SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE NEWS 2020/21 EDITION NUMBER 06 News 06... · Saturday, 08 August 2020...

Saturday, 08 August 2020 Page 1 of 19

SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE NEWS 2020/21 EDITION NUMBER 06

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of your Newsletter, if you have anything to contribute, please do get in touch by email- [email protected] You can keep up to date with all the news from around the League by following us on Twitter at - @Sydwessex You are more than welcome to use any material (excluding attributed photographs) but it would be appreciated if any material used is acknowledged. It is hoped you enjoy reading this each week. With readership quite widespread, not only within our own competition, but across the three counties and beyond- if ANY club has anything they’d like to have published in here, whether that be a request for helpers, promotion of forthcoming events, items required or available for sale please contact the Newsletter Editor. As a general reminder- Match Reports, player news and photos are always welcome- it is your Newsletter!

mailto:[email protected]



ARE YOU LISTENING?

The Sydenhams Wessex Football League Show is the official podcast of the Sydenhams Wessex League. We’re on air live from the 103.9 Voice FM studios in Southampton from 3pm to 5pm every Sunday and you can also listen live on www.voicefmradio.co.uk from anywhere in the world. You can listen again afterwards, normally just one hour after the show has finished via the same website and there is also a Voice FM App you can download to your Phone I-Pad or Computer device. Our aim is to promote all local football but specifically the 38 teams of the Sydenhams Wessex League. So far, we have had managers, chairmen, players, press officers and secretaries joining us as studio guests and phone guests; from many Sydenhams Wessex League clubs, as well as guests from local teams both higher up and lower down the pyramid. This is your show and is a platform for your club to promote its events and raise its profile. If your club produces post-match interviews please either email us a copy of the audio or give permission for us to play them on air straight from your website or social media sites, as we will aim to play them on the show. Please come and join us one Sunday, at the moment, no guests will be allowed in the Studio, but please

email [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.

http://www.voicefmradio.co.uk/





YEAR 21 - 2006/07 - PART TWO

Continued from last week, and in summary therefore from last season, the Divisions were renamed Premier, One and Two. To kick off with AFC Newbury and BAT Sports were relegated from Division One to Division Two, although in real terms the latter dropped two tiers. This was due to them not being able to confirm they could stay at their (Southern Gardens) ground until the new one was built. The latter changed their name to Totton & Eling at the end of the season and took a spot in the new Division One as well. Brading Town, Downton, Horndean and Ringwood Town were promoted from Division Two to Premier Division with Laverstock & Ford and Verwood Town taking the step up from Division Three to Division One, with Warminster Town also newcomers in Division One. New boys were Wellow coming in in Division Two, but only lasted the one season, leaving at the end. At the end of term, Alresford Town, Hayling United and Romsey Town were promoted from Division One to Premier Division together with New Milton Town following the changes at Fawcetts Field. Going from Two to One we saw AFC Aldermaston, AFC Portchester, Fleet Spurs, Tadley Calleva and Whitchurch United taking promotion. On the contra side, AFC Newbury and Bishops Waltham Town both left during the season and their records were expunged. Also leaving under the restructuring were Clanfield, Colden Common, Fleetlands, Hamble Club, Otterbourne, Overton United, Paulsgrove, QK Southampton and Stoneham (who were known as Ordnance Survey in 2005/06) all heading for pastures “new” in the Hampshire Premier League, with Locks Heath from Division One also heading through the departure lounge to the same destination.

RANK DIVISION 1 PL W D L GF GA GD PTS

1 Hayling United 36 27 4 5 116 32 84 85

2 Alresford Town 36 23 8 5 53 28 25 77

3 Romsey Town 36 22 6 8 68 36 32 72

4 Locks Heath 36 21 7 8 78 40 38 70

5 Fawley 36 18 7 11 78 57 21 61

6 Verwood Town 36 17 9 10 73 46 27 60

7 Stockbridge 36 17 8 11 64 54 10 59

8 Warminster Town 36 16 9 11 63 48 15 57

9 Shaftesbury 36 15 9 12 58 47 11 54

10 United Services Portsmouth 36 12 10 14 76 68 8 46

11 Farnborough North End 36 11 13 12 40 56 -16 46

12 Laverstock & Ford 36 12 9 15 55 65 -10 45

13 Liss Athletic 36 11 10 15 59 73 -14 42

14 Hythe & Dibden 36 9 9 18 54 81 -27 36

15 East Cowes Victoria 36 10 6 20 49 101 -52 36

16 Blackfield & Langley 36 9 5 22 66 104 -38 32

17 Petersfield Town 36 7 6 23 50 98 -48 27

18 Amesbury Town 36 5 10 21 57 78 -21 25

19 Andover New Street 36 5 5 26 37 82 -45 20

This was Division Two the previous season but with the top Division now branded “Premier” it became

Division One with nineteen member Clubs, three fewer than the previous season. Six Clubs went out with

three being added. The departures were Brading Town, Downton, Horndean and Ringwood Town who

were all promoted whilst Bishops Waltham and Whitchurch United were relegated. A look at the table

shows something of a mixture of Clubs compared with their status today and provides proof again of the

ever-changing face of football at this, and indeed all, levels.



