Non - League thread 2009/10

[Terminal Boardom]

What do you do with your weekends in the close season?

Talk to the wife since I stopped playing cricket

[Four Of Clubs]

What do you do with your weekends in the close season?

Talk to the wife since I stopped playing cricket

... gave up that when the Kids came along ('talking' AND Cricket ) ....

- mostly try and keep a low profile - tough - with all the work needed in the Garden - Exterior of House etc etc - of course eventually there's a welter of 'Anoraky-Work' to do once the Fixtures/Constitutions of the Leagues are finally announced - late July: Updating all my Records/ 'fact's 'n figs' for the new season - planning how many more 'new' grounds I need to do etc etc

- I've an awful feeling she thinks she's getting us to go away on holiday together this Summer (Camping ! )- somewhere in bleedin' France - she has a sister out there as well as a couple we've known for years 'emigrated' from their very posh house nr Chester who now live a couple of hours inland from Bordeaux.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got another NL game in last night (Tue) - top of the Combined Counties Premier clash between Egham (4th) and Chertsey (2nd) - away team ('The Curfews' - bizarre nickname ) won 4-2 to cement 2nd place. League Champs were confirmed last night as North Greenford Utd who scraped a 2-2 draw at Sandhurst - from 0-2 down.
Egham (similarly odd nickname - 'The Sarnies' - think about it ) have a lovely old Non-League-type 'Stadium' - lots of cover, big comfy bar with old sofas to disappear into. Ground is really well hidden inside an estate to the South East of the Town Centre tucked in/almost under the eastern side of the M25.
Crucial moment came midway 2nd Half @ 2-2, when the 'amply-sized' home KP let a miss-hit through ball squirm through his body - and there was an awful lot of it - and roll over the line.

- elsewhere more grim news for RTFC - Shortwood won again 3-1 vs Wantage and are now 6 pts clear of Reading Town - to hold onto 2nd place and kill off any remote fading hopes RTFC had of promotion, they need a point from their one game left at Home vs already relegated Fairford. It could well be all over tomorrow night anyway as RTFC have a tricky game away at Witney.
With the pressure off there were a couple of surprising results this week - Binfield won at Champions Almondsbury Town and Wokingham & Emmbrook lost @ Chalfont Wasps.

In the 'local' play-offs :
Southern League:
One Midland : Sluff really upset the odds and snatched a 2-1 win at Hitchin - long time league leaders. In the same league, Burnham lost 0-1 at home to Chesham.
Premier : no such problems for Nuneaton W6-0 v Brackley who collapsed 2nd half conceding 5 goals. Chipp'nem bt Hednesford 2-0 in the other S-F
One South&West :- playing tonight
Finals on Sat 1st May.

Conference South: Woking bt Dover 2-1 Bath City bt Chelmsford 2-0 - but these are 2 legged affairs - 2nd legs on Sat 1st. FINAL (possibly) on May 6th

Our 'pals' from the Three-Sided stadium play @ Rushden on Thursday eve; York host Luton in the other semi - 2nd legs on BH Monday.

Two fairly local games on tonight, both in the Hellenic One East:-
Henley v Kintbury [19:45]
Woodley v Holyport [18:30]

- also Tadley Calleva are supposed to be hosting Stockbridge [19:45] in Wessex Div One but they seem to have been opting for the '0-0 agreed score' in few matches recently so I'd be wary of going to that one.

[Tredder]

Hodgey is signing for Woking in the summer, so it would be nice for them to make it back to the Conference, so i can at least try out the Oxford away end.

[AndyRFC]

Got another NL game in last night (Tue) - top of the Combined Counties Premier clash between Egham (4th) and Chertsey (2nd) - away team ('The Curfews' - bizarre nickname ) won 4-2 to cement 2nd place. League Champs were confirmed last night as North Greenford Utd who scraped a 2-2 draw at Sandhurst - from 0-2 down.
Egham (similarly odd nickname - 'The Sarnies' - think about it ) have a lovely old Non-League-type 'Stadium' - lots of cover, big comfy bar with old sofas to disappear into. Ground is really well hidden inside an estate to the South East of the Town Centre tucked in/almost under the eastern side of the M25.
Crucial moment came midway 2nd Half @ 2-2, when the 'amply-sized' home KP let a miss-hit through ball squirm through his body - and there was an awful lot of it - and roll over the line.

Started the FA Cup tour at Egham, easily good enough venue to watch Non-League Football

[Compo's Hat]

All about Maidenhead V Wycombe in the Berks & Bucks final at Marlow on Monday afternoon.

[Alan Partridge]

Rushden and Diamonds 1 Oxford 1
York 1 Luton 0

Second legs nicely set up

[Messiah]

Surprised by Luton, but they'll fancy it at home.

Oxford can FOAD.

[Terminal Boardom]

Found my game for tomorrow:

Chesham -v- Slough Town
Southern League Midland play off final. Could be feisty! The prospect of a Windsor v Slough derby next season is exciting.

