The Non - League thread

[Old Man Andrews]

Binfield 0 : 1 Bracknell .

Good hard fought win against the noisy neighbours who were desperate to derail the promotion charge. Some rather robust challenges and a clueless referee combined to make it a feisty encounter. Another game in hand ticked off and won.

It was a good result against a very good Binfield side. Not sure how some of the refs get on the Hellenic league, most I have seen have been woeful.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Binfield 0 : 1 Bracknell .

Good hard fought win against the noisy neighbours who were desperate to derail the promotion charge. Some rather robust challenges and a clueless referee combined to make it a feisty encounter. Another game in hand ticked off and won.

It was a good result against a very good Binfield side. Not sure how some of the refs get on the Hellenic league, most I have seen have been woeful.

I do love the comments about referees at non league level. Like they somehow grow on trees.

9th level football = 9th rate players, managers and referees.

And I bet the moron Herrige spent most of the game berating the official, despite the fact he's stuck down at the same level of football himself.

[Old Man Andrews]

Binfield 0 : 1 Bracknell .

Good hard fought win against the noisy neighbours who were desperate to derail the promotion charge. Some rather robust challenges and a clueless referee combined to make it a feisty encounter. Another game in hand ticked off and won.

It was a good result against a very good Binfield side. Not sure how some of the refs get on the Hellenic league, most I have seen have been woeful.

I do love the comments about referees at non league level. Like they somehow grow on trees.

9th level football = 9th rate players and 9th rate referees.

Just because they are playing non-league football it doesn't mean the players shouldn't be protected by the match officials. It is a pretty basic thing that you are taught about early on in the refereeing course. Of course referees at that level will make errors when it comes to decisions, it is expected and tolerated by the players, managers and supporters. It is the leagues fault anyway. A local derby needs a strong ref and the league didn't provide one last night.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

On a more positive note, went to Ebbsfleet 1 -1 Maidenhead on Saturday.

A very entertaining game at one of my favourite football venues. The referee was good as well and thats not the first time ive said that about him. He took charge of the title decider that wasn't between the clubs at York Road back in April, im not surprised they gave him that game. Sam Purkiss, he'll be moving up the ranks.

[paultheroyal]

It was a good result against a very good Binfield side. Not sure how some of the refs get on the Hellenic league, most I have seen have been woeful.

I do love the comments about referees at non league level. Like they somehow grow on trees.

9th level football = 9th rate players and 9th rate referees.

Just because they are playing non-league football it doesn't mean the players shouldn't be protected by the match officials. It is a pretty basic thing that you are taught about early on in the refereeing course. Of course referees at that level will make errors when it comes to decisions, it is expected and tolerated by the players, managers and supporters. It is the leagues fault anyway. A local derby needs a strong ref and the league didn't provide one last night.

But from my experience it is very rarely tolerated or expected from players, managers and supporters. The level of abuse aimed at young and up and coming referee's or even experienced referee's at this level is an absolute disgrace.

Mark my words - standard of refereeing in most supporters eyes will get a whole lot worse. The decent refs, mild mannered ones get disillusioned early on and leave and you end up with the arrogant, lazy or don't care ones who remain.

Referee's have little or no respect at this or any level to be honest and I crave the day more retrospective punishments are brought in or we follow the rugby concept i.e. 10 yards or more.

[Hoop Blah]

But from my experience it is very rarely tolerated or expected from players, managers and supporters. The level of abuse aimed at young and up and coming referee's or even experienced referee's at this level is an absolute disgrace.

I have to say that, in the main, I've not found the abuse to be too bad to be honest (I may have just got lucky) but I do think the expectations are a bit too high though. Either that or the partisanship clouds peoples judgement too much

It's all too easy to blame a ref for a teams shortcomings or to think they've got a call wrong but generally they do a pretty solid job. As ever at lower levels it usually comes down to game management and communication and that's where a few refs I've seen let themselves down, but really players and a club officials should know a lot better than to jump on the refs every move.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

I do love the comments about referees at non league level. Like they somehow grow on trees.

9th level football = 9th rate players and 9th rate referees.

Just because they are playing non-league football it doesn't mean the players shouldn't be protected by the match officials. It is a pretty basic thing that you are taught about early on in the refereeing course. Of course referees at that level will make errors when it comes to decisions, it is expected and tolerated by the players, managers and supporters. It is the leagues fault anyway. A local derby needs a strong ref and the league didn't provide one last night.

