Welcome to the first WEEKEND NON-LEAGUE PREVIEW from THE COLD END which will be a weekly feature published at 1pm every Thursday. It will feature the local leagues from Step Three downwards along with a non-league player of the week feature, a random non-league fixture and also some other facts/stats about local and not so local non-league football.
Wherever you are watching football this weekend please have a great afternoon, thankyou so much for reading and keep supporting non-league football.
PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER DIVISION
Brightlingsea Regent are looking to bounce back from a miserable run of from in recent weeks in their Pitching-In Isthmian League Premier Division home game against Lewes.
Many people expected the Sussx side to be up towards the top of the division this season, but they are currently in 12th place on four wins, five draws and three defeats.
They are still on The Road To Wembley having won a spot-kicks at Chesham United last weekend in the FA Trophy. They have a home game against Bognor Regis Town in the next round.
"THE DARKEST NIGHT I'VE HAD IT SEVEN YEARS OF MANAGEMENT"
Regent have lost 0-5 at Wingate and Finchley and then 0-6 at home to Aveley in their last two league games. The defeat to fellow struggler's Wingate was described as the "Darkest night I've had in seven years of Management!" by Regent Manager Brett Munyard - The fans at North Road have shown how class they are but being fully supportive of the former White Ensign boss and have sent him many messages of support.
Regent lost again in midweek to Bowers & Pitsea in the Velocity Cup on Tuesday evening where former Crystal Palace Academy and Östersunds striker Francis Jno-Baptiste scored in a 1-3 defeat on his second start for the club. The 22-year-old came through the ranks at Crystal Palace from 2012 to 2019.
The home side may also include winger Jesse Olukolu who has signed from Essex Senior League side Romford on Wednesday - He has made 15 appearances for The Boro this season.
Munyard is highly respected in local football - hopefully the tide will turn, and some positive results will come sooner rather than later.
There is another huge game at the bottom of the table as under new management Corinthian-Casuals host Herne Bay - I know it's still early in the season but this game is most definitely a relegation six pointer with The Casuals on just one win in thirteen league games and The Bay on two wins from twelve. The Tolworth based side have lost their last nine league games in a row - Justin Fevrier has recently taken over from Tony Reid who had been in charge since joining the club in the summer. He had recently been Assistant Manager at South Division side Haywards Heath Town. Could they show some new Manager bounce?
PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN NORTH DIVISION
What a game there is on the Suffolk coast as league leader's Lowestoft Town host second placed Felixstowe & Walton United. Plenty of fans are likely to make the 50-mile journey North from Felixstowe which coupled with The Trawler Boys are averaging 404 fans for home games so far this season indicates there could be a bumper crowd at this game.
The home side are looking to bounce back from a 3-2 defeat at Hashtag United last weekend which was their first league defeat of the season. The visitors beat The Tags 4-0 in front of a bumper 658 crowd on Saturday 22nd October but followed this up with a 1-0 loss at AFC Sudbury - they then won 2-1 against Great Wakering Rovers last Saturday.
It's the first time since the 2008/09 season that the Lowestoft Town and Felixstowe & Walton United have been in the same division.
Jake Reed has netted 11 times for the home side with Felixstowe having three different players on 6 goals each - Billy Holland, Josh Hitter and Callum Harrison. Hitter has step 3 experience with Leiston - Reed started his career with Great Yarmouth Town before moving into the football league with Dagenham & Redbridge from 2011 to 2014. He has since played for AFC Sudbury & Leiston and is in his third spell at Crown Meadow.
PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN SOUTH-CENTRAL DIVISION
Northwood are having an excellent season and currently top the division and I'll call their clash with Uxbridge a METROPOLITAN LINE derby - Both have stops on the Tube but Uxbridge's Honeycroft ground is actually located in West Daryton which is around four miles away from Uxbridge Station.
The Woods last game was a 0-0 draw at home to Chipstead in front of 165 people.