Again, the table shows that twelve of the nineteen Clubs are still with the League whilst seven now enjoy different climes. Blackfield & Langley have climbed to the Southern League Premier Division, Warminster Town have moved to the Western League while Hayling United, Locks Heath, Liss Athletic and Stockbridge are currently members of the Hampshire Premier League. Farnborough North End – they of the notoriously hard to find ground at the time – at present play in Aldershot in the Aldershot and District League, where they are in the second tier. Hayling United were comfortable winners of the League and in scoring 116 goals – 38 more than anyone else – they averaged over three goals a game over thirty-six matches which speaks volumes for their attacking power. Alresford’s goal tally in second place was perhaps on the low side for the position but they obviously were very strong defensively, while at the other end of the table there were some high figures in the goals against column. Liss Athletic suffered a one point deduction at some stage of the season, though it did not affect their finishing position in the table. Returning to Hayling United, and with no disrespect whatsoever to either side, their results against Blackfield & Langley bear no relation to their positions in the present with a 10-0 victory at home and a 5-1 success on the Waterside. They also scored nine against East Cowes and seven against both Petersfield and Farnborough North End and credit should be given to their main goal scorers - Nick Eddington and Ben Vassallo with twenty-five each and Nathan Kirby with twenty. To add to Blackfield’s season of woe they also conceded eight in both their meetings with US Portsmouth and one other result, something of a rarity anytime, anywhere and therefore worthy of note was a six all draw between Fawley and East Cowes Vics. To score six away from home and still not win has to be rather unusual, at time of writing this is only the second time of asking since the League hatched that that score has been recorded, the other being in 2004/05 that saw Christchurch share twelve with Cowes Sports at Hurn Bridge. The constitution was to subsequently alter drastically with the end of season re-organisation of the League as a whole. In respect of the two FA Competitions entry to the FA Cup would have been difficult if not impossible and there is no trace of any Club from the Division taking part. There were however a handful of entries in the FA Vase with Amesbury Town having a measure of success. Shaftesbury and US Portsmouth went out at the first hurdle losing 2-0 and 1-0 respectively to Western League Clevedon United and Holmer Green from the Spartan South Midlands League.



In the Second Qualifying Round Andover New Street went down 4-1 at Premier Division Fareham Town and Blackfield conceded the only goal of the game to exit at the hands of Hellenic League Shrivenham. Amesbury were held to a one all draw by Cove from the Combined Counties League at home but journeyed to Farnborough to win the replay 2-0 and then defeated Thame United of the Hellenic League 4-2 at Bonnymead Park. But the Second Round Proper was the end of the line with Western League Corsham proving too strong in a five two victory.

RANK DIVISION 2 PL W D L GF GA GD PTS

1 Fleetlands 30 25 2 3 101 18 83 77

2 Tadley Calleva 30 23 5 2 103 33 70 74

3 Wellow 30 19 6 5 77 36 41 63

4 AFC Portchester 30 16 4 10 68 45 23 52

5 BAT Sports 30 15 6 9 61 49 12 51

6 Otterbourne 30 15 6 9 60 50 10 51

7 Overton United 30 14 6 10 66 55 11 48

8 Paulsgrove 30 14 3 13 69 63 6 45

9 Clanfield 30 10 7 13 60 59 1 37

10 Colden Common 30 11 3 16 66 76 -10 36

11 Fleet Spurs 30 10 5 15 55 58 -3 35

12 Whitchurch United 30 10 4 16 48 61 -13 34

13 AFC Aldermaston 30 10 4 16 61 78 -17 34

14 Stoneham 30 9 6 15 51 76 -25 33

15 Hamble Club 30 1 4 25 29 130 -101 7

16 QK Southampton 30 0 5 25 18 106 -88 5



This was Division Three in 2005-06 but renamed this season, ironically in the last season in which the League would have three Divisions. Eighteen Clubs commenced the season, an increase of one, with some changes in the close season. Four Clubs went out -Laverstock & Ford and Verwood Town were promoted whilst Micheldever and Netley Central left the League with five Clubs coming in. Totton & Eling, a change of name from BAT Sports, AFC Newbury, Bishops Waltham Town and Whitchurch United had been relegated, BAT two Divisions because of uncertainty over the use of their ground, while Wellow joined from the Southampton Senior League. Sadly, two of those Clubs, AFC Newbury and Bishops Waltham Town, withdrew in September in the early part of the season. The Berkshire Club had moved out of their Faraday Road Ground and commenced the season at St Bartholomew's School on the Andover Road on the south western side of the town, but played only seven matches overall before withdrawing and Bishops Waltham Town, based at Priory Park, suffered the same fate within a matter of days. Wellow, despite a successful season on the field and a creditable third place in the table, returned to Southampton Football at the end of the season and have since disbanded. There was also a further change of name with Ordnance Survey becoming Stoneham, the AFC being added at the end of the season. Looking at the sixteen Clubs that finished the season six are still with the League and six – Fleetlands, Paulsgrove, Overton United, Clanfield Colden Common and QK Southampton - are long time members of the Hampshire Premier League. Fleet Spurs moved to the Combined Counties League while AFC Aldermaston are now in the Hellenic League after a short spell at a lower level with the Thames Valley League and this achieved without any noticeable improvements to the ground. The season on the field, as the League Table shows, was dominated by two Clubs with Fleetlands and Tadley Calleva well ahead both on points and in the matter of goals scored. Both Clubs averaged in excess of three goals per game with Fleetlands scoring eight once and seven twice (one away from home) and Tadley notching two nines and an eight. Such were the fixtures that Fleetlands met QK Southampton – top v bottom – twice in five days at the very end of the season, scoring eight at home and seven away, both without reply. The Gosport based side’s leading scorer was Nathan Mancell with 27 goals while Ashley Childs topped the Tadley chart with 29. Fleetlands also added the Hampshire Intermediate Cup to their League title after beating Bournemouth side Suttoners Civil in the Final at Christchurch. The two sides at the bottom both “enjoyed” a “season horribilis” and incurred some heavy losses but credit to them for seeing the season through and Hamble Club have, of course, made immense and praiseworthy progress in the ensuing years. With none of the Clubs eligible for the two FA Cup Competitions a brief look at how they fared in the League Cup. In the First Round there were wins for Farnborough North End against Overton and Stoneham at Whitchurch and a particularly good win for Fleet Spurs who returned home from Petersfield with a 5-1 score line in their favour. Clanfield made the ultra-short journey to Horndean and went down by the odd goal in five and Portchester lost 6-4 at Liss Athletic. QK were defeated 4-0 at Romsey but the home side were subsequently found to have fielded an ineligible player leading to QK being re-instated. In the Second Round AFC Aldermaston built on their First Round Bye with a 4-1 defeat of Fleet Spurs and Farnborough North End upset the odds with a 2-0 win over Brockenhurst in the Forest. QK probably had cause to regret their re-instatement when they conceded eleven without reply against Bournemouth at Victoria Park. Farnborough North End continued their run with a 4-0 defeat of Aldermaston before going out 3-0 at home to Bournemouth in at the Quarter Final stage – a very worthy effort all round. At the end of the season the League reduced in size to two Divisions and has remained so to this day. The Premier Division lost Gosport to the Southern League but gained New Milton Town who were demoted from the same League. Hayling United, Alresford Town and Romsey Town were promoted to increase the Division by three, Division Two increased to twenty one Clubs with AFC Aldermaston, AFC Portchester, Fleet Spurs, Tadley Calleva, Totton & Eling and Whitchurch United coming up from the now defunct Division Two whilst Locks Heath left the League, The remaining Clubs were omitted because of Ground Grading issues, some of which still remain today though that is not a criticism. Some Clubs cannot do as required even if they wish since additions or alterations to their Grounds are not permitted.