But from my experience it is very rarely tolerated or expected from players, managers and supporters. The level of abuse aimed at young and up and coming referee's or even experienced referee's at this level is an absolute disgrace.

Mark my words - standard of refereeing in most supporters eyes will get a whole lot worse. The decent refs, mild mannered ones get disillusioned early on and leave and you end up with the arrogant, lazy or don't care ones who remain.

Referee's have little or no respect at this or any level to be honest and I crave the day more retrospective punishments are brought in or we follow the rugby concept i.e. 10 yards or more.

Well said. It is the single worst thing about football, at all levels.

Just think, in every league of 20 teams about 250 players will play every weekend. How many of those do you think will go on to become a referee? I bet the average figure is less than 1. Its completely ridiculous that leagues and clubs themselves are doing absolutely nothing about it.

[Sutekh]

NL Scores from Yesterday:

Bracknell Town {TEN} 10-3 Fairford Town

Fairford aren't that bad a team at that level so the size of that score rather takes me by surprise.

[Royal Rother]

Woodley 4-4 Windsor

I didn’t go to this as I needed to be in Windsor for 9.30, so saw the U18s play at Stag Meadow instead.

However the 1st team started with 7 teenagers (2 debuts) and had 5 more on the bench.

I think 10 or 11 of those have come through the U18s and Academy so that is great to see.

[Old Man Andrews]

NL Scores from Yesterday:

Bracknell Town {TEN} 10-3 Fairford Town

Fairford aren't that bad a team at that level so the size of that score rather takes me by surprise.

Wasn't there an 8-5 win for Thatcham last night? Couple of odd results this past week.

[tmesis]

NL Scores from Yesterday:

Bracknell Town {TEN} 10-3 Fairford Town

Fairford aren't that bad a team at that level so the size of that score rather takes me by surprise.

Wasn't there an 8-5 win for Thatcham last night? Couple of odd results this past week.

Idly looking at the Hellenic League website* yesterday I noticed that in the 2nd Div East there was a close-fought derby between Abingdon Town and Abingdon United Development squad last night, with the development squad just edging it 17-0.

Also covered here, it seems some of the Town players walked off, and the game got stopped five minutes early.
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/no ... -walk-offs

* for as long as I could before the colours started to burn my eyes.

[Four Of Clubs]

Busy NL w/e ahead with games (incl early KOs) Fri, Sat & Mon

To save on time and effort (for me ) I've posted up a preview of tomorrow's and Saturday's games.
I might try and do a review of both on Sunday - as I'm trying an ambitious long-range tick on Saturday so won't be back 'til quite late.
- and I'm being kicked out of my house (just for the day ) as my dearly beloved hosts the annual hand-bell ringers extravanganza.

Good Friday 30th March

NAT
Maidenhead United v Sutton United
Solihull Moors v Aldershot Town
Woking v Macclesfield Town
NATN
Brackley Town v Harrogate Town
NATS
Bognor Regis Town v Chelmsford City
Braintree Town v Oxford City
Concord Rangers v Hungerford Town
Dartford v Hampton & Richmond Borough
Havant & Waterlooville v Weston-super-Mare
Poole Town v Whitehawk
Truro City v Hemel Hempstead Town
Welling United v Bath City

ILP
Dulwich Hamlet v Dorking Wanderers

SLP
Dunstable Town v Slough Town - Rebels went down 0-1 at Weymuff on Tue - crowd 822

CCLP
11.30 Epsom & Ewell v Colliers Wood United

HELLP
Slough Town Challenge Cup Final
10:30 Chalvey Sports v Langley @ The Gore Burnham FC

WESS1
19:45 Andover New Street v Whitchurch United


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

NATS
Chippenham Town v Eastbourne Borough
Gloucester City v St Albans City
Wealdstone v East Thurrock United

