Tuesday, 21 March 2023

GUTZMORE DOUBLE HELPS TOTTERNHOE TO VICTORY OVER HIS FORMER CLUB

It was a bitterly cold evening in Hertfordshire on Tuesday 7th March - as kick off approached the temperature hovered around -1 to zero with a frost settling on the playing surface at The John Clements Sports and Community Centre. It was most certainly a night for a hat, gloves and layers of clothing for the 52 spectators in attendance which included a good number who had made the twenty mile trip from Totternhoe. 

This was 7th v 5th in the table with the visitors going into the game on the back of a 3-1 home win against Buckingham United on Saturday - Codicote had won 0-4 at AFC Caddington which had ended a run of three defeats in a row. 

The game was a highly entertaining one with some tackles flying in and some impressive attacking play of which Totternhoe had the better of in the first 45 minutes with the half time score being 1-2. 

Cod goalkeeper Judicael Mottaz, who has made three appearances for Premier Division side Potton United this season, won't want to remember Tott's first goal as he allowed former Cod striker Kadeem Gutzmore to nick the ball from a back pass to score an easy tap in. It was an unfortunate mistake that many goalkeepers make in their career with Mottaz making up for it with a good save with his feet only a few minutes later to keep the score at 0-1. 

With the score a 2-2 with only around ten minutes to go the home side had a brilliant chance to make it 3-2 with a shot from the edge of the box going very close past the post. 

It was the visitors who scored the winner with a composed finish from Gutzmore past Mottaz to take the three points in a really competitive game. 

Totts still have an outside chance of the title with games in hand over teams above them although as you can see from the table it's clearly Old Bradwell United, currently in second place, who are favourites to finish top. They currently have a +72 goal difference and only only one league defeat all season which was at Aston Clinton in October. 

Tott's best chance of silverware is in the Division Two Cup where they are though to the semi-final stage where they play Eynesbury United away next Tuesday evening. Leighton Town Development await the winners of the Old Bradwell United v Berkhamsted Raiders semi-final. 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - LONG 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - SHORT 

Codicote, Eynesbury United (8th) and Leighton Town Development (3rd) are the only clubs to apply for promotion from the Spartan South Midlands League Division Two for this season - who may well be promoted at the end of the season remains to be seen? 

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION TWO 
CURRENT TABLE - TOP FIVE ONLY 
POS TEAM P GD PTS  FORM  PP 
1. NEW BRADWELL ST PETER  22 +38 55 WWWWWW 85
2.  OLD BRADWELL UTD 17 +72 48 WWWWWW 93
3.  LEIGHTON TOWN DEV 21 +34 48 WWWDWW 81
4.  MK COLLEGE  24 +21 43 WWWLWL 67
5.  TOTTERNHOE  17 +27 41 DLLWWW 86


@thecoldendofficial Defence & Attack - Codicote v Totternhoe. #Soccer #football #nonleague #nonleaguefootball #Grassrootsfootball #goal #goalkeeper ♬ Building A Rep - Mark B. & Blade

Sunday, 19 March 2023

MARTYNOV AND FRANTUZOV TWO OF THE STARS ON THE OPENING WEEKEND OF THE BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

CELEBRATION TIME FOR THE YOUNG FC MINSK SQUAD
(courtesy of @minsk1954)

The theme for the opening weekend of the Belarusian Premier League was youth. The first goal of the season was scored by 17 year old FC Minsk attacker Timofey Martynov - his side won 2-0 against Slavia Mozyr with the average age of the ten players who started in outfield positions being just 19.1 years of age. 

BATE Borisov won 0-2 at Gomel with 18 year old midfielder Alexander Frantuzov scoring their second goal. 

It was nearly a fantastic result for First League Champions Naftan Novopolotsk who went down 2-1 at Shakhtyor Soligorsk with an 88th minute equaliser disallowed for a debatable foul on Shakhtyor's goalkeeper. The home side's second goal was scored by 20 year old Maksim Kovalevich which was his first goal in the Premier League. He has spent the last two seasons with Shakhtyor Petrikov - He scored 22 goals in 24 games for Shakhtyor Soligorsk II in the 2020 reserve league. 

Naftan only had Artem Drabatovich and Ignati Sidor left from the the starting XI in their final game of the 2022 First League season. 