MATCH REPORT- QK SOUTHAMPTON 1-3 CLANFIELD Tuesday 3rd April 2007 It was a glorious spring-like evening … well, it was on the previous day … today there was a bitter wind that knocked the temperature down to almost zero writes Gary Day. One consolation tonight was I wasn’t very far from home so I withstood it for the 90 minutes. QK were at the very bottom of the table and still searching for their first League win of the season and were clearly leaving this very late. Clanfield visited only four places higher, so the home side might have looked at this as a chance to edge in front of the only other candidates for the wooden spoon, Hamble Club. Credit to Clanfield for arriving well on time for the 6pm start as not only did it mean a full ninety minutes could be played but it saved waiting around in the cold even longer for the game to commence. Unusually for this level, there were three appointed officials. Clanfield got off to a great start with an eighth minute goal when a long drop-kick by Gareth Wiseman was latched onto by Roger MOORE, a serial goal-getter for the East Hampshire side, who swept past QK keeper Sam Tribbeck and finished with a low angled shot. The QK heads stayed up as Robert Goddard forced Wiseman to save and after some fine dribbling by Aleksander Moska, who then turned, and forced the Clan keeper to make a further save. (It was said that Moska’s brother was playing in the top level of the Polish League at the time). Clan made chances too, Matt Laing having to clear a Russell Noble shot off the line but that early goal separated the teams at the interval. HT 0-1 QK struggled a little more in the second half but they did level the scores in the 64th minute as Wiseman got down well to keep the ball out from his own defender to concede a corner. It was from that flag-kick that GODDARD levelled direct, in off the far post. But any QK thoughts of getting above Hamble Club, by virtue of goal difference, were soon allayed as parity remained for just three minutes. Clan’s Aaron Fennemore made a good run forward and Tribbeck made an attempt to trip him as he swept past, but MOORE was in close attendance to complete the finish and perhaps save the keeper from being shown a red card in the process. QK tried but struggled to make any inroads on the visitors’ defence and late on their substitute NOBLE added a third goal. So, Alan Dawkins’ final whistle was blown and it was time to get home for a warm up! This was fine third-tier Wessex League fayre that was soon to be consigned to the long and distant past. FT 1-3 QK Southampton: S Tribbeck; Casey, Bartlett; Laing, Cooper, Thomson; Moska, Dewey, Goddard, Bedwell, Harding. Subs used: Crook, Allain, Mabey. Subs not used: A Tribbeck, R Butcher. Clanfield: Wiseman; Firbank, Prew; Todd, Browne, Tidy; New, Fennemore, Moore, Noble, Cooke. Sub (used): Smith. Sub (not used): Coleman.

The two National Cup Competitions saw relative success in the FA Cup and a tremendous run in the FA Vase. In the former we had a number of victories in the extra Preliminary and Preliminary Rounds but the First Qualifying Round, in which Downton lost to the long forgotten Team Bath, slimmed the League’s representation down to Moneyfields and VT with both going out in the next Round - Moneyfields at home to Southern League Evesham Town and VT at home to Salisbury. We’ll start with the Cup

FA CUP 2006/07

Extra Preliminary Round Bemerton Heath Harlequins 1-3 Downton Bournemouth 2-0 Minehead Town Brockenhurst 1-2 Hamble ASSC Carterton 1-0 Gosport Borough Christchurch 3-1 Bitton



Frimley Green 1-5 VT FC Hamworthy United 1-2 Hallen Lymington Town 0-4 Sidley United (at Bashley) Moneyfields 2-1 Oakwood Redhill 1-2 Cowes Sports Selsey 0-2 AFC Totton Welton Rovers 2-0 Wimborne Town Preliminary Round Cowes Sports 1-0 Sandhurst Town Downton 2-1 Christchurch Fairford Town 3-0 Bournemouth Fareham Town 1-2 Carterton Hailsham Town 0-1 AFC Totton Hamble ASSC 1-1 East Grinstead Town Hythe Town 1-3 VT FC Poole Town 0-1 Taunton Town Sevenoaks Town 1-3 Moneyfields Westfield 2-5 Alton Town Preliminary Round Replays East Grinstead Town 1-3 Hamble ASSC First Qualifying Round Bromley 4-0 AFC Totton Cowes Sports 1-2 Lymington & New Milton Dover Athletic 6-1 Alton Town Downton 0-7 Team Bath Moneyfields 3-1 AFC Wallingford North Greenford United 0-1 VT FC Worthing United 3-2 Hamble ASSC Second Qualifying Round Moneyfields 0-4 Evesham United VT FC 1-2 Salisbury City

