BBC Sport)
14 Leamington v Gainsborough Trinity
15 Stourbridge v Alfreton Town
16 South Shields v York City
17 Harrogate Town v Bradford (Park Avenue)

Zone 2 (‘South’)
18 Swindon Supermarine v Paulton Rovers
19 Enfield Town v Phoenix Sports
20 Hayes & Yeading United v Havant & Waterlooville
21 Hereford v A.F.C. Hornchurch
22 Slough Town v Poole Town
23 Brackley Town v Braintree Town
24 Concord Rangers v Dorking Wanderers
25 East Thurrock United v Harlow Town
26 Chelmsford City v Weymouth
27 Cinderford Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough
28 Oxford City v Leiston
29 Margate v Herne Bay
30 St. Albans City v Bridport
31 Heybridge Swifts v Frome Town
32 Truro City v A.F.C. Sudbury
33 Eastbourne Borough v Bognor Regis Town
34 Bath City v Hemel Hempstead Town
35 Needham Market v Dartford
36 Haringey Borough v Bideford
37 Folkestone Invicta v Aylesbury United
38 Hungerford Town v Billericay Town
39 Burgess Hill Town v Wealdstone
40 Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Leatherhead

NAT
Macclesfield Town v Aldershot Town
Maidenhead United v Guiseley
Woking v Hartlepool United

SLP
Basingstoke Town v Redditch United
Biggleswade Town v Farnborough
SL1E
Arlesey Town v Hartley Wintney
Aylesbury v Uxbridge
Chalfont St Peter v AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Fleet Town v Beaconsfield Town
Northwood v Marlow
Thame United v Bedford Town
SL1W
Barnstaple Town v Winchester City
Didcot Town v Yate Town
Taunton Town v North Leigh

CCLP
CHALLENGE CUP – 1st Round
Staines Lammas v Chertsey Town
Worcester Park v Epsom & Ewell

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

HELLP
Abingdon United v Binfield
Ascot United v Woodley United
Bracknell Town v Oxford City Nomads
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Brackley Town Saints
Flackwell Heath v Highworth Town 2nd host 1st
Highmoor Ibis v Wantage Town
Royal Wootton Bassett Town v Burnham
Thatcham Town v Fairford Town
Tuffley Rovers v Lydney Town
Windsor v Longlevens - visitors from 'Glawster' stuck in mid-table with Windsor but have played three games more - two of their three wins were over Fairford and Burnham
HELL1E
AFC Aldermaston v Henley Town
Milton United v Chalfont Wasps
Penn & Tylers Green v Virginia Water - P&TG would take over top spot with a win over leaders VW as 2nd placed Bicester are not playing
Wallingford Town AFC v Holyport
Wokingham & Emmbrook v Sandhurst Town
HELL1W
Tytherington Rocks v Letcombe - that’s if the home side can raise an XI - have conceded 41 goals in their 6 games so far this season and scratched from the Floodlit Cup this Wed

WESSP
Alresford Town v Cowes Sports
Hamworthy United v Petersfield Town
Portland United v Andover Town
WESS1
Andover New Street v East Cowes Victoria - perennially one of the 'avoid the wooden spoon' fixtures but ANS are comfortably top half and even ECV are currently out of the bottom two.
Romsey Town v Alton
Tadley Calleva v Verwood Town
Whitchurch United v Fawley

...with the doubtless 'half-way between torpid and torment' game KO-ing at 17:30 there are a few local games, just about in reach with early PM KOs - they are all a bit 'low down' on the anorak scale though - incl Berks Trophy Centre Cup Ties with 14:00 KOs at: Newbury/Taplow/Finch/Hurst & Berks County (John Nike Sports in Bracknell) I did the last one of these comfortably, the last time we had an early evening match.... H v 'dirty' Leeds on April Fools Day this year

...also some OSL Cup games which have the added advantage of being 13:30 starts.