SLP
Chesham United v Redditch United - 'Generals' B&B S-F at Scours vs Woodley was rained off on Wednesday
Farnborough v Kings Langley
Frome Town v Banbury United
St Ives Town v Basingstoke Town - Dragons beaten 1-2 at Kings Lynn midweek.
SL1E
Ashford Town (Middx) v Uxbridge
Aylesbury v Egham Town
Beaconsfield Town v AFC Rushden & Diamonds - Beaconsfield's game also OFF on Tue but leaders AFC R&D were surprisingly held 1-1 at home by Uxbridge
Bedford Town v Chalfont St Peter
Fleet Town v Hayes & Yeading United
Hanwell Town v Aylesbury United
Kempston Rovers v Hartley Wintney
Marlow v AFC Dunstable
Northwood v Cambridge City
Thame United v Arlesey Town
SL1W
Barnstaple Town v North Leigh - may be trying for this one - weather & traffic permitting
Didcot Town v Cinderford Town
Swindon Supermarine v Mangotsfield United
Taunton Town v Kidlington
Winchester City v Cirencester Town

CCLP
Abbey Rangers v Walton & Hersham
Banstead Athletic v Balham
Camberley Town v Westfield - Westfield show no sign of easing off; battered 4th placed Walton & H 4-0 on Tue. Need 8 points from 9 games for the title. Have scored 126 goals and only dropped 8 points this season winning 30 out of 33 matches to date.
Hanworth Villa v AFC Hayes
Horley Town v Guildford City
Knaphill v Godalming Town
North Greenford United v CB Hounslow United
Spelthorne Sports v Farnham Town
Sutton Common Rovers v Redhill
CCL1 Cup
Eversley & California v FC Deportivo Galicia
Worcester Park v Staines Lammas
CCL1
AC London v South Park Reserves
Bagshot v Cove - bottom v 2nd bottom - Cove missed the chance to pull further clear on Tue night, with a surprising & in some ways disappointing 0-3 reverse to fellow strugglers B&F. I was there and expected Cove's recent upturn in both form and goalscoring to continue but was mightily impressed by how strong and powerful the visitors were. Could see both sides greatly improving their prospects next season if they can keep their playing squads together.

Chessington & Hook United v Bedfont & Feltham
Cobham v Frimley Green
Kensington Borough v Ash United
Raynes Park Vale v Badshot Lea - Baggy Lea involved in a goal fest at Bedfont Sports v the 'lodgers', Deportivo Galicia.
- I decided to give it a miss it due to the hail etc and since all the other choices that night were rained off early PM - incl the Hellenic topper Highworth v Thatcham, I let eldest home from Uni have the car. The sides swapped goals at regular intervals and with stoppage time looming and FDC leading 5-4, BL were reduced to 10 and promptly grabbed two goals to nick the win and re-take 2nd spot.

Sheerwater v Farleigh Rovers

HELLP
Ascot United v Lydney Town
Bracknell Town v Royal Wootton Bassett Town - was also at Stubbs on Monday in a crowd reported as 312. Thought Robins were stronger all over the park and MotM was Maloney in midfield who scored the only goal. Moles may well have grabbed a marginally undeserved point, had the normally sure-footed Ian Davies not fluffed three presentable chances inside the box late on.

Brimscombe & Thrupp v Abingdon United
Highworth Town v Windsor
Oxford City Nomads v Highmoor Ibis - H/I picked up a rare and valuable away win midweek 2-1 @ Lydney
Thatcham Town v Longlevens
Tuffley Rovers v Burnham
HL1E
Sandhurst Town v Milton United
Virginia Water v Thame Rangers
Wokingham & Emmbrook v AFC Aldermaston
HL1W
Cheltenham Saracens v Letcombe
HL2E
Long Crendon Abingdon Town - that's if Town can find enough who want to turn out for them, after the mass walkouts during their game midweek. Bizarrely Ab T were 4th in the table, so I'm sure there's more to this though the Abbot's own twitter is strangely silent since the game.
Ab Utd Dev's considerable GD deficit on 2nd placed Chalvey, has evaporated in one go too

HL Supplementary
Flackwell Heath v Penn & Tylers Green
Woodley United v Brackley Town Saints

WESSP
Alresford Town v Bournemouth
Andover Town v Team Solent
Baffins Milton Rovers v Petersfield Town

WESS1
Alton v New Milton Town

[Royal Rother]

Lots of games likely to fall foul of today’s biblical rain and ongoing forecast.

[Four Of Clubs]

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

[Four Of Clubs]

...and here's tomorrow's BH fixtures with some early KO's - however the forecast is f&^%ing awful, so expect a vast majority of these to be washed out - apart from the few 3G options dotted about.