Either this or Eton Wick v Rayners Lane

[Four Of Clubs]

Found my game for tomorrow:

Chesham -v- Slough Town
Southern League Midland play off final. Could be feisty! The prospect of a Windsor v Slough derby next season is exciting.

Either this or Eton Wick v Rayners Lane

Amy Lane is a big ol' NL-type 'Stadium' nice Bar good food van if memory serves...
Eton Wick a bit more basic set up - progs behind the bar- saw them play @ Larges La vs Wokkers on Thu eve - they put in a tremendous effort and fully deserved
a 2-2 draw.

Elsewhere on the 'local' (or not so local) scene:

SOUTH1SW Play-Off Final
Bridgwater Town v Cirencester Town

Combined Counties Prem North Greenford are Champs - go up to the Isthmian One South (or maybe Southern One Midland?)
Ash United v Bedfont
Badshot Lea v Epsom & Ewell @ Cherrywood Rd
Chertsey Town v Camberley Town
Cove v Croydon
Combined Counties Div One
Coulsdon United v Farnham Town - Coulsdon got their first win of the season on Thursday eve - 4-3 @ Crescent Rovers
Frimley Green v Croydon Municipal
Hartley Wintney v Eversley

Hellenic Prem
Pegasus Jrs v RTFC - thought about this but its too far without special 'domestic' re-arrangements.
Abingdon Town v Malmesbury Victoria - Vics relegated unless they win ; if they do then Marlow Utd drop down.
Hellenic One East
Chalfont Wasps v Newbury
South Kilburn v Thame Utd

Hellenic One West
Easington Sports vs Wootton Bassett - trying for this one 6th vs 2nd whilst 1st play 3rd over at Slimbridge - so plenty to play for.

... that's more or less it - there are Play Offs for CONF/ISTHMIAN & Southern Prem - I think Woking are @ Dover protecting a slender lead.

[AthleticoSpizz]

[Hellenic Prem
Pegasus Jrs v [b]RTFC [/]- thought about this but its too far without special 'domestic' re-arrangements.

Yeah right and just how does a team (basically) from Hereford..shire get into a league that is basically and predominently berkshire/oxfordshire/wiltshire?


must be financially crippling for all concerned

[Royal Rother]

Cirencester beat Bridgwater away 4-3 AET (bit of a turn up that) and Chesham hammer Slough 4-0 in the other Zamaretto play off.

[Terminal Boardom]

4oC is right about Amy Lane. Lovely non league ground which has cover on all 4 sides and somr of the biggest terrace steps I have ever seen. The burger van was impressive as was the club bar. Nice to see two real ales on tap too.

A bumper crowd of 1,115 saw Chesham coast easily to victory. Good turnout from Slough as one would expect. Also bumped into Keith Scott in the clubhouse before the game. Really nice man and expressed some interesting opinions on the tenure of a certain B. Rodgers.

I can see Chesham doing well next season. Strong, well drilled outfit.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Nice to see two real ales on tap too.

A bumper crowd of 1,115 saw Chesham coast easily to victory.Also bumped into Keith Scott in the clubhouse before the game. Really nice man and expressed some interesting opinions on the tenure of a certain B. Rodgers.

pray tell

[Four Of Clubs]

This PM's 'local' NL results

Combined Counties Prem
Ash United 1-0 Bedfont
Badshot Lea 4-1 Epsom & Ewell
Chertsey Town 2-1 Camberley Town
Cove 1-1 Croydon
Combined Counties Div One
Coulsdon United v Farnham Town - Not found this yet
Frimley Green 4-2 Croydon Municipal
Hartley Wintney 2-2 Eversley

Hellenic Prem
Pegasus Jrs 0-1 RTFC
Abingdon Town 8-0 Malmesbury Victoria - Vics relegated - and how!
Hellenic One East
Chalfont Wasps 2-0 Newbury
Eton Wick 4-3 Rayners Lane
South Kilburn 1-0 Thame Utd

Hellenic One West
Easington Sports 1-2 Wootton Bassett - our game this PM: hard fought very evenly matched game, at your basic barriered Rec type pitch tucked away in an estate on the southern outskirts of Banbury - small clubhouse.
Game settled in WBTs favour in almost the last minute - long bouncing through ball, keeper rushes out, hesitates, leaves for defender to clean-up - who leaves it for keeper - comedy panic flap - misses ball - forward appears from nowhere to roll the ball into the empty net.
WBT promoted along with Slimbridge.