FA VASE 2006/07

First Qualifying Round Clevedon United 2-0 Shaftesbury Gosport Borough 4-0 Downton Hamworthy United 2-0 Shepton Mallet Holmer Green 1-0 United Services Portsmouth Marlow United 2-1 Bournemouth VT FC 0-2 Chalfont St Peter Second Qualifying Round Amesbury Town 1-1 Cove Bemerton Heath Harlequins 2-0 Devizes Town Blackfield & Langley 0-1 Shrivenham Budleigh Salterton 3-3 Poole Town Christchurch 0-2 Cowes Sports Fareham Town 4-1 Andover New Street Gosport Borough 5-1 Alton Town Hamworthy United 1-1 Ilfracombe Town



Henley Town 1-2 Hamble ASSC Melksham Town 0-3 Lymington Town Moneyfields 1-1 Carterton Reading Town 3-2 Ringwood Town Second Qualifying Round Replay Carterton 0-3 Moneyfields Ilfracombe Town 4-2 Hamworthy United Poole Town 3-0 Budleigh Salterton First Round AFC Totton 4-0 Chipping Norton Town Amesbury Town 4-2 Thame United Bemerton Heath Harlequins 4-1 Shrewton United Fareham Town 4-0 Ardley United Hamble ASSC 0-5 Cowes Sports Lymington Town 0-0 Shrivenham Moneyfields 2-2 Sandhurst Town Poole Town 1-3 Frome Town Reading Town 0-0 Gosport Borough First Round Replay Gosport Borough 5-0 Reading Town Sandhurst Town 0-1 Moneyfields Shrivenham 1-2 Lymington Town Second Round AFC Totton 4-1 Gosport Borough Amesbury Town 2-5 Corsham Town Bemerton Heath Harlequins 2-1 Porthleven Brockenhurst 1-3 Sherborne Town Chalfont St Peter H-W Fareham Town [disqualified- ineligible player in last round] Ilfracombe Town 2-3 Wimborne Town Lymington Town 1-0 Frome Town Moneyfields 1-0 Sandhurst Town Third Round AFC Totton 3-0 Moneyfields Chalfont St Peter 0-2 Wimborne Town Lymington Town 0-1 Truro City Three Bridges 1-1 Bemerton Heath Harlequins Third Round Replay Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3-0 Three Bridges Fourth Round Leamington 4-1 Bemerton Heath Harlequins Potton United 1-2 AFC Totton Wimborne Town 4-2 Glasshoughton Welfare Fifth Round Ipswich Wanderers 1-2 AFC Totton Wimborne Town 4-0 Street Quarter Final AFC Totton 2-1 Wimborne Town Semi Final First Leg- AFC Totton 1-2 Billingham Synthonia Semi Final Second Leg- Billingham Synthonia 1-2 AFC Totton

Aggregate 3-3, AFC Totton won 5-4 on penalties

In the Vase a number of Clubs fought their way through three rounds but two went considerably further. Wimborne Town won at Ilfracombe and Chalfont St Peter and defeated Glasshoughton Welfare (from Yorkshire) and Street at home to reach the Quarter Final stage. AFC Totton in turn accounted for Chipping Norton, Gosport and Moneyfields at home and then won at Potton United (Bedfordshire) and Ipswich Wanderers on the road to also reach the last eight where they were drawn – inevitably – against Wimborne Town. Totton won 2-1 and following a two-legged semi-final decided on penalties, went on to reach the Final where they went down 3-1 to Truro City at the “new” Wembley on 13 May. A full review of their Vase run appeared in a recent Newsletter.



TOP AGAINST BOTTOM- DOES THE TOP TEAM ALWAYS WIN? In Football, as in all sport, someone has to win and someone has to lose – it is the nature of the game. When the game includes League tables based on a season then someone has to finish top and someone has to finish bottom, but in the course of the season does the top Club always beat the bottom Club? The answer is obviously yes more likely than not, but how does it work out over some ten seasons. For the purpose of the exercise we have ignored the recently truncated season and used ten seasons commencing with 2009-10 and accept that when the quoted games took place the participating sides may not have been top or bottom – but they were at the end of the season. Also, no disrespect is intended in respect of the sides finishing bottom – in many cases it was a one-off and the vast majority are still happily current members of the League. In the first season of the ten under review Poole Town and Folland Sports were the respective Champions with Poole beating Cowes Sports at home but sharing two goals on the Island. Follands defeated AFC Aldermaston twice, scoring three goals in each game. On a year and Poole topped the table again and completed the double over Brockenhurst, 4-1 and 5-3; while Division One Champions Downton twice proved too strong for Shaftesbury. Winchester City were Premier Division Champions in 2011-12 and scored ten goals in beating Laverstock & Ford twice with Jamie White claiming four in the 6-1 home victory. In Division One Verwood also scored ten, five in each game against Hythe & Dibden with four goals overall for Mike Haskell. Blackfield & Langley took the Premier Division crown in 2012-13 but were held to a one all draw on the Waterside by New Milton before winning the return fixture by five goals to nil. Brockenhurst reclaimed their Premier Division place by winning Division One and again Hythe & Dibden suffered as the bottom Club. In just the third game of the season Brockenhurst scored six at Hythe and then added three more on their own soil without conceding a goal in either game. The halfway mark of the review marked by Sholing taking the Premier honours in 2013/14. They gave signal to their intentions by defeating Romsey 5-0 in the opening game of the season and added three more without reply at the Bypass Ground. Petersfield were equally efficient in Division One, scoring six against East Cowes Vics in early August and three in the return on the Island with Vics failing to trouble the scorers in either game. 2014-15 and Petersfield followed up their Division One triumph by taking the Premier Division at the first attempt. Robbie Tambling scored a hat trick as Christchurch were beaten 4-0 at Love Lane and Warren Hunt matched that in the 6-1 win at Hurn Bridge close to the season’s end. In Division One it was not the best of seasons for East Cowes Vics again with Champions Team Solent scoring seven across the two meetings with a solitary Vics goal in reply. Four seasons still to cover but the top sides very much in supremacy so far. 2015-16 was Salisbury’s “comeback” year and they carried all before them to win the Premier Division. On the way to the title they defeated Follands twice but not without a scare in the first game at the McEnhill Stadium when they were two goals down at the break before coming back with four in the second half to win 4-2. No such problems in the return with Sam Wilson notching a hat trick in a 6-1 victory. Sadly, East Cowes Vics feature again in Division One and suffered at the hands of Champions Portland United, losing 8-0 at the New Grove and 2-0 on the Island. Portland followed Petersfield in winning the Premier Division at the first attempt beating Verwood 2-0 on Day one and then adding a 3-0 victory later in the season. Hamble Club set off in Division One like the proverbial train scoring 35 goals in their first five matches, nine of which came at Pewsey in the third game. A two-goal victory at home completed the double en route to the title. Petersfield had fallen from former glory and finished bottom of the Premier Division in 2017-18 and suffered heavily against Champions Blackfield & Langley losing 10-0 and 4-0. Christchurch claimed the Division One title and scored nine in two meetings with Follands with Luke Stone getting three in the 5-0 win at Hurn Bridge. So, to the final season with the League Winners very much on top and Sholing continued the trend by beating Andover New Street twice, 6-1 and 4-2. The top Clubs in Division One had won every game so far and when



