SATURDAY 13th AUGUST - ISTHMIAN LEAGUE OPENING FIXTURES

PREMIER DIVISION

Billericay Town v Cray Wanderers 

Bishops Stortford v Haringey Borough 

Bognor Regis Town v Hornchurch 

Canvey Island v Horsham 

Carshalton Athletic v Brightlingsea Regent 

Corinthian-Casuals v Bowers & Pitsea 

Enfield Town v Folkestone Invicta 

Hastings United v Aveley 

Herne Bay v Potters Bar Town 

Margate v Kingstonian 

Wingate & Finchley v Lewes

The game of the day for The Cold End comes as Enfield Town (3rd last season) host Folkestone Invicta (6th) at Donkey Lane. Last season it ended 0-0 on the South Coast with Invicta scoring a famous 'ghost goal' which on the video replay looking to have gone over the goal but the officials never gave it. In December it ended 2-3 in North London with David Smith, now with Vanarama National League Bromley, scoring for Inivicta. 

Another fantastic game comes at The Pilot Field as South-East Division Champion's Hastings United host North Division champion's Aveley. United lost four of their nineteen home league games last season. 

Canvey Island and Herne Bay are the other promoted sides who both play at home against Horsham and Potters Bar Town. 

SOUTH-CENTRAL DIVISION 

Ashford Town v Binfield 

Basingstoke Town v Bedfont Sports 

Chertsey Town v South Park (Reigate) 

Chipstead v Sutton Common Rovers 

Guernsey v Thatcham Town 

Leatherhead v Westfield 

Marlow v Walton & Hersham

Merstham v Southall

Northwood v Tooting & Mitcham United 

Uxbridge v Hanworth Villa 

In the South-Central Division we see, after over two decades, the return to Isthmian League football for Southall who make the trip to Merstham who were relegated from the Premier Division last season.

They were last members of the league in the 99/00 season when they finished bottom of Division Three and were relegated to the Combined Counites Premier. It's fantastic to see such a historic name back in the league - Let's hope they can get back to their home town very soon as they have been ground sharing since 1992 and the lost of their much loved Western Road ground. I can only think of Southern Combination Division One side Epsom & Ewell (West Road - 1993) and Cray Wanderers (moved from Oxford Road in 1998) as clubs who have been without a home ground for as long? 

Hanworth Villa's trip to Honeycroft to play Uxbridge is also a great game in prospect. The visitors ran away with the Combined Counties League Premier Division North last season finishing unbeaten in their 34 league games which were 30 wins and 4 draws. The home side just missed out on a play-off place finishing in 6th place - just four points below Basingstoke Town in 5th place. 

Another famous name in non-league football return to the Isthmian League - Walton & Hersham who won the Isthmian title in 1972/73 were relegated to Step Five in 2016 and dropped down to Step Six between 2019 to 2021. The Swans have been on the up since they came under new ownership in the summer of 2019. 

NORTH DIVISION 

Basildon United v Heybridge Swifts 

Brentwood Town v Felixstowe & Walton United 

Bury Town v Hashtag United 

Coggeshall Town v Grays Athletic 

East Thurrock United v AFC Sudbury 

Gorleston v New Salamis 

Great Wakering Rovers v Lowestoft Town 

Maldon & Tiptree v Tilbury 

Stowmarket Town v Hullbridge Sports

Witham Town v Wroxham

Bury Town finished in a disappointing 12th place last season with The Tags in 8th place. Both teams are expected to go well this campaign so this will be an eagerly anticipated first game of the season that should be played in front of a decent crowd at Ram Meadow. The visitors have made a number of stand out signings including midfielder Percy Kiangebeni who has droped down from Premier Division Enfield Town. 

Brentwood Town just missed out in the play-off final last season and under the management of Rod Stringer are one of the favourites for the title. I expect them to be the team to beat. They host Felixstowe & Walton United who finished in 5th place losing in the play-off semi-final against Canvey Island who beat Brentwood Town in the final on penalty kicks. The home side won both games 1-0 last season. 

They'll be a great game on the Suffolk coast as Thurlow Nunn Premier champion's Gorleston host Spartan South Midlands Premier champion's New Salamis. The Greens will ground share at Lowestoft Town's Crown Meadow home for the 22/23 season with work on their new ground to be completed. 

SOUTH EAST 

Burgess Hill Town v Ashford United 

Corinthian v Hythe Town 

East Grinstead Town v Chatham Town 

Faversham Town v Littlehampton Town

Lancing v Beckenham Town

Ramsgate v Cray Valley 

Sevenoaks Town v Three Bridges 

Sheppey United v Chichester City

VCD Athletic v Haywards Heath Town

Whitehawk v Sittingbourne 

In the South Division we see Littlehampton Town, who had an excellent season in 21/22 winning the Southern Combination Premier and playing at Wembley in the FA Vase final which they lost to Newport Pagnell Town, travelling to Faversham Town. 

Chatham Town and Sheppey United who were streets ahead of all the other teams in the Southern Counties East Premier last season are expected to be up towards the top of the division. The Chats go to East Grinstead Town and The Ites host Chichester City. 

Sittingbourne, who I think will have a good season, begin with a trip to the Sussex seaside to play Whitehawk.