The big winners of the weekend were Dynamo Minsk who won 3-0 against Isloch with Brazilian Orinho on the score sheet alongside Vladimir Khvashchinskiy and Vladislav Morozov. Khvashchinskiy scored 22 goals in 27 games for FC Minsk last season and could be a key player for Dynamo - Morozov scored against his former club. 

Last season's runner's up Energetik-BGU won 1-0 at home to Slutsk via Ilya Grischenko goal - they spent much of the game with ten men following Yamoussa Camara's red card (second yellow) on 40 minutes. 

The only other red card of the weekend came in Dynamo Brest's 0-1 home defeat to Torpedo Zhodino where Edgar Olekhnovich was red carded just prior to the half time whistle for an off the ball clash. Former Rukh Brest and Dynamo player Evgeniy Shevchenko scored the only goal of the game watched by a crowd of 6,137 which was the top crowd of game week one. 

In the final game of the weekend it was Smorgon who picked up three points on their return to the top tier with a 1-0 home win over Belshina Bobruisk. 19 year old Matvey Dukso's free kick in the 85 minute bounced in front of Belshina's keeper Aleksay Kharitonovich who was unable to make the save. The home side had missed a penalty kick in the first half via former Krumkachy Minsk player Vitali Litkhtin. 

RESULTS 
FRIDAY 17th MARCH 
FC MINSK 2-0 SLAVIA MOZYR (543)

SATURDAY 18th MARCH 
SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK 2-1 NAFTAN NOVOPOLOTSK (1,150)
GOMEL 0-2 BATE BORISOV (1,200)
DYNAMO MINSK 3-0 ISLOCH (3,150
DYNAMO BREST 0-1 TORPEDO ZHODINO (6,137)  

SUNDAY 19th MARCH 
ENERGETIK-BGU MINSK 1-0 SLUTSK (477)
SMORGON 1-0 BELSHINA BOBRUISK (820)

NOT IN ACTION - NEMAN GRODNO 

FIXTURES 
FRIDAY 24th MARCH 
BELARUS u21 v ANDORRA u21 -  UEFA EURO 2025 QUALIFYING GROUP G
being played in Armenia due to the current UEFA ban on International matches being played in Belarus 

SATURDAY 25th MARCH 
BELARUS v SWITZERLAND - UEFA EURO 2024 QUALIFYING GROUP I
being played in Serbia due to current UEFA ban on International matches being played in Belarus 

TUESDAY 28th MARCH 
GREECE u21 v BELARUS u21 - UEFA EURO 2025 QUALIFYING GROUP G 
ROMANIA v BELARUS - UEFA EURO 2024 QUALIFYING GROUP I 

FRIDAY 31st MARCH 
NAFTAN NOVOPOLOTSK v GOMEL 

SATURDAY 1st APRIL 
SLUTSK v FC MINSK 
TORPEDO BELAZ ZHODINO v SMORGON 
ISLOCH v DYNAMO BREST 

SUNDAY 2nd APRIL 
BATE BORISOV v ENERGETIK-BGU 
NEMAN GRODNO v SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK 
SLAVIA MOZYR v DYNAMO MINSK 

NOT IN ACTION - BELSHINA BOBRUISK 

THE FIRST LEAGUE OPENING WEEKEND'S FIXTURES TAKE PLACE ON THE WEEKEND OF THE 1st and 2nd APRIL - MORE NEWS ON THESE GAMES SOON. 

Thursday, 16 March 2023

WEEKEND PREVIEW - THE BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK TOMORROW WITH FC MINSK PLAYING SLAVIA MOZYR

It was three years ago that many people across the world gained a strong interest in Belarusian football as it was the only country left who played on during the first lockdown. The clubs of the Belarusian Premier League such as Neman Grodno, Slutsk and Belshina Bobruisk acquired many fans in the United Kingdom alongside the more well known BATE Borisov and Dynamo Brest. 

I wrote about the league over the course of the 2020 season and some of the 2021 campaign but just didn't have the time to keep it up - However, I have still kept an eye on the leagues as well as the country in general. 

THE COLD END is a football website so I will try and keep it to beautiful game only and not the current political situation in Belarus. 

BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH DAY ONE PREVIEW

FRIDAY
FC MINSK v SLAVIA MOZYR 
Former Belarus u21, Gorodeya and Belshina Bobruisk boss Sergey Yaromko has been appointed manager after Vadim Skripchenko's departure to City rival's Dynamo Minsk. As is usual with FC Minsk they have a very young squad with centre forward Kirill Zabelin recruited from First League side Lida where he scored 11 goals in 24 league games last season. Currently their oldest outfield played in 24 year old midfielder Egor Lapun who has joined from First League side Shakhtyor Petrikov. 

Despite losing 1-0 to Slutsk in the Belarusian Cup Quarter Final Second Leg last week Slavia Mozyr went through to the Semi-Finals 2-1 on aggregate thanks to 2-0 First Leg win. 

Slavia have a trio of Moldovan Internationals in their ranks in Christian Dros, Igor Costrov and Anderi Cobet. Former Shakhtyor Soligorsk and Gomel boss Ivan Bionchik is the new man in charge of Slavia this season - they finished the 2022 season in 10th with FC Minsk in 6th. 

SATURDAY

NAFTAN'S LAST GAME IN THE TOP TIER WAS IN NOVEMBER 2017 WHEN THEY LOST 1-2 TO ISLOCH. 

SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK v NAFTAN NOVOPOLOTSK
The 2022 Champions welcome the 2022 First League champions on the opening day of the season. Naftan return to the top tier for the first time since the 2017 season. 

Shakhtyor Soligorsk who won the title for the third season in a row by five points last season have been hit with alleged match fixing allegations with a "criminal case being initiated against a representative of the Shakhtar football club' - Read more details here. I'm not sure what the current situation is at present? 

The vastly experience Yuri Puntus (Vitebsk, Slavia, Torpedo Belaz, Belshina, Smolevichi and Dynamo Brest) is the boss at Naftan - the record of promoted clubs in recent years isn't great aside from Gomel. 

Puntus replaced the title winning boss Vyachelsav Gerashchenko in December who has joined relegated DNEPR Mogilev. He joins after a short spell from July to December with Vitebsk who were relegated from the top tier last season. 

Naftan have made a number of singings including Georgian midfielder Revaz Slaukvadze who may well start in this game. 

The departures of Roamn Stepanov, Ilya Chernyak, Roman Yuzepchuk, Dmitri Podstrelov, Milos Satara, Ziam Divanovic, Maxsim Plotnikov and Nikola Antic show Shakhtyor's squad won't be as strong as it was last season.  All have joined clubs overseas. 

Togo forward Euloge Placca might step up to be a player for the champions this season having made just eight league starts last season scoring four goals. 

FC GOMEL v BATE BORISOV 
The giants of the Belarusian game were runner's up in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Their third place finish in 2022 was the first time they had finished lower than the top two since 2005 when they were fifth. The fifteen time champions have a new Manager for the 2023 season in former Rukh Brest boss Kirill Alshevskiy who has been in charge since October 2022. 

Alshevskiy has recruited 31 year old centre-forward Dennis Laptev who has returned to Belarus following a two year spell with Torpedo Moscow. He started his career with Slavia Mozyr and has also played for Shakhtyor Soligorsk, Dynamo Brest and Rukh Brest. Laptev has 30 full International caps for Belarus and his scoring record in the Premier League reads 83 goals in 201 appearances. 

Laptev scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 Belarusian Cup Quarter-Final Second Leg last weekend. 

Dmitri Antilevskiy, 25, has also recently signed for BATE from Dinamo Tiblisi - He is a full Belarus International right sided midfielder/attacker who will add experience to their squad. 

Gomel have had highly respectable fourth and seventh place finishes after their return to the top tier in 2021. Vladimir Nevinskiy will be looking for more of the same this season. He has signed 22 year old Turkish midfielder Furkan Akin from Moldovan side Dinamo-Auto. 

DYNAMO MINSK v ISLOCH 
A City derby to open the season with as Vadim Skipchenko takes charge of Dynamo for the first time having moved from FC Minsk at the end of last season. Dynamo had a good pre-season with eight wins, two draws and only one defeat.

Vladamir Khvashchynski follows Skipchenko and rejoins Dynamo from FC Minsk. The 32 year old Belarusian International had a great 2022 season scoring 20 goals in 27 league games. 

The signings of Pavel Sedko from Gomel along with a trio of players from last season's runners up in Alexsandr Svirepa, Artem Makavchik and Andrey Rylach also look astute signings. 

