The Non - League thread

[paultheroyal]

Come on Tadley!

[Cureton's Volley]

Henley Town v Chalfont Wasps – excellent win midweek H 4-2 vs Hinskey – reportedly they have recruited many of last season’s Woodley Town squad

Indeed, Woodley Town have pretty much taken their staff & setup over to Henley Town to capitalize on the better infrastructure - primarily the fact they have floodlights so they can actually be granted promotion when it is earned. Good luck to them!

Henley Town Preseason Round Up - 8 August

Henley Town start their Uhlsport Hellenic League fixtures for the season with an away game on Saturday followed by a home match on Tuesday. These two opening games will be against the two teams representing suburbs of Oxford, though Tuesday’s opponents, A.F.C. Hinksey, will actually be sharing Abingdon Town’s ground this season.

After last season’s problems and the instalment of a new manager in Cyril Fairchild, it has been clear all summer that there would be big changes at the Invesco Perpetual Triangle, but it is difficult at present to estimate how much improvement on the field will follow. As all the pre-season games have been away, few supporters have seen all, or even any, of them. And it is also even harder than usual to extrapolate any pattern from the results.

A 3-0 defeat against Holmer Green and a 2-1 loss at Tadley Calleva were followed by an 8-0 drubbing at Hartley Wintney, when the Town were shorn of most of their regular defenders. This did not augur well, but only three days later Henley retained the Stewards Cup, in which Hambleden played at home for the first time, by a 5-0 margin. Sam Cripps scored a hat-trick, while Jordan Sawyer and Brett Rann were also on target.

Following these contradictory signs, it was thought that Saturday’s trip to Reading Y.M.C.A., in what should have been the final warm up game, would give a clearer indicator of the side’s prospects, but, surprisingly, the Reading Saturday League champions called the game off at short notice.

Not every face to be seen at the Triangle in the coming weeks will be a new one. Of the many players who appeared last season, half a dozen have so far re-signed. Chris Appleby, Sam Rolfe, Tom Sheppard, Craig Sinclair and Graham Sims, who were all more or less regulars, have again signed on, as has Rupen Limbu, who was injured soon after signing in mid-season. In addition to these, former Town players from earlier years in John Donegan, Rann and Warren Baxter have returned to the club. Several men have followed the new manager from Woodley, including Mitchell Cooper, who was both the manager’s player and players’ player of the year there.

Saturday’s game is away to Headington Amateurs, kicking off at 3 p.m. Although teams’ personnel can change widely between seasons, this looks like a hard start for the old Lilywhites, now with the new nickname of the Red Kites, for Headington were last season’s runners-up and in contention for the championship right the way through the campaign. In most of the previous meetings between the clubs, at least one of them has fielded a reserve team, but, in the five previous clashes between the senior sides, Henley have yet to record a victory, having drawn one game and lost the rest. However, in view of the difficulties under which the Town laboured last season, they did very well to lose the return fixture by only 4-3 after having gone down 8-0 at Headington.

Tuesday’s home fixture, which kicks off at 7.45 p.m., is likely to provide an equally stiff test. Hinksey, in their first season at Hellenic level, promised much throughout the earlier stages of the last campaign and only finished as low as 11th because of various problems at the end of the season. They beat Henley by wide margins in both games, which were the only previous meetings between the first teams. For the second year running, Hinksey have substantially increased their strength during the close season. Most important of all, they have signed Ryan Curtin, the Hellenic League player of the year, who has signed from Premier side Kidlington. Hinksey’s impressive pre-season results include a 10-0 victory over Division 1 (West) side Carterton.

Division 1 (East) will bear a familiar look this season. The number of teams has been reduced from 15 to 14 as Easington Sports have been transferred back to the western section of Division 1. Thatcham Town Reserves - doubtless stunned by being beaten by Henley in last season’s final game! - have withdrawn from the league but are replaced by the reserve team of another Southern League club, Burnham, who won Division 2 (East) last season.

Wokingham and Emmbrook, who have ended their ground-sharing agreement with Bracknell, return to Lowther Road, where there are no floodlights, and thus have been demoted from the Premier Division. They replace Bracknell Town, who were promoted from fifth place, though all four teams above them had to stay put, even champions Rayners Lane, despite having floodlights, being ruled to have inadequate facilities. All this, together with the still dwindling number of teams in both the premier and first divisions of the Hellenic League, strongly suggests that either the number of leagues or the facilities required at steps five and six of the National League System will have to be amended in the next few years. Nevertheless, a welcome consequence from Henley’s point of view of this season’s constitution is that that they will not have to make a single long journey in the league.