AFC Stoneham defeated Totton & Eling 6-1 with four goals from Sergio Caballero there was every indication of a full house, so to speak. Stoneham had got behind on their fixtures and needed seven points from their final three games to top the Division. They duly won the first two and travelled to Totton & Eling and scored three goals without reply before the break All over? No. The Millers remarkably scored three goals themselves in the final twenty minutes and came close to a fourth before the final whistle declared Stoneham to be Champions. When this exercise started it was obviously accepted that the sides winning the League would win the majority of the games but it was more emphatic than perhaps expected with the Premier Division winning eighteen out of twenty and Division One nineteen – with Totton & Eling’s late finale preventing the one hundred per cent being attained. As was said at the start – someone has to win and someone has to lose.

SOUTHAMPTON SENIOR CUP

Given that the (long awaited) Southampton Senior Cup Centenary book may be available soon (Hope so, as I am almost out of reading material myself, Ed), here’s a quick look at the winners of the competition whilst members of our League. There was an issue over our members playing in the competition prior to 2005 primarily over fixture dates as I recall, doubtless someone will correct me. Anyway, since then the competition has effectively been dominated by Sholing and Team Solent. Both can add to their Wessex totals with three and one respectively whilst playing in other Leagues. Hopefully by the time you read this, details of price and availability will have been made public.

SEASON WINNERS 2006 VT FC 2007 VT FC 2008 VT FC 2014 Sholing

SEASON WINNERS

2015 Team Solent 2016 Team Solent 2017 Sholing 2019 Alresford Town

PRE-SEASON REMINDER

Clubs are reminded that before they can play again, a Covid-19 Risk Assessment must be completed, sent to the league and signed off by the aforementioned Covid-19 Officer. For those teams based in Hampshire or under affiliation to the Hampshire County FA, please be aware that they will not sanction any friendly or organise a referee until it has been done. We should presume that the same rules apply for those in Dorset and Wiltshire. Whilst on this topic, the League Management team does not have anyone qualified to approve Covid-19 Sanitiser products, consequently we cannot suggest suitable Covid-19 related sanitiser and/or hygiene products. With reference to pre-season, please contact us so we can draw up a list of your games and advise of clubs from elsewhere looking for similar. AGAIN, please don’t forget the home team also has to obtain sanction from their County FA before playing AND that we still must adhere to FA and Government guidelines as regards the Covid-19 situation. At time of writing this also includes the proviso that games arranged are played “BEHIND CLOSED DOORS”. Please remember currently due to current Government regulations, no spectators are permitted at venues at Step 7 and above hosting friendlies. So, to put it simply- DON’T GO. Please note that in light of this change in guidelines, the pre-season friendlies list will not be included within the Newsletter until further notice, but we shall report on results and would hope that clubs involved will respond when requested. Thanks in advance. The missing result from last Saturday saw Moneyfields beat Lymington 7-1 in a game that was played at Sway, and to correct one from last week as well, Brockenhurst beat Romsey 2-1- not the other way round, apologies to the Badgers!



