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EAGLE BITTER UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
EAGLE BITTER UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 1
Botterill the Daventry choice
Daventry Town have finally filled the managerial vacancy left by Martyn Walker’s departure from Communications Park in early October, tempting Glen Botterill from neighbours Long Buckby. In the intervening period Steve Aucutt, senior players Danny Finlay and Ady Greatrex and former assistant Lee McBain all had managerial involvement in caretaker roles.
Botterill, who had previously been part of Roger Ashby’s backroom staff at Bedford Town, joined Long Buckby as Aidy Mann’s assistant and took over as manager following Mann’s departure two years ago. Last season he led Buckby to the Premier Division runners-up medals as they equalled their best ever top flight placing and the 4th Round of the FA Vase, their best ever performance in the national competition. In the current season he had taken the Bucks to the final of the Northants Hillier Senior Cup.
Assisting Botterill at the Town helm will be Andy Peaks, his right hand man at Station Road. Peaks started out with Northampton Town and was a prominent figure as Rushden & Diamonds progressed up the non league ladder. He has also played for Wealdstone, Stamford and Rugby at the higher evels.
The new management team have fund themselves with something of an injury crisis at their new club. John Cullen (hamstring), Danny Nelson (knee), Josh O’Grady (knee) and Richard Wesley (ankle) are all currently on the sidelines.
Sandy returns to management with Long Buckby
Long Buckby moved quickly to replace Daventry bound Glen Botterill by handing their managerial vacancy to Adam Sandy. Sandy graduated from UCL football with Wolverton when signed by Northampton Town in 1980 and he went on to play 104 Football League matches for the Cobblers. In the twilight of his career he returned to UCL football, helping Vanaid to the Division One title in 1994.
It was at Fernie Fields that Sandy started his managerial career, later becoming reserve boss at Raunds, stepping up to run the first team in the Southern League after Keith Burt’s exit. The Shopmates returned to the UCL for financial reasons and Sandy steered them to Knockout Cup success in 2002. His next port of call was Cogenhoe where he landed the Premier championship in 2005. He has been out of football since leaving Compton Park at the end of the 2006-07 season.
Assisting Sandy at Station Road is Matt Murphy. The former Oxford, Bury and Swansea striker has been playing for Sileby this season.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 2
On and off field additions for Saints
St Neots manager Marvin Johnson has been a busy man in recent weeks bringing in new faces on the field and in the dugout. Two of his former Luton Town team mates have been helping out behind the scenes with coaching. 35 year old Paul Underwood also played for Rushden & Diamonds as well as a number of top non league clubs and won four England semi-pro caps while 39 year old Marlon Beresford played in goal for a dozen professional clubs, most notably Burnley where his three spells saw him make 350 senior appearances.
On the field the Saints have been busy recruiting too. Striker Josh Sozzo from Barton Rovers has been a prolific scorer at Southern League level for a number of years after an apprenticeship with Arsenal and his previous clubs include Bedford Town, Hitchin and Hemel Hempstead. Midfielder Parys Okai has signed from Dunstable and has played first team football at Luton Town.
Three new goalkeepers have been recruited. Former Hitchin man Neil Smith made his debut in the holiday fixture at St Ives while the most recent Kester Way addition is Lee Crockett. He was with Manchester United as a junior and spent last season with Boston United in the Conference. This season he has been with Corby Town. Carl Mackney has also joined from Huntingdon as competition for the custodian’s jersey hots up.
Completing the newcomers is Godmanchester full back Ashley Richards.
Desborough lifted by on field upturn
After the major blow of the destruction of their clubhouse in December, an upturn in on field fortunes has lifted the gloom at Desborough.
Ar Tarn have lost just one of their last eight games, reaping the benefit of a settled side and the recent introduction of some higher grade experience.
Midfielder Danny Marlow has rejoined after spells with St Neots and Rothwell Town, while other former Bones arriving at the Waterworks Field are striker Chris Difante, formerly with Kettering and Corby and wide man Robert Ritchie-Smith who was with the MK Dons as a youngster. A widely travelled Desborough capture is defender Mark Burrows who started out with Coventry City and then played first team football at Exeter.
Completing the new signings is Scott Goodman from Bardon Hill.
Off field work has seen the conversion of the tea bar into a canteen area in the wake of the fire, the completion of hard standing in the terracing area and new railings put up around the ground.
Holiday surprise for Doughboys
Wellingborough Town gave their supporters a late Christmas present with the signing of former Premiership striker Trevor Benjamin who made a goalscoring Boxing Day debut against Raunds. The twice capped Jamaican international who also won an England under 21 cap, played in the top flight for Leicester City and his lengthy CV has also seen spells at Cambridge, Northampton, Coventry, Peterborough and Hereford who he helped win promotion from League Two last season.
