The Non - League thread

[Four Of Clubs]

Excellent result for MUFC Saturday. Sutton did not look like title contenders at all.

3 big games this week including a massive 6 pointer against Tonbridge at York Road on Saturday. No Reading game and half price entry - expecting a bumper crowd.

...sadly back down with a bump on Thursday night - beaten 1-3 at York Rd by Concord Rangers - though Magpies stay out of the bottom three for the moment - in part due to Dover's late goals at Tonbridge in a 2-0 win. 'stoke continue to try their hardest to scupper Maidenhead's efforts - going down 2-3 at the Camrose to Chelmsford - was a 91st minute winner for the visitors.

.... here's the rest of this w/e's NL 'fare':

Saturday 12th April

CONF Prem
Macclesfield Town v Aldershot Town
Woking v Alfreton Town
CONFS
Basingstoke Town v Bishops Stortford
Bath City v Hayes & Yeading Utd
Boreham Wood v Whitehawk
Bromley v Weston-Super-Mare
Chelmsford City v Eastleigh
Dorchester Town v Farnborough
Dover Athletic v Staines Town
Eastbourne Borough v Gosport Borough
Havant & Waterlooville v Concord Rangers
Maidenhead United v Tonbridge Angels
Sutton United v Ebbsfleet United

SOUTHP
Bideford v Chesham United
Burnham v Corby Town
- No game for Hungerford this w/e - will be hoping Cambridge City and Stourbridge slip up.
SOUTH1C
Ashford Town (Middx) v Slough Town
Aylesbury v Barton Rovers
Beaconsfield SYCOB v AFC Hayes
Chalfont St Peter v Egham Town
Chertsey Town v North Greenford United
Northwood v Marlow
SOUTH1S&W
Didcot Town v Godalming Town
Fleet Town v Shortwood United
Guildford City v North Leigh
Wimborne Town v Thatcham Town

CCLP
Badshot Lea v Hartley Wintney
Chessington & Hook United v Epsom & Ewell
Colliers Wood United v Molesey
Cove v Bedfont Sports
Croydon v Raynes Park Vale
Farnham Town v Ash United
Frimley Green v Mole Valley SCR
Hanworth Villa v Horley Town
South Park v Camberley Town 1st v 2nd - S.Park virtually champions - would confirm it if they win this one - Camberley 13 points behind have 6 to play - can't see hosts slipping up in their remaining four games after this anyway. Even if (as many expect) they lose at bogey side Epsom & Ewell (in 3rd) next Sat they still have two games vs strugglers Horley & Bedfont Sports - finishing their season off v Windsor on May 3rd
Wembley v Alton Town
Windsor v Westfield - 5th v 4th - would be a good time for Windsor to rediscover some form - especially with Cove breathing down their necks in 6th on GD.
CCL1
Banstead Athletic v Eversley & California
Cobham v Sheerwater
Knaphill v Bedfont & Feltham
Sandhurst Town v CB Hounslow United
South Kilburn v Dorking
Worcester Park v Staines Lammas

HELLP
Abingdon United v Highmoor Ibis - thunderous return to form for H/I on Thursday night when they battered usually free-scoring Nomads 4-1 on their own ground - probably secures them a top four finish - I suspect they are too far back (10 pts with 4 to play) to make a challenge on current top two Ardley or Wantage - but they might pip Ascot for 3rd place.
Ascot United v Oxford City Nomads
Binfield v Shrivenham
Bracknell Town v Reading Town
Brimscombe & Thrupp v Flackwell Heath
Holyport v Wantage Town
Newbury v Abingdon Town
HELL1E
AFC Hinksey v Rayners Lane
Chalfont Wasps v Didcot Town Res
Finchampstead v Henley Town
Headington Amateurs v Burnham Res
Penn & Tylers Green v Woodley Town - Woodley just announced a three-year ground share at RTFC - which might well secure their future at STEP06. They just need to start getting it right again ON the pitch.
Seemingly any 'non-lit/no seats' STEP06 club will be demoted at the end of Season 14/15 - for example locally that would include Wok & Emm, Finch, Chalfont Wasps and Penn & Tylers. Would appear groundshares may be the only life-line available. Though personally, I doubt the Hellenic League will co-operate in forcibly evicting clubs if it means drastically reducing their membership - could spell the end for both STEP06 Hellenic Divisions - who are already swelled by reserve sides as it is.

