The Non - League thread

[Four Of Clubs]

I’m off to North Leigh tomorrow W & E are the visitors. Been before nice tidy ground.

..another 'fave' and as 'Doddered' in the past - has real 'Scooby Doo' ghostly vibes when the giant 'uplighters' are on at the Hall/Conference Venue down beyond the far end.

That game was on my original list - not been for quite a while (looked it up 3 years ago in 'Nor Lye's' brief stay up at STEP03)
- is a tricky journey midweek - toll bridge en route too if you want to avoid the P@xford Ring Road - and can be downright 'perilous' late season.
(setting sun along A40 etc -even more lethal if roads are wet/glaring etc).

...think I'll go for the Sunday League (Tilehurst Charity Cup) Final at the SCL - Tue 21st 19:00 KO
That seems early - this and the Saturday Final (Berks Trophy Centre) is usually staged in May?
P'raps someone in bookings was worried about EFL POs
.... the BTC Final this season features Tadley Reserves - I've nothing against Tadley but don't frequent Reserve games unless I can avoid it - tho' can make exceptions for a Cup Final
- they await winners from the other S-F - Westwood Wdrs or Wargrave - meet this Friday @ Rivermoor - so the Final could well be in May?

-Tonight's Final sees the mighty FC BAPCO, 'Galacticos' reigning Champions from the R&D Premier Division - and most likely to repeat their title win this term.
They were somewhat shocked in the Final last year by then Div One side Southcote Colts - and face another Div One side : South Reading.
SR are already Div One Champions grabbing their 3rd title in a row - and are reportedly unbeaten in 2 years?

- Wed night sees another round of TVPL games - plus one in the WESSEX One Whitchurch Utd v Frimley Gn - interest there is much dependent on tonight's (Tue) results in that Division, where four of the other PO contenders are in action.

[Royals and Racers]

I’m off to North Leigh tomorrow W & E are the visitors. Been before nice tidy ground.

North Leigh 0 W & E 4- Windsor never troubled and have finished 2nd in the table and will meet out of form Burnham in the play-off Semi’s.
I have to admit to being a wimp tonight- it was so bitterly cold i called it a night 15 mins early when it was 2-0 only
Windsor home to Burnham on Tuesday 28th April KO 7.45pm in PO semi.
Ardley v Broadfields semi also the same night.

[Four Of Clubs]

North Leigh 0 W & E 4- Windsor never troubled and have finished 2nd in the table ...
I have to admit to being a wimp tonight- it was so bitterly cold i called it a night 15 mins early when it was 2-0 only

...agree on temps - shivered a bit on Tue evening down at Whitley Rec but remembered to re-don the big jumper for Wed's Cup Final at the SCL - was still on the nippy side.
Another upset - South Reading roared back from 3-1 down at HT to stun the mighty FC BAPCO - game eventually ended 5-4 to the First Division side - could well be a decent addition to the Premier Division next term.

- new ground for me last night (Wed) in NORTH EAST Hampshire (just) - hidden away south of Thatcham - Headley Village Rec for
Newbury Sunday League : Kingsclere 3-1 Cold Ash/KIngs Head

...grabbed a personal milestone which, though insignificant in the wider scheme of 'things-NL', is nonetheless a minor 'fillip' for me -
- that was my 100 NL game of 25-26 - and somehow excluded PSFs - though admittedly was slightly boosted by some questionable Sunday AM jaunts - but only very few involving Reserve sides - and happily (so far) only one 0-0 - and even that was a Vase tie settled on pens.

