The Non - League thread

[Tad Showbiz]

I too went to the Reading Town v Newport Pagnell Town game. Again first time visitor to Scours Lane. £6 to get in and a free programme plus £2.70 for a pint of tetleys in the bar is fine by me. Crowd roughly 100 who avoided the three noisy Reading Town fans behind the goal who record the game for their unofficial website.

The standard of football wasn't the greatest but despite the long grass both teams tried to play football on the ground although the referee was a little whistle happy and was keen to be the centre of attention.

I spent most of the second half chatting to two officials from Newport Pagnell and they had said although they have won 7 out of 8 in the league this season it has gone a little flat in recent weeks due to a couple of suspensions, an FA Cup exit away to Canvey Island (i think they told me they lost 4-1) and an away league defeat to Kings Lynn Town (over 800** paid to attend this game £8.00 each in the United Counties League and kids go free - the same Kings Lynn who were demoted from Blue Sq North last year).

Anyway back to the game, NPT took the lead through an own goal, RTFC scored two quick goals before half time one was from a long range effort parried by the keeper (more of him shortly) which was followed up well by an RTFC striker. The second half RTFC scored two goals pretty much against the run of play again due to poor defending and dodgy goalkeeping as NPT dominated possession with little threat in the last third, after three subs all in one go Barry Fry style NPT scored a second to make in a slightly more interesting finish although in reality RTFC had finished them off with their fourth goal.

Anyway a few last things RTFC played a 4-3-3 formation with a dangerous left sided winger by the name of Danny Seaward who looks like he his playing a few levels lower than he should be (the NPT officials were impressed by him too), a sub came on for RTFC (No.15 - name unknown) and looked useful.

One RTFC player the No.9 had forgotten his shorts so played in his tracksuit bottoms (he also got booked for telling one of teammates to oxford off after NPT's first goal!), Marcus Richardson played wearing gloves and was useless!

Back to the NPT keeper, he had a shocker and must have dipped his gloves in vegetable oil before the game. I was told by the two club officials he played for Corby Town in BSN last season and got the impression he won't be playing for NPT much longer.

I think I will go back to Scours Lane to take in a game or two later in the season.

** Newport Pagnell Town average crowds of 80 like many of the teams in the United Counties League Premier so Kings Lynn getting over 800 at home should mean even a 10% of this travelling to away games will make a nice difference to each club in the league this season.

[Four Of Clubs]

...that's a relief - I was feeling decidedly lonely on this thread

... interesting set of stats re Average Crowds for the United Counties League -had a closer look and of late the two stand out clubs have been St Ives and St Neots both have been averaging well over 200. I think one of these has a brand new stadium too - which must've helped.

Kings Lynn's 'arrival' in the midst gives the overall figures a bit of a skew this season - since they've been up at Conference level not too long ago - and had a big following even for that level I think.

I'd always got the impression that seeing as most of the league covered the middle of bleedin' nowhere SE of Brum, that their crowds would not be that high compared to other STEP05 league's down south but they do compare quite favourably.

Glad to see the two posters above enjoyed their jaunt to 'Stalag Scours' - any food available there yet?
Good mention for the 'Barmy Army' too - like you say very few tend to stand too near them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Intriguing Cup Tie this week locally - the possibly revitalized RTFC, go to Ascot Utd in the Floodlit Cup on Wed eve - if I hadn't been there two Wednesday's running I might have checked them out - I might still go - since there seems to be bugger all else on that night around here.