Henley have wound up their youth team and have reverted to running a reserve team instead this year. If it has to be a choice, there are arguments on both sides, but the new arrangement means that players temporarily omitted from the senior squad can still be employed whatever their age. The faithful few who come down to the Invesco Perpetual Triangle every Saturday will also now know that there should be a home fixture nearly every weekend. The reserves will be playing in the Premier (top) division of the East Berks League, and their first league match will be played on 24th August. Meanwhile, they visit Stokenchurch on Saturday for a friendly, kicking off at 2 p.m. Though no longer having a side at Allied Counties League level, the Town have been coaching a talented group of under-15 players, and it is hoped to arrange a number of attractive friendlies for these boys. Finally, having won their league last season, the Sunday team will now be playing in the Premier Division of the Reading Sunday League.

[Barry the bird boggler]

The Invesco Perpetual Triangle, what is that exactly - a problem for the new Doctor Who to sort out?

[floyd__streete]

FA Cup Preliminary Round, some genius team names enter the fray tomorrow, including the likes of:

AFC Wulfrunians
Coventry Sphinx
Causeway United
Oldland Abbotonians
Dunkirk
Godmanchester Rovers
Nuneaton Griff
Team Northumbria
Team Solent
Walsham Le Willows
Chunky Norwich

[Four Of Clubs]

FA Cup Preliminary Round, some genius team names enter the fray tomorrow, including the likes of:

Chunky Norwich

Aha! I see you slipped one in there!



...unless they've started to let 7-a-side Sunday teams enter?

http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/chunkynorwich/index.html

...and what about the third match in the draw:

Glasshoughton Welfare v Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association

as well as :

Brightlingsea Regent
Worksop Parramore

[Royalist]

Farnborough a shambles yet again. Has one club ever made as many mistakes as them!?

[Terminal Boardom]

Different in what way?

Stay focused and get the job done after Saturday's big win I'm guessing.

I would not have expected Farnham to have been more intent on kicking lumps out of us. Plus, 3 out of 3 brings added pressure. Obviously written well after the game

[Royal Rother]

Ah right.

[Four Of Clubs]

Zipped up to Wilkes Park (avoiding the M4 tailbacks via an empty A4? ) for the local opener in the FA Cup... it ended in stalemate but was far from stale:

Flackwell 0-0 Binfield - official crowd 207 - I counted 50 or 60 more than than that.
A very keenly fought contest; both sides had chances - MotM maybe Weait the Moles KP or possibly the Flackwell No 8 - didn't look closely enough at the Line-ups Board on the night to catch his name - he snuffed out nearly all of Binfield moves through the middle and effectively cut off supply to the forwards, until tiring late on.
Moles came close a couple of times but Flackwell had the edge in 'how did they miss that' stakes, as well as a few 'hopeful' howls for handballs. Tbf the Binfield back four and DMs worked tirelessly, to keep a very lively Heathens at bay (most of their better players seem to have hopped over from Beaconsfield) and they weren't pierced that often. 'Moles' looked stronger in the last 15' when big Carl Davies was brought on but he wasn't really on long enough to make a significant impact.
Replay now Monday evening (19th) at 'Stubbs'/Hill Farm Lane : winners of that host Cheltenham Sarries or ex-Hellenic adversaries - now in the Western League - Slimbridge.

... elsewhere Winchester City prevailed 3-0 at Alresford in the all-Wessex clash and now host Swindon Supermarine.

....next round ('Preliminary') will be on w/e 31/08.

[Barry the bird boggler]

FA Cup Preliminary Round, some genius team names enter the fray tomorrow, including the likes of:

AFC Wulfrunians
Coventry Sphinx
Causeway United
Oldland Abbotonians
Dunkirk
Godmanchester Rovers
Nuneaton Griff
Team Northumbria
Team Solent
Walsham Le Willows
Chunky Norwich

So much better than the totally unimaginative AFC ... names that get used whenever a club reforms.

[Royal Rother]

Conference postpones Farnborough's 1st 2 games of the season.

Poxy jobsworth tossers.

http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/2013/08/ ... tement-12/

[Yellowcoat]

They should have complied with the deadline set. No sympathy from me. FFC continue to drag the good name of non-league football down.

[Royal Rother]

You're kidding right? 32 minutes late, due to legal agreements going through final stages. Assurances from solicitors given that everything was going to go through etc. etc.

After all the huge amount of publicity Farnborough and Paddy Power have brought the Conference this week, it is a quite pathetic decision to kick the club and its sponsors in the bollox like that.