Another attacking recruit for the Doughboys is James Daldy who has plundered goals galore for Whitworths.over the years while Dan Grainger and Nick Mason have both returned to action after injury to add midfield experience.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 3
Stewarts & Lloyds record biggest win in fifteen years
After the disappointment of bowing out of the FA Vase after their best ever run in the national competition Stewarts & Lloyds bounced back by claiming their biggest win in over fifteen years on 20th January. A 10-1 demolition of relegation threatened Potton was S&L’s biggest since a 14-2 success against Brackley in March 1993.
An eighteen minute hat trick from second half substitute Lee Thomson was one highlight on the night for S&L whose other scorers were Michael Byrne with two, Paul Caswell, Chris Logan, Ed Matthews on his first league start, Paul Doherty and Paul Djeneralovic.
Wide man Stuart McClarty will be out of action for a while after suffering a broken foot in the defeat at Glossop.
Lovas joins the Boston board
Boston Town winger Laszlo Lovas has taken up an unusual dual role at the Lincolnshire club by joining the board of directors at Tattershall Road! The 30 year old Hungarian born player is in his third season with the Poachers as a player since joining from Deeping.
A nine match unbeaten run has lifted the Poachers into the top five of the Premier Division but they will be without Ollie Pinner for the run in after the player suffered a broken leg in the holiday fixture at Holbeach. A shorter term absentee is experienced defender Ben Dixon who has a hamstring problem.
Latest addition to the Boston squad is midfielder Ben Denham, spotted playing for the Lincoln University side.
Holbeach back up to strength
Holbeach’s squad is now back to a more familiar look after a difficult December which saw a hot of regulars absent through suspension. Stacy Cartwright, James Doughty, Danny Hussey, Ross Nichols, Tommy Treacher and Matt Warfield all missed some of the action around the end of the year.
To cover the absences Tigers manager Shaun Keeble recruited Boston United youngster Jon Fairweather to bolster his defence, but he has now returned to York Street to play first team football, while experienced front runner Jermaine Palmer joined from Halesowen but has now moved on to Quorn.
Behind the scenes Dave Dougill has taken over from Roger Baker as chairman while Ian Abrams has returned as fixtures and registration secretary.
Carters Park recently played host to some of the famous Rooney football family. The ground has been used by Boston Sunday League club Magnet Tavern as their home venue in the FA Sunday Cup and their tie with Liverpool side Oyster Martyrs saw Wayne’s brothers Graham and Thomas in the visiting line up. .
Potton recruitment continues
Potton manager Dean Shipp has continued to introduce new faces to his quad in recent weeks in the search for a winning blend at The Hollow. He has continued to recruit in the Huntingdonshire area, bringing in Ben Cole, a prolific scorer at reserve level for St Neots, utility man Simon Pearce from St Ives, striker Lewis Healiss from Bluntisham and Steve Maloney from Great Paxton.
Injuries continue to be a problem with Healiss (hamstring), and defenders Stewart Haddow (back) and Garry Watts (groin) currently on the sidelines.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 4
Huntingdon add to squad
After a recent downturn in results Huntingdon manager Martyn Ray has been busy adding new blood to his squad in recent matches.
Following the departure of both goalkeepers Carl Mackney and Ryan Rayner, Anthony Petty has been recruited from Warboys to guard the net. Defender Adam Boothby has joined from Cambs League Eaton Socon while two more experienced signings are ex-St Neots and Peterborough Northern Star left back Mark Barry who has been playing for Deeping Sports, and veteran campaigner Simon Claridge, best known for a lengthy spell with St Ives.
Thrapston strengthen
Thrapston manager Paul Smith has responded to a run of indifferent form by adding to his squad in recent weeks.
Experienced midfielder Duncan McNish has returned to Chancery Lane after a break from the game, while young goalkeeper Ryan Rayner has switched from league rivals Huntingdon.
Defender Dave Stratton has became the latest former Yaxley player to check in at Chancery Lane, but his debut against Eynesbury was spoilt by an own goal.
Reserve team top scorer Clive Collyer scored an unusual hat trick as the second string beat Long Buckby 5-1 on 20th December. A late call up to the first team for goalkeeper Sam Cobley saw Collyer pressed into service between the sticks. Co-manager Mark James took over late in the game enabling Collyer to take his usual striking role and he scored three times in the last quarter of an hour!
Cerrone takes the Wootton reserve reins
Wootton have had a change at the reserve team helm with Milton Keynes based Hugo Cerrone taking over the Weston Park second string.