... as for tomorrow (Tue 5th) here's the 'local' NL fixtures mostly League & County Cup games:-

FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replays
Hungerford Town v Taunton Town 19:30 KO
Marlow v Slough Town
Northwood v Burnham

SOUTHP
Windsor & Eton v Weymouth
SOUTH1SW
Thatcham Town v Wimborne Town

CCL 'EL Records' Premier Cup R2
Camberley Town v CB Hounslow United
Farnham Town v Feltham
Frimley Green v Staines Lammas
Mole Valley SCR v Westfield
Sandhurst Town v Dorking
South Park v Ash Utd

HELLENIC 'AM Print & Copy' Floodlit Cup R2
Holyport v Lydney Town
Flackwell Heath v Carterton
Wantage Town v Pegasus Juniors
Wootton Bassett Town v Witney United

Hants Senior Cup R2
Basingstoke Town (XI) v Ringwood Town ..
Fleet Town v Aldershot Town
Tadley Calleva v Bournemouth

[Wax Jacket]

...that's a relief - I was feeling decidedly lonely on this thread

You shouldn't worry too much on that score, I read pretty much every word

I'd always got the impression that seeing as most of the league covered the middle of bleedin' nowhere SE of Brum, that their crowds would not be that high compared to other STEP05 league's down south but they do compare quite favourably.

there's also not a huge amount of league clubs once you move away from the M1 corridor in the whole of that South/East Midlands area, and it's a wide geographical spread.

[Terminal Boardom]

Windsor v Weymouth tonight it is then And tomorrow, I may just pop along to Ascot to see if Four of Clubs is real or not!

[Terminal Boardom]

What a performance from Windsor tonight. 4-1 did not flatter the home side in one bit. The game started at a fantastic pace and I doubt if I will see a better goal this season than Chennell's first. Something like 40 passes in the build up resulting with a powerful shot that flew past the keeper before he could move. Hopefully, Rother will post the link to Youtube which has about 1 min 20 secs of the build up and goal.

[Royal Rother]

Seeing as you asked....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keeucHlkmCY

Really really good football tonight. As you said at the time, it was liking watching Arsenal, only we scored at the end of the move!

Long way to go but W&E are getting better and better and totally surpassing all expectations so far.

[Four Of Clubs]

Windsor v Weymouth tonight it is then And tomorrow, I may just pop along to Ascot to see if Four of Clubs is real or not!

... I certainly are - only the Curtains are 'drawn' !

... may have a wife-sized 'fly in the ointment' for tomorrow's (Wed plans) - supposedly her and the eldest didn't have a very rewarding Bellringing practice tonight (bear with me it IS relevant ) and she's agreed to take him to St Giles for a different standard of ringing - trouble is that might be tomorrow so I may get an 11th hour 'curfew'

Will call/text if I do escape....

... I 'bottled' the M4 tonight - BBCRB reports claimed it was v.slow particularly between 10 and 6 eastbound which effectively wiped out my options for Holyport, Marlow, Flackwell, Windsor or poss. even Uxbridge.
I left home after 19:00 anyway so rather than risk the M4 being ph&(£ed westbound too, I stayed 'off-M-way' altogether and dropped down to Bottom Meadow for:

Sandhurst 7-0 Dorking - in the CCL Premier Cup.

Turned up on the dot of 19:45 - only half the lights on - some 'Fizzers' players warming up. Apparently Dorking had got stuck on the M25 - match KOd at about 20:00 and was a cakewalk for the home side - who worked some nice goals.
Dorking were woeful - put a lot of energy into swearing - mostly at each other!
Nice place to watch football - but a bit perilous in the dark - I never have worked out the 'secret' gate by the recycle bins which opens to let you park right near the ground, instead of up by Yorktown Rd - involving a soggy trudge across two or three pitches in the park.

Good win for Diddy tonight 3-2 @ Tiverton.
In the S&W division North Leigh won away and Thacham were beaten 0-1 by Wimborne - goal accredited to Strudley (og) - the keeper. (?)

Three 'local' sides won their FA Trophy replays -
Burnham 3-1 @ Northwood
Slough progress 3-0 at the expense of Marlow
Hungerford leave it late to get past taunton 1-0 @ Bulpit Lane.

... might post other 'local' scores later on Wed - mostly League/County Cup games - I know Basingstoke won 5-0 vs Ringwood.
I almost went to watch Fleet Town 3-0 Aldersh!t in the Hants Senior Cup but thought better of it!