FOUR OUT OF FIVE ISN’T BAD! When Portland United returned for their current, and second, spell in our League in the 2015-16 Season – they had previously been members between 2001 and 2006 – they performed the remarkable feat of winning Division One at the first attempt, gained promotion and then immediately won the Premier Division following an astonishing run of results in the second half of the season. Two Titles in as many years is success by any standards but in the three years prior to re-joining the Wessex League they had been Dorset Premier League Champions twice and runners up on the other occasion. It is accepted that the Dorset Premier League is one step lower but Titles still have to be won and four, nearly five, in as many seasons is a feat worth recalling. Having been Dorset Premier League Champions in 2009 Portland came in to the 2012-13 season having finished third and fourth in the previous two campaigns – Westland Sports and Hamworthy Recreation were the respective Champions – and a League of 18 including Weymouth Reserves, Hamworthy United Reserves, Shaftesbury (playing with the suffix “Town”) and the wonderfully named Tintinhull. Strangely, research discovered two Tables relating to the Dorset Premier that season showing Portland finishing nine points clear of Wincanton Town at the top and a third in which Wincanton and their record had seemingly been expunged and the Table altered accordingly. However, since Wincanton were promoted to the Western League at the end of the season in question – Portland presumably did not apply – we will accept the two versions as correct. Portland amassed 115 League goals with Adam Linaker and Ashley Smith leading the way with 22 and 16 respectively and a League and Cup double was on the cards until a single goal defeat at the hands of Holt United in the Final on 18 April. Defending their title the following season (2013-14) Portland had two less games to play with the League having been reduced by one in number following Wincanton’s promotion while Chickerell had been replaced by Mere Town. As well as a reduction in games played there was also a reduction in goals scored and points gained, the two dropping to 97 and 71 respectively but that was still enough to retain the crown with a seven-point advantage over second placed Weymouth Reserves. Lewis Clarke topped the goal scorers with nineteen but again the quest for the League and Cup double foundered at the last hurdle when Hamworthy Recreation won 5-4 on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes and extra time in the League Cup Final at Weymouth on a wet and windy last day of April. Season 2014--15 and a chance to make it three Championships in a row, something the Club had never managed before in their long association with the Dorset Premier League despite winning consecutive titles on more than one occasion. The League had increased by one in terms of Clubs with Westland Sports and Sturminster Marshall returning after a short absence and Holt United leaving for what memory suggests were matters of discipline and/or ground grading. But after 34 games it was again a case of so near but yet so far with regard to a third title as 99 goals and 83 points saw them finish six points adrift of Hamworthy Recreation. Shaftesbury and Weymouth Reserves finished fourth and fifth, Lewis Clarke and Adam Linaker both scored fifteen goals for the Blues and the relative disappointment of finishing second was tempered by promotion back to the Wessex League. So, 2015-16 was the start of a second spell with us and one assumes that thoughts going in to the season centred on establishing themselves in the League and perhaps finishing higher than eighth place, the best they had achieved in their previous spell. Was actually winning the title considered? Whether it was or not that is what happened some eight months later as Portland amassed 84 points from 34 games, and three short of a century of goals in the process, and finished seven points clear of runners up Amesbury Town. They perhaps signalled their intentions from day one when the Fixture Secretary welcomed them back by sending them on the 230 miles round trip to Fleet Spurs – from where they returned with a 6-1 victory. Overall, they scored six on three occasions and eight once with Alex Godfrey and Carl McClements leading the way with 23 and 19 respectively, whilst Godfrey also played in every game, a feat rarely achieved anywhere these days. At the other end of the pitch they conceded just 25, eleven fewer than any of their rivals. The Club also reached the last four of the League Cup and came within seconds of an appearance in the Final. They were



leading Team Solent 1-0 in the semi-final at New Milton when the Students conjured an equaliser deep in to second half stoppage time and then scored the winner ten minutes in to extra time. But overall a highly satisfactory season on their return to the Wessex League. The final season of the five. 2016-17, saw Portland, a year after leaving the Step Seven Dorset Premier League, advancing to Step Five and facing such as Moneyfields, Blackfield & Langley and Sholing and playing 42 League matches, eight more than in any of the previous four seasons. Up until Christmas they held their own in the higher division and were no doubt satisfied with their progress but with the arrival of the New Year everything clicked in to place. From the 31st January they won twelve games in a row, were held to a draw at Fareham Town and then won their final five to finish with 99 points and had scored 106 goals. However the plain facts and figures do not record the drama in the final game of the season when, needing three points against Bemerton, the scores were level deep in to second half stoppage time when Ryan McKechnie snatched a last gasp winner to the delight of Manager Gary Bailey, who had been a leading light over the seasons, and all concerned with the Club. A memorable end to a memorable season. To show it was very much a team effort, six players reached double figures in terms of goals scored with the aforementioned McKechnie leading the way with fifteen. At the end of the season the Club had to await the result of Moneyfields’s appeal against a point deduction before being declared Champions -their fourth title in five seasons. Showing the five seasons in figures perhaps enhances the achievement of a well-run and always friendly Club. PL W D L F A GD Pts 2012-13 Dorset Premier League- 1st 34 29 2 3 115 32 +83 89 2013-14 Dorset Premier League- 1st 32 22 5 5 97 37 +60 71 2014-15 Dorset Premier League- 2nd 34 27 2 5 99 33 +66 83 2015-16 Wessex League 1- 1st 34 27 3 4 97 25 +72 84 2016-17 Wessex League Premier- 1st 42 31 6 5 106 43 +63 99

With thanks to all at Portland for their help in putting together this story.

POINTS PER GAME 2019-20

Much has been said over the summer about the Points per game formula. This selective list shows locally our

League had just two Representatives in the top 250 teams.

