The Non - League thread

[Wax Jacket]

apparently HW train station practially flooded yesterday so fair play to them for getting the game on

[Royal Rother]

Just noticed their programme lists a Martin Williams on the bench - surely not 'Skittles' is it?

I would imagine so - he was at W&E pre-season but was "released" because it was felt he was unlikely to get back to sufficient levels of fitness to command a place in the new team. Shame.

[Four Of Clubs]

This w/e local 'NL' stuff plus the 'Southern Vase' ties:-

FA Vase – 2nd Round
Egham Town v Newport (IOW)
Chertsey Town v Moneyfields
Wantage Town v Binfield
VCD Athletic v Hythe Town
Reading Town v Warlingham
Flackwell Heath v Three Bridges
Herne Bay v Camberley Town
Tunbridge Wells v Holyport
Rye United v Chalfont St Peter
Beckenham Town v Peacehaven & Telscombe
Colliers Wood United PP Witney United - now Wed 17th Nov KO 19:30
Guildford City v Brading Town
Clanfield 85 v Bemerton Heath Harlequins

CONFS
Basingstoke v Bishop's Stortford
Braintree Town v Bromley
Eastleigh v Staines Town
Farnborough v Hampton & Richmond
Maidenhead Utd v Ebbsfleet United
Woking v Chelmsford

ISTH1S
Fleet Town v Whitehawk

SOUTHP
Didcot Town v Truro City
Windsor & Eton v Banbury United
SOUTH1C
Beaconsfield SYCOB v Bedworth United
Burnham v Atherstone Town
North Greenford United v Slough Town
Rugby Town v Marlow
SOUTH1SW
Abingdon United v Gosport Borough
AFC Totton v Thatcham Town
Hungerford Town v Bideford

COCOP
Ash United v Chessington & Hook United
Cove v Dorking
Horley Town v Sandhurst Town
COCO1
14:00 Eversley v Bedfont Sports
Farnborough North End v Chobham
Hartley Wintney v Worcester Park
14:00 Sheerwater v Farnham Town

HELLP
Ascot United v Kidlington
Fairford Town v Thame United
Shrivenham v Wokingham & Emmbrook
HELL1E
Milton United v Finchampstead
14:15 Woodley Town v Henley Town

WESS1
Stockbridge v Fleet Spurs
Warminster Town v Tadley Calleva

Sun 14 Nov 10
FA Vase – 2nd Round
13:00 Epsom & Ewell v Bracknell Town

...there's some scope for the obsessive here - easily double-up one of the earlier KO games at Eversley or Woodley with the later fare on offer at the MadStad - if you've the stamina for two games?
I'm even considering going 'hardcore Anorak' and taking in an early KO down at STEP7 or lower - in the E.Berks or N.Berks leagues plenty on offer - hopefully a game with a clubhouse - not quite so common at that level!
Then the leisurely dash back in good time for 17:20.

Also giving some serious thought to 'The Robins' Vase tie on Sunday lunchtime - weather permitting - Epsom & E. play over at Merstham F.C. now - just N. of Reigate.

[Alan Partridge]

I'd avoid our game at Saxton tomorrow! Hiding to nothing.

[Four Of Clubs]

I'd avoid our game at Saxton tomorrow! Hiding to nothing.

Yeah - saw that one; is on our list but I've already been to Saxton this pre-season - nice setting alongside the river nr Abingdon Town Centre - though the ground itself is a bit 'Reccy' but it DOES have a 'secret' clubhouse with a bar - so would recommend it.

... thought they'd started poorly but I've just looked again and I see they have actually only lost once - although that was 0-4 at home - doubt if they've been beaten there like that for many a year in the league ...... and I see your lot are currently 'pointless' so you may be in for a torrid afternoon?

Timings suggest we could be looking at somewhere in the E.Berks but I suspect their facilities are more basic than the North?
Will let my eldest choose later this AM.

PS Do you know why Benson Lions v Faringdon cup/shield game is marked RED on the NBFL fixture list for this PM??

[Alan Partridge]

I'd avoid our game at Saxton tomorrow! Hiding to nothing.