[Four Of Clubs]

... just a brief update before I post this w/e preview

Some other notable midweek scores/news:

Hellenic Floodlit Cup 2nd Round
Tue: Holyport 4-1 Lydney - nice midweek trip there
Tue: Flackwell 3-5 Carterton - think that's now 3 or 4 consective wins in League and Cup for the away side who were bottom or 2nd bottom a week or so ago..
Tue: Wantage 2-0 Pegasus
Tue: Wootton Bassett 0-1 Witney
Wed: Ascot 5-3 RTFC - incl supposedly 2 x 40 yarders; one for each team and another Red Card for the Scours lot? TB might be able to provide more info - I was 'grounded' on Wed night.
Wed: Shrivenham 2-1 Kidlington
Hants Senior Cup 2nd Round
Tue : Tadley Calleva 1-14 [FOURTEEN] Bournemouth - that's the 'Poppies' [Wessex Prem] not the 'Cherries'
Wed: Fareham 4-5 Farnborough

... so a few 'surprises' there - though its not certain the 'stronger' teams had full sides out.

NEWS:
- ex-RTFC boss Colin Millard ‘relieved’ of duties at Thatcham Town - sure fire thing he'll be back managing an Hellenic side soon?
- Wodson Pk, beaten by Bracknell in the Vase last Saturday, won their next SSM1 league match 18-1 [EIGHTEEN ! ] vs Sporting London e Benfica – 1 player scored 7. Probably a league record on both counts - 5-1 @ H/T.
Some doubts that SLeB – who I think are all/mostly Portuguese/Brazilian players – will last the season.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
... and tomorrow's NL games involving our 'local' sides:-

FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round - most of the 'southern' part of the draw for info
Bury Town v Staines Town
Chelmsford City V Bromley
Brentwood Town V Woking
Harrow Borough V Hampton & Richmond Borough
St Albans City V Kingstonian
Metropolitan Police V Wealdstone
Lewes V Thurrock
Boreham Wood V Enfield Town
Carshalton Athletic V Braintree Town
Concord Rangers V Hythe Town
Dover Athletic V Cambridge City
Swindon Supermarine V Hungerford Town
Didcot Town V Basingstoke Town
Havant & Waterlooville V Dorchester Town
Farnborough V Hamble ASSC
Poole Town V Bashley
Clevedon Town V Eastleigh
Cinderford Town V Maidenhead Utd


ISTH1S
Godalming Town v Chatham Town

SOUTHP
Chesham United v Chippenham Town
Evesham United v Windsor & Eton @ Worcester City FC
SOUTH1C
Barton Rovers v Marlow
Beaconsfield SYCOB v Biggleswade Town
Burnham v Aylesbury
SOUTH1SW
Abingdon United v Bideford
Andover v Stourport Swifts

COCOP
Ash United v Banstead Athletic
Cove v Colliers Wood United
Guildford City v Hanworth Villa
Raynes Park Vale v Camberley Town
Sandhurst Town v Egham Town
COCO1
Cobham v Eversley
Farleigh Rovers v Farnborough North End
Frimley Green v Bedfont Sports
Hartley Wintney v Westfield
Worcester Park v Farnham Town

HELLP
Abingdon Town v Carterton
Ardley United v Wokingham & Emmbrook
Pegasus Juniors v Ascot United - might be braving the M'way network for this one myself - then I've 'ticked' all of the Hellenic Premier!
Slimbridge v Binfield
Challenge Cup
Bracknell Town v Woodley Town
Farnborough Reserves v Holyport @ ex-Bisley FC
Flackwell Heath v Thame United
Reading Town v Fairford Town
HELL1E
Chalfont Wasps v Henley Town
Chinnor v Didcot Town Reserves
Finchampstead v Hungerford Town Reserves
Newbury v South Kilburn

WESSP
Alton Town v Bemerton Heath Harlequins
WESS1
Fleet Spurs v Andover New Street
Tadley Calleva v Cowes Sports

[Terminal Boardom]

Wed: Ascot 5-3 RTFC - incl supposedly 2 x 40 yarders; one for each team and another Red Card for the Scours lot? TB might be able to provide more info - I was 'grounded' on Wed night.