He replaces Rob Woods in charge of the Blue Cross reserve side and has introduced several new faces to the club including Castlethorpe trio Lee Farmer, Scott Lamont and Steffano Marella.
Bicknell joins Whitworths management team
Whitworths have had a change of reserve team management with Lee Mayes stepping down for family reasons to be replaced by club stalwart Steve Bicknell. The new manager inherits a side going well in Reserve Division One while several players have been given senior opportunities as new first team manager Steve Orchard takes the opportunity to assess the players at his disposal. Mark Anderson and Bill Baxter will assist Bicknell.
Defender Tom Francis is back in action after an ankle injury while Marcus Wharton is back in training after his shoulder problem.
Work on the floodlights is now expected to be completed during the last week of January.
Schoolboy cap leaves Walnut Boys
England schoolboy international Danny Watson has left AFC Kempston to join Barton Rovers in the BGB League.
The Walnut Boys are also without Charlie Standish and Samir Guri at present. The duo are both recovering from foot injuries which have left them on the sidelines.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 5
Saints the last men standing again
For the second season running St Ives were the league’s last survivors in the FA Vase, although they still have to negotiate a tricky 4th Round replay at Stanway if they are to reach the last 16 for the second successive season. The first encounter at Westwood Road ended goalless in front of a crowd of 598, with the Saints failing to take their chances in the first half and needing a couple of vital extra time saves from Rob Mackney to keep the Wembley dream alive in extra time.
Stewarts & Lloyds and Cogenhoe both suffered narrow defeats on the road. S&L, playing in the last 32 for the first time suffered the heartbreak of a 2-1 stoppage time defeat at Glossop. David Hodges, who had given the North West Counties side a second minute lead, struck again in the second minute of added time, heading in a corner after youth teamer Ed Matthews had marked his first team debut with a 65th minute leveller.
Cogenhoe were making their fourth appearance in Round 4, and they failed at this hurdle for the fourth time as hosts Bitton progressed 2-1 with an 82nd minute winner from Jack Welling. Mark Reynolds had given the Western League favourites the lead eight minutes into the second half with Darren Frost scrambling a Cooks leveller three minutes later.
Stones into the semis
Blackstones are through to the League Knockout Cup semi finals after handing lower grade pacesetters Peterborough Northern Star a 5-0 drubbing in their quarter final tie at Chestnut Avenue. Two Jon Stead goals and one apiece from Mark Jones, Andy Boome and Darren Glover won the contest for Stones.
Recent Second Round action has seen Potton and Holbeach book surprise quarter final places. The Royals overcame Northampton Spencer 2-1 at The Hollow with Dean Hamilton and debutant Ben Cole on the scoresheet while Hobeach beat local rivals Boston Town 6-5 on penalties after the sides had shared our goals at Carters Park. Jermaine Palmer and Liam Nimmo netted for the Tigers after Gary Bull had twice given the Poachers the lead.
Recent Reserve Knockout Cup action has seen holders Blackstones and Reserve Division One champions Stotfold qualify for the last eight along with Bugbrooke. Ryan Asher-Powell, Kieran Brennan, Jacob Wilson and Josh Kamau shared the holders’ goals in a 4-0 defeat of Burton Park, a Louis Taylor brace helped Stotfold to overcome a resilient Irchester 3-2 at Alfred Street while Lance Allen netted twice in Bugbrooke’s 4-1 success at Daventry.
County joy for Swans and Walnut Boys
Recent county cup action has seen half a dozen clubs progress to the semi finals of their respective competitions.
Last season’s runners Newport Pagnell have Aylesbury Vale standing between them and a second consecutive final appearance in the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy after a 2-1 quarter final victory at Hungerford. A rare Rob Tapp goal plus a late winner from the prolific Darren Lynch saw the Swans past the Hellenic League tabletoppers.
AFC Kempston will travel to Cranield in the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy semis after winning their tie at AFC Dunstable 1-0 with a Phil Draycott goal. It was third time lucky for the Walnut Boys who had twice lost to Dunstable in the competition in the last three seasons.
The Northants Junior Cup semis will be all Division One affairs. Burton Park, who beat Brackley Sports with a lone Derek Simmons strike, host Bugbrooke who outgunned Moulton 4-3 with Tim Knowles, Shaun Daly, Jimmy Moore and Lance Allen on target. Daventry United who overturned an interval deficit against Thrapston with goals from Bobby Lea and Joel Young, travel to Peterborough Northern Star who beat Kislingbury 2-0 with a Mark Paul penalty and Wayne Morris effort.