Uxbridge had a fantastic 4-2 home win over Premier Division Wingate & Finchley in the FA Trophy last weekend and now have a home tie against Vanarama South side Dover Athletic to look forward to in the Second Round.
(Photos of Northwood's recent game against Chipstead - Courtesy of @jamesbrown333 who is the official Northwood FC Photographer - Please give him a follow.)
SOUTHERN LEAGUE CENTRAL DIVISION
Ware, who lost out in the play-off final last season, are currently second in the table after winning nine and losing three of their twelve league games. In their last home game they went down 3-4 to Cirencester Town but followed this up with a good 2-0 victory at Hadley and a 2-1 win at Kempston Rovers. They host Aylesbury United who are under new management following the recent departure of Ben Williams, who had been with the club for five years.
The new boss for The Ducks is Jack Wells who joins for Premier Division South side North Leigh who ironically were the side who beat Ware in the play-off final last season. He was first team coach with The Millers and has previously held coaching roles at Wantage Town, Stratford Town and Redditch United as well as in the academy at Northampton Town and been Manager at both Oxford City Ladies and Wycombe Wanderers Ladies.
The Ducks had a fantastic result last midweek with a 5-1 win at home to Highworth Town with former Shepshed Dynamo midfielder Tom McElroy netting a hat-trick and Sonny French scoring twice.
Attacking midfielder Liam Dulson, 20, has been one of the stand-out players for Ware this season and been well amongst the goals.
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
What a game in prospect at Creasey Park as Dunstable Town welcome Stotfold - It's definitely one of the non-league games of the day!
Both teams are doing extremely well this season and are expected by many fans to be there or thereabouts at the top of the table when it comes to the business end of the season.
Stotfold have won seven, drawn four and lost one of twelve games with Dunstable winning five and drawing four of their nine games.
I saw Joe Deeney's side in their game at St Panteleimon last Wednesday - they played very well in the first 20 minutes and were 0-1 up but then The Saints were well on top and arguably could and should have won with the number chances created - Town did defend well and left Hertingfordbury Park with a well-earned point.
Stotfold have an impressive squad including Mason Spence who they signed from MK Irish last season - He had a short spell with Dunstable Town in the 15/16 season so they will know of his talents and that he'll keep their back line very busy during the game. He has scored seven goals so far this season.
The Eagles won 6-2 in The Hitchingbrooke Cup on Tuesday evening against United Counties League Division One side Blackstones FC. Archie Sayer netted a hat-trick in the game - The former Stevenage FC academy youngster netted 18 goals for Arlesey Town last season.
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Eaton Socon have made an excellent start to life at Step Six of the non-league ladder following their promotion from the Cambridgeshire County League - Only Amersham Town and Real Bedford are ahead of them in the table. On Saturday they face Rugby Borough at home who are another in form team. Both have won five and lost one of their last six games. Borough have scored 28 goals in those six games compared to Eaton Socon's 16. There should be some goals scored in this game.
The home side had an excellent result on Tuesday evening beating Step Four side St Neots Town 3-1 in a local derby Huntingdon Senior Cup victory with Rhys Thorpe scoring twice - He has recently re-joined the club from Histon where he has spent the last year - He scored 6 goals in 16 games for The Stutes this season.
ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE
An Essex Senior League "Battle of the Seaside" game between the now City of Southend-On-Sea and the Town of Clacton-On-Sea.
Manor are rooted to the bottom of the ESL Table with no league wins so far and have had a change in management with James Wakeling departing earlier in the season. Alex O'Leary had taken over the reins having moved from Isthmian Premier side Bowers & Pitsea where he was a first team coach and is assisted by Kudus Oyenuga who has played for a number of clubs in his career including Tottenham Hotspur, Bury, St Johnstone, Dundee United Greenock Morton and Chelmsford City to name a few. Both have signed as players for the club as well as management.