Sadly, I am unable to provide an update on the hostilities at The Racecourse Ground because I didn't go. Sounds as if I missed a cracker of a game. Never mind, normal service will be resumed after this weekend.

[Royal Rother]

HMRC have put a winding up order on W&E for (apparently) 5 years unpaid taxes.

He's only a couple of miles up the road, step forward Sir Elton John...

[handbags_harris]

A few notable local results in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup today:

Didcot Town 0-4 Basingstoke Town
Cinderford Town 0-4 Maidenhead United
Swindon Supermarine 4-0 Hungerford Town
Farnborough 2-0 Hamble ASSC

[Victor Meldrew]

I see that Poole Town and Havant & Waterlooville got through yesterday.
Anybody know when the draw is for the next round which I think then matches some of these with Blue Square Premier sides?
Incidentally clubs got £7500 for getting through this stage-I reckon Reading might even try this season for the money.

[Four Of Clubs]

I see that Poole Town and Havant & Waterlooville got through yesterday.
Anybody know when the draw is for the next round which I think then matches some of these with Blue Square Premier sides?
Incidentally clubs got £7500 for getting through this stage-I reckon Reading might even try this season for the money.

Draw is usually Monday lunchtime - not sure quite when it'll appear on TheFA.com website - hopefully not long after.

... here's the other scores from yesterday:-

FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
Bury Town 2-2 Staines Town
Chelmsford City 2-2 Bromley
Brentwood Town 1-1 Woking
Harrow Borough 2-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough
St Albans City 0-0 Kingstonian
Metropolitan Police 1-1 Wealdstone
Lewes 2-1 Thurrock
Boreham Wood 3-1 Enfield Town
Carshalton Athletic 4-1 Braintree Town
Concord Rangers 0-1 Hythe Town - STEP05 side through (Kent League)
Dover Athletic 3-1 Cambridge City
Swindon Supermarine 4-0 Hungerford Town
Didcot Town 0-4 Basingstoke Town
Havant & Waterlooville 4-1 Dorchester Town
Farnborough 2-0 Hamble ASSC
Poole Town 1-0 Bashley
Clevedon Town 0-5 Eastleigh
Cinderford Town 0-4 Maidenhead Utd

ISTH1S
Fleet Town 2-1 Ramsgate
Godalming Town 2-0 Chatham Town

SOUTHP
Chesham United 2-0 Chippenham Town
Evesham United 0-0 Windsor & Eton
SOUTH1C
Barton Rovers 1-0 Marlow
Beaconsfield SYCOB 0-1 Biggleswade Town
Bedworth 1-1 Slough
Burnham 0-3 Aylesbury
SOUTH1SW
Abingdon United 0-2 Bideford
Andover 1-2 Stourport Swifts - are finally back playing at Portway Stadium Andover

COCOP
Ash United 2-0 Banstead Athletic
Chertsey Town 4-1 Croydon
Cove 2-2 Colliers Wood United
Guildford City 2-1 Hanworth Villa
Raynes Park Vale 4-3 Camberley Town
Sandhurst Town 1-1 Egham Town
COCO1
Cobham 3-1 Eversley
Farleigh Rovers 3-0 Farnborough North End
Frimley Green 0-3 Bedfont Sports
Hartley Wintney 2-1 Westfield
Worcester Park 1-1 Farnham Town

HELLP
Abingdon Town 4-1 Carterton
Ardley United 3-0 Wokingham & Emmbrook
Pegasus Juniors 0-7 Ascot United – I managed to get here - bloody long haul -Ascot three up after 8’ could have had double figures.
Shortwood 0-1 Kidlington
Shrivenham 0-2 Witney Utd
Slimbridge 2-1 Binfield
Challenge Cup
Bracknell Town 3-3 Woodley Town – aet Woodley win 4-2 pens
Farnborough Reserves 2-5 Holyport
Flackwell Heath 0-0 Thame United – aet Flackwell win 7-6 pens
Reading Town 8-0 Fairford Town
HELL1E
Chalfont Wasps 0-1 Henley Town
Chinnor 1-6 Didcot Town Reserves
Finchampstead 0-4 Hungerford Town Reserves
Newbury 3-2 South Kilburn