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Transfer trail
A reduced level of on field activity in recent weeks has been reflected in a quiet period in the transfer market. The latest players to change allegiance are as follows:-
141. Ashley Brown Long Buckby to Wellingborough Town 2004 142. Andrew Fowler Wootton Blue Cross to Deeping Rangers 143. Jay Samm St Neots Town to Eynesbury Roivers 144. James Blake Thrapston Town to Wellingborough Town 2004 145. Stuart Goosey Cogenhoe United to Whitworths 146. James Lambley Bourne Town to Sleaford Town 147. Ryan Rayner Huntingdon Town to Thrapston Town 148. Mark Barry Peterborough Northern Star to Huntingdon Town 149. Dean Lukeman Northampton Spencer to Cogenhoe United 150. Peter Smith Bourne Town to Northampton Spencer 151. Ben Collins Daventry Town to Daventry United 152. Lewis Harman Stewarts & Lloyds Corby to Desborough Town 153. Bradley Downing Stewarts & Lloyds Corby to Raunds Town 154. Ben Cole St Neots Town to Potton United 155. Aaron Campion Rothwell Corinthians to Raunds Town 156. Carl Mackney Huntingdon Town to St Neots Town 157. Dave Stratton Yaxley to Thrapston Town 158. Simon Pearce St Ives Town to Potton United 159 Warren Garcia Daventry United to Buckingham Town 160. James Daldy Whitworths to Wellingborough Town 2004 161. Tom Willshere Daventry United to Northampton Spencer 162. Lee Crockett Bourne Town to St Neots Town
Williams and Burton pair take final 2008 managerial awards
The league’s December Manager of the Month awards were won by Desborough Town boss Dave Williams in the Premier Division and Burton Park Wanderers managerial partners Spencer Newcombe and Gary Owen in Division One.
At a time when on field events were overshadowed by the fire which destroyed the Waterworks Field clubhouse Desborough were boosted by fine form on the field as manager Williams’ team building efforts began to pay off with an upturn in results. December saw Ar Tarn pick up maximum points from four league matches, disposing of Yaxley, Northampton Spencer, Potton and Rothwell Corinthians scoring twelve goals and conceding just two.
In a month affected by the weather a seven point tally from three games was enough to earn the Burton co-managers the December award. Park Wanderers defeated Thrapston and AFC Kempston and shared the spoils with Irchester during their December matches.
Hunter wins the December Goalscorer of the Month prize
In a disappointing season for Bourne the recent form of teenage striker Miles Hunter has been a highlight and the Birmingham University student carried off the December Goalscorer of the Month prize despite missing two of the Wakes’ five matches during the month!
Hunter did score in all the games he played in, hitting a hat trick against Rothwell Corinthians, a double at St Ives and one at home to Northampton Spencer for a total for the month of six goals.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 7
Cups round-up
League Knockout Cup
Second Round – outstanding ties Potton 2 Northampton Spencer 1; Holbeach 2 Boston Town 2 aet, Holbeach won 6-5 on penalties. Quarter finals – outstanding ties Peterborough Northern Star 0 Blackstones 5; Stewarts & Lloyds v Potton; St Ives v Holbeach (10/2). Semi finals Stotfold v St Ives/Holbeach; Stewarts & Lloyds/Potton v Blackstones.
Reserve Knockout Cup
Second Round – outstanding ties Blackstones 4 Burton PW 0; Daventry Town 1 Bugbrooke 4; Irchester 2 Stotfold 3. Quarter finals Bugbrooke v Yaxley (24/1); Deeping v Blackstones (24/1); Northampton Spencer v Stewarts & Lloyds (24/1); Stotfold v Peterborough Northern Star (11/2).
F.A. Vase
Fourth Round Bitton 2 COGENHOE 1; ST IVES 0 Stanway 0 aet, replay 24/1; Glossop 2 STEWARTS & LLOYDS 1. Fifth Round (7/2) ST IVES/Stanway v Marske.
Bedfordshire Senior Cup
Quarter final (27/1) POTTON v Biggleswade United.
Bedfordshire Senior Trophy
Quarter final AFC Dunstable 0 AFC KEMPSTON 1. Semi final (21/2) Cranfield v AFC KEMPSTON.
Bedfordshire Intermediate Cup
Quarter final (24/1) STOTFOLD RESERVES v Langford Reserves.
Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy
Quarter final Hungerford 1 NEWPORT PAGNELL 2. Semi final (by w/e 14/3) NEWPORT PAGNELL v Aylesbury Vale.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 8
Cups round-up – continued
Berks & Bucks Junior Cup
Third Round Castlethorpe 1 BUCKINGHAM RESERVES 5; Abbey 2 OLNEY RESERVES 4. Fourth Round P& IC United 3 BUCKINGHAM RESERVES 2; Sherington 3 OLNEY RESERVES 4. Fifth Round (31/1) P& IC United v OLNEY RESERVES.