Strongest option for me is probably the Thames Valley League game between Marlow Utd and Woodcote - two minor drawbacks to this:

i) United never seem to stay long at one ground- often shifting venues at short notice through the season. They are currently re-fitting their own Thames-side Gossmore Lane base which involves extensive re-drainage works, so they are nomadic again for at least another couple of seasons. I'll have to confirm that they are somewhere nr Loudwater this w/e
ii) Youngest is coming back from somewhere in N.Hants mid PM and will want to come to the MadStad so I may have to factor in going back home to pick him up.....

[mx]

In One West the only local interest saw Diddy humbled 2-4 at the Loop by Winchester - who led 4-0 at the break.

If anyone's interested(!) the highlights are here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wn9RDg ... ture=share

This is new for us this season - there's an interview with the manager up on you tube pretty soon after the game and then highlights a day or so later. Really impressed tbh.

Other clubs do it - Dulwich Hamlet TV for example - not sure whether its just an enthusiastic fan or something we are paying someone to do - maybe a combination of the two. Hope we manage to keep this up - it can only help the club's profile, at least while we are winning.

[Four Of Clubs]

Results from this w/e:-

Sat 30th Sept

FA Cup 3rd Qualifying
Zone 1 (‘North’)
01 1874 Northwich 2-2 Ossett Town
02 A.F.C. Mansfield 0-2 Boston United
03 Stafford Rangers 1-1 A.F.C. Telford United
04 Newcastle Benfield 0-1 Kidderminster Harriers
05 Nantwich Town 3-1 Nuneaton Town
06 Boston Town 2-3 Hyde United
07 Banbury United 2-3 Shildon
08 Scarborough Athletic 2-2 Stratford Town
09 Basford United 2-3 Kettering Town
10 Shaw Lane 2-1 Lancaster City
11 Buxton 2-1 Alvechurch
12 Stockport County 3-3 F.C. United of Manchester
13 Ashton Athletic 0-1 Chorley
14 Leamington 0-0 Gainsborough Trinity
15 Stourbridge 3-1 Alfreton Town
16 South Shields 3-2 York City
17 Harrogate Town 0-0 Bradford (Park Avenue)

Zone 2 (‘South’)
18 Swindon Supermarine 2-3 Paulton Rovers
19 Enfield Town 3-0 Phoenix Sports
20 Hayes & Yeading United 0-4 Havant & Waterlooville
21 Hereford 2-0 A.F.C. Hornchurch
22 Slough Town 2-1 Poole Town – att 680 FA Site have this game as being played at Beaconsfield SYCOB – up to date as ever
i) it WAS at Arbour Park
ii) Beaconsfield changed their name at the start of this season

23 Brackley Town 4-1 Braintree Town
24 Concord Rangers 3-0 Dorking Wanderers
25 East Thurrock United 2-2 Harlow Town
26 Chelmsford City 2-1 Weymouth
27 Cinderford Town 2-3 Hampton & Richmond Borough
28 Oxford City 4-2 Leiston
29 Margate 2-0 Herne Bay
30 St. Albans City 2-1 Bridport - last STEP05 club from our region make their exit
31 Heybridge Swifts 2-1 Frome Town
32 Truro City 4-1 A.F.C. Sudbury
33 Eastbourne Borough 0-2 Bognor Regis Town
34 Bath City 3-0 Hemel Hempstead Town
35 Needham Market 1-6 {SIX} Dartford
36 Haringey Borough 4-1 Bideford
37 Folkestone Invicta 2-1 Aylesbury United
38 Hungerford Town 1-1 Billericay Town
39 Burgess Hill Town 1-0 Wealdstone
40 Ashford Town (Middlesex) 1-2 Leatherhead

NAT
Macclesfield Town 2-0 Aldershot Town - in an astonishingly tight division this defeat drop Sh!ts from 1st to 8th!
Maidenhead United 3-0 Guiseley – Magpies 3 up by HT
Woking 1-1 Hartlepool United

