The non-league thread 2008/9

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

Brommers let Nic McDonnell leave, their talisman top scorer to relief some of the pressure on the wage bill. I've lost count the number of players they've sold or let go this year. Consequently they are sitting in mid table.

It turns out he actually left because he was fed up with the game; he hadn't scored in a while and was picking up too many yellow cards. He's jacked it all in, although Brommers still hold his registration. Bizarre.

[rabidbee]

Bracknell have just struggled since they got bumped up to Div One S&W. Long gone are the glory days of the 1st Round Proper.

[eddiegrundy]

Big article plus photos on Reading Town on page 4 of Today's Chronic. Interesting that they've put in in the news pages rather than the sports pages. The Barmy Army gets more than their fair share of coverage.

[bobbybottler]

Brommers let Nic McDonnell leave, their talisman top scorer to relief some of the pressure on the wage bill. I've lost count the number of players they've sold or let go this year. Consequently they are sitting in mid table.

It turns out he actually left because he was fed up with the game; he hadn't scored in a while and was picking up too many yellow cards. He's jacked it all in, although Brommers still hold his registration. Bizarre.

Not that bizarre, I guess a lot of guys must get sick of the game after a while.

I can recall former Royal Colin Baillie quitting Cambridge United of the verge of top flight football (about 1992 ish) and joining the Cumbrian Police force.

[Tredder]

Word on the street, Hamptons Ben Wright is being lined up for a move to Fulham

[jocombes]

Marlow United 0-6 Reading Town Saturday, 27nd December 2008 (got all the goals on camera)

Match Video: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CmLLFnCNdIQ

Reading Town 2-2 Harrow Hill Saturday, 17th January 2009 (includes the fist 3 goals)

Match Video: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iYUteIrs5P4

Reading Town 3-0 Hook Norton Tuesday, 20th January 2009 (include all of the goals)

Match Video: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LOKhuu2F8DI

[Royal Rother]

Somewhat surprisingly Slough beat Windsor & Eton 3-2, although the latter were reduced to 10 men in the 1st half. Their 1st league defeat since August and to the bitter local rivals! They won't be happy about that!

[Four Of Clubs]

Somewhat surprisingly Slough beat Windsor & Eton 3-2, although the latter were reduced to 10 men in the 1st half. Their 1st league defeat since August and to the bitter local rivals! They won't be happy about that!

... meaning of course that AFC Totton are now 5 pts clear after they beat bottom side Bracknell 3-1 this PM - but W&E have 2 games in hand.

Fortunately for Robins - Andover, Winchester and Taunton all lost too.

Third placed Truro had their game at Paulton postponed - I think after passing an earlier pitch inspection - was certainly still on at about 12:30 when I considered (briefly) going down to watch them - bet there were quite a few dischuffed Cornishmen about on the M5 this PM!

Fourth placed Beaconsfield (Slough's current landlords) drew 3-3 at 5th placed Diddy.

Elsewhere:
Maidenhead & 'stoke both lost in CONF South - 2-0 at Bps Stortford and 3-0 at Newport respectively - Maidenhead down to 8th now, Basingstoke 5 points from safety in relegation zone -
Town drew 0-0 at Shrivenham -
Thatcham was OFF -
P@xford won 1-0 @ Crawley -
Wokkers got done 1-4 at home by league leaders Ascot -
Newbury won 3-1 v Penn & Tylers -

... and finally

Farnboro drew 2-2 at home to Brackley in front of over 700 not bad for a cold day.

[jocombes]

Shrivy 0-0 Reading Town (sticky pitch, which bobbled but had some great chances in the 1st to go ahead but not a bad result)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GxiMBLMZYYQ

[Four Of Clubs]

Shrivy 0-0 Reading Town (sticky pitch, which bobbled but had some great chances in the 1st to go ahead but not a bad result)

... I'd say it was a pretty poor result when you consider:
- your recent form and
- that everyone around you (apart from Almonds who were playing in the Cup) won.

Still a point better than nowt - should get back on track at Bicester next w/e then its three REAL big ones (by this league's standards - and not counting your re-match with Headington Amateurs )

11/02 A v Almonds
14/02 H v Hungerford
21/02 A v Ardley - you off to this one ? It's a git to get to unless you get a lift - miles from anywhere!
... not a bad crowd there yesterday either - have they chopped all those nettles down yet - when I went last August they lost about 5 balls in there - my lad gave up looking for 'em ?

