Sunday 5 July 2015

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH FIXTURES RELEASED & NEWS


Saturday 8th August

Bath City v Wealdstone
Bishops Stortford v Havant and Waterlooville
Concord Rangers v Weston-Super-Mare
Eastbourne Borough v Maidenhead United
Ebbsfleet United v Basingstoke Town
Gosport Borough v St Albans City
Hayes and Yeading United v Whitehawk
Hemel Hempstead Town v Dartford
Margate v Truro City
Oxford City v Chelmsford City
Sutton United v Maidstone United

On the opening day of the season two sides promoted from Step 3 face each other at Hartsdown Park when Margate face Truro City. Ryman Premier Champion's Maidstone United make the short trip to Sutton United and will feel at home with The U's new 3G pitch currently being installed.

Two teams expected to do well start against each other when Basingstoke Town (3rd place last season) travel to Ebbsfleet United (8th). 31 year old Daryl McMahon is the man in charge at The Fleet this season after previous boss Jamie Day left the club after just five months in charge.

Another decent game in prospect is Dartford's (relegated from the Conference Premier) trip to Hemel Hempstead Town who are another side expected to do well after finished in 9th place last season.

Oxford City (moved back from the Northern Division) start with a home game against Chelmsford City with Wealdstone (12th last season) going to Bath City (14th).

Maidenhead United travel to Eastbourne Borough and are a club looking on the up. Long term manager Johnson Hippolyte left the club over the summer after being in charge since 2006 and has been replaced by former Braintree Town boss Alan Devonshire who has made a raft of new signings for The Magpies. Striker's Jake Reid and Ben Wright have joined alongside defender's Alan Massey, Ryan Peters, Dean Inman, Josh Huggins, Rene Steer and goalkeeper Carl Pentney.

Reid played for Conference Premier side Dover Athletic last season and Wright links up with Devonshire for the third time in his career having played under him at Hampton and Richmond and Braintree Town. He played for Havant and Waterlooville last season. Massey also follws Devonshire from The Iron as is Peters who played over 100 games for the Essex club. Inman counts Hayes and Yeading and Farnborough amongst his former clubs with Huggins a former Aldershot, Farnborugh and Hampton player. 25 year old Steer started at the Arsenal youth academy and has been with Boston United for the past two seasons.

Monday 10th August

Chelmsford City v Hemel Hempstead Town 
St Albans City v Oxford City 
Wealdstone v Concord Rangers 

The first Monday night fixtures sees The Stones face Concord Rangers - two teams who have a bit of a rivalry going after Rangers won at Grosvenor Vale in the 2012/14 Ryman Premier play-off semi-final. Gordon Bartlett has recently added stiker Josh Hutchinson to his squad. He makes the jump up from step four to step two after joining from Potters Bar Town. Hutchinson has previously played for Billericay Town and Cheshunt - He was very prolific in front of goal for The Scholars last term hitting the back of the net 32 times. Another player to make the same jump is defender Oliver Duffy who moves from Hanwell Town. Hutchinson will be looking to be as successful as Tom Pett who moved from The Scholars to The Stones in January 2012 and then onto League Two side Stevenage last summer where he played over 30 times last season. Ex Enfield Town player Scott McGleish will continue playing and also use some of his vast footballing experience by doubling up as first team coach.

Tuesday 11th August 

Basingstoke Town v Bath City 
Dartford v Eastbourne Borough 
Havant and Waterlooville v Sutton United 
Maidenhead United v Bishops Stortford 
Maidstone Untied v Ebbsfleet United 
Truro City v Hayes and Yeading United 
Weston-Super-Mare v Gosport Borough 
Whitehawk v Margate 

Just a small away trip on a Tuesday evening for Hayes and Yeading?? It's 500+ mile round trip to Southern Cornwall to face Truro City. I wonder how many of the H&Y faithful support will be present at Treyew Road. It'll be interesting to see how Margate get on at Whitehawk. The Gate, with a host of new faces in their squad with much experience, go to The Hawks who lost in the play-off final last season. With Steve King in charge expect the Brighton based side to be right up the top of the league in the coming season.

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