"IT'S BEEN A TOUGH START TO LIFE AS MANAGER, BUT I'VE REALLY ENJOYED IT SO FAR"
O'Leary has had 0-4, 0-6, 0-0, 0-4 and 1-2 results so far. The 1-2 defeat last Saturday was a very close result against Little Oakley who are fifth in the table.
O'Leary told me "It’s been a tough start to life as Manager, but I’ve really enjoyed it so far. The first two games versus West Essex and Burnham Ramblers were a bit of a write off as I took the chance to see what the personnel already at the club were like. Since then and twelve or so new players later, we are in a much better position and were extremely unlucky not get something Saturday versus Little Oakley in my opinion. FC Clacton are flying high this year so far and have good players all over the pitch, but we will try to prepare as we have done for all our games by doing our research on them and then try to impose our game plan on them. If we are able to do that then hopefully we will give ourselves a chance of getting something on the day."
The visitors are currently in second place in the table with only three defeats in twelve games. One of those losses was at home to Takeley last Saturday who left The Rush Green Bowl 2-4 winners.
Form says a big away victory, but you never know with some confidence in the Southend Manor squad following their good performance against Little Oakley they could give FC Clacton a decent game?
Note the early kick off time of 2pm for this game.
THURLOW NUNN FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
Burnham Ramblers are top of the division and having their best season for many a year - I'd say since they were champions of the Essex Senior League in the 2012/2013 season. They host Sporting Bengal United who are in 7th place and only five points off the top of the table.
Adebolu Adeyemi and Shermarie Perkins-Palmer are having stand out seasons for Ramblers each scoring 12 goals in 20 league and cup games. Perkins-Palmer, 20, counts Heybridge Swifts, Concord Rangers and Harlow Town as former clubs.
ESSEX ALLIANCE LEAGUE SENIOR DIVISION
Brimsdown have had a good season so far following their move closer to home to ground share at Wormley Rovers after spending a few seasons playing at Tilbury.
Former Hadley Assistant Manager Junior Matti has rebuilt the playing side who have won six, drawn two and lost two of their ten league games and are currently in fourth place in the table. Jolof Sports are second in the table and won 1-2 at Brimsdown in September and their only defeat in the league came on the opening match weekend when they went down 0-5 verus FC Petrocub.
Junior Matti spoke to me about his teams narrow 0-1 win at Chadwell Heath Spartans last weekend - "It was a good competitive game against a strong side, we had the lion's share of possession and tried to break them down which proved to be a near impossible task as Spartans were so compact, organised and defended extremely well. Throwing on some energetic youngsters added with a bit of luck from a deflected shot and it enabled us to leave with all 3 points which our main aim in any game."
"I EXPECT A REALLY COMPETITIVE GAME - THE BOYS WILL DEFINATELY BE UP FOR THE FIGHT"
On Saturday's opponents Jolof Sports "Jolof are a really good side. They are well organised, pacey and powerful, led by a really good manager. Since their opening day defeat, they have really come strong and that reflects in their results including beating us. I expect a really competitive game - the boys will definitely be up for the fight."
HERTS SENIOR COUNTY LEAGUE DIVISION ONE
Hatfield United v L7 looks a fantastic game in prospect at the Birchwood. United have won four of their seven league games so far and a good squad of players. Curtis Warner has scored seven goals in six league and cup games so far.
L7, in their first full season in the non-league pyramid, have a fantastic squad full of young players. Jack Mead has netted an incredible eleven goals in just six league and cup games. They have won five on their six league games with their only defeat being a 1-2 loss at home to league leader's Harpenden Town Development.
THERE ARE SOME CUP GAMES AS WELL
You can never guarantee goals at a game but if strongly suspect there may be some balls hitting the back of the net a few times in the the Atholl v Barking Potters Essex Alliance League Fenton Trophy First Round game on Saturday.
Potters, in their first season, have lost all six Division Two games they have played so far conceding 47 goals including a 16-3 defeat at Royal Forest in early October. Atholl, of Division One, are also without a win having drawn their opening game of the season but then losing six in a row including a 3-7 defeat to Ilford Reserves last Saturday.