- still got a few weeks worth of 'dregs' left to look forward to - too - though I might not lower myself (yet) to go for a Bracknell Sunday League Div 3 game at Locks Ride tonight!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...here's the Preview of this w/e as we get to the 'business end'
- disappointments so far: Tadley Calleva, Wantage Town and Andover New St - our 'featured sides' suffer S-F defeats in the POs
- most of the PO 'shuffling' above STEP05 was covered in the previous review - wasn't much action midweek at those levels ,,,

Sat 25th April

NAT all 12:30 KOs
Aldershot Town v Truro City
Altrincham v Gateshead
Boreham Wood v Sutton United
Boston United v Hartlepool United
Carlisle United v Brackley Town
Forest Green Rovers v Morecambe
Rochdale v York City
Scunthorpe United v Eastleigh
Southend United v Wealdstone
Tamworth v Braintree Town
Woking v FC Halifax Town
Yeovil Town v Solihull Moors
- ups/downs and arounds were in last w/e review

NAT-N all 12:30 KOs
Alfreton Town v Curzon Ashton
Bedford Town v Scarborough Athletic
Buxton v Leamington
Chester v King's Lynn Town
Chorley v Worksop Town
Darlington v Oxford City
Hereford v Peterborough Sports
Kidderminster Harriers v South Shields
Merthyr Town v AFC Fylde
- covered PO chances last w/e
- Hereford did win on Tue to clamber out of the bottom 4 - won 4 of the last 6 and finish vs relegated Peterboro Sports - who've lost 5 in 6.
- the two still clinging on below them meet : Alfreton v Curzon A. - both would probably go down in the event of a draw
- defeat for Kings Lynn at PO chasing Chester could prove fatal too - or for Bedford Town - should Curzon Ashton & Hereford win.

NAT-S all 12:30 KOs
AFC Totton v Farnborough
Bath City v Maidstone United
Chelmsford City v Eastbourne Borough
Dover Athletic v Chesham United
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Enfield Town
Hemel Hempstead Town v Salisbury
Hornchurch v Maidenhead United
Horsham v Chippenham Town
Slough Town v Dagenham & Redbridge
Tonbridge Angels v Torquay United
Weston-super-Mare v Dorking Wanderers
Worthing v Ebbsfleet United
- all to play for title-wise - rumours that the Trophy will be parked up at Clacket Lane Services pending despatch to Worthing or Hornchurch
- GD rules out long time leaders Dorking who imploded with 4 straight losses to drop to 3rd and could conceivably even miss out on a PO spot should results dictate.!
- the PO 'maelstrom' was covered mostly by last weeks review - just 4 pts spread from 3rd to 9th

SLP-C
Alvechurch v Leiston
Barwell v Bishop's Stortford
Bromsgrove Sporting v Real Bedford
Bury Town v Kettering Town
Halesowen Town v AFC Sudbury
Needham Market v Banbury United
Redditch United v Quorn
St Ives Town v Stratford Town
Stamford v Harborough Town
Stourbridge v Royston Town
Worcester City v Spalding United
SLP-S
Berkhamsted v Weymouth
Chertsey Town v Hungerford Town
Dorchester Town v Sholing
Gloucester City v Walton & Hersham
Gosport Borough v Plymouth Parkway
Hanwell Town v Basingstoke Town
Havant & Waterlooville v Yate Town
Taunton Town v Evesham United
Tiverton Town v Farnham Town
Uxbridge v Poole Town
Wimborne Town v Bracknell Town
SL1-C
AFC Dunstable v Rayners Lane
Aylesbury United v Hertford Town
Beaconsfield Town v Ware
Biggleswade Town v Marlow
Enfield v Welwyn Garden City
Flackwell Heath v Biggleswade
Hitchin Town v Thame United
SL1-S
Bideford v Bishops Cleeve
Didcot Town v Westbury United
Falmouth Town v Melksham Town
Frome Town v Portishead Town
Malvern Town v Swindon Supermarine
Willand Rovers v Tavistock
Winchester City v Bristol Manor Farm
- barring any reprieves - still a relegation issue to settle between Melksham and Willand - Falmouth are safe following two wins
- Willand with a 3 GD deficit to make up, host Tavistock, well-adrift at the bottom and went down some weeks back
- Melksham just 2 pts above Rovers, are at Falmouth possibly knowing they may need more than a point there to be certain