SLP
Basingstoke Town 3-0 Redditch United – all 3 goals in the last 15’
Biggleswade Town 3-0 Farnborough
SL1E
AFC Dunstable 0-0 Moneyfields - leaders held again
Arlesey Town 1-6 {SIX} Hartley Wintney - big win draws HW level at the top, only remain 2nd behind Moneyfields on goals scored
Aylesbury 3-2 Uxbridge
Chalfont St Peter 2-2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Fleet Town 0-2 Beaconsfield Town visitors stay 3rd – bizarrely with a 100% away record but have lost 2 out of 4 at home
Northwood 1-2 Marlow – winner for Marcus Mealing - possibly dual-registered with Highmoor?
Thame United 3-1 Bedford Town –Thame also better ‘on the road’ - this first home win (they've lost the other 4) moves them up to half-way – they are improving steadily after a poor start – 2 league defeats in 5 during Sept were to 1st and 3rd placed sides
SL1W
Barnstaple Town 1-4 Winchester City – City up to 4th
Didcot Town 4-2 Yate Town
Taunton Town 1-0 North Leigh

CCLP
CHALLENGE CUP – 1st Round
Staines Lammas 2-2 Chertsey Town- A win 4-5 pens
Worcester Park 5-2 Epsom & Ewell - Salts really are suffering this term following a wholesale departure of players and coaching staff

CCLP
AFC Hayes 1-3 Knaphill
Bedfont Sports 1-4 Horley Town
Camberley Town 0-2 Abbey Rangers
CB Hounslow United 1-2 Guildford City
Colliers Wood United 1-2 Spelthorne Sports
Farnham Town 3-3 Banstead Athletic
Godalming Town 1-3 Walton & Hersham
Hanworth Villa 1-1 Balham
North Greenford United 2-1 Redhill
Sutton Common Rovers 2-1 Westfield – first league defeat of the season for the leaders, who have two tough looking games coming up: no match next w/e, then host Spelthorne on the 14th and a trip to Walton & Hersham’s new ground following midweek. The 'Swans' have finally left rusty, much derelict and dank old Stompond Lane and moved in next door to the Xcel Sports Hub facility alongside Walton Casuals’ new ground.

CCL1
Ash United 3-1 Fleet Spurs
Bagshot 1-3 South Park Reserves
Bedfont & Feltham 1-2 Chessington & Hook United
Cove 1-3 Sheerwater
Eversley & California 2-0 AC London
Farleigh Rovers 1-3 Badshot Lea
Frimley Green 3-2 FC Deportivo Galicia
Raynes Park Vale 5-2 Kensington Borough

HELLP
Abingdon United 0-3 Binfield - a Red card for Ab Utd and two late goals for the Moles put a bit of gloss on this scoreline,
Ascot United 1-3 Woodley United - Woodley pulling clear of the relegation places - they have a tough trip to Wantage midweek
Bracknell Town 5-0 Oxford City Nomads – Robins seemingly straight back on track for their new manager. Were 5 up by H/T and in a quick turnaround, they now visit the Nomads this Tuesday in their next league game

Brimscombe & Thrupp 4-1 Brackley Town Saints
Flackwell Heath 1-3 Highworth Town
Highmoor Ibis 1-3 Wantage Town - good result for the 'Freds' at a place that isn't often easy to pick up points. The report on their site, suggests they were pushed hard for the win - Highmoor led through the returning Mitch Parker. Wantage even missed from the spot but recovered from a bright spell for the hosts after the break to then lead mid-way through the 2nd half. Their cause was helped when H/I then picked up an all too familiar dismissal - 2nd Yellow for Jamie Pithers. H/I play host to struggling Burnham tomorrow (Mon) night.

Royal Wootton Bassett Town 3-1 Burnham
Thatcham Town 5-1 Fairford Town - 'Kingfishers' have a tougher prospect on Tuesday when leaders and 100% Highworth come to the Waterside. Think I might just make the effort for that one.
Tuffley Rovers 2-1 Lydney Town
Windsor 0-3 Longlevens - didn't expect this one - well at least the margin of defeat - presumably 'levens were the archetypal 'big strong uncomplicated Gloucs boys' -as they were when I saw them a while back. On that occasion however they weren't able to overcome a more 'street-wise' Highmor/IBIS. Windsor back at Stag Meadow on Tue for the visit of RWBT
HELL1E
AFC Aldermaston 1-0 Henley Town
Milton United 1-2 Chalfont Wasps
Penn & Tylers Green 1-1 Virginia Water – good result here for VW not many teams get much out of P&TG on their own patch
Wallingford Town AFC 2-1 Holyport
Wokingham & Emmbrook 2-2 Sandhurst Town – sides remain 4th and 5th
HELL1W
Tytherington Rocks 0-4 Letcombe – at least Rocks got a side together