RANK TEAM LEAGUE PL W D L GF GA PTS PPG

1 Jersey Bulls Combined Counties Division 1 27 27 0 0 99 7 81 3.000

7 Helston Athletic South West Peninsula West 26 25 0 1 100 22 75 2.885

8 Hamworthy Recreation Dorset Premier 16 15 1 0 66 19 46 2.875

11 Moneyfields Reserves Hampshire League Division 1 14 13 1 0 63 11 40 2.857

26 Brora Rangers Highland 26 24 0 2 96 14 72 2.769

44 Infinity Hampshire League Senior Division 24 20 4 0 85 21 64 2.667

88 Bush Hill Hampshire League Senior Division 20 16 3 1 75 16 51 2.550

89 Mere Town Dorset Senior 11 9 1 1 42 9 28 2.545

151 Merley Cobham Sports Dorset Premier 19 16 1 2 93 25 46 2.421

172 Westland Sports Dorset Premier 18 14 1 3 50 25 43 2.389

231 United Services Portsmouth Wessex League Division 1 28 20 4 4 86 33 64 2.286

244 Andover New Street Wessex League Division 1 25 18 3 4 75 44 57 2.280



FA CUP NEWS 2020/21 Prize Fund Following two seasons of record investment into The Emirates FA Cup prize fund, The FA has reviewed its levels of investments due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, The Emirates FA Cup prize fund has been reduced by approximately 50% to bring the overall total back in line with 2017-18 levels. Replays For the 2020-21 season, due to the season having to be played over a condensed period, there will be no replays in the 2020-21 Season in the Qualifying Competition (details of the Competition Proper shall be confirmed in due course) These changes have been made by The FA to assist in easing some pressure on the schedule and to ensure that domestic Competitions can still be delivered. Step 6 Clubs of The FA National League System The Competition can accommodate 737 participating Clubs for the 2020-21 season. This means the number of Clubs admitted to the Competition from Step 6 has increased to 74. Draws were conducted for each of the 20 divisions at Step 6 to determine which Clubs would be accepted from those that had applied. From the 20 Step 6 divisions, 14 were allocated four entries into the Competition, while the remaining six divisions were each allocated three entries. The number of entries allocated to each division was also determined by a draw. As the Competition was oversubscribed, a draw was conducted to determine which Clubs at Step 6 of The FA National League System would be accepted. This method was used to determine which Step 6 Clubs would participate in the 2020-21 Competition in lieu of determining acceptances based on a final points per game basis taken across all Step 6 divisions from the preceding season, as these divisions were declared null and void for the 2019-20 season. Whilst the FA accept this method would not ordinarily be used to determine entries into the Competition, they believe it to be the fairest method in the current set of exceptional circumstances, to ensure the Competition has a fair balance of Clubs across all the divisions of Step 6 of The FA National League System. The list of unsuccessful applicants is shown below. Rules of the Competition The Rules for the Competition, including any further changes, shall be released prior to the start of the Competition. Dates for Draws The draws for the first two rounds of the Competition shall be released on Tuesday 18 August 2020.

FA VASE NEWS 2020/21 Replays The Buildbase FA Vase dates were agreed as part of the 2020-21 fixture schedule in collaboration with the relevant League Competitions. For the 2020-21 season, due to the season having to be played over a condensed period, there will be no replays in the 2020-21 Season in the Competition. These changes have been made by The FA to assist in easing some pressure on the schedule and to ensure that domestic Competitions can still be delivered. Prize Fund The FA has reviewed its levels of investments due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the prize funds in The Buildbase FA Trophy and Vase Competitions have each been reduced by £60k in total. Rules of the Competitions The Rules for the Competition, including any further changes, shall be released prior to the start of the Competition. Dates for Draws The draws for the first two rounds of the Competition shall be released on Tuesday 18 August 2020.





A “STEAL” FROM THE MAGPIES With the FA Cup in mind, from somewhere near the bottom of the pile – they are “filed” in alphabetical order – comes this week’s Programme and a rare excursion in to the FA Cup (the Vase is always more preferable) and a Preliminary Round replay at the Cuthbury. Andover had won at Lymington Town in the Extra Preliminary Round whilst this was Wimborne’s seasonal debut in the Competition and earlier than perhaps one had expected. The draw paired the two Clubs at The Portway and in a highly enjoyable ninety minutes the sides shared six goals. Toby Holmes scored twice, sixty seconds apart, around the eighteenth minute mark before Andover scored three in four minutes just after the half hour, including a rare header from Mike Gosney, to lead at the break. Holmes completed his hat trick five minutes after the re-start and it was an evening trip to Wimborne for Andover and their travelling faithful. The visitors kicked down the pronounced slope in the first half aware that if you are going to beat a side from a higher level you normally have to do it at the first time of asking – second chances are not very frequent – so it was against the odds when Andover took the lead from a needless penalty. The Andover



player was on the byeline with his back to goal and bought down by an unnecessary challenge with Gosney converting the inevitable penalty. I think that was the only goal in the first half and that Wimborne’s equaliser, inevitably from Holmes, came immediately after the break but memory dims and I have been unable to confirm same but at some stage the score was definitely one all. With the Wessex League side now kicking up the slope it seemed very much a case of game on for Wimborne, but Jason Silver scored a fine solo goal in a breakaway and some determined defending, aided at times by some exceptionally wayward shooting from the home side, saw Andover still in front at the end of the ninety minutes (probably ninety seven minutes given the predilection for inordinate stoppage time nowadays). The Wimborne people were gracious in defeat but also annoyed at losing a game they felt they would win and, equally importantly, losing out on further financial rewards. A word on Toby Holmes. The Wimborne striker was a class apart at the Portway with three superbly taken goals and scored 132 goals in 141 matches for the Cuthbury Club before moving to Salisbury and, for the coming season, Taunton Town. This was only the second time the two Clubs had met in the FA Cup and the previous occasion also went to a replay in the 1996-97 season. Then, after a one all draw at the Portway, Wimborne scored the only goal of the game in the second meeting. Following the defeat by Andover this time round, Wimborne finished seventeenth in the Southern League South and West while Andover, having led for a large part of the season, were pipped on the post by Blackfield & Langley for the Wessex League Title. And in the FA Cup? The reward for the win over Wimborne was a home draw with Western League side Cadbury Heath. Andover scored inside ten minutes, totally dominated the game, and lost two one. Some you win, some you lose!

UP FOR THE CUP The FA released the list of successful clubs for the forthcoming season Emirates FA Cup and Buildbase FA Vase campaigns. In the former all our Premier Division clubs are in the hat for the draw and they will be joined by four Division One teams who were drawn at random by the FA. So congratulations to Bemerton Heath Harlequins, Fawley, Totton & Eling and Whitchurch United. Commiserations to all the others. In the Vase 37 of our 39 teams made the draw. Just Andover Town and Laverstock & Ford missing out. The coming Vase competition will be the 47th and there are just nine teams who have been in all of them, so in no particular order they are- Hoddesdon Town, Saffron Walden Town, Calne Town, Westbury United, Stansted, Stotfold, Holbeach United, Tunbridge Wells and Brockenhurst. We wish all our clubs the best of luck in the competition. Draws set to be released on Tuesday 18 August.

WEEK 6 ROUND UP

Clubs will have been emailed as regards the change of conditions over spectating at pre-season games. To support the communication from The FA regarding spectators, the League will monitor fixtures and report breaches. It is expected that all concerned act collectively and responsibly to enable the return to ‘normal’ as soon as is permitted by the relevant authorities. Non-compliance to the published guidelines by the minority may jeopardise the future for all. Not only does this mean no spectators inside the ground, this would include those places where pitch viewing can be had from inside the clubhouse for example. It is all very well saying what about all those people going to the pub or going to the beach, we as a football community need to follow the guidelines and the sooner we do, perhaps the sooner we can resume with a certain amount of normality once more. Clubs are also reminded that the Covid-19 Risk Assessment details need to be posted before next weekend.