Yeah - saw that one; is on our list but I've already been to Saxton this pre-season - nice setting alongside the river nr Abingdon Town Centre - though the ground itself is a bit 'Reccy' but it DOES have a 'secret' clubhouse with a bar - so would recommend it.

... thought they'd started poorly but I've just looked again and I see they have actually only lost once - although that was 0-4 at home - doubt if they've been beaten there like that for many a year in the league ...... and I see your lot are currently 'pointless' so you may be in for a torrid afternoon?

Timings suggest we could be looking at somewhere in the E.Berks but I suspect their facilities are more basic than the North?
Will let my eldest choose later this AM.

PS Do you know why Benson Lions v Faringdon cup/shield game is marked RED on the NBFL fixture list for this PM??

It'll be a hastily arranged game that's all that wasn't on the original fixture list. You'll see more of them over the next few weeks after cup weeks.

[Terminal Boardom]

Also giving some serious thought to 'The Robins' Vase tie on Sunday lunchtime - weather permitting - Epsom & E. play over at Merstham F.C. now - just N. of Reigate.[/i][/color]

I like the look of this one. Might just have to do it myself.

[Tad Showbiz]

I went to the Reading Town v Warlingham game yesterday - well the first 80 minutes or so to leave time to cross town and get the Madejski in time for kick off.

I left the game at 1-0 to Reading Town not long after they had a player (central midfielder) sent off for a second booking and just as Warlingham were putting some pressure on with their numerical advantage.

Just had to look up the result on the RTFC website as mysteriously the FA have failed to put it on full list of FA Vase results. So in advance of Four of Clubs putting the full list of results up (and in true BBC style if you don't want to know the result look away now!) it finished 1-0 to Reading Town.

On to the game Warlingham were a fairly physical side certainly more physical than RTFC who played the better football on quite a difficult and sticky pitch (the grass again is too long - RTFC need to invest in a mower and a roller) . Both sides created several chances but both keepers especially the Warlingham keeper made some fine saves. Reading wasted the best chance of the first half but Marcus Richardson when one on one decided to try to round the keeper in the box rather than lift a shot over the top of the keeper who had already anticipated what Richardson was going to do and was on the floor to gather the ball.

Second half was a bit more of a battle but it took the substitution of Richardson for a quick winger open it up a bit more - a neat ball wide to the left the sub nudged the ball past the right back beat him for pace and put a decent ball into the near post where one of the front two neatly controlled the ball laid it back to Ferrugia who curled his shot passed the keeper from just inside the penalty area. Shortly after Warlingham up the tempo and when on an attack the the RTFC no.4 tackled from behind to earn a second yellow which gave Warlingham the chance to push on although RTFC continued to play two upfront so there was always a chance to hit them on the break.

Anyway a decent crowd there yesterday probably about 150 although this was helped by two coachloads of supporters from Warlingham some of which were the gobbiest fans I have ever encountered at football - its fair to assume some of them were Crystal Palace fans as Warlingham is not too far from there.

[Four Of Clubs]

Glad you enjoyed what you saw @ 'Stalag' Scours... here's the rest of the NL scores from yesterday (and today - Sunday) - wasn't too good a return in the Vase for most of our 'local' clubs - I think we've probably only got about four through (that includes RTFC) from amongst those I usually feature:

FA Vase – 2nd Round
Egham Town 1-2 Newport (IOW)
Chertsey Town 1-2 Moneyfields
Wantage Town 3-1 Binfield
VCD Athletic 1-5 Hythe Town
Reading Town 1-0 Warlingham – official att given as 125 pretty good
Flackwell Heath 1-2 Three Bridges
Herne Bay 3-0 Camberley Town
Tunbridge Wells 8-0 Holyport
Rye United 4-4 Chalfont St Peter aet replay Tue 16th
Beckenham Town 2-1 Peacehaven & Telscombe
Guildford City 5-2 Brading Town
Clanfield 85 0-3 Bemerton Heath Harlequins