[jocombes]

Sticky Shrivy pitch means a 0-0 Draw (24th Jan)

Reading Town had a good opportunity to score in the 6th minute, but Graham Lewis shot went wide of the mark. The Town followed up with another decent chance to score when Will Bratt toe poked it, in which the keeper palmed away for a corner kick in the 11th minute. Just three minutes later the Shrivenham goalkeeper fumbled the ball from a cross but the follow up was put wide. Soon after Shrivy had a shot but it was straight at Chris Grace to make it a comfortable save. Reading Town then had another great chance to go ahead when Aaron Parfitt crossed it in from the right to Brookys who fired the ball wide in 17th minute. Just one minute later James Clark had a chance to open the scoring but he didn't get enough on the header and the ball was cleared away. Shrivenham then had a chance in the 37th minute but the ball looped over the bar. Ian Brooks then received treatment after going for a 50/50 ball in the 39th minute. Shrivenham then had the chance open the scoring but the diving header was put wide.

Opening few minutes of the 2nd half saw both sides have half chances. Shrivenham then had a shot in the 53rd minute which was well tipped over by Chris Grace. In the 65th minute were the Town awarded a free-kick in a good position in which the effort by Suarez went wide. Just a few minutes later Chris Grace was receiving treatment. Reading Town were still trying to find the opening goal which saw Suarez effort go wide. Graham Lewis had a good opportunity to score in the 69th minute but the keeper kept it out to keep the scores level. Suarez was then involved in a tackle which saw him slowly limp off in the 74th minute. Reading Town were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position but Sam Fleggs effort could only find the keepers hand and not the back of the net. Just a few minutes later saw Ivan Fernades go on a run down the right wing into the penalty box in which he pulled it back for Graham who fired high into the trees. Shrivy then had a chance late on to seal the game off but the header went over.

Summary: 1st half and Reading Town were found guilty of missing 3 or 4 good chances to go ahead. Shrivenham also had some decent chance to score but didn’t put them into the back of the net. The pitch was very sticky, slippery and it also bobbled so it was hard to string any kind of pass together on the deck. 2nd half not as many chances as the 1st but there were still a few decent chances which didn’t find the back of the net.

[Royal Rother]

Somewhat surprisingly Slough beat Windsor & Eton 3-2, although the latter were reduced to 10 men in the 1st half. Their 1st league defeat since August and to the bitter local rivals! They won't be happy about that!

... meaning of course that AFC Totton are now 5 pts clear after they beat bottom side Bracknell 3-1 this PM - but W&E have 2 games in hand.

Next Saturday sees Windsor & Eton at home to AFC Totton.

Definitely worth going to see.

[Deathy]

Bastards getting too close to those play-offs

http://www.oufc.co.uk/page/LeagueTable/0,,10342,00.html

[Four Of Clubs]

Bastards getting too close to those play-offs

.... hmmm - and they seem to have an easy month ahead - oppos current positions in brackets -

Thu 29th Jan (must be on TV!) A v Camb Utd (5th)
Sun 1st Feb H v Lewes (23rd)
Sat 7th Feb A v Kettering (11th - but understandably have a few games in hand)
Sat 14th Feb H v Barrow (18th)
Sat 21st Feb A v York (17th)
Tue 24th Feb H v Mansfield (15th)

... can see them being a lot closer to the top 6 by the end of that lot!

UPDATE from tonight (Tue 27th):
Bracknell lose 1-2 at Home to Cinderford - last minute pen.!
Taunton get a point away @ Burnham - would have got three but for a last minute pen for the home side.
Winchester play tomorrow(tonight ) away at Bps Cleeve.

[Four Of Clubs]

UPDATE after 31st Jan

- Bracknell win 2-1 and climb off the bottom because Winchester lost @ Beaconsfield- Andover won @ Abingdon U. - Taunton beat Diddy
- Sluff lose @ Truro - but only 2-1 crowd 400+
- W&E beat the league leaders Totton now 2 pts behind 2 games in hand - 'Skittles' got both their goals )

In the league above Farnborough lost at home to P@xford (City )
Still further up - Maidenhead drew 1-1 @ Welling , 'stoke drew 1-1 home to Hayes/Yeading

... not many games on in the CONF - was FA Trophy w/e - Woking won 4-1 at home and P@xford got a point @ Camb U last Thu night.
UPDATE/EDIT - didn't notice they are playing Lewes THIS PM (Sunday)

Reading Town dropped more 'silly' points - only drew 0-0 at League's whipping boys Bicester - beat them 6-0 in the cup only a few weeks back?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now only 1 unbeaten club in the top non-league 5 levels (in the south/midlands anyway)
Poole Town 26 wins from 27 games - Leamington lost their unbeaten record in some style yesterday - thumped 5-3 at home by Sudbury !