Wokingham & Emmbrook v Chinnor

WESSP
Whitchurch United v AFC Portchester
Winchester City v Totton & Eling
WESS1
Andover New Street v Hayling United
Fleet Spurs v Ringwood Town
Petersfield Town v Cowes Sports
Tadley Calleva v East Cowes Victoria
Team Solent v Pewsey Vale

... got two games in this week: Tue saw CCL1 Champs elect Spelthorne Sports (need 3 points from their remaining 5 matches to claim the title) , preserve their unbeaten league record and comfortably beat 2nd placed Knaphill 3-1.
On Wed eve, dipped down into the Hants Prem League for a 'silly season' (unlit midweek KO - 18:15) and watched 2nd place Winchester Castle lose 1-2 to 3rd placed Baffins Milton Rovers (nr Portsmouth)

Not sure where tomorrow - will let youngest choose if he's not too tired after his own match in the morning - quite fancy Sluff's trip to Ashford Middx.

[Royalist]

I see Thatcham are stepping down to step 5 due to low crowds, lack of sponsorship and the make up of the league. Said before smaller more local leagues is the way ahead. Hopefully the era of the benefactor owner is ending and clubs will vote for things along these lines.

[Christof]

Not sure where tomorrow - will let youngest choose if he's not too tired after his own match in the morning - quite fancy Sluff's trip to Ashford Middx.[/color][/i]

If you do, you may see the end-of-season charity walkers (they've picked this match as Aylesbury is much further away), should be 8 or so, all for good causes. Not been, but apparently Ashford Mx is a cracking little ground, let me know how Sluff get on (up in Edinburgh at the moment so going to miss it).

[royal_ross]

Slough Town won 5 - 0 at Ashford. A point off Dunstable in 1st place now with 3 games left. Things finally looking up for the club, just need a stadium within the town!!!

[Four Of Clubs]

Slough Town won 5 - 0 at Ashford. A point off Dunstable in 1st place now with 3 games left. Things finally looking up for the club, just need a stadium within the town!!!

...and as I'd mooted a post or three back - Dunstable did slip up at Kettering yesterday - so things looking good for 'Rebels' - especially if they can hold off Rugby next w/e.

... here's the rest of my rambling nonsense for 'local' NL yesterday:


Saturday 12th April

CONF Prem
Macclesfield Town 1-1 Aldershot Town
Woking 2-1 Alfreton Town
CONFS
Basingstoke Town 0-0 Bishops Stortford
Bath City 3-2 Hayes & Yeading Utd
Boreham Wood 1-3 Whitehawk
Bromley 2-1 Weston-Super-Mare
Chelmsford City 0-0 Eastleigh
Dorchester Town 1-0 Farnborough
Dover Athletic 1-0 Staines Town
Eastbourne Borough 1-3 Gosport Borough
Havant & Waterlooville 1-0 Concord Rangers
Maidenhead United 0-0 Tonbridge Angels - 'Magpies' back in the bottom three after Whitehawk's win at Boreham Wd
Sutton United 3-1 Ebbsfleet United

SOUTHP
Bideford 1-4 Chesham United – the ‘Generals’ are chasing hard after leaders Hemel who were held again at home by Hitchin. Chesham have won their last 12 have 4 games left and are 5 points behind with a game in hand. They have an awkward trip to Poole next Thursday; host Weymouth and Stourbridge either side of their potential Easter Monday title-settler, at Hemel.
Burnham 2-1 Corby Town – much needed win after a run of awful results- 13 defeats in the last 15 fortunate that they are well clear of the drop zone – Premier has odd numbers so repreives are already in the offing but the bottom three are now confirmed as AFC Totton, Bedford T & Bashley – the latter were making noises suggesting they’d drop down even further voluntarily.
SOUTH1C
Ashford Town (Middx) 0-5 Slough Town
Aylesbury 2-0 Barton Rovers
Beaconsfield SYCOB 4-1 AFC Hayes
Chalfont St Peter 1-2 Egham Town
Chertsey Town 1-3 North Greenford United
Northwood 2-7 Marlow – astonishing return to winning ways for Marlow: 4 goals for Jon Bennett and goals for ex-Moles players Davies and Rusby – who has joined the apparent wholesale exodus from Stubbs Lane.
Looks like two from four to go down; notwithstanding any knock-on effects of demotions/reprieves/restructures from elsewhere (this division currently has 22 and I believe the FA would like all STEP04 to be increased to 24) – currently that would be Ashford (Mx) and Chertsey – probably both to CCL, though if either of these do pick up results in their last three games (unlikely) then North Greenford or even Leighton could drop through the trapdoor. The bottom three have all conceded over 100 goals this term – NGU travel to Ashford Town (Mx) next Saturday which will probably make it a bit clearer.
SOUTH1S&W
Didcot Town 2-0 Godalming Town
Fleet Town 1-2 Shortwood United
Guildford City 0-7 {SEVEN} North Leigh
Wimborne Town 2-0 Thatcham Town
- Both Fleet and Guildford are both 6 points from safety – however Thatcham have declared they are taking voluntary demotion at the end of the season which probably reprieves one of them – Fleet’s GD is 40 better off than Guildford’s -87 – they’ve leaked 130 goals!
- Can’t see either of them picking up many points from their remaining 3 fixtures, though Fleet may get something out of the visit of Godalming on Easter Monday.
- Anyone’s guess where they would be relegated to – the CCL is likely to struggle to accomodate too many sides coming down from STEP04 – Guildford would be additional certs I’d expect – though Fleet could go Wessex or at a pinch Hellenic. At least it doesn’t look as if the CCL would need to take in another waif and stray from the three clubs dropping down from ISTHMIAN SOUTH this season; unless Corinthian Casuals get caught. Bottom four relegation candidates, are nailed on to go down into the Sussex League, with Crawley Down and Eastbourne Town already ‘gone’.