CONFS
Basingstoke 0-1 Bishop's Stortford
Braintree Town 0-2 Bromley
Dartford 0-4 Dorchester
Eastleigh 1-4 Staines Town
Farnborough 2-0 Hampton & Richmond
Maidenhead Utd 1-1 Ebbsfleet United
Woking 2-2 Chelmsford

ISTH1S
Fleet Town 3-3 Whitehawk

SOUTHP
Didcot Town 0-3 Truro City
Windsor & Eton 1-1 Banbury United
SOUTH1C
Beaconsfield SYCOB 3-1 Bedworth United
Burnham 6-1 Atherstone Town
North Greenford United 1-3 Slough Town
Rugby Town 2-0 Marlow
SOUTH1SW
Abingdon United 1-3 Gosport Borough
AFC Totton 3-0 Thatcham Town
Hungerford Town 3-0 Bideford

COCOP
Ash United 1-2 Chessington & Hook United
Cove 3-1 Dorking
Horley Town 2-2 Sandhurst Town
COCO1
Eversley 1-2 Bedfont Sports
Farnborough North End 1-1 Chobham
Hartley Wintney 2-1 Worcester Park
Sheerwater 1-1 Farnham Town

HELLP
Ascot United 0-2 Kidlington
Fairford Town 2-5 Thame United
Pegasus Jrs 0-4 Ardley Utd
Shrivenham 1-2 Wokingham & Emmbrook
HELL1E
Milton United 5-2 Finchampstead
Woodley Town 2-2 Henley Town att 76

WESS1
Stockbridge 1-2 Fleet Spurs
Warminster Town 4-1 Tadley Calleva

- Managed to get in a sneaky double of my own - but my Lad kept me guessing about his preference until we were actually in the car heading (crawling) toward jn11. He finally made up his mind and opted for Lambourn 3-1 Drayton in the N.Berks Div One - not bad - nice comfy clubhouse - think he'd hoped for more goals (top vs bottom) but sounded like he chose the right direction for us - those games also available to us in the East Berks would have meant going nr jn 8/9 - which sounded as if it was completely ph&(£ed - again!

... and I also got to this one Sunday lunchtime....

Sun 14 Nov 10
FA Vase – 2nd Round
Epsom & Ewell 4-0 Bracknell Town
- Robins well and truly thumped on a surface they should have felt at home on - real gluepot - just like Larges Lane. Not sure if Big Callum Whitty was playing - certainly didn't notice him but most of the team went missing after a fairly promising 25 mins. leaked 3 goals shortly before half-time then another one not long after - to their credit they tried to have a go back but the home keeper was in good form and quite frankly Bracknell might easily have let in a few more.

[Tad Showbiz]

Was not too bad for a fiver. If the official paying attendance was 125 I can only assume there were a lot of players partners taking advantage of the x1 comp entry. Every seat in their little stand was in use. I guess a crowd of 125 plus takings in the bar is quite healthy for RTFC plus the two rounds of prize money.

Just seen the 3rd round draw. Reading Town have been drawn away to Cadbury Heath

Anyway looking at their results so far in the FA Vase and their next round tie I reckon Newport IoW might be fancying their chances of a decent run.

Other highlight ties though not all are Southern

Whitley Bay (last years winners) v AFC Liverpool (who sound like a headline grabbing breakaway team similar to FC United)

Tring Athletic v Dunstable Town (Tring knocked out AFC Dunstable in the last round)
Epsom & Ewell v St Neots (St Neots have scored 80 goals in all comps this season)
Beckenham Town v Kings Lynn Town (sizeable club for this level dropped from BSN last year)
Three Bridges v Rye United or Chalfont St.Peter
Cadbury Heath v Reading Town
Guildford City v Moneyfields
Willand Rovers v Bournemouth
Bitton AFC v Newport IoW
Poole Town v Wantage Town

Ties to be played 4th December

[Four Of Clubs]

Just seen the 3rd round draw. Reading Town have been drawn away to Cadbury Heath

Anyway looking at their results so far in the FA Vase and their next round tie I reckon Newport IoW might be fancying their chances of a decent run.

Ties to be played 4th December

Thanks - completely forgot about the Vase draw today.