Huntingdonshire Senior Cup
Quarter finals (31/1) EYNESBURY v ST NEOTS; Ramsey v ST IVES; Hemingfords v HUNTINGDON.
Huntingdonshire Premier Cup
First Round – outstanding ties WOOTTON v Biggleswade Town (29/1); ST IVES v STOTFOLD (27/1). YAXLEY 0 Ely 6 – tie awarded to Yaxley as Ely fielded ineligible players. Quarter finals YAXLEY v WOOTTON/Biggleswade Town; Langford/Needingworth v ST NEOTS; Godmancester v ST IVES/STOTFOLD.
Huntingdonshire Scott-Gatty Cup
Semi finals HUNTINGDON RESERVES v Eaton Socon Reserves (14/2); ST IVES RESERVES v ST NEOTS RESERVES (11/2).
Huntingdonshire Benevolent Cup
Semi finals (14/3) EYNESBURY RESERVES v Buckden; ST NEOTS RESERVES v YAXLEY RESERVES.
Lincolnshire Senior Trophy
Semi finals SLEAFORD v Winterton (24/2); BOSTON TOWN v Lincoln Moorlands Railway (27/1).
Northamptonshire Hillier Senior Cup
Semi final – outstanding tie Brackley v DAVENTRY TOWN (17/2).
Northamptonshire Junior Cup
Quarter finals Kislingbury 0 PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR 2 (played at Peterborough Northern Star); BUGBROOKE 4 Moulton 3; BURTON PW 1 Brackley Sports 0; DAVENTRY UNITED 2 THRAPSTON 1. Semi finals (31/1) BURTON PW v BUGBROOKE; PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR v DAVENTRY UNITED.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 9
Cups round-up – continued
Northamptonshire Lower Junior Cup
Quarter finals LONG BUCKBY RESERVES 3 PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR RESERVES 0; Danesholme Vikings 1 ON CHENECKS RESERVES 4 (played at ON Chenecks). Semi final (7/2) ON CHENECKS RESERVES v LONG BUCKBY RESERVES.
Buckingham Charity Cup
Quarter finals Stony Stratford v BUCKINGHAM (27/1); LONG BUCKBY v Bicester; OLNEY v Leighton (18/2).
Hinchingbrooke Cup
Preliminary Round – outstanding tie NORTHAMPTON SPENCER v ST NEOTS (27/1) First Round – outstanding ties RUSHDEN & HIGHAM v Biggleswade Town (4/2 prov); Godmanchester v WOOTTON (27/1); DEEPING 3 Langford 4; NORTHAMPTON SPENCER/ST NEOTS v THRAPSTON; BLACKSTONES v STOTFOLD. Quarter finals BOURNE v RUSHDEN & HIGHAM/Biggleswade Town; BLACKSTONES/STOTFOLD v Cranfield; NORTHAMPTON SPENCER/ST NEOTS/THRAPSTON v Langford; Godmanchester/WOOTTON v ST IVES.
North Beds Charity Cup
Quarter final – outstanding tie Langford v POTTON (3/2) Semi finals Biggleswade United v STOTFOLD; Langford/POTTON v Cranfield.
South Midlands Floodlight Cup First Round POTTON v St Margaretsbury (10/2). Quarter final Hanwell/Cockfosters v POTTON/St Margaretsbury.
Ancaster Cup Quarter finals BOURNE RESERVES v Sleaford Reserves; Cottesmore 0 DEEPING RESERVES 5. Semi finals BOURNE RESERVES/Sleaford Reserves v Deeping Sports/Stamford Belvedere; Langtoft/Buckminster v DEEPING RESERVES.
Biggleswade Knockout Cup Quarter final ( by 23/4) Campton/Sandy v STOTFOLD RESERVES.