CCLP
Badshot Lea 3-1 Hartley Wintney
Chessington & Hook United 2-2 Epsom & Ewell
Colliers Wood United 2-0 Molesey
Cove 3-0 Bedfont Sports
Croydon 0-1 Raynes Park Vale
Farnham Town 3-6 Ash United
Frimley Green 0-0 Mole Valley SCR
Hanworth Villa 2-1 Horley Town
South Park 1-0 Camberley Town – S.Park worthy champions after this result – expect it was a huge crowd too. Camberley look safe in 2nd – with so many possible sides dropping down to CCL there may be an outside chance they could be allowed up finishing 2nd too (if Krooner Park passes muster) – as per last season when Egham & Guernsey were promoted.

Wembley 4-2 Alton Town
Windsor 1-3 Westfield – Windsor now down to 6th following Cove’s win – Hartley W, Wembley & Hanworth are now closing in and all have games in hand.
At the bottom although there are some unfortunate noises about ‘shifting goalposts’ regarding promotion up from CCL1, Ash Utd’s big win yesterday and Alton’s defeat at Wembley probably condemns the latter to the drop (4 points adrift 2 games to play) along with Chess & Hook. One other will join them from Horley, Ash, Bedfont Sports – in spite of their great recent run – and Mole Valley.
The issue this season is that at the top of Div One, the promotion candidates are all probably eligible to step up – though I think Eversely & California in 3rd place still have NIMBY issues with their new lights but Staines Lammas currently in 4th , play at Ashford Town (Mx) and may well join their hosts in the CCL Prem next season. Certain (unfounded) fears expressed on the message boards are that a deal will be fudged excluding one or more of the top three from Div One because of the need to admit more than usual down from STEP04.
CCL1
Banstead Athletic 1-0 Eversley & California
Cobham 0-1 Sheerwater
Knaphill 3-0 Bedfont & Feltham
Sandhurst Town 1-3 CB Hounslow United
South Kilburn P-P Dorking – sadly appears ‘Chicks’ unable to raise an XI again – probably the first strains of their death knell sounding now, bearing in mind they have no ground.
– There were rumbles they may merge/be absorbed, by Dorking Wanderers currently flourishing in the Sussex League – doubt if it will mean football returning to the town though – Wanderers play a fair way up the side of Box Hill off the A24 near Westhumble.
Worcester Park 0-2 Staines Lammas

HELLP
Abingdon United 1-3 Highmoor Ibis
Ascot United 3-1 Oxford City Nomads - 'Yellamen's good run continues - tucked in behind 2nd placed Ardley Utd - 4 points behind 4 games left - including Ardley themselves at the Racecourse this Tuesday and the 'Freds' visit on Sat 26th - so could get interesting. Could be wrong but I'm fairly certain AUFC haven't applied for promotion this season though, should they finish 1st (or 2nd). Can't be far off the necessary grading - maybe not enough seats? Might go and have a check on that.
Binfield 2-1 Shrivenham – Moles trailling on 86’ turn the game on its head (Brown 87’ and JJ on 92’) and move up to 5th.
Bracknell Town 4-0 Reading Town
Brimscombe & Thrupp 2-1 Flackwell Heath
Holyport 0-6 Wantage Town 'Freds skip to the top as previous leaders Ardley Utd not in action yesterday.
Newbury 3-4 Abingdon Town – another win for the ‘Abbots’ – only their 2nd this season but follows on quickly after their first, at the start of this month. Fairly certain both these sides will be in Div One next season – in fact I’d read elsewhere that inevitably Ab. Town have approached the N.Berks and may drop into STEP07 for a spell from next season – shame cos Culham Rd is a great NL venue run by some splendid folk – when its not in the Thames of course!
HELL1E
AFC Hinksey 3-1 Rayners Lane
Chalfont Wasps 5-1 Didcot Town Res
Finchampstead 0-2 Henley Town
Headington Amateurs 3-0 Burnham Res
Penn & Tylers Green 3-0 Woodley Town
Wokingham & Emmbrook 3-0 Chinnor