IL1-SC
Ascot United v Metropolitan Police
Bognor Regis Town v Binfield
Fareham Town v South Park (Reigate)
Hanworth Villa v Raynes Park Vale
Harrow Borough v Southall
Hayes & Yeading United v Hartley Wintney
Hendon v Egham Town
Horndean v Littlehampton Town
- re-match of abandoned game Littlehampton v H&Y was played on Tue with a 1-0 win for the visitors
- that settles the final relegation issue without any further ado - Littlehampton relegated with Met Pol, Horndean & Fareham barring any inter-divisional reprieve - what with the (probable) departure of Harrow.
- Points Per Game (PPG) may come into play if FA rules associated with teams folding at STEP04 are applied - need to check that
- VCD Athletic are also 'going' from this level in the SE Division - probably some others about too?
- Binfield Hendon and Ascot survive

Kingstonian v AFC Portchester
Leatherhead v Bedfont Sports
Moneyfields v Westfield

CCL-PN
Fri 19:45 Hilltop 0-2 Windsor & Eton (@ Hendon FC)
- (as R&R posted above) W&E runners-up: - they finished just a point behind Champions: Ashford T.

British Airways v Virginia Water
Wokingham Town v North Leigh 'Sumas' beaten on Thu at Lowther Rd 1-5 by Yateley Utd in the ASC (Aldersh!t DFA) S-F
- Senior Final at the Rec on Tue 5th v Westfield

PO S-Fs (ditto as posted above) scheduled for the 28th April now final positions are confirmed:
Ardley Utd v Broadfields Utd
Windsor & Eton v Burnham

CCL-PS
PO Final
Fleet Town v Horley Town

CCL-1
PO S-Fs
Bedfont v Wembley
Brook House v Woodley United

- news update of some concern re Staines & Lammas (Mx) of Div One
- have put out a statement relating to difficulties continuing without a permanent home - they have been groundsharing at Spelthorne to enable them to compete at STEP06. Their immediate aim is to raise £20k just to to secure involvement for the coming season,

- I thought they were a sort of amalgam that grew out of an arrangement between the old Staines Town and Staines Lammas
- though FCHD shows it as a straight 'name change' for Lammas - I think there was a bit more to it than that?
- oddly enough there is a third (4th?) side still competing in the SPCL (Surrey Premier) : 'Laleham' who normally use the old Lucan Pavilion Ground in Laleham itself - where the original Staines Lammas played.
Their foundations suggest they grew from the Staines Lammas Youth set-up.
- Staines Town's Wheatsheaf Park has been taken over by Brentford's subsidiary sides - (under-age and Women) but prior to that was being borrowed late season (until recently - a year or more ago) by Wraysbury (and perhaps some others) from the TVPL.
I presume that deal was with the rapidly dissolving regime that still managed Staines Tow's assets?
There were some very odd Land Registry 'snags' that prevented full re-development of the ground (one end of it was owned by someone else! )
- and rumours abounded that reached the National Press that the former owners were involved in 'something very dodgy' ....... allegedly ....words like 'modern slavery' & 'trafficking' were being bandied about back in 2022, when Town ceased operations - all very unseemly....


CCL - Premier Cup Q-F
Abbey Rangers v Epsom & Ewell - winners play Windsor & Eton in the S-F
- the other S-F is between Wokingham & Wallingford at Lowther Rd on Tue 28th

HELL-P
Tue 21st PO S-F Droitwich Spa 1-0 Cirencester Town - att 512
Wed 22nd PO S-F Roman Glass St George 1-2 Worcester Raiders – att 177

- PO Final supposedly on Sat 2nd May @ Droitwich (higher placed Finalist)
HELL-1
Tue 21st PO S-F results
Bewdley Town 1-3 Stonehouse Town - att 281
Wantage Town 2-4 Malmesbury Victoria - att 378

PO Final scheduled for Fri 1st May
Stonehouse Town v Malmesbury Vics

SEC-1
FC Elmstead v Chessington & Hook United
Sheppey Sports v SE Dons
Staplehurst Monarchs v AFC Greenwich Borough
- Wed evening Chess 'n Hook hosted then 2nd placed AFC Greenwich Borough : were beaten 1-6
- C&H had picked up a string of points to finally get off bottom where they'd been all season
- DD’s fears about SE Dons prospects’ have born fruit as AFC take over top spot – having racked up over 100 goals now
- favourable GD means a point will give them the title and consign Dons to the PO’s