CLUB NEWS

Following the successful purchase of their ground from the Crown Estates in April and the announcement that Chairman Robin Satherley is standing down, the committee of Portland United have renamed the ground "The Camp & Satherley Stadium" in honour of their two long serving stalwarts of the club Mr Dave Camp and Mr Robin Satherley.

RESULTS ROUNDUP

Tuesday 4 August

Alton 4-1 Liphook United

Ascot United 1-4 Fleet Town

Christchurch 3-1 Bournemouth Sports

Fleetlands 0-3 Baffins Milton Rovers

Hamworthy Recreation 0-2 Verwood Town

Totton & Eling 5-2 Lyndhurst

Wednesday 5 August

Bush Hill 1-4 Brockenhurst

Thursday 6 August

Fawley 4-1 Lymington Town

Saturday 8 August

AFC Stoneham 4-6 Liphook United

Amesbury Town 0-2 Cribbs

Andover New Street 3-0 Moneyfields Reserves

Basingstoke Town 6-2 Whitchurch United

Bemerton Heath Harlequins 5-1 Shrewton United

Blandford United 1-0 Shaftesbury

Bournemouth 5-2 Bournemouth Sports

Brading Town 1-3 East Cowes Victoria

Bush Hill 0-3 Fareham Town

Cranborne 0-4 Christchurch

Crawley Down Gatwick 1-3 AFC Stoneham

Dorchester Sports 1-4 Hamworthy United

Farnham Town 0-1 Horndean

Hayling United 5-2 Baffins Milton Rovers

Hythe & Dibden 5-0 Lymington Town

Itchen Saints 0-4 New Milton Town

Merley Cobham Sports 1-2 Verwood Town

Michelmersh & Timsbury 0-5 Folland Sports

Midhurst & Easebourne 2-3 Fawley

Newport IOW 3-0 Whitecroft & Barton Sports

QK Southampton 0-1 Brockenhurst

Ringwood Town 2-2 Winchester City

Romsey Town 1-2 Hamble Club

Sheerwater 0-4 Fleet Town

Stockbridge 1-4 Downton

United Services Portsmouth 6-1 Liss Athletic

RESULTS ROUND

UP- SCORER DETAILS



Pre-season continues with more restrictions imposed by the FA, outlined in communications whilst the games on Tuesday were being played. Verwood Town got off to a winning start with goals in either half, the opener on 16 came from Callum Butler with Ethan Maddocks heading home the second around the hour mark at Magna Road. Elsewhere Totton & Eling ran in five at Hatches Farm in Wellow; Ash Shergold, James Matthews, Joe Selby, Dan Burns and Luke Shergold finding the net in their 5-2 win over Lyndhurst. Steve Black contributed a double for Alton in their 4-1 win over Liphook. At Lederle Lane first half goals from Tommy Scutt and James Cowan set Baffins Milton Rovers on their way to a 3-0 win, Matt Andrews with the third. Wednesday we had just the one game featuring one of our own teams, two goals in each half saw Brockenhurst overcome Bush Hill 4-1. Four different scorers on the scoresheet- Tom Sykes, Will Tickle, Toby Bailey and Harrison White. The action on Thursday came from the Aliport Arena where First Division side Fawley beat Premier side Lymington Town 4-1. A brace for Lewis Connor in the first period equalled by Harrison Fay in the second. A scorching hot Saturday we had games kicking off at all sorts of time and in all sorts of venues. Thanks to many clubs advising their result without asking and also to those clubs responding for results. The details for the day were in before 18:00. So with some selected scorer details, here is a brief round-up of the weekend action. On the Island, a Ji Nash hat trick saw East Cowes Victoria clock up a 3-1 win at form members Brading Town, also across the water Newport IOW played their Gold Cup Final rivals from 2018/19, Whitecroft & Barton Sports and with Connor Kelly contributing a double, ran out as 3-1 winners- Joe Craig also on target. Out on Cranborne Chase Christchurch ran in four without reply Kyle Graham, Ashley Pope, Max Wilcock and Luke Stone doing the damage. Ringwood Town shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Winchester City, Shaun Prentice getting both goals. Curt Robbins, Archie Willcox and Jack Breed were on the scoresheet at Bush Hill, where Fareham Town hit three without reply, and at Romsey Town Will Gange and Ricky Bull netted for Hamble Club in their 2-1 win, Tom Switzer for the hosts. Harry Jackson was the goal scorer for Horndean in their 1-0 win at Farnham Town, whilst a long journey to Crawley Down Gatwick was worth it in the end for AFC Stoneham with a 3-1 win. Goals from Arthur Kerton, Callum Laycock and Jo Sutherden after going a goal down in the first half. United Services Portsmouth hit six past Liss Athletic with Dan Sibley leading the way with a double. Other strikes from George Root, James Franklyn, Jay Ripiner and an own goal. Tom Moseley bagged a brace for Downton in the 4-1 win at Stockbridge. Ben Starr and Dan Savage also netting for the Robins. Another win for the Oilers today as goals from Ollie Bradley, Dec Hartigan and Dylan Knight notching for Fawley in the 3-2 win at Midhurst. James Thomson with two of the goals for Folland Sports as the Planemakers won 5-0 at Sherfield English against Michelmersh & Timsbury. Cai Prentice hit a double for Hythe & Dibden in their 5-0 win Mig Dark, Ethan Anders and Archie Collier also found the net. Finally today, a 2-1 win for Verwood Town came courtesy of goals from Hedley Hazell and Edgar Zanin.

Date post:	21-Sep-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

SYDENHAMS FOOTBALL LEAGUE NEWS 2020/21 EDITION NUMBER 06 News 06... · Saturday, 08 August 2020...

Documents