Fixtures 2nd April Easter Monday

NAT
Aldershot Town v Eastleigh
Leyton Orient v Maidenhead United
Sutton Athletic v Bromley
Torquay United v Woking
NATS
Bath City v Gloucester City
Chelmsford City v Concord Rangers
East Thurrock United v Dartford
Eastbourne Borough v Bognor Regis Town
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Welling United
Hemel Hempstead Town v Wealdstone
Hungerford Town v Poole Town
Oxford City v Chippenham Town
St Albans City v Braintree Town
Weston-super-Mare v Truro City
Whitehawk v Havant & Waterlooville

ILP
Dorking Wanderers v Burgess Hill Town @ Whyteleafe 3G 19:45 KO
Metropolitan Police v Staines Town

SLP
Banbury United v Stratford Town
Basingstoke Town v Farnborough
Slough Town v Chesham United
SL1E
Arlesey Town v Aylesbury
Aylesbury United v Thame United
Chalfont St Peter v Northwood
Egham Town v Beaconsfield Town
12:00 Hartley Wintney v Fleet Town
Hayes & Yeading United v Hanwell Town
Moneyfields v Ashford Town (Middx)
Uxbridge v Marlow
SL1W
AFC Totton v Winchester City
Kidlington v Swindon Supermarine
North Leigh v Didcot Town

CCLP ALL KOs 11:30 unless stated
AFC Hayes v North Greenford United
Balham v Sutton Common Rovers
CB Hounslow United v Bedfont Sports
13:00 Chertsey Town v Abbey Rangers
Epsom & Ewell v Banstead Athletic
Farnham Town v Camberley Town
Guildford City v Godalming Town
Redhill v Horley Town
13:00 Westfield Knaphill
CCL1
Cove v Cobham
FC Deportivo Galicia v Chessington & Hook United - on 3G at Bedfont Sports
Farleigh Rovers v Worcester Park
Frimley Green v Bagshot
South Park Reserves v Kensington Borough v.doubtful they'll have a venue available for this, unless they try and switch to The Orchard @ Bedfont where KB are based - and there's no guarantee that would survive the wet.
- S.Park would usually have the use of Whyteleafe but I think that has been 'booked' by a Sussex league club (Lingfield) @ 11:00, whose own ground is waterlogged. They'd probably take precedence over a STEP06 reserve side too. S.Park can't have secured a later slot, before the evening Isthmian Ryman game above - cos Whyteleafe themselves are playing on it then - unless they've shoehorned in a 17:15 KO or summat - I bet there'll be some 'nutters' who'll try and watch all three games at the same venue! .

Staines Lammas v Badshot Lea

HELLP
Abingdon United] v Highmoor Ibis
Brackley Town Saints v Ascot United
Bracknell Town v Highworth Town
Burnham v Oxford City Nomads very much doubt if this is playable after Friday, let alone recovered from further rain in buckets yesterday/tonight
Flackwell Heath v Brimscombe & Thrupp
Lydney Town v Windsor
Wantage Town v Tuffley Rovers
Woodley United v Longlevens - doesn't need comment - oh! I did.....
HL1E
Didcot Town Reserves v Thame Rangers
Penn & Tylers Green v Sandhurst Town
Virginia Water v AFC Aldermaston
HL1W
Easington Sports v Letcombe
Pewsey Vale v Cheltenham Saracens
Shrivenham v Woodstock Town

WESSP
Petersfield Town v Bashley
WESS1
Andover New Street v Folland Sports
Tadley Calleva v Downton

...will need a trawl around tomorrow AM for any possible survivors - original grand plans for 'doubles' down on the South Coast are looking (literally) dead in the water - at least I could choose 'revisits': the 11:30 KO at Bedfont Sports for FDC v Chess 'n Hook, then either try and squeeze into Bracknell, for the visit of Highworth or another 3G option @ Sluff v Chesham.

[Hoop Blah]

I'd expect a very decent crowd at that Bracknell game.

[tmesis]

I'd expect a very decent crowd at that Bracknell game.

I'd expect a very wet crowd too, as it looks to have cover for about twelve people since rebuilding.

[Four Of Clubs]

...here's this PM's NL results - well from the flotsam that survived the downpours......