South Midlands Reserve Floodlight Cup Quarter finals Oxhey Reserves v STOTFOLD RESERVES (18/2); POTTON RESERVES v Stansted Reserves/Wormley Reserves.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 10
Leading goalscorers (to 20 January)
Premier Division 21 – Gary Bull (Boston Town) 20 - Scott Fielding (St Ives), Darren Lynch (Newport Pagnell), Ryan Semple (Deeping) 14 – Tom Berwick (Daventry Town), Mark Jones (Blackstones), Ashley Stevens (Deeping) 13 – Ryan Aldrin (Stotfold) 12 – Michael Byrne (Stewarts & Lloyds), Vinny Shrieves (Newport Pagnell) 11 – Callum Donnelly (Stotfold), Miles Hunter (Bourne – including 2 for Sleaford), Matt Kennedy (Boston Town), Adam Taylor (Raunds), Alfie Taylor (Northampon Spencer) 10 – Paul Caswell (Stewarts & Lloyds), Brett Donnelly (Stotfold), Lee Ellison (Deeping), Ben Foster (Long Buckby), Jeremy McMurrough (Potton), Jon Mitchell (Desborough – including 5 for Wellingborough), Danny Nicholls (Newport Pagnell), Kevin Slinn (Northampton Spencer) 9 – Russ Dunkley (Long Buckby), Darren Frost (Cogenhoe), Tommy Treacher (Holbeach) 8 – Iain Blaikie (Desborough), Paul Goodhand (Boston Town), Micky Stones (Sleaford) 7 – Tom Beech (Potton), James Hall, Peter Okechukwu (St Neots), Adam Hancock (Northampton Spencer), Daniel Jacobs (Yaxley), Danny Nelson (Daventry Town), Liam Nimmo (Holbeach), Jamie Russell (Raunds), Adam Scotcher (Blackstones), Jamie Shaw (Sleaford)
Division One 20 – Jamie Graham (Eynesbury) 19 – Karl Gibbs (Peterborough Northern Star) 17 – Mark Paul (Peterborough Northern Star) 16 – Will Briscoe (Bugbrooke) 11 – Lewis Haycock (Sileby), Ben Morgan (Thrapston) 10 – Sam Donadio (Wootton) 8 – Lee Bassett (Huntingdon), Matt Collins (Rushden & Higham), Nick Worley (Sileby), Joel Young (Daventry United) 7 – Ben Baines (Wootton), Zac Fotheringham (Daventry United), Joel McCormick (Buckingham), Jamie Nuttall (ON Chenecks), Jack Wisniewski (Thrapston)
Reserve Division One 14 – Tom Lorraine (Woodford) 13 – Addie Staffieri (Bourne), Charlie Wixon (Sileby) 12 – Pete Smith (Sileby) 11 – Louis Taylor (Stotfold), Lee Thomson (Stewarts & Lloyds) 10 – Kieran Brennan (Blacksones), Carlton Ellwood (Whitworths – including 7 for Wellingborough) 9 – Ondre Odain (Yaxley) 8 – Lance Allen (Bugbrooke) 7 – Anthony Bowskill (Stotfold), Daniel Drane (Yaxley), Moses Rodrigues (Whitworths)
Reserve Division Two 20 – Lewis Leckie (Deeping) 16 – James Stubbs (Deeping) 14 – Delaney Fifield (Long Buckby), Tommy Waldock (ex-Daventry Town) 9 – Ben Cole (Potton – all for St Neots), Clive Collyer (Thrapston) 8 – Scott Joseph, Jerome Thompson (Wootton) 7 – Scott Cunningham (Deeping), David Kilby (Peterborough Northern Star), Dan Renshaw (Long Buckby), Julian Wilson (Wootton), Sam Worthington (Potton)
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NEWSLETTER NO. 230 JANUARY 2009 PAGE 11
Thirty eight ever presents
Thirty eight Premier and Division One players boasted ever present appearance records in League and League Knockout Cup football for their clubs at the turn of the year.
Eighteen top flight players had appeared in every one of their respective clubs’ matches with Boston Town boasting the most ever presents with four. Twelve of the 21 Premier clubs had no ever present players at the end of 2008.
With less matches played in Division One twenty lower grade players had a 100% appearance record, Bugbrooke leading the way with four. Only five Division One sides had no ever present players.
The full list of year end ever present players by club, together with the number of domestic games played, is as follows:-
Blackstones: Matty Doyle, Ian Flavell, Richard Jones (25) Boston Town: Shaun Baker, Paul Goodhand, Matt Kennedy, Matt Price (20) Bourne Town: Andy Toyne (29) Daventry Town: Joe Mellings, Richard Wesley (22) Long Buckby: Jon Crockett, Ryan Nash (20) Newport Pagnell Town: Rob Tapp (22) St Neots Town: James Hall, Declan Rogers (24) Stewarts & Lloyds Corby: Paul Caswell, Paul Malone (21) Yaxley: Matt Holland (23)
AFC Kempston Rovers: Jamie Cole, James Cooper (16) Buckingham Town: Dan Hart (16) Bugbrooke St Michaels: Will Briscoe, Jordan Casey, Shaun Daly, Steve Spruels (13) Burton Park Wanderers: Andy Lambert (16) Daventry United: Ally Keay (13) Eynesbury Rovers: Dave Beeny (18) Northampton Sileby Rangers: Lewis Haycock, Nicky Ling (16) Olney Town: Scott Wrighting (16) Peterborough Northern Star: Chris Garwell, Paul Hill (17) Thrapston Town: Matt Harris, Ben Morgan, Mark Redding (16) Wootton Blue Cross: Ben Baines, Michael Dangerfield (16)
Snippets
Blackstones have striker Richard Thompson back in action after an ankle injury….Rothwell Corinthians are still without long term injury victims Sam Johnson and Andy White. A Kevin Fox penalty at Boston on 3rd January ended a goal drought which had lasted 13 hours and 36 minutes of top flight football….Sleaford have strikers Ian Dunn and Micky Stones sidelined with ankle injuries….Buckingham have signed Brackley midfielder Warren Garcia and goalkeeper Scott Reynolds from Buckingham Athletic….Daventry United have signed Ben Collins from neighbours Daventry Town….Olney have long term casualties Tom Collins and Danny Wilkinson back in training but have lost Adam Risby who has gone travelling abroad.