SSML
Premier Division POs on Wed 29th
Risborough Rangers v Cockfosters
Winslow United v Kings Langley

Div 1 POs scheduled for 28th
Desborough v Belstone
Eaton Socon v Ampthill

WESS-P
PO S-F
Tue 21st Hamble Club 2-2 Laverstock & Ford -att 203 - 6-7 on pens
Wed 22nd Portland Utd 2-0 Andover New St – att 580

PO Final (25th April) Portland Utd v Lav & Ford

WESS-1
Alresford Town v Ash United
Amesbury Town v Cove - Cove beaten 1-3 at Champions Fleetlands midweek (Tue) , drops them back to 6th
- three of the other (4) PO contenders won big (scoring 8, 6 & 5)
- Cove must win & hope Yateley don't get a point or more vs Clanfield
- a four goal swing involving the 'Jam Boys' might be another outside chance

Blackfield & Langley v Lymington Town
Fleetlands v Whitchurch United
Folland Sports v Hamworthy United
Frimley Green P-P United Services Portsmouth - 'homeless' and now squad-less - USP unable to raise a side for this and their final game away at Kintbury Tue 29th April

Kintbury Rangers v Fawley AFC
Newport (IoW) v AFC Aldermaston
Ringwood Town v Totton & Eling
Romsey Town v Colden Common
Yateley United v Clanfield

TVPL
Fri 24th Berks Trophy Centre Senior Cup S-F
Westwood Wdrs 3-1 Wargave @ Rivermoor
- WW will face Tadley Res at the SCL date tba

Premier Division
14:00 Maidenhead Town v Newbury Town

[windermereROYAL]

Wowser, The big winner takes all game, Rochdale take the lead 90+5 mins only for York to level it 90+13mins , must have been some scenes there.

[Four Of Clubs]

..... and in NAT-N Curzon Ashton fight back from 3 down to level @ Alfreton in the 99' ...and both sides are relegated!

In NAT-S Maidenhead Utd in the POs on GD after a 0-0 at runners-up Hornchurch
- Worthing bt Ebbsfleet 2-0 to secure the title.
Dorking finished 4th as Torquay W @ Tonbridge

....more ltr .....

NAT-S Elimination Ties :
Dorking v 'Magpies'
Hemel v W-s-M

[Sutekh]

Worthing won the NAT-S

In the play offs:

Hornchurch
Torquay United
Dorking Wanderers
Hemel Hempstead Town
Weston-super-Mare
Maidenhead United

Slough finished 16th.

Fylde won NAT-N

In the playoffs are

Kidderminster Harriers
Macclesfield
Chester
South Shields
Scarborough Athletic
Buxton

[Double C]

..... and in NAT-N Curzon Ashton fight back from 3 down to level @ Alfreton in the 99' ...and both sides are relegated!

In NAT-S Maidenhead Utd in the POs on GD after a 0-0 at runners-up Hornchurch
- Worthing bt Ebbsfleet 2-0 to secure the title.
Dorking finished 4th as Torquay W @ Tonbridge

....more ltr .....

NAT-S Elimination Ties :
Dorking v 'Magpies'
Hemel v W-s-M

Wait i missed this
I purposefully skip past these nat-s because I watch BoA on YouTube (documentary about Dorking following their games.... honestly if you havent seen it, it is fantastic watching. Their manager is rather 'interesting' and has a very liberal use of the F word)

And thry were top for ages and miles ahead a few games ago.
Wtf happened

[Sutekh]

..... and in NAT-N Curzon Ashton fight back from 3 down to level @ Alfreton in the 99' ...and both sides are relegated!

In NAT-S Maidenhead Utd in the POs on GD after a 0-0 at runners-up Hornchurch
- Worthing bt Ebbsfleet 2-0 to secure the title.
Dorking finished 4th as Torquay W @ Tonbridge

....more ltr .....