- I've been to Cadbury Heath - in the middle of a maze of housing estates on the eastern side of Brizzle - fairly basic set up. Bit of a 'lucky' draw for RTFC - since Cadbury Heath are also STEP06.
No 'new' grounds there for me amongst the 'highlights' above ; though I could make an attempt at Three Bridges but only if Chalfont St. P. get through. I don't usually 'target' Sussex or Kent league clubs but s'pose I'll have to start sometime - have only done a couple in the Cup/Vase.

Our other 'local' sides have tough games - Wantage @ Poole and Guildford v Moneyfields - both are good standard Wessex league sides. Oddly enough the consensus amongst the Wessex fans who post on the NL Forum is that their clubs very rarely beat Western League sides, so maybe 'The Islanders' won't have an easy passage through down @ Bitton.
Co-incidentally Bitton's ground isn't that far from Cadbury Heath so you'd have a choice - though watch for cameras west of Chippenham on the A420 down towards Brizzle.

I'd forgotten all about S.Mids clubs - can recommend Tring Athletic, v.nice ground though they are up against someone from their own league - so it doesn't exactly have that 'Cup Magic' feel. There are more possibles @ Stotfold, Leverstock Green (nr Hemel) and Royston - though you'd need plenty of good fortune on the M25 clockwise?

Having looked closer at the full draw there are also two more 'local' possibilities for new grounds - one Western League side Hengrove Athletic (Southern edge of Bristol nr Knowle top of the A37) should they get past St Blazey on Tue eve - host another Wessex club Bemerton (nr Salisbury)

... and another Wessex club (STEP06) Verwood Town (just W of the New Forest & N of Christchurch) play Torpoint Athletic who had a big away win in the last round.

[handbags_harris]

Not local, but hey, the thread title doesn't specify that anyway...

Remember Nathan Abbey, you know, the black 'keeper who was a bit sh*t for Luton Town and then proceeded to play blinders from then on for Chesterfield? Well he's been released by Kettering Town for "gross misconduct". Couple of questions:

1) Anyone know what went on?
2) Bit of a temperamental, strange club Kettering. Loads of internal goings on with them it seems over the last couple of years. Guy Branston, the old manager who went to Posh, now Nathan Abbey

[Four Of Clubs]

... s'alright Non-League stuff can cover anywhere not just what we've rather arbitrarily decided as 'local' -
- for me 'local' covers any club, preferably one who I haven't already visited, within about 2 hours drive and any other club in their particular League if further (i.e. currently from Conference South down to Western Div One) - OR even further still if involved in an 'interesting' NL Cup tie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...anyway a few updates on the Vase Ties for the 4th Dec for those of us not trekking up to the game vs 'The Blunts' that day.

My comments re other possible 'local' sides involved in Round Three above, certainly brought out the 'jinx' - Chalfont, Royston and Hengrove all went out in replays last night.

Witney Utd (who I forgot cos their game at Colliers Wood Utd was p'poned on Sat. ) replay away tonight to earn a tie at Herne Bay from the Kent League - might be on my long-range radar for that day - wouldn't mind watching CWU go there anyway, since I do follow clubs in the CCL.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last night popped over to The Loop - to see 'The Railwaymen' just avoid their 7th straight home defeat - with a very late equalizer against bottom club Weymuff - would have been 8 League defeats from 9 at home.

Diddy should really have buried them, so dominant were they for over an hour - but The Terras (?) put away their two chances and nearly held out.

[Alan Partridge]

... s'alright Non-League stuff can cover anywhere not just what we've rather arbitrarily decided as 'local' -
- for me 'local' covers any club, preferably one who I haven't already visited, within about 2 hours drive and any other club in their particular League if further (i.e. currently from Conference South down to Western Div One) - OR even further still if involved in an 'interesting' NL Cup tie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...anyway a few updates on the Vase Ties for the 4th Dec for those of us not trekking up to the game vs 'The Blunts' that day.

My comments re other possible 'local' sides involved in Round Three above, certainly brought out the 'jinx' - Chalfont, Royston and Hengrove all went out in replays last night.

