A South Central- and Trophy- weekend

FA Trophy

Our FA Trophy weekend starts on Friday night, with three of our clubs in action.

At the Racecourse Ground we have a South Central v South East meeting, with Ascot United playing host to Merstham. The Yellas, who defeated Ashford Town in the last round, will be full of confidence after three consecutive wins; whilst the travelling Moatsiders have also won their last three and have had a fine start to the season, six wins from seven in all competitions, and a one hundred percent record on the road.

Kingstonian, at their new home of Raynes Park Vale, welcome Eastbourne Town in another South Central v South East tie, with a pitch inspection already passed (although with the suggestion that there may be another later- and the weather is rather biblical, albeit minus the locusts). After three wins from three at the start of the season- including one against Town’s neighbours United in the Cup- the K’s have conceded four goals in each of the last two matches, although the prolific Eddie Simon has already started the season with his shooting boots firmly fastened, with five goals in five matches. Town have won their last two away matches, and indeed have been better on the road than on their own patch. 

Badshot Lea of the South Central are still without a first League win, although they have won twice in knockout competitions. The Baggies hope to end a four match losing streak as South East side Broadbridge Heath come to call, the travelling Bears travelling for the second time this week after a midweek Cup win in Faversham and looking for a fourth unbeaten match.

Farnham Town are at home to Flackwell Heath, the visitors in third place in Pitching In Southern Division One Central. Town have had a superb start to the season with only an FA Cup defeat blotting their copybook- every other match has been won, indeed won comfortably, and so far they’ve scored eighteen goals and conceded six- with clean sheets in their last two victories. Their visitors have won four of their five league matches so far, and have scored fifteen goals of their own.

Hanworth Villa will look to bounce back after midweek Cup defeat as they welcome Margate, the visitors making their second trip to West London in four days and looking for a similar outcome, after defeating Hayes & Yeading United three-one on Tuesday night. The Villains are undefeated on their own patch this seaosn, and have scored sixteen home goals in five matches; whilst the travelling Blues are undefeated in all competitions and have conceded only three goals in six, with four clean sheets. 

Hartley Wintney have had a positive start to the season, and host yet another South Central v South East battle as East Grinstead Town make the trip. This will be the hosts first match for a fortnight, and they’ve won three of their four fixtures this season, the most recent of those at Leatherhead on August 24th. The travelling Wasps have gone three matches without a win, but they remain unbeaten on the road.

Hayes & Yeading United will be looking to bounce back from their midweek Cup defeat as they welcome Leatherhead, the Tanners still glowing from the success of their midweek endeavours, when they defeated Premier Division side Dulwich Hamlet. Up until the arrival of Margate on Tuesday our hosts were unbeaten, and indeed won their first four matches of the campaign, but this is only their second home fixture so far. The Tanners are still looking for a first League win but of course will be boosted by that Cup success. The two sides will meet again in the League at the end of the month. 

It’s South Central v South Central as Horndean host Binfield. The Deans have had a superb start to their league campaign, three wins from three, whilst the Moles are still looking for a League win but did defeat Badshot Lea in the Velocity Cup in midweek, and also have our biggest win of the season so far under their belts, that nine-one cup win at Longlevens.

Raynes Park Vale welcome Beckenham Town- another of those South Central v South East ties- both sides having had positive starts to the campaign. Vale’s unbeaten record departed with a narrow cup defeat against Chertsey Town last weekend, whilst Becks left the cup at the first hurdle but haven’t looked back since, taking ten points from twelve, the last three of those coming in a five-nil win at Sevenoaks Town last weekend.

Sevenoaks Town play host to Harrow Borough. Oaks needed a big performance after their thrashing at the hands of Beckenham Town last weekend, and got their recovery underway by defeating Phoenix Sports in the Velocity Cup in midweek, that three-nil victory ending a four match winless run. Borough have had a superb start to the season, four league games bringing fou victories and three clean sheets, but their only defeat came at the hands of South East opposition,  Ashford United removing them from the Cup.

Sittingbourne will be bouncing Brickies after their performances over Premier promotion chasers Dover Athletic, who they removed from the Cup at the Crabble in midweek. The Brickies welcome Sutton Common Rovers to Woodstock  Park, the visitors looking for a second win of the season. 

Southall were victorious against a Sussex side in the last round, indeed they had to defeat Lancing twice after the first result was annulled after an ineligible player issue, the latest victory a four-nil thumping on Tuesday night. They’ve had a slow start to the season otherwise- they’ve defeated only Lancing- and Burgess Hill Town will hope to prove sterner opposition as they head to Burnham, the Hillians travelling on the back of a three match winning streak.

Uxbridge welcome Phoenix Sports to Honeycroft. This is a match between two sides who are rather desperate for a victory, the hosts having lost their opening three league matches and been knocked out of the cup, the visitors having lost their last three, four of their last six, and yet to pick up a victory of any kind.

Westfield welcome Met Police in an all South Central tie. The Woking side experienced their first defeat of the season at the weekend, knocked out of the Cup by Premier Division Chatham Town, whilst Met are unbeaten on the road but without as much as a draw on their own patch, so might be glad to be away from Imber Court. Westfield took six points- and scored five goals without reply- when the two sides met last season. 

Pitching In Isthmian South Central

We have one match in the South Central Division on Saturday, as Rayners Lane host Moneyfields. Lane have drawn both their opening two fixtures of the season, and have departed both Cup and Trophy- hence their availability for this match. The Moneys have played four matches in League, Cup and Trophy, and so far have lost them all- so both sides wil be rather keen on taking three points.