Contemptible little old farts in blazers no doubt.

[Yellowcoat]

Deadlines are deadlines. Why should FFC be given any leeway? The publicity you talk about is actually bringing the competition into disrepute with many non-league fans nationally. Paddy Power will drop them like a stone when they have milked the situation. What happens to FFC then?

[Royal Rother]

Disrepute? In what way?

Yes Farnborough are a bit of a laughing stock for the whole name change gag, but do you think it's going to drive fans away from watching their games, or bring a few more in? It's the latter of course.

That's pretty much all that matters.

And Paddy Power will milk the situation for all its worth to them of course. Whenever the deal ends do you think the club will come out of it weaker or stronger than they were 2 weeks ago? It has to be the latter of course because the club was on its last legs 2 weeks ago.

Win win for everybody. The club itself, its fans, the Conference, Paddy Power and non-league football.

And the old farts fcuked it up by trying to play a hard ball game that just makes them look petty and small-minded.

[Yellowcoat]

Already alienated some of their own fans who do not wish to become a laughing stock. Will probably increase attendances initially but most will soon get bored. Have to disagree that this will help consolidate the club for the future.

[Royal Rother]

But last week it didn't have a future did it?

I dunno, I don't like gimmicky stuff going on it sport, but when it's all about money to survive I have to support initiatives that have some real backing. I haven't made a study of this but Paddy Power don't piss about when they get involved in something from I've seen so although they won't be chucking millions at it I should imagine it'll be given a decent push.

[Four Of Clubs]

Already alienated some of their own fans who do not wish to become a laughing stock. Will probably increase attendances initially but most will soon get bored. Have to disagree that this will help consolidate the club for the future.

... have to lean slightly towards YC on this particular point - however 'well-intended' Paddy P. actually are towards NL footy - and tbf I think they may include the best interests of football at the root of their outlay .... BUT 'Consolidation' and 'Farnborough' .... fit together a bit like 'Boy George' and 'Alligator Wrestling'.

...can't see it ending well but that's more down to deep-seated issues with the way the club has been mismanaged during and since the Westley era.


Still big kudos for the best use of a piss-take ACRONYM by their fans though - knowing everything about GW was buzz-words and initials - after he'd left they came up with...

The SWAN stand. (Stand Without A Name ! )

... is the Prospect Road End (PRE ) Stand - still there as an unused 'White Elephant' too?

PS never sure why they called it THAT either - Prospect Rd is bloody miles away down Cherrywood Rd - presumably they couldn't associate their new venture with the former name of the ground?

I see they are calling it Paddy Power Park now too!

[Barry the bird boggler]

Disrepute? In what way?

Yes Farnborough are a bit of a laughing stock for the whole name change gag, but do you think it's going to drive fans away from watching their games, or bring a few more in? It's the latter of course.

That's pretty much all that matters.

And Paddy Power will milk the situation for all its worth to them of course. Whenever the deal ends do you think the club will come out of it weaker or stronger than they were 2 weeks ago? It has to be the latter of course because the club was on its last legs 2 weeks ago.

Win win for everybody. The club itself, its fans, the Conference, Paddy Power and non-league football.

And the old farts fcuked it up by trying to play a hard ball game that just makes them look petty and small-minded.

If only the FL showed the same determination with clubs in their domain.

[Four Of Clubs]