Easter Monday 2nd April

NAT
Aldershot Town 0-2 Eastleigh
Torquay United 2-1 Woking
NATN
Kidderminster Harriers 2-1 Brackley Town att 1935 - Game appears to have sprung to life in th elast 10' - Saints took the lead on 82' and proceeded to concede twice in the time remaining.
NATS
Bath City 5-1 Gloucester City
Chelmsford City 1-0 Concord Rangers
Eastbourne Borough 3-0 Bognor Regis Town
Hampton & Richmond Borough 1-1 Welling United
Hungerford Town 4-0 Poole Town - att 297 - eases the worry about the 'drop' for a while; 'Crusaders' now 8 points clear of today's visitors Poole who only have 6 games left. Louie Soares and Bignall on the scoresheet for the home side

Oxford City 0-1 Chippenham Town
St Albans City 2-1 Braintree Town
Whitehawk 0-0 Havant & Waterlooville

SLP
Basingstoke Town 4-3 Farnborough
Slough Town 2-1 Chesham United
SL1E
Aylesbury United {SEVEN} 7-2 Thame United
Chalfont St Peter 2-0 Northwood
Hayes & Yeading United 2-2 Hanwell Town

CCLP
Chertsey Town 1-1 Abbey Rangers
CCL1
FC Deportivo Galicia 1-1 Chessington & Hook United
Frimley Green {SEVEN} 7-0 Bagshot
- This was my morning half of a double – very soggy but passed inspection around 09:30 . The rain held off enough for the Ref to deem it playable – which it was - just. Some standing water about but I doubt Bagshot are too bothered about the fineries of Pyramid football and were OK to play.
- They really look out of their depth this season though, as FG ran them ragged and notched 7 goals without really leaving 2nd gear. In their first season at this level (16-17) they finished a creditable 8th but look totally devoid of ideas shape and more importantly fitness. Their stay at STEP06 could be short-lived which is a shame.
- Doubt they can develop anything nearer home and currently have to trek all the way across to Fleet Spurs to play home games. Can’t be doing them much good – though it is only a couple of M3 junctions – a bit like going from Woodley to Calcot


HELLP
Bracknell Town 2-0 Highworth Town att 390
- Got here nice and early – straight from my AM game above; got a parking space in the Cricket Club.
- Robins ruthless: Highworth toothless. Seb Bowerman grabbed the lead and set the tone for the match as early as the 2’ with a long low shot which Aulsberry let slip under him.
- Maloney scored the 2nd not long after powerful drive when put through on the left – and that was it.
- Bracknell struck post and bar several times and could have extended their lead but were never threatened by the seriously below par leaders
- I fear for their (Highworth’s) run-in as their quick lively forward (Ferris?) went off with an ankle knock and they didn’t appear to have any other forward options available – put the big gangly left back (Turk) up front but he didn’t possess the pace nor strength to ruffle Carl Davies.
- Home side now only 5 points off top spot with 4 games in hand and potentially an easier run-in. I still think it’s Thatcham’s to lose – particularly if they can avoid defeat at the re-arranged Highworth game.

Wantage Town 3-1 Tuffley Rovers – Fred’s still plugging along gamely in 3rd but are running out of games.




 

[Old Man Andrews]

I can't see Thatcham dropping another point this season. Only danger of that happening is if the players and management take their eyes off the ball and focus on the FA Vase too much.

[Hoop Blah]

Bracknell Town 2-0 Highworth Town att 390
- Got here nice and early – straight from my AM game above; got a parking space in the Cricket Club.
- Robins ruthless: Highworth toothless. Seb Bowerman grabbed the lead and set the tone for the match as early as the 2’ with a long low shot which Aulsberry let slip under him.
- Maloney scored the 2nd not long after powerful drive when put through on the left – and that was it.
- Bracknell struck post and bar several times and could have extended their lead but were never threatened by the seriously below par leaders
- I fear for their (Highworth’s) run-in as their quick lively forward (Ferris?) went off with an ankle knock and they didn’t appear to have any other forward options available – put the big gangly left back (Turk) up front but he didn’t possess the pace nor strength to ruffle Carl Davies.
- Home side now only 5 points off top spot with 4 games in hand and potentially an easier run-in. I still think it’s Thatcham’s to lose – particularly if they can avoid defeat at the re-arranged Highworth game.

Highworth have lost two their best attacking players (Corrick and Parsons) over the last couple of months, and I notice that regular scorers Edenburgh and Gleed weren't involved either, so that probably explains their lack of threat.

After all the noise from Bracknell about fixture problems it seems Highworth suffered a lot more than Bracknell for player availability (Highworth apparently had a couple of late withdrawals too, which doesn't help!).

Highworth will be lucky to finish third at this rate.