Abdul Babdanogo  is also a new signing - the 24 year old midfielde joins from Portuguese Second Tier side CD Trofense.  He will join his fellow Burkinabe playe Abdoul Gafar in the league who currently plays for Slutsk. 

Dmitri Komarovskiy took over as Isloch boss in December in his first managerial role. The former BATE Borisov and Shakhtyor Soligorsk centre forward was assistant last season and finished his playing career with the club in 2021. 

A new signing is Prince Kwabena Adu is 19 year old Ghanian centre forward who moves from Bechem United. Adu was included in The Guardian's Next Generation 2020 list and has represented Ghana at under 20 level who described him as a "clever and mobile striker with explosive rapid acceleration and nifty dribbling". Could he follow in the famous and much loved Momo Yansane's footsteps? Mo joined Isloch as a 21 year old in 2019 and went on to score 23 goals in 57 starts for the club. 

He also could be a replacement for Daniel Sosa who left Isloch recently to join Ukrainian club Krivbass. He joined Isloch in July 2021 and scored 15 goals in 43 Premier League games. 

DYNAMO BREST v TORPEDO ZHODINO 
The 2019 champions and one of the best supported clubs in Belarus struggled last season and were in real danger of relegation eventually finishing just above Arsenal Dzerzhinsk in the final table. 

Former Belarus National Team boss Igor Kruishenko was appointed manager in December joining from Indonesian Liga 1 side Periskabo 1973. 

Dmitri Baga will bring some much needed experience to Dynamo's midfield. The 33 year old spent last season with Gomel and is most well known for his time with BATE Borisov from 2008 to 2015 and 2017 to 2020. 

Torpedo will be move into this game with some confidence following their victory (on penalties) over Shakhtyor last weekend. 

Dmitri Molosh has been in charge of Torpedo since December 2021 and will look to improve on their eighth place finish last season. 

SUNDAY
ENERGETIK-BGU v SLUTSK 
A truly amazing 2022 season for such a small club with limited resources as The Students finished as runner's up above the giants of BATE Borisov which was an outstanding achievement for former Smorgon boss Pavel Rodnenok who was appointed last February. 

Many players have departed since and they will certainly miss the goals of Uzbekistani striker Bobir Addulkholikov (26 goals in 30 games) who has moved to Khazhstani club Ordabasy. 

Slutsk who gained many fans during lockdown have finished 14th, 9th and 11th since 2020. The result of this game could be an indication of where Energetik will be this season. Alexsandr Gurinovich, 37, is the new boss of Slutsk having been promoted from Assistant - He has also previously been manager of their reserve side as well as playing for the club. 

SMORGON GOT THEIR FIRST WIN IN THEIR SIXTH GAME OF THE BPL IN 2021 - THEY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF WINNING ON THE OPENING WEEKEND THIS SEASON?

SMORGON v BELSHINA 
Belshina haven't had a spectacular pre-season with just two wins, two draws and five defeats from nine games played alongside two 5-0 defeats in the two legged Belarus Cup Quarter-Final. In the friendly games they have netted just four times with fourteen goals conceded. 

Belshina were relegated in 2020 but bounced back at the first time of asking in 2021. Last season they finished in twelfth place but had only one win in their last twelve league games played - It looks like another season towards the bottom of the table for Albert Rybak's side. 

24 year old centre-forward Ilya Sen makes the move up to the top tier after playing for Volna Pinsk, DNEPR Mogilev and Sputnik Rechitsa in the First League.  He scored 10 times in 22 league games for Volna last season. 

The Bears return to the top tier after relegation in 2021. They finished as runner's up of the First League last season. 

Igor Trukhov has been in charge of Smorgan since November 2021. Nigerian centre-forward Idris Nuradeen has been signed on loan from BATE - He spent the 2022 season with Arsenal Dzerzhinsk where he made only two starts. His only goal in the Belrusian Premier League came back in 2021 when he was on loan with Smorgon in a 1-0 win over FC Minsk. 

With the Premier League only running with fifteen clubs this season Neman Grodno are not in action. Maxline Rogachev did win the promotion/relegation play-off against Arsenal Dzerzhinsk but were denined a licence to play in the top division. 

BELARUSIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2023 (15 CLUBS) 
BATE Borisov
Belshina Bobruisk
Dynamo Brest
Dinamo Minsk 
Energetik-BGU Minsk 
FC Minsk
Gomel 
Isloch
Naftan Novopolotsk - Promoted from First League 
Neman Grodno 
Shakhtyor Soligorsk
Slavia Mozyr 
Slutsk 
Smorgon - Promoted from First League 
Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino 

BELARUSIAN FIRST LEAGUE 2023 (17 CLUBS) 
Arsenal Dzerzhinsk - Relegated from Premier League 
Baranovichi
Bumprom Gomel - Premier from Second League 
DNEPR Mogilve - Relegated from Premier League 
Lida
Locomotive Gomel 
Maxline Rogachev
Molodechno 2018 
Niva - Promoted from Second League 
Orsha 
Osipovichi 
Ostrovets
Shakhtyor Petrikov
Slomin 2017 
Vitebsk - Relegated from Premier League 
Zhodino-Yuzhnoe - Promoted from Second League 

Sunday, 12 March 2023

A VERY GOOD WEEK FOR THE TAGS AS THEY WIN AGAIN AND AFC DROP POINTS

POS TEAM P W D L GF-GA GD PTS FORM POSS PTS
1.  HASHTAG UNITED  31 27 1 3 84-30 +54 82 WWWWWW 103
2.  AFC SUDBURY  31 23 4 4 70-39 +50 73 WDLWLD 94

It's been a great week for Hashtag United who won their twentieth league game in a row with a 1-2 victory over Heybridge Swifts on Saturday and saw their nearest challenger's AFC Sudbury losing in midweek at Stowmarket Town (0-1) and drawing at New Salamis on Saturday - the were 1-0 down in North London only for Somalian International  Sak Hassan to rescue a point with a goal in the 89th minute. 

The Tags are now strong favourites for the title but like I've said before their manager Jay Devereux will have his player's feet firmly on the ground over the next seven games! 

REMAINING FIXTURES
SATURDAY 18th MARCH
AFC SUDBURY v BASILDON UNITED 
HASHTAG UNITED v FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED 

SATURDAY 25th MARCH
GORLESTON v AFC SUDURY 
STOWMARKET TOWN v HASHTAG UNITED 

SATURDAY 1st APRIL
AFC SUDBURY v STOWMARKET TOWN 
HASTAG UNITED v COGGESHALL TOWN 

SATURDAY 8th APRIL 
GORLESTON v HASHTAG UNITED 
MALDON & TIPTREE v AFC SUDBURY 

MONDAY 10th APRIL 
AFC SUDBURY v COGGESHALL TOWN 
WITHAM TOWN v HASHTAG UNITED 

SATURDAY 15th APRIL 
AFC SUDBURY v BRENTWOOD TOWN 
HASTAG UNITED v GREAT WAKERING ROVERS 

SATURDAY 22nd APRIL 
BASILDON UNITED v HASHTAG UNITED 
GREAT WAKERING ROVERS v AFC SUDBURY 

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE - THE BATTLE TO BEAT THE DROP

CURRENT TABLE
POS TEAM P W D L GF-GA GD PTS  FORM PP
16.  BALDOCK TOWN  29 9 3 17 44-54 -20 30 DLLLLW 57
17.  COLNEY HEATH  29 6 5 18 24-52 -28 23 LWLWDL 50
18.  HODDESDON TOWN  28 5 7 16 26-62 -36 22 LLWLDL 52
19. ARLESEY TOWN 27 5 6 16 26-45 -19 21 DLDLWL 54
20. LONDON COLNEY 27 2 3 22 19-73 -54 9 LDLWLL 42

CURRENT FORM - LAST TEN GAMES
POS TEAM P W D L GF-GA GD PTS 
1.   ARLESEY TOWN  1O 3 4 3 11-10 +1 13
2.  BALDOCK TOWN  10 2 2 6 12-20 -8 8
3.  COLNEY HEATH  10 2 2 6 9-17 -8 8
4. HODDESDON TOWN 10 1 2 7 3-22 -19 5
5. LONDON COLNEY  10 1 1 8 7-29 -22 4

In the battle to beat the drop from the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division it will be a remarkable turn around of form if London Colney finish outside of the bottom two - Their only wins this season came back on the opening day of the season away at Cockfosters and more recently at fellow struggler's Arlesey Town. 

With a seven point gap between Baldock Town and Colney Heath many fans would be thinking it's now down to a battle between three teams as to who finishes in 19th place. 