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Terry Bates
We regret to report the passing of former league chairman and president Terry Bates who died on 5th January at the age of 72.
Terry came to prominence in the late sixties when he was appointed as manager of Bourne Town midway through the 1967-68 season. Blending the best of the town’s football talent with experienced players recruited from elsewhere he produced one of the most successful sides in the league’s history.
Always an advocate of attacking football Terry’s first championship winning side in 1968-69 produced spectacular football, winning 27 and drawing two of their 32 matches, taking the title with ten points to spare over runners-up Holbeach and scoring 135 goals, a tally unsurpassed in forty years of top flight football since. The 1969-70 season saw the championship retained with 53 points, eight ahead of second placed Rothwell, and for good measure the League Knockout Cup was added with a 7-1 aggregate win over Ampthill in the final. After a barren 1970-71 campaign Bourne were back amongst the silverware in Terry’s last full season at the helm. Their 51 point tally from 30 games saw them cross the finishing line three points ahead of Rushden, while Midland League Ashby were beaten in the Lincs Senior A Cup final.
Terry left the area to take up employment in Wales midway through the 1972-73 campaign, but not before taking Bourne to the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy, the only UCL club ever to reach this stage of the competition. While in Wales Terry worked for Wrexham part time, managing the reserves, overseeing youth development and scouting.
On returning to Lincolnshire in 1979 Terry had a brief spell back in charge of the Wakes before joining Peterborough United as a physiotherapist. Another Abbey Lawn return followed at the end of 1980 and Terry held the reins for three years before taking a general manager role and handing over team duties to his assistant Mick Reilly. The highlight of his third spell at the Bourne helm was a run to the League Knockout Cup final in 1981-82, the Wakes losing 3-2 to Stamford over two legs.
In 1984 Terry became league chairman and in his eleven years at the helm provided the competition with dynamic and energetic leadership. He negotiated the league’s first sponsorship with Nene Group in 1985 and a second with Hereward Sports five years later. He pushed through a programme of facility improvements as the Premier Division became all floodlit in 1992. Terry’s years in charge also saw the setting up of a Benevolent Fund to aid stricken players and club officials and the introduction of a pyramid of junior leagues.
Terry’s time at the helm concluded with the league’s centenary celebrations in 1995. His organisational skills were highlighted by the great success of the competition’s centenary dinner at Wicksteed Park with his friends Trevor Brooking, Emlyn Hughes and Graham Kelly the guest speakers.
On vacating the chair Terry served the league as president until 2001 and then became a life member. After retiring from full time work he returned to Bourne Town as chairman, handing over to Andy Stubley in the summer of 2007 and taking the role of president at the Abbey Lawn.
Our condolences go to Terry’s wife Sue, son Richard and daughter Lisa . Daniel Worrall
We are sad to announce the death of Woodford United player Daniel Worrall at the age of 20 following a road accident. Daniel had progressed through the Reds’ junior teams to play in the Byfield Road club’s reserve side, making his second string debut at Eye in November 2004. Daniel was also a qualified referee, passing his exams at the age of 14, the youngest official in Northamptonshire to do so. He followed father Kevin in taking up the whistle.
Our condolences go to Daniel’s family, friends and colleagues at Woodford United FC.
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Desborough clubhouse destroyed by fire
Desborough Town’s clubhouse was devastated by a fire at the Waterworks Field ground on 15th December. Half a dozen appliances from across Northamptonshire attended the blaze which saw roads in the vicinity of the ground closed as firefighters battled to control the fire. Fortunately the ground was unattended at the time the fire broke out preventing a threat to life.
The main focal point of the fire was the Ar Tarn clubhouse which was partially destroyed. Perimeter walls survived but are now expected to require demolition. The dressing rooms received water damage but should remain usable along with the tea bar at the opposite end of the complex, which is subject to a structural engineer’s report. Gas, electricity and water supplies to the ground were all cut off forcing the postponement of the scheduled reserve match against Yaxley on 20th December.