WESSP
Alton Town 1-1 Bemerton Heath Harlequins

WESS1
Fleet Spurs 1-2 Andover New Street
Tadley Calleva 2-6 Cowes Sports

[paultheroyal]

FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw:

Lincoln Moorlands Railway/Mossley v Darlington
Sheffield/Frickley Athletic v Radcliffe Olympic/Tipton Town
Guiseley v Redditch United
Fleetwood Town v Buxton/AFC Telford United
Altrincham v Gateshead
North Ferriby United/Vauxhall Motors v Newcastle Town
FC United of Manchester v Barrow
Workington v Nuneaton Town
Tamworth v Grimsby Town
Kidderminster Harriers v York City
FC Halifax Town v Mansfield Town
Wrexham v Southport
Stalybridge Celtic v Eastwood Town
Droylsden v Solihull Moors/Barwell
Brentwood Town/Woking v Eastleigh
Hythe Town v Bury Town/Staines Town
Eastbourne Borough v Harrow Borough
Cambridge United v Lewes
Corby Town v Salisbury City
Newport County v Crawley Town
Luton Town v St Albans City/Kingstonian
Farnborough v Dover Athletic
Kettering Town v Rushden & Diamonds
Carshalton Athletic v Chelmsford City/Bromley
Hendon v Metropolitan Police/Wealdstone
Leiston v Canvey Island/Dartford
Basingstoke Town v AFC Wimbledon
Swindon Supermarine v Bath City
Havant & Waterlooville v Histon
Forest Green Rovers v Maidenhead United
Poole Town v Hayes & Yeading United
Ebbsfleet United v Boreham Wood

Ties to be played on Saturday, 23 October


Basingstoke vs AFC Wimbledon stands out for me. Love Basingstoke to get through, but with AFC Wimbledon favourites, what price MK DONS vs AFC in round one!!

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

what price MK DONS vs AFC in round one!!

I think there's a hell of a lot of people that would love that as a FA Cup tie - it certainly been getting a mention of the past few years when the 4th qualifying round happens.

The other notable one for me is FC United being at home in the 4th round - I know Barrow are a couple of leagues above FCUM but "stranger things have happened in the cup" and it would be pretty impressive to have both "newly formed" clubs in the 1st Round proper.

[floyd__streete]

Cinderford Town 0-4 Maidenhead United.

An enjoyable day in the Forest of Dean. It may as well have been the Forest of Feelings, it was that cut off from civilisation. We arrived in Royston Vasey shortly before 1pm and immediately hit the local pub, in fact the only pub we could find in the vicinity. We encountered a friendly and flirty barmaid, the slightly older woman dressing and acting younger than her years. Needless to say, I would have . Not the brightest in the world either, the following conversation took place:

"Where are you from?"
"erm, well Maidenhead for the football"
"Oh right. Who are they playing" <bear in mind Cinderford is miles from anywhere >
"erm, Cinderford"
"Oh right, at the Causeway?"
<well, certainly not at Maidenhead, love> "erm, yep"
"Are you staying over?"
"erm, nope"

Still, friendly enough as I say and a couple of games of pool later and a bit of 80s jukebox domination we made ourselves at home. The landlord even did us a couple of very decent steak and stilton pasties for a quid apiece. Homely pub in its own curious way, with a huge case of drill bits left lying open on a nearby table and every clock stuck at 5:15 .

Onto the ground through a rough-looking council estate and you couldn't imagine the Causway hosting a Charlton or a Sheffield Wednesday in Round 1; it was a ramshackle old place with plenty of curious charm and a large grassy bank at one end affording a goosd view, might stick some pics up later. Maidenhead were a class above their opponents from two divisions below and ran in 4 goals - two of them absolute pearlers including one direct from a freekick - in front of an amusingly vocal travelling Maidenhead army which included a massive flag which would put even the SROT flag to shame.