WESSP
Whitchurch United 0-1 AFC Portchester
Winchester City 4-0 Totton & Eling
WESS1
Andover New Street 0-6 Hayling United
Fleet Spurs 4-1 Ringwood Town
Petersfield Town 2-3 Cowes Sports
Tadley Calleva 1-1 East Cowes Victoria
Team Solent 1-1 Pewsey Vale

I kept it 'low and local' yesterday - made a short trip up the M40 to Bicester and 'east-awhiles' on the A41 to the little hamlet of Grendon Underwood for SSM2 Grendon Rangers 0-3 Brimsdown FC. Lovely setting - free entry - even did a programme - two splendid fellahs doing all the organising Tea bar Raffle etc etc.(I won a bottle of Hock )
Also sneaked in a cheeky bonus game on Friday night when I whizzed along the M4 and up to Wantage FC for the N.Berks War Memorial Cup Final - open to first teams in the N.Berks League below the top division. Saw Div 3 Westminster (play at Westminster College up above Botley nr Oxford) bt Div 2 East Hendred in front of a huge (200+ ) crowd! Thoroughly entertaining but it did get a bit cold!

[Sutekh]

Bracknell are on a run of something like eight wins from nine with their only defeat being v bottom club Abingdon. An amazing turn around from a club just about holding their own above the relegation trapdoor. Wonder what's changed there recently.

[Royal Rother]

South Park 1-0 Camberley Town – S.Park worthy champions after this result – expect it was a huge crowd too.

South Park don't do huge crowds unfortunately.

The previous Saturday they had 65, and I'm not sure whether they have beaten 100 before this season.

I know anything can happen in Cup Finals and all that, but if, as I understand it, Reading Town are a big pretty physical team (?)... I can't see anyway Windsor can end this miserable run of form in the Final on Tuesday.

Fractured cheekbone yesterday has done for another one of our players, and it really is bare (and tired) bones now.

[Four Of Clubs]

South Park 1-0 Camberley Town – S.Park worthy champions after this result – expect it was a huge crowd too.

South Park don't do huge crowds unfortunately.

The previous Saturday they had 65, and I'm not sure whether they have beaten 100 before this season.

I know anything can happen in Cup Finals and all that, but if, as I understand it, Reading Town are a big pretty physical team (?)... I can't see anyway Windsor can end this miserable run of form in the Final on Tuesday.

Fractured cheekbone yesterday has done for another one of our players, and it really is bare (and tired) bones now.

.... not sure where the NL Matters site got their info so fast - probably from this evening's CCL Bulletin BUT the crowd for S.Park v Camberley yesterday was .......

.....wait for it







... 193

... slightly above their season average of 64.

I think you are right about them not (usually) doing big crowds - they haven't been up at this level for all that long - indeed were Crawley & District League until 2007 and this is only their third season at STEP05.
- they also have quite a few larger Ryman South clubs dotted all around them - I'd expect Redhill for example get 3 figures regularly and even Merstham just up the road average over 130. A good indicator is another recently promoted from CCL club - Chipstead - they manage to survive at STEP04 on average crowds in the 80s and are the poorest supported club in the Ryman South.

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
.. as for Tuesday; I'm going decidedly cold on the B&B Final - RTFC took a right pasting off of Bracknell yesterday and Windsor's form is little better than lukewarm.
May decide late PM - think youngest might want his fill of football this week too - he's using his big brother's ST tomorrow for our Filbert Fiasco - and if that hasn't put him off he's got the chance of two NL midweek games on Tue and Wed. - more than likely 'unlit' one's so he'll be back home well before 22:00h

With that in mind - I quite like the idea of another Hants league early KO or even Chalfont Wasps v Woodley which is @ 18:30. If he decides to stick to Wed only then I may well watch the top of the table HELLENIC Prem clash Ascot v Ardley

[Royal Rother]

Just heard that another one of our regulars sustained a fractured metatarsal on Saturday.

The recent injury run has been amazing - but, as I've said before, lots of our players are also turning out for Sunday teams, which leaves no time for recovery and it's entirely logical that, as the season wears on, more and more injuries will creep in.