[jocombes]

Bicester Town 0-0 Reading Town Saturday, 31st January 2009 (includes most of the chances)

Match Video: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kjR8HNmeEJU

[Royal Rother]

- W&E beat the league leaders Totton now 2 pts behind 2 games in hand - 'Skittles' got both their goals )

Very good game it was as well.

Williams got the first with a close range effort after 2 minutes. W&E then looked the better team for the 1st half hour putting together some decent moves and generally controlling the play.

Then full back Ryan Parsons and Bruce Wilson both went for the same ball and suffered a sickening clash of heads. Play was held up for about 4 minutes, Wilson carrying on with a head bandage but Parsons, who had started the match really well, being taken off to hospital.

W&E never really recovered from that as they did not really have a specialist left back replacement and Totton gradually took control in the rest of what ended up a scrappy 1st half.

In the 2nd half Williams scored again early on, latching onto a hoofed clearance and slotting neatly home. Then Totton just battered W&E for the rest of the game and deservedly got one back with about 15 minutes left. Williams dropped back into midfield to add numbers but it was just backs-to-the-wall stuff. The ref nearly ruined a very exciting match by booking nearly everyone who made a challenge, and some who didn't, and then added about 10 minutes onto the end of the game, but it still wasn't enough for Totton to get, what everyone would agree, would have been a deserved point.

Williams looked the best player on the pitch, very strong, nice touch and skillful, but also gave away possession on several occasions with woeful passes that could easily have led to a goal.

Oh and he didn't like the ref very much.

[jocombes]

Bicester stalemate!!!

The 1st half started brightly with Graham Lewis hitting the bar. The rebound was then cleverly hooked back into the box which saw the Bicester keeper tip it over the bar. The Reading boys continued to put the pressure on and this saw Ivan have a fierce shot which was palmed over the bar. From the resulting corner Ivan had a pop at goal which cleared off the line. The Town just kept on plucking away and this saw Graham Lewis have a shot from an almost impossible which was kept out by Tom McNamara. The chances kept on coming for the Reading boys but still there was no reward. Midway through the 1st half and Bicester had their first threatening chance which was fired over at close range. In the 30th minute Bicester were awarded a penalty for a push. Chris Grace then pulled up his socks and made sure was dressed for the occasion. The spot kick was then eventually taken which rattled the post to keep the scores level. Brooksy then had a chance late on but his effort was skied over the bar. Bicester then had a great chance to go 1-0 up going into half time but the shot was fired wide of Chris Grace near post.

Just 6 minutes into the 2nd half and a Bicester player was sent his marching orders after pulling back Graham Lewis who was through on goal. From the resulting free-kick Sam Fleggs effort fizzed over the bar. The game started to get scrappy and neither team could keep the ball for long periods. This then brought about Scotty Rees being floored to ground by a late challenge and then a few seconds later Ivan was also on the receiving end of tackle which saw him floored. Bicester then had a decent chance to score but a vital interception saw the ball fall into the keeper’s arms. Just 2 minutes later and another Bicester player was sent for an early shower after referee consulted his linesman and showed him the red card for an apparent kick at a Reading Town player. Midway through the 2nd half Graham Lewis was put through one on one with keeper but his effort was spooned over the bar. The games just became more and more unbearable with missed chances, the ball not being player on the deck enough and also some unusual tackling. Things didn’t improve with a Bicester player hand balling whilst on the floor which stopped a Reading Town attack. Later on in the 2nd half and Mike Hancock rose above all the defenders but his header was put fractionally over the bar. Just a few minutes later a ball which looked to be going out was rescued and hooked back into the box but unfortunately no one was there to slot it into an empty net. With just five minutes left on the clock Danny Williamson tried his luck at goal but his low shot was well saved. Bicester had the last chance of the game to score but Chris Grace was on hand to push it around the post.

[Royal Rother]

Michael Antonio has scored in the last 2 matches for Tooting & Mitcham, who, incidentally, have just signed John Mackie.

[Four Of Clubs]

...Tooting & Mitcham, who, incidentally, have just signed John Mackie.

... can just I point out that certain other Saarf West Laahnden clubs' nickname for them is (appropriately - with John Mack going there) "Thugs & Muggers" !