Witney Utd (who I forgot cos their game at Colliers Wood Utd was p'poned on Sat. ) replay away tonight to earn a tie at Herne Bay from the Kent League - might be on my long-range radar for that day - wouldn't mind watching CWU go there anyway, since I do follow clubs in the CCL.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last night popped over to The Loop - to see 'The Railwaymen' just avoid their 7th straight home defeat - with a very late equalizer against bottom club Weymuff - would have been 8 League defeats from 9 at home.

Diddy should really have buried them, so dominant were they for over an hour - but The Terras (?) put away their two chances and nearly held out.

I was at that game too FoC. What a pearler for Weymouth's 2nd eh!

[handbags_harris]

FoCcers mate, you really should inform folk what your game of choice is of an evening or weekend. I have no doubts whatsoever that AP would have sought you out last night. He might even have introduced to his Nan and Gramps, and if you were mega lucky you'd have been given a sweet

[handbags_harris]

Incidentally, off up to Thetford to see the elder sibling and sibling-in-law on December 27th, full Ridgeons League programme that day. Full programme, that is, except Thetford Town FC. I actually feel a tad gutted at that

[Alan Partridge]

FoCcers mate, you really should inform folk what your game of choice is of an evening or weekend. I have no doubts whatsoever that AP would have sought you out last night. He might even have introduced to his Nan and Gramps, and if you were mega lucky you'd have been given a sweet

cadbury's Chocolate eclairs everywhere. Delightful scenes.

[floyd__streete]

FoCcers mate, you really should inform folk what your game of choice is of an evening or weekend. I have no doubts whatsoever that AP would have sought you out last night. He might even have introduced to his Nan and Gramps, and if you were mega lucky you'd have been given a sweet

I first met my very good m8 AP at a DTFC game as it happens. I have been talking in catchphrases ever since. Absolutely stacked it.

[Alan Partridge]

FoCcers mate, you really should inform folk what your game of choice is of an evening or weekend. I have no doubts whatsoever that AP would have sought you out last night. He might even have introduced to his Nan and Gramps, and if you were mega lucky you'd have been given a sweet

I first met my very good m8 AP at a DTFC game as it happens. I have been talking in catchphrases ever since. Absolutely stacked it.

Easily good enough.

[Four Of Clubs]

FoCcers mate, you really should inform folk what your game of choice is of an evening or weekend. I have no doubts whatsoever that AP would have sought you out last night. He might even have introduced to his Nan and Gramps, and if you were mega lucky you'd have been given a sweet

... my major obstacle to this (apart from generally being an anti-social old git ) is I'm not sure of my destination until fairly late on of a midweek evening - its not just that I'm indecisive - I think -

... case in point last night: couldn't really leave the house 'til the elderly in-laws turned up to babysit - meant I also had to make sure the fire was lit and going to stay lit in the lounge. So I'm lucky if I can get out much before 18:50.
Had previously 'decided' on Uxbridge or Chalfont (or Marlow if the M4 was iffy) - got in car just after 19:00 ish - sheer fluke tuned to an immediate Radio Baaarks 'Traffic 'n Travel' spot declaring the M25 clockwise completely ph&(£ed - 1 hours delay - so I thought bugger it - brave the fog - go north for Didcot with Thame (@ Wallingford) as a stand-by.

Hence I usually prepare a list of vague possibles - try and plump for a general direction and am sometimes influenced just before I leave or en route, by any traffic info/weather/p'ponement info - don't usually get much useful Travel info from BBC Baaarks or Poxford unless its major delays in Deal High Street!

PS I hate Cadbury's too - though Bourneville's quite nice.....

PPS No real idea about this w/e yet either - list of about a doz. 'new' one's but at least half would involve 'braving' the dreaded M25 again. Will probably let my youngest decide at about 13:00 on Sat - its his birthday ... but I'm NOT taking him to Vicarage Rd.

PPPS - Yeah was some goal for Weymuff's 2nd - why can't anyone amongst our lot
(other than the Sig - sniff) manage to score goals like that?
I'd just managed to work out they were about to lose their 8th home game in 9 matches when Diddy equalized.