WESSP
Alresford Town 5-0 Cowes Sports
Hamworthy United {NINE} 9-0 Petersfield Town – Town showing every sign of passing straight down through this division without so much as a whimper, following their relegation out of the Southern last season . Have a -49 GD already from only 11 games

Portland United 1-1 Andover Town - good battling point for Town who stay 2nd. This was earned at a side that finished top last term albeit thanks to a points deduction for Moneyfields. Portland evidently not finding things as easy 2nd time around – stuck in mid-table.
Regular ‘big-hitters’ in this division, Blackfield & Langley, are charging clear at the top - have a 9 point lead already.
WESS1
Andover New Street {SIX} 6-2 East Cowes Victoria
Romsey Town 3-0 Alton
Tadley Calleva 2-0 Verwood Town
Whitchurch United 0-1 Fawley – terrible result for the 'Jam Boys' - beaten at home by a side below them – Fawley were bottom with only 1 point, before this win

[Sutekh]

Highworth Town looking like they've got the Hellenic Premier more or less sewn up already. Certainly looks like it's going to be a case of theirs to lose.

[John Smith]

FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying draw today at 1pm.

Draw live on talkSPORT2

[Hoop Blah]

Highworth Town looking like they've got the Hellenic Premier more or less sewn up already. Certainly looks like it's going to be a case of theirs to lose.

People had been saying the same about Bracknell not too long ago.

The games between Highworth, Thatcham and Bracknell are all yet to come and they'll be key to who finishes on top of the league. I wouldn't totally discount Flackwell just yet either.

[Sutekh]

Highworth Town looking like they've got the Hellenic Premier more or less sewn up already. Certainly looks like it's going to be a case of theirs to lose.

People had been saying the same about Bracknell not too long ago.

The games between Highworth, Thatcham and Bracknell are all yet to come and they'll be key to who finishes on top of the league. I wouldn't totally discount Flackwell just yet either.

Agreed but Highworth haven't dropped a point yet, have already stuffed Flackwell at Flackwell and played a shed load of away games but with promotion being about getting a high PPG ratio the Hellenic Premier might be a league that sees 2 or 3 of its sides promoted.

On the FA Cup front locally, Slough have got a home game with Folkestone Invicta while Hungerford will travel to Brackley if they can get the better of Billericay in the replay. Maidenhead have a home tie with Havant

Orient have a local derby at Dagenham which might well be the tie of the round.

Ties played on the weekend of 14 October

[Hoop Blah]

Agreed but Highworth haven't dropped a point yet, have already stuffed Flackwell at Flackwell and played a shed load of away games but with promotion being about getting a high PPG ratio the Hellenic Premier might be a league that sees 2 or 3 of its sides promoted.

It's obviously a cracking start, and they've done really well to avoid doing what Bracknell and Thatcham have done in slipping up to what should be weaker opposition, but they've also had a pretty easy run of it so far.

Flackwell did have two sent off, although Highworth were 2-1 up before the first went in the 65th minute, so I'm not sure they really stuffed them. Beat them yes, but stuffed might be over egging it a little.

Tempting to go and watch them at Thatcham on Tuesday night and see how that shakes things up.

[mx]

Barnstaple Town 1-4 Winchester City – City up to 4th

It's all looking good at the Simplyhealth City Ground at the moment.

The Step 3 reorganisation at the end of this season means this is the easiest it's going to be to get promoted for the foreseeable. Nothing is won at this stage of the season though and we have some tough games coming up against other promotion contenders this month - Bristol Manor Farm, Taunton and Salisbury.

These games will tell us how good we really are, rather than a win over a side in the bottom half of the table, who played with 10 men for 89 minutes.