Could Colney Heath, who spent the 21/22 season at Step Four,  suffer another relegation and play at Step Six for the 23/24 campaign? 

Hoddesdon Town last played at Step Six from 2005 to 2013 with Arlesey Town relegated from the Southern League in 2018 now in danger of a further demotion to Step Six.  


FORTHCOMING FIXTURES FOR THE BOTTOM FIVE 
Tuesday 7th March
Baldock Town v Shefford Town & Campton 
The home side will be in good spirits following their victory over St Panteleimon at the weekend - Shefford make the short journey on the back of just one win in their last six games albeit that victory was against Dunstable Town. 
London Colney v Risborough Rangers 
The visitors have won four of their last six games scoring 15 goals in the process and beat LCFC 6-0 at home at the end of January. Since that game the home side have drawn 0-0 at home to table topping Stotfold, lost 0-1 twice to St Panteleimon, won 1-2 at Arlesey Town and on Saturday lost 0-3 at home to Dunstable Town. 
Stotfold v Hoddesdon Town 
Hoddesdon Town have just two wins on their travels so far this season which came back in November at Ardley United (0-2) and at London Colney in October (0-1).  The home side have just one defeat at home which was the recent 0-1 defeat to Risborough Rangers. Hoddesdon Town were beaten 3-0 at Leverstock Green on Saturday so will be huge underdogs for this game but with football you never know? 

Saturday 9th March 
Arlesey Town v Harpenden Town 
Cockfosters v Baldock Town 
Dunstable Town v Colney Heath 
Leighton Town v London Colney 

Monday, 6 March 2023

THE BATTLE TO BEAT THE DROP IN THE PITCHING-IN SOUTH-EAST DIVISION

Sammy Moore made headlines when he moved from Potters Bar Town, who at the time were top of the Isthmian Premier, to Faversham Town who were bottom of the South-East Division at the end of November. 

The Lillywhites are now second from bottom in the table and still in real danger of relegation - They have used seventy-four players in league and cup games so far!  They have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six games. 

Haywards Heath Town, VCD Athletic, Sittingbourne and Burgess Hill Town sit above them in the battle to beat the drop from Step Four. 

The bottom two will be relegated with the teams in 17th and 18th possibly having to take place in a step four/five play-off match at the end of the season. 

POS TEAM P W D L GF-GA GD PTS FORM PP
15.  BURGESS HILL TOWN  29 8 8 13  40-43 -3 32 LWLLWL 59
16. SITTINGBOURNE 29 7 10 12 31-34 -3 31 DLWWDD 58
17.  VCD ATHLETIC 30 8 7 15 36-55 -19 31 DLDLLL 55
18.  HAYWARDS HEATH TOWN 29 7 8 14 38-60 -22 29 LDLLDL 56
19. FAVERSHAM TOWN 30 5 6 19 32-65 -33 21 LDDWLW 48
20.  CORINTHIAN 29 4 8 17 22-43 -21 20 LLLDDD 47

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
 
Tuesday 7th March
Burgess Hill Town v Cray Valley 
East Grinstead Town v Hythe Town
Haywards Heath Town v Three Bridges
Sittingbourne v Chichester City 

Saturday 11th March 
Beckenham Town v Littlehampton Town 
Burgess Hill Town v Corinthian 
Chatham Town v Haywards Heath Town 
Cray Valley v Ashford United 
Hythe Town v Chichester City 
Lancing v Faversham Town 
Ramsgate v East Grinstead Town 
Sheppey United v VCD Athletic
Sittingbourne v Three Bridges 
Whitehawk v Sevenoaks Town 

Tuesday 14th March 
Corinthian v Three Bridges 
Whitehawk v Chatham Town 

Saturday 18th March
Ashford United v Hythe Town
Chichester City v Chatham Town 
Corinthian v Ramsgate 
East Grinstead Town v Whitehawk 
Faversham Town v Burgess Hill Town 
Haywards Heath Town v Cray Valley 
Littlehampton Town v Sittingbourne 
Sevenoaks Town v Sheppey United 
Three Bridges v Beckenham Town 
VCD Athletic v Lancing 

Saturday 25th March
Burgess Hill Town v Chatham Town
Corinthian v Chichester City 
East Grinstead Town v Ashford United 
Faversham Town v Sittingbourne 
Lancing v Three Bridges 
Littlehampton Town v VCD Athletic 
Ramsgate v Haywards Heath Town 
Sevenoaks Town v Hythe Town 
Sheppey United v Beckenham Town
Whitehawk v Cray Valley

Sunday, 5 March 2023

HASHTAG UNITED OR AFC SUDBURY - WHICH CLUB WILL WIN THE PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION TITLE?