It is what it is, but it's tough to have a particularly positive outlook on our chances for Tuesday I have to say.

[Terminal Boardom]

Plus there is a lot of discontent down at Stag Meadow behind the scenes. Talk of catering staff refusing to turn up next season, bar staff very unhappy with all sorts of things, punters unhappy that there is next to no beer on sale, absolutely no news on the new playing kit launched in January as to when it will be available, tea bar closed owing to lack of stock. By the sounds of things, the committee are sidestepping the real issues and nobody is making a decision or doing anything and when anyone of them is approached they refuse to say anything. And still no FSS wall from the founding season.

[Royalist]

Well i never saw this coming.

[Royalist]

Cup final tonight. Despite all of the doom and gloom on and off the pitch am looking forward to making it down. First game in ages. Guess i am a glory hunter!

[Terminal Boardom]

Cup final tonight. Despite all of the doom and gloom on and off the pitch am looking forward to making it down. First game in ages. Guess i am a glory hunter!

The way Windsor are playing at the moment, it will be a surprise if we manage to pull it off.

[Four Of Clubs]

Cup final tonight. Despite all of the doom and gloom on and off the pitch am looking forward to making it down. First game in ages. Guess i am a glory hunter!

The way Windsor are playing at the moment, it will be a surprise if we manage to pull it off.

I s'pose you could try and be optimistic and look at RTFC's recent league form: since their win over basement club Holyport in mid November they have W2 D3 L8 in the league - and attempted a wholesale re-build of the squad. They did still have Graham Lewis up front - though he missed Saturday's reverse at Bracknell through injury - and their other lively front man Josh Warren has a niggly hamstring and would not have played at Larges Lane were it not for their much depleted state.

They do seem to have progressed in a few Cups - have another semi-final to play in this Thursday at Scours vs Wessex League leaders Alresford Town. This is in the Aldersh!t Senior Cup - no idea why they entered that - maybe saw it as a more worthwhile enterprise than the Southern Counties Combination Cup, which they won a couple of years back but only tried defending it the following season with their Reserves.

The other S-F is next Wednesday: Camberley v Ash - with the Final at the Rec on 30th April. By contrast could be very intriguing should Camberley & Alresford get there - might even undergo lengthy pre-immunisation treatment and consider bowling along for that. Went to an ASC Final a few years back twixt Fleet Town (incl ex-RFC kiddy Darren Campbell) and Baggy Lea - -god was it dull - AND it went to ET - and someone had managed to spread their car all over the roundabout nr Blackbushe, necessitating a lengthy detour back though Yateley to get home.

Hope for your sake its a good game tonight - it certainly is at a good venue; I'm definitely leaning more towards Ascot v Ardley at the top end of the Hellenic now ........

[Royal Rother]

Superb performance, Windsor 3-0 Reading Town.

Desire, passion, discipline and tempo - all a bit suspect in the last month or so were back in force tonight.

Considering we could barely put out a team, that was a bit special.

A great night!

[Four Of Clubs]

I went to Ascot 0-1 Ardley - sadly the Yellamen's great recent run hit the buffers - but in fairness they came up against a much cannier side. Winner came 15' from the end - soft pen. Visitors defence were a class above what Ascot are used to playing against.

Elsewhere Wantage stayed at the top of the pile with a creditable 4-2 win at Highworth.

Binfield scraped a 4-3 win at Newbury but unfortunately for Windsor over in the CCLP Cove walloped Hanworth 5-2 and Hartley W edged Farnham 3-2 and are 2pts behind with a game in hand. 3rd placed Epsom won 5-1 at Frimley G.

... in the Southern Prem - Hungerford kept up the pace with a late win vs Bashley 3-1 - they are now level on points with Stourbridge - 1 pt behind StAlebuns and 2 from Camb City. Win their game in hand and they'd skip up to 3rd. They host Chipp'num this Thursday eve, who are probably safe again this year but sit just above the drop zone.

[Royalist]

Dunno what you doom and gloom merchants were on about!

TB just seen your PM but won't let me reply to it, guess i'm being a bit thick, last game of the season for me as i'm off to Spain for the next month on Sunday!

[Stuka]

Luton Town promoted. Good to see my uncle's team back in the League. I keep meaning to pay a visit to Kenilworth Road. Is the matchday any good?

[TBM]

Luton Town promoted. Good to see my uncle's team back in the League. I keep meaning to pay a visit to Kenilworth Road. Is the matchday any good?

The two goalscorers last night made me lol

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26135419

[Yellowcoat]

Wealdstone promoted to the Conference South after a late 1-0 victory at Margate last night with veteran Glen Little lasting the full ninety minutes.