Play Offs
CONF-South
Woking drew A v 0-0 Dover (win on agg 2-1)
- FINAL next Sunday (9th) @ Bath City

ISTHMIAN Premier
Boreham Wood 2-0 Kingstonian
ISTHMIAN One North
Concord Rangers 3-1 Enfield Town
ISTHMIAN One South
Folkestone 2-1 Godalming

Southern Prem
Nuneaton 2-1 Chippenham AET
SOUTH1SW
Bridgwater Town 3-4 Cirencester Town AET
SOUTH1M
Chesham 4-0 Sluff

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( A.Spizz:) Yeah right and just how does a team (basically) from Hereford..shire get into a league that is basically and predominently berkshire/oxfordshire/wiltshire?


must be financially crippling for all concerned

... well there are a few clubs over on the fringes of Wales that are in the Hellenic 'envelope' - Lydney, Cheltenham Saracens, Harrow Hill, - who resigned early this season and Hardwicke before the season kicked off - as well as a few other 'Gloucester FA' based sides Almonds, Tytherington, Winterbourne & Slimbridge for example. Both the Bristol Leagues and the two Gloucester constitutions formally feed into the Hellenic.
- I think the relatively 'relaxed' entry conditions, encourage clubs to 'go Hellenic' rather than meet more stringent grading rules applied by the other STEP05/06 in and around the Hellenic leagues - Western, SSML, Wessex and CCL.
Trowbridge are also on a bit of a limb - surrounded by Western League clubs - but they can't transfer - which they are desperate to do - until they get a ground with lights. There is even talk that with no immediate prospect of an upgrade, they'll have a rest in the Wilts Leagues for a while. Pewsey Vale have done just that and may be rejoining the Hellenic next season.
At the other geographic extreme, you could argue that South Kilburn, Rayners Lane & Chalfont Wasps hardly belong in amongst the predominantly Oxon/Berks/Wilts League membership.
There was even some talk that Merthyr could apply to be part of the Hellenic next season - now that IS pushing the envelope!

[RFCMod]

Thame United 3-0 Eton Wick - win the title

slow climb back up the leagues begins for Thame then - I saw them play Forest Green in the FAC4Q only 5 years ago

Yep they seem to have got back on track
Will move to their new ground when its completed,its a multi purpose affair
Shame as Windmill Rd use to be a tidy little set up but as with all clubs at this level money troubles occur and then everything spirals from there

[Barry the bird boggler]

Going to be the league to watch next season the Hellenic Premier; Bracknell, Wokingham, Binfield, Reading and Ascot all going at each other plus Finchampstead, Holyport and Newbury in the East division. Perhaps Bracknell might even win a game!

[Terminal Boardom]

Nice to see two real ales on tap too.

A bumper crowd of 1,115 saw Chesham coast easily to victory.Also bumped into Keith Scott in the clubhouse before the game. Really nice man and expressed some interesting opinions on the tenure of a certain B. Rodgers.

pray tell

Bombardier and Greene King IPA

[Four Of Clubs]

All about Maidenhead V Wycombe in the Berks & Bucks final at Marlow on Monday afternoon.

... true is probably the biggest game at/involving NL (sorry Chairboys! - won't be long )

... Oh I s'pose there's the PO Semis @ P@x£ord & Luton?

... however anyone else wanting to give their Anoraks a good airing there are even potential 'Doubles' around:-

More or less full programme in the Combined Counties
[NB these are all 11:30 Kick Offs]:
COCOP
Bookham v Dorking @ Dorking FC
Colliers Wood United v Badshot Lea
Horley Town v Cove
Raynes Park Vale v Guildford City
COCO1
CB Hounslow United v Staines Lammas
Eversley v Chobham
Farnham Town v Knaphill
Frimley Green v Cobham
Mole Valley SCR v Coulsdon United @ Cobham FC
Warlingham v South Park @ Merstham FC
Westfield v Bedfont Sports

Then at 15:00h there's two other Cup Finals fairly nearby:

CCL Division One Challenge Cup @ Ashford Town (Middx)
Croydon Municipal v Worcester Park
... nice big ground nr Heathrow - often used for the CCL Finals - nice big food Van and a large bar - though might get a bit busy if the weather picks up?

Hellenic Challenge Cup Final @ Wantage Town
Ardley Utd v Slimbridge
-... very nice setting just south of the town - one of the better Hellenic Premier Grounds - could be a good game too.
- Ardley blow very hot and cold: last two league games W10-0 L1-4
- Slimbridge have just won the Div One West and are actually recent former champions of the Premier but suddenly and expectedly shunned the extra expense (Travel/Facilities etc) of playing at the higher level and banished themselves back to the County leagues for a spell.

... or further afield @ Christchurch FC (nr Bournemouth Airport)

Wessex League Cup Final
Poole Town v Bemerton Heath Harlequins

... I'm hoping to head furhter north this AM/PM for a double - starting @ 12:00h somewhere in the Spartan South Mids Div Two (Padbury or MK Wanderers) and on to the United Counties (Long Buckby) for a game @ 15:00.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Oxford and York have progressed to the BSP play-off final.

[heathrow royal]

Taken from the BBC sport website:

BBC 5 live report that there are some "unsavoury scenes" at Kenilworth Road after Luton lose their Blue Square Premier play-off semi-final 2-0 on aggregate to York. York will face Oxford in the final