.....here's the scores 'on the doors' from this PM



CONF
Aldershot Town 0-1 Cambridge United
Alfreton Town 3-2 Salisbury City
Braintree Town 0-1 Kidderminster Harriers
Chester FC 0-2 Woking
FC Halifax Town 2-0 Dartford
Gateshead FC 1-2 Barnet
Hyde FC 2-2 Hereford United
Lincoln City FC 2-1 Forest Green Rovers
Luton Town 1-1 Macclesfield Town
Nuneaton Town 2-1 Southport
Tamworth 2-2 Wrexham
Welling United 1-0 Grimsby Town
CONFN
Barrow 0-1 Brackley
Oxford C 1-2 Harrogate
CONFS
Bishop's Stortford 1-2 Bath City
Concord Rangers 1-2 Basingstoke Town – Gasson with the winner on 90’
Eastleigh 1-0 Sutton United
Ebbsfleet United 0-0 Havant & Waterlooville
Farnborough PP Chelmsford City
Gosport Borough 0-1 Dover Athletic
Hayes & Yeading United 0-2 Bromley
Staines Town 1-0 Dorchester Town
Tonbridge Angels 0-2 Boreham Wood
Weston-super-Mare 0-1 Eastbourne Borough
Whitehawk 0-3 Maidenhead United – two for Pacquette
SOUTHP
AFC Totton 1-4 Stourbridge
Banbury United 2-0 Chippenham Town
Biggleswade Town 0-0 Bashley
Chesham United 2-2 Bideford
Corby Town 0-3 Burnham - good opener - next up H v Banbury on Tuesday.
Frome Town 0-0 Cambridge City
Hitchin Town 2-0 Hemel Hempstead Town
Hungerford Town 2-2 Hinckley United - Hungerford travel to StAlebuns on Monday evening
Poole Town 2-1 St Albans City
Redditch United 1-3 Arlesey Town
St Neots Town 0-2 Weymouth
Truro City 2-2 Bedford Town
SOUTH1C
AFC Hayes 3-1 Aylesbury
Aylesbury United 0-2 Rugby Town
Barton Rovers 1-1 Uxbridge
Daventry Town 5-2 Ashford Town (Middx)
Dunstable Town 2-3 Beaconsfield SYCOB
Egham Town 1-2 Royston Town
Marlow 0-0 Leighton Town - Marlow at Chertsey on Tue eve
North Greenford United 0-2 Chalfont St Peter
Potters Bar Town 2-0 Kettering Town
Slough Town 0-1 Northwood att 331 - Sluff go to Uxbridge on Tue
St Ives Town 2-1 Chertsey Town
SOUTH1S&W (54 goals in 11 games this PM and four of our ‘local’ sides shipped 5 each with Diddy taking a bit of a thumping too – only 'Nor Lye' came out with a positive result)
Bridgwater Town 5-1 Bishops Cleeve
Cinderford Town 5-0 Fleet Town - Fleet home to Nor Lye this Tuesday
Evesham United 4-4 Taunton Town
Godalming Town 0-5 Paulton Rovers
Mangotsfield United 5-3 Guildford City
North Leigh 2-1 Merthyr Town
Shortwood United 4-1 Didcot Town - Diddy host Supermarine on Tue
Swindon Supermarine 2-0 Clevedon Town
Thatcham Town 1-5 Stratford Town - Kingfishers now go to the Spectrum (Guildford on Wed eve)
Tiverton Town 1-2 Cirencester Town
Yate Town 2-1 Wimborne Town

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Friday 16th August (19:45 KOs)
123 Flackwell Heath 0-0 Binfield
162 Alresford Town 0-3 Winchester City