The game is being played at Parmiters in Chingford, E4.
The 61 FC (Luton) v Ampthill Town was scheduled to be played last Saturday but was called off due to road closures due to a fire in the local area. Another game where goals could be guaranteed.
It's a Division One v Division Two Bedfordshire FA Senior Trophy game where the visitors will be strong favourites as the home side have lost all ten of their league and cup games played so far conceding 64 goals.
THIS WEEK'S NON-LEAGUE PLAYER IS FOCUS
Guilherme Monti, aged 29, is a fantastically skilful and technical player with a wand of a left foot. He is small in stature but can keep hold of the ball and pick a pass whether playing a simple pass or a defence splitting through ball. I have seen him play a number of times for his current team (St Panteleimon) and each time I'm impressed - the ball seems to stick to his foot.
He is a midfielder with an eye for goal scoring seven times in fifteen games this season and twelve in twenty-six games in the 21/22 campaign.
Monti was born in Brazil and at the age of 17 played in the fourth tier of the Brazilian game for Joinville Esporte Club and helped them to promotion to the third tier. He came to the UK when aged 23 and subsequently played in the Italian Fourth Division for Unione Triestina where he played for two seasons. On his return to the UK he played Futsal for Helvecia Futsal Club helping them to Legue title and playing in the UEFA Futsal Champions League. He spent some time with AEK London in the Middlesex County League before meeting Manager George Frangeskou and joining The Saints in 2019.
His goal scoring and performances for St Panteleimon this season show the Brazilian is clearly enjoying playing for the club - Long may this continue.
THIS WEEK'S RANDOM NON-LEAGUE GAME IS....
Cadbury Heath v Mousehole in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division. Near enough every away day is a trek for Cornish side Mousehole - they face a 400-mile round trip to play Cadbury Heath this weekend which must be some sort of record for a Step 5 regional league.
To put a local perspective on it the same trip mileage-wise we'll take Stotfold as an example. The would have to travel from Befordshire to Thornaby FC in Stockton-On-Tees - They are closer (144 miles) to Cadbury Heath.
Mousehole are looking to climb the non-league ladder - Should they go up two levels they'll be placed in the Southern League Premier South which could see them travel to Hendon which is
620 mile round trip!
Mousehole are still on The Road to Wembley in the FA Vase facing Hellenic Division One side Hartpury University in the Second Round on Saturday 12th November. The prospect of a Mousehole v Whitley Bay game is still on the cards once the draw goes national and if they both stay in the competition - The distance between Trungle Parc and Hillheads Park is 486 miles and over an 8 hour drive!
SOME OTHER NON-LEAGUE FACTS/STATS/NEWS
FIVE GOALS IN ELEVEN GOALS
Isthmian League North Division side Coggeshall Town parted company with their manager Cliff Akurang after their 2-0 defeat at Gorleston last weekend. The Seedgrowers are without a league win and have only scored five goals - two of which came against Witham Town in their recent 2-2 draw. They host Stowmarket Town on Saturdaty.
NINE POINT GAP
Hutton are nine points ahead of Rayleigh Town in the Essex Olympian Premier Division. They have dropped just two points from a possible twenty-seven on offer so far. They visit Collier Row this Saturday in the EOFL Senior League Cup - they are currently top of Division Four winning five of seven league games so far.
NO WINS ON THE ROAD
Three Bridges have lost all six of their Isthmian South-East games which is in stark contrast to their home form of three wins and one defeat from four games. They host Haywards Heath Town on Saturday who have one win from five games on their travels.
FA CUP 1st ROUND WEEKEND
It's the Emirates FA Cup First Round weekend - A competition which holds some truly wonderful memories for me and many other non-league football fans. Phil Annets of @FACupFactfile has produced a fantastic guide and preview to the games at the weekend which can be found here. I wish every non-league club the very best of luck - Let's hope the Magic of The Cup is sprinkled on some grounds.
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