NAT-S Elimination Ties :
Dorking v 'Magpies'
Hemel v W-s-M

Wait i missed this
I purposefully skip past these nat-s because I watch BoA on YouTube (documentary about Dorking following their games.... honestly if you havent seen it, it is fantastic watching. Their manager is rather 'interesting' and has a very liberal use of the F word)

And thry were top for ages and miles ahead a few games ago.
Wtf happened

Alfreton possibly the place to have been this PM

[Four Of Clubs]

..... two other local PO 'disappointments' this PM

CCL-PS Final
Fleet Town lost at home to Horley with some late drama.
Trailing 0-3 they got two back in the last 10' but then shipped a 4th in stoppage time - Att was just under 1,200.
Horley promoted with Cobham.

CCL-1 PO S-Fs
Woodley went out on pens at Brook House after a 0-0 draw - att 260
Winners now play Bedfont FC - who bt Wembley 1-0 - att 164

.....and SE Dons finished their SECL-1 league matches, with a thumping 7-0 win @ Sheppey Sports, giving them 99 league goals .....but all to no avail as AFC Greenwich won the title, having eased to a 2-0 win @ Staplehurst.
I think Dons will host Croydon in the PO semis.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Alfreton is never the place to be lol.
(Last time there in a bar, I overheard a woman talking to her latest beau/victim about how she’d stabbed her ex-husband
The ‘hicksville’ of Derbyshire)

[Double C]

..... two other local PO 'disappointments' this PM

CCL-PS Final
Fleet Town lost at home to Horley with some late drama.
Trailing 0-3 they got two back in the last 10' but then shipped a 4th in stoppage time - Att was just under 1,200.
Horley promoted with Cobham.

CCL-1 PO S-Fs
Woodley went out on pens at Brook House after a 0-0 draw - att 260
Winners now play Bedfont FC - who bt Wembley 1-0 - att 164

.....and SE Dons finished their SECL-1 league matches, with a thumping 7-0 win @ Sheppey Sports, giving them 99 league goals .....but all to no avail as AFC Greenwich won the title, having eased to a 2-0 win @ Staplehurst.
I think Dons will host Croydon in the PO semis.

I got a bad feeling about the Dons again

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Wowser, The big winner takes all game, Rochdale take the lead 90+5 mins only for York to level it 90+13mins , must have been some scenes there.

Just seen the stoppage time action

[Sutekh]

Wowser, The big winner takes all game, Rochdale take the lead 90+5 mins only for York to level it 90+13mins , must have been some scenes there.

Just seen the stoppage time action

If Rochdale don’t win the playoffs there needs to be serious rethink about promotion/relegation to/from the FL. Perhaps these organisations should be asking fans for their thoughts too.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Well, there’s one way of forcing the issue for the good of their long-term prospects…..but it’ll never happen’
The play-off teams cede the contest to Rockie

[Double C]

Well, there’s one way of forcing the issue for the good of their long-term prospects…..but it’ll never happen’
The play-off teams cede the contest to Rockie

[windermereROYAL]

Wowser, The big winner takes all game, Rochdale take the lead 90+5 mins only for York to level it 90+13mins , must have been some scenes there.

Just seen the stoppage time action

Bottom line is if Rochdale fans had stayed in the stands until the end they would have won, even saw a few getting in the faces of York players, one of the fans got laid out by one of them.
Expect they feel quite stupid now.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Well, there’s one way of forcing the issue for the good of their long-term prospects…..but it’ll never happen’
The play-off teams cede the contest to Rockie

and?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Wowser, The big winner takes all game, Rochdale take the lead 90+5 mins only for York to level it 90+13mins , must have been some scenes there.

Just seen the stoppage time action

Bottom line is if Rochdale fans had stayed in the stands until the end they would have won, even saw a few getting in the faces of York players, one of the fans got laid out by one of them.
Expect they feel quite stupid now.

yep and, even without the attendance of big attendee travelling fans, Rochdale never get 7k+
Expect there were a good few Mancs of other denominations there, just out for the ‘bovva bantz’

[Double C]

Well, there’s one way of forcing the issue for the good of their long-term prospects…..but it’ll never happen’
The play-off teams cede the contest to Rockie

and?

That's a oxf*rd stupid idea

[Double C]

Well, there’s one way of forcing the issue for the good of their long-term prospects…..but it’ll never happen’
The play-off teams cede the contest to Rockie

and?

That's a oxf*rd stupid idea