Saturday 17th August
94 Berkhamsted 2-1 AFC Dunstable
96 AFC Kempston Rovers 0-1 Wembley
97 Wellingborough Town 3-3 Greenhouse London
99 Kings Langley 3-1 Long Buckby
100 Newport Pagnell Town 2-0 Hatfield Town
101 Hillingdon Borough 4-2 Leverstock Green
102 Cogenhoe United 0-0 Tring Athletic
103 London Lions 1-1 Stotfold
105 Harefield United 3-0 Woodford United
106 Codicote 1-1 Crawley Green
107 Holmer Green 2-3 Ampthill Town
108 Hertford Town 2-1 Colney Heath
109 Northampton Spencer 2-0 Bugbrooke St Michaels
110 Haringey Borough 6-0 Rushden & Higham United
112 Cockfosters 1-1 Hanwell Town
113 London Colney 1-1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
114 Sandhurst Town 2-2 Farnham Town - Cambo await the winner of Tuesday's replay
115 Tadley Calleva 2-4 Ascot United att 120 - Yellamen off to Chalfont St P. in next round.
116 Bracknell Town 2-1 Fairford Town - tough trip in next round to Beaconsfield SYCOB - may get switched to Fri/Sun, as Sluff are also drawn at home that day vs Cirencester Town? I'd rather expect SYCOB could pull rank on the 'Rebels' as landlords?
117 Holyport 2-7 Hanworth Villa
118 Staines Lammas 0-2 Badshot Lea
119 Ardley United 4-1 Thame United
120 Camberley Town 2-0 Chinnor
121 Reading Town 0-5 Wantage Town att 69 - Scours Lane side evidently failed in my recommendation that they try and keep the opposition forwards quiet! Intriguing tie for the 'Freds now - H v Diddy on 31st Aug
122 Frimley Green 3-2 Ash United - yet another big 'local match up' next for FG - H v Cove
124 Bedfont Sports 2-2 Abingdon United 'U's' stop the rot slightly - winners of this host North Leigh
125 Westfield 2-1 Shrivenham
126 Cheltenham Saracens 0-0 Slimbridge AFC
127 Cove 5-0 Carterton
128 Newbury 1-4 Windsor att 80 - now face Highmoor/IBIS on 31st Aug at Stag Meadow
129 Kidlington 1-1 Hartley Wintney replay Memorial Ground Tue 19:30 KO winners travel to Badshot Lea (@ Ash Utd FC)
130 Abingdon Town 1-5 Highmoor Ibis
131 Dorking 1-4 Shoreham
132 Alton Town 3-1 Selsey
134 East Preston 0-0 Crowborough Athletic
135 Ashford United_ 0-0 Worthing United
136 Sevenoaks Town 3-0 Horley Town @ Horley Town FC
138 Whyteleafe 3-3 Epsom & Ewell
139 Holmesdale 1-0 East Grinstead Town
140 Horsham YMCA 2-3 Hassocks
141 Molesey {EIGHT} 8-1 Hailsham Town
143 Chichester City 1-9 {NINE} Chessington & Hook United
144 Pagham 2-4 Tunbridge Wells
145 Mole Valley SCR 0-1 South Park
146 Cray Valley (PM) 1-1 Lancing
147 Arundel 0-0 Rye United
148 Beckenham Town 1-2 Corinthian
149 Epsom Athletic 1-3 Croydon
150 Lordswood 1-4 Eastbourne United
151 Raynes Park Vale 2-1 Lingfield
152 Greenwich Borough 2-2 Ringmer
153 Fisher 1-2 Deal Town
154 Colliers Wood United 6-2 AFC Croydon Athletic
155 Newport (IW) 4-1 Verwood Town
156 Bournemouth 3-1 Highworth Town
157 Team Solent 1-3 AFC Portchester
158 Bradford Town 1-2 Longwell Green Sports
159 Horndean 7-2 Calne Town
160 Cowes Sports 4-1 Fawley
161 Wootton Bassett Town 0-2 Totton & Eling
163 Downton 1-3 Sholing
164 Melksham Town 3-3 Hamworthy United
166 Bitton AFC 4-1 Pewsey Vale
167 Winterbourne United 1-4 Folland Sports @ Folland Sports FC
168 Moneyfields 2-1 Cadbury Heath
169 Hallen 1-1 Whitchurch United - replay Tue evening
170 Corsham Town 3-2 Gillingham Town
171 Petersfield Town 4-3 Blackfield & Langley
172 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1-4 Fareham Town
173 Romsey Town 1-4 Brockenhurst
174 Bristol Manor Farm {NINE} 9-3 Oldland Abbotonians
175 East Cowes Victoria Athletic 0-3 Lymington Town
176 Hengrove Athletic 0-2 Bridport
177 Willand Rovers 0-4 Larkhall Athletic
178 St Blazey 1-0 Tavistock AFC
179 Bishop Sutton 1-1 Odd Down
180 Shepton Mallet AFC 0-0 Street
181 AFC St Austell 1-4 Ilfracombe Town
182 Buckland Athletic 0-3 Wells City
183 Barnstaple Town 0-2 Brislington
184 Plymouth Parkway 2-1 Saltash United
185 Radstock Town 1-4 Bodmin Town

Sunday 18th August
133 Dorking Wanderers v Canterbury City
142 Littlehampton Town v St Francis Rangers

League Matches
CCL1
Banstead Athletic 2-3 Cobham
CB Hounslow United 3-4 Knaphill
Eversley & California 2-0 Farleigh Rovers
South Kilburn 4-1 Sheerwater
Spelthorne Sports 2-2 Worcester Park

HELLP
Brimscombe & Thrupp 1-2 Oxford City Nomads - so Bracknell stay top on GD - possibly the first time they've headed a table on a Saturday night for well over a decade. Host Newbury on Tuesday evening - whilst Wantage are at home to Brimscombe = the other two sides also on 6pts (RTFC & Nomads) have winnable games at home this midweek too (Ab T & Holyport.)
HELL1E
Didcot Town Res 5-4 Wokingham & Emmbrook
Headington Amateurs 1-1 Woodley Town
Henley Town 2-3 Chalfont Wasps
Milton United 4-1 Maidenhead United Res
Penn & Tylers Green 1-3 AFC Hinksey
HELL1W
Letcombe 0-6 Shortwood United Res
WESS1
Andover Town 3-0 Hythe & Dibden
New Milton Town 6-3 Andover New Street
Stockbridge 1-0 United Services Portsmouth