Was this a more enjoyable day out than following Reading to some identikit all-seated stadium in the Championship? You betcha life it was. £6 to get in n'all.

[Big Foot]

Was this a more enjoyable day out than following Reading to some identikit all-seated stadium in the Championship? You betcha life it was. £6 to get in n'all.

I've tried my damnest to get into watching non league football, but no matter how many times I go and watch I struggle to find myself caring anywhere near as much as I do when sat in my plastic seat, in a plastic ground surrounded by plastics. And for that reason, I'm OUT.

[Terminal Boardom]

Was this a more enjoyable day out than following Reading to some identikit all-seated stadium in the Championship? You betcha life it was. £6 to get in n'all.

I've tried my damnest to get into watching non league football, but no matter how many times I go and watch I struggle to find myself caring anywhere near as much as I do when sat in my plastic seat, in a plastic ground surrounded by plastics. And for that reason, I'm OUT.

I find it very enjoyable to be able to watch a game without ending up like some mouth-foaming, vein-bulging, obscenity-ridden monster. And that is just watching the warm up at the Mad Stad

Imagine a football world without rumblestix, big foam hands, flag waving tards, Play Your Shirts Right, Golden Gamble, over priced everything.

[Ian Herring]

Guildford City v Hanworth Villa for me. 2-1 to the home side but some good quality football played. Guildford goalie looks overweight but played a blinder and gets the defence working. Guildford 2-0 up from a soft penalty and a better volley just before half-time. The Hanworth boys got better as the game went on and if they'd finished better would have got something from the game. Bit feisty at times, some swearing, but no Prem 'noncery'.

Vile cheeseburger (lovely) and later nice soup for 80p. Six quid in. Massive park to walk through afterwards and a crowd of about 60 at a guess.

'The Sweeney' as they are known are still undefeated in the league so far.

Most enjoyable afternoon, laying down on the terraces and consuming low-grade catering at its correct price range.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Cinderford Town 0-4 Maidenhead United.

An enjoyable day in the Forest of Dean. It may as well have been the Forest of Feelings, it was that cut off from civilisation. We arrived in Royston Vasey shortly before 1pm and immediately hit the local pub, in fact the only pub we could find in the vicinity. We encountered a friendly and flirty barmaid, the slightly older woman dressing and acting younger than her years. Needless to say, I would have . Not the brightest in the world either, the following conversation took place:

"Where are you from?"
"erm, well Maidenhead for the football"
"Oh right. Who are they playing" <bear in mind Cinderford is miles from anywhere >
"erm, Cinderford"
"Oh right, at the Causeway?"
<well, certainly not at Maidenhead, love> "erm, yep"
"Are you staying over?"
"erm, nope"

Still, friendly enough as I say and a couple of games of pool later and a bit of 80s jukebox domination we made ourselves at home. The landlord even did us a couple of very decent steak and stilton pasties for a quid apiece. Homely pub in its own curious way, with a huge case of drill bits left lying open on a nearby table and every clock stuck at 5:15 .

Onto the ground through a rough-looking council estate and you couldn't imagine the Causway hosting a Charlton or a Sheffield Wednesday in Round 1; it was a ramshackle old place with plenty of curious charm and a large grassy bank at one end affording a goosd view, might stick some pics up later. Maidenhead were a class above their opponents from two divisions below and ran in 4 goals - two of them absolute pearlers including one direct from a freekick - in front of an amusingly vocal travelling Maidenhead army which included a massive flag which would put even the SROT flag to shame.

Was this a more enjoyable day out than following Reading to some identikit all-seated stadium in the Championship? You betcha life it was. £6 to get in n'all.

Indeed Floyd, a cracking day. Also special mentions to the worst ever tannoy man, Propoganda advertising in the ground and John Sellars Black n White Army. Whoever the hell that is.