POS TEAM P W D L GF-GA GD PTS FORM POSS PTS
1.  HASHTAG UNITED  30 26 1 3 82-29 +53 79 WWWWWW 103
2.  AFC SUDBURY  29 23 3 3 69-28 +41 72 LWWDLW 99

Hashtag United's recent victory over AFC Sudbury and subsequent 1-8 thrashing of relegation threatened Tilbury has put them in a strong position at the top of the table. The Tags have now won an incredible 19 league games in a row!! 

Their experienced Manager Jay Devereux will no doubt be keeping his squad's feet firmly on the ground and taking each game as it comes as nothing is certain yet with eight games left to play. 

Hashtag's next game is at Heybridge Swifts next Saturday who are pushing for play-off place but did lost at Gorleston yesterday - AFC Sudbury have two tough away trips coming up in a Suffolk Derby against Stowmarket Town on Tuesday evening before visiting New Salamis on Saturday. 

The North London side had a good 4-3 win over play-off chasing Felixstowe & Walton United this weekend.

POS TEAM P W D L GF-GA GD PTS FORM POSS PTS
3.  LOWESTOFT TOWN  28 19 4 5 64-28 +36 61 WLDWWW 91
4.   FELIXSTOWE & WALTON  28 17 4 7 63-35 +28 55 DWLWWL 85
5.  GRAYS ATHLETIC  29 17 4 8 46-29 +17 55 LDDWWW 82
6.  HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS  30 15 8 7 50-30 +20 53 LDWDWL 77
7.  STOWMARKET TOWN  28 15 6 7 48-30 +18 51 LDDLLW 81
8.  EAST THURROCK UTD  30 14 5 11 43-44 -1 47 WDWWWL 71
9.  NEW SALAMIS  30 12 9 9 52-53 -1 45 LDDLLW 69
10.  BRENTWOOD TOWN  29 12 6 11 40-36 +4 42 DDDDWW 69

In the race for the play-offs Lowestoft Town have a six point buffer between themselves and Felixstowe & Walton United. East Thurrock Utd's defeat to Stowmarket Town was a real six pointer with Luke Upson getting the winner in the 90th minute for the Suffolk side. Could they (11) along with New Salamis (9) and Brentwood Town (11) have lost too many games at this stage of the season to have a chance of getting in the play-off places? 

Felixstowe & Walton United's next three games come against Lowestoft Town (3rd), Grays Athletic (5th) and Hashtag United (1st). 

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES 
Tuesday 7th March
Basildon United v Grays Athletic 
Felixstowe & Walton United v Lowestoft Town 
Gorleston v Witham Town 
Stowmarket Town v AFC Sudbury

Saturday 11th March
Basildon United v Gorleston 
Brentwood Town v Great Wakering Rovers
Bury Town v Tilbury 
Coggeshall Town v Witham Town 
East Thurrock United v Wroxham 
Felixstowe & Walton United v Grays Athletic
Heybridge Swifts v Hashtag United 
Lowestoft Town v Hullbridge Sports
New Salamis v AFC Sudbury 
Stowmarket Town v Maldon & Tiptree 

Tuesday 14th March
Brentwood Town v Lowestoft Town 
Hullbridge Sports v Tilbury 

Saturday 18th March  
AFC Sudbury v Basildon United 
Gorleston v East Thurrock United
Grays Athletic v Lowestoft Town 
Great Wakering Rovers v Stowmarket Town 
Hashtag United v Felixstowe & Walton United 
Hullbridge Sports v Bury Town 
Maldon & Tiptree v Coggeshall Town 
Tilbury v Heybridge Swifts 
Witham Town v Brentwood Town 
Wroxham v New Salamis

WILL HASHTAG UNITED WHO ENTERED THE NON-LEAGUE PYRAMID AT STEP SIX IN 2018 WIN THE TITLE OR WILL AFC SUDBURY FINISH TOP AND CLINCH A RETURN TO THE ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION WHERE THEY SPENT THE 2016/17 SEASON?