ROUTINE VICTORY FOR WHEATHAMPSTEAD 89 AT THE WRESTLERS

It was Herts Advertiser Sunday League Division Three action for me this weekend as I watched The Wrestlers take on Wheathampstead 89 at Birchwood in Hatfield. Prior to kick off the home side had won just two of their eleven league games and the visitors had a more impressive record of seven victories in twelve league games.  

The Wrestler's two wins have come against Hatfield Comets (6-3) and Marshalwick Rovers (5-3) who are in 9th and 7th place of the table with The Wrestlers in 6th position. 

Wheathampsted 89 near enough had the game wrapped up at half time with the score at 0-3 but full credit to the home side who played some good football in the second half and worked incredibly hard on a heavy pitch and fully deserved their goal which was scored late in the game. 

The defeat was a clear improvement form their 7-1 defeat at Wheathampstead 89 earlier in the season in October.  

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - SHORT VERSION 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - LONG VERSION 

MATCH PICTURES 

ISUZU FA TROPHY UPDATE

SATURDAY 13th JANUARY

FOURTH ROUND

STEP ONE - THIRTEEN CLUBS 

STEP TWO -  TWELVE CLUBS

STEP THREE - SIX CLUBS

STEP FOUR - THREE 

Aveley 1-0 AFC Fylde 

Bath City 0-0 Coalville Town (3-4 on pens) 

Bishop's Stortford 6-1 Aldershot Town 

Bromley 1-1 Chippenham Town (4-2 on pens)

Chelmsford City 0-1Wealdstone

Gateshead 2-2 Weston Super Mare (4-3 on pens) 

Hartlepool United 0-0 Hampton & Richmond Borough  (2-4 on pens)

Hereford 2-0 Torquay United  

Horsham 0-3 Peterborough Sports 

Hythe Town 1-2 Chorley 

Kidderminster Harriers 0-0 Altrincham (4-2 on pens)

Macclesfield 5-0 Dorking Wanderers  

Oldham Athletic 1-2 Hendon 

Radcliffe 1-2 Barnet 

Solihull Moors 5-1 Nantwich Town 

Welling United 2-0 Chesterfield 

There was a number of surprise results in the Fifth Round of the Isuzu Trophy Fourth Round played on  with Southern League Premier South side Hendon winning 1-2 at Oldham Athletic the real stand out result. 221 fans from Middlesex were amongst the 2,819 crowd at Boundary Park saw 

Chesterfield, Hartlepool United, Aldershot Town, Macclesfield and AFC Fylde all joined The Latics as Vanarama National League sides being knocked out by lower level sides all being defeated by Step Two sides. 

FIFTH ROUND DRAW

STEP ONE - SIX CLUBS 

STEP TWO - SEVEN  CLUBS 

STEP THREE - THREE CLUBS 

Bishop's Stortford v Coalville Town 

Bromley v Aveley 

Chorley v Solihull Moors 

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Macclesfield 

Hereford v Gateshead 

Peterborough Sports v Kidderminster Harriers 

Wealdstone v Hendon 

Welling United v Barnet

PREVIOUS WINNERS LEFT IN THE DRAW* 

Bishops Stortford (1981), Wealdstone (1985), Kidderminster Harriers (1987) & Bromley (2022). 

* Macclesfield FC are a new club - they were formed after the demise of Macclesfield Town who were the first winners of the Trophy in 69/70 and also win 95/96.

Kidderminster Harriers have have won The FA Trophy once in 1987 as well being runner's up three times (91, 95 and 07). They have also been knocked out in the SF stage in 09/10 and the QF stage in 81/82, 85/86 and 89/90. 

Wealdstone, winners in 1985, have been to the semi-final stage in recent years losing to Newport County in 2012 and Brackley Town in 2018. Could it be a short-trip to Wembley for The Stones this year?

Six of the last Sixteen are former members of the Isthmian League - Aveley, Bishop's Stortford, Bromley, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Hendon and Wealdstone. 

 

CURRENT POSITIONS IN LEAGUE

VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE

2. Bromley 

3. Barnet 

4. Solihull Moors

8. Gateshead 

14. Wealdstone 

24. Kidderminster Harriers

VANARAMA NORTH/SOUTH 

4. Hampton & Richmond Borough (South)

6. Hereford (North) 

7. Chorley (North)

7. Aveley (South)

15. Peterborough Sports (North)

22. Welling United (South)

24. Bishop's Stortford (North)

STEP THREE 

7. Macclesfield (Northern Premier League)

9. Hendon (Southern League Premier South) 

13. Coalville Town (Southern League Premier Central) 

CURRENT ODDS

FA Trophy Outright Winner 2023/24 (E/W 2 places)

available on betvictor.com - Please gamble responsibly 

Barnet 11/4 

Bromley 7/2 

Solihull Moors 6/1 

Gateshead 9/1 

Wealdstone 9/1 

Macclesfield 16/1 

Kidderminster Harriers 20/1 

Hereford 20/1 

Hampton and Richmond Borough 20/1 

Chorley 25/1 

Aveley 25/1 

Peterborough Sports 40/1 

Bishops Stortford 40/1 

Welling United 40/1 

Hendon 40/1 

Coalville Town 40/1

COACH & HORSES WIN STEVENAGE LOCAL DERBY AGAINST SQUIRREL TAVERNERS

It was a hotly anticipated match on Sunday as Coach & Horses took on Squirrel Taverners in The Pound Avenue Hitchin Sunday League Premier Division. 

It was a real local derby as The Coach & Horses in Stevenage Old Town is just a couple of miles away from The Squirrel Tavern in The Chells area of the town. 

The game was played in difficult conditions with the beginnings of Storm Isha whipping up the wind which swirled across a sticky heavy pitch in all sorts of directions at The Grange in Letchworth which is flat and open to the elements - this made for a scrappy but entertaining 90 minutes. 

It was a top of the table clash as C&H were in prime position with a record of 6 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat prior to the kick-off. Squirrel Taverners were on 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats. 

The Squiz, as they are known, took an early lead in the opening moments but from then on in it was C&H who adjusted more to the weather conditions and were 4-1 up by half time. 

The second half saw a comeback threatened as Kyle Young scored for Squirrels but a goal scored quickly after by C&H put an end to this. It was Young who finished the scoring late in the game to make the final score 5-3. 

This coming Sunday The Squiz have an even more local derby as they play Chells Rovers in the second 'El Polar Bearico' of the season. Rovers were well beaten 6-2 last time out in October. The Coach & Horses host Atletico 99.  

CHELLS ROVERS v SQUIRREL TAVERNERS IS NAMED 'EL POLAR BEARICO' IN A NOD TO THE FAMOUS POLAR BEAR STATUE BY MARK HARVEY. IT HAS BEEN A POPULAR FEATURE OF THE GLEBE SHOPPING AREA IN CHELLS, STEVENAGE SINCE 1964. THE CHELLS CAFE CAN BE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND WHICH IS WELL WORTH A VISIT IF YOU ARE EVER IN THE AREA. 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - SHORT 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - LONG 

TACKLE/YELLOW CARD INCIDENT