The club has lost its massive collection of memorabilia which adorned the wall of the upstairs committee room, with photographs, programmes and trophies all perishing in the blaze. The League Knockout Cup, won by Ar Tarn last April, has been damaged but appears to be repairable.
The blaze has overshadowed an upturn in on field fortunes in recent weeks which have seen Desborough move away from the Premier Division relegation zone.
McBain returns to Daventry backroom staff
Former assistant manager Lee McBain has rejoined Daventry Town little more than a month after following former manager Martyn Walker out of the Communications Park exit door.
Walker left the club in mid-October but the title chasers have not yet moved to appoint a permanent replacement. Steve Aucutt, the club coach took charge for a brief spell before taking up a post in New Zealand at which point the reins passed to senior players Ady Greatrex and Danny Finlay.
Greatrex has continued to play regularly in the Town defence while Finlay has restricted himself to a substitute’s role of late, but the pair now have additional backroom support with the return of McBain, a former Ford Sports championship winner who joined Town as Walker’s right hand man in the summer of 2007.
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Saints win prestigious ground award
St Neots Town’s new Kester Way Stadium has been named by long established football grounds speciality magazine Groundtastic as the best new non league stadium in the country for 2008. The Saints ground topped a short list of six new venues to win the prestigious award.
A commemorative plaque and certificate will be presented to club officials before the Saints’ match with Deeping on 24th January.
The magazine described the Kester Way stadium as “pleasing to the eye and equipped with everything a n ambitious non-league club could possibly want.”
On the field manager Marvin Johnson’s options have been restricted by the loss of Luigi Rocco with a groin strain and Dean McElroy with ankle trouble. The duo join long term absentee, skipper Jon Hoggett, on the treatment table, but striker Chris Johnson has returned to training.
Striker movement at Buckby
There has been striker movement both in and out at Long Buckby in recent weeks, with last season’s joint league top scorer Ben Foster leaving Station Road to play at a higher level with BGB League Woodford.
Ellis Alleyne has moved in the reverse direction, joining from the Reds while another attacking recruit is Warren Givens from Racing Club Warwick.
New faces for Royals
Potton manager Dean Shipp has continued to draft new faces into his squad in the search for the winning blend.
Front runner Chris Stanton has joined the Royals from Eynesbury while another ex-Rover to arrive at The Hollow is defender Darren Woodend who joins Potton from Great Paxton.
Eaton Socon goalkeeper Lee Bowskill has also signed for Potton as cover for teenage first choice Aaron Loney who has been having trials with Dagenham & Redbridge.
Wide man Dave Fisk has been sidelined with a neck injury but Potton have welcomed back midfielder Tom Galvin who has been serving a suspension incurred with his previous club Royston.
Wellingborough rebuilding continues
Wellingborough Town manager Joe Smyth has continued the rebuilding of the Doughboys squad in recent weeks with a trio of new signings checking in at the Dog & Duck.
Jed Downing has stepped up from Northants Combination football with Medbourne while experienced goalkeeper Michael Freeman has joined the Doughboys from Division One neighbours Rushden & Higham. Completing the recent recruits is Rothwell Corinthians midfielder Joe Cossey.
Smyth’s first win at the Wellingborough helm came on 25th November when St Neots were beaten 1-0 at The Dog & Duck with Matt Freeman’s decisive goal the first scored by the Doughboys in eleven hours and 54 minutes of Premier Division football!
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NEWSLETTER NO. 229 DECEMBER 2008 PAGE 3
Former Imp joins Poachers
Boston Town have added former Lincoln City defender Ben Dixon to their squad. The former Imp made 43 Football League appearances for his home town club and a further 18 for Blackpool before dropping into the part time ranks where his clubs have include Whitby, Lincoln United and most recently Grantham.
Midfield warhorse Nathan Collins is the main absentee from the Boston squad at present after suffering a knee injury at work.
Wakes recruit schoolboy cap
Bourne have signed England schoolboy cap Tom Siddons. The striker has joined the sizeable contingent of former Sleaford players at the Abbey Lawn and opened his goal account in the Wakes’ 4-3 defeat at St Ives on 13th December. Siddons made four appearances for the England Under 18 schoolboy side last season and scored in a 2-0 win over Australia at Shrewsbury. Siddons looks set to form a fruitful front running partnership with ex-Sleaford team mate Miles Hunter, a fellow Birmingham University student who has scored five goals in his last two matches for the Wakes. Also joining Bourne from Birmingham University is defender Temi Ajomoko.
A departure from the Bourne ranks is Khameel Spence who has received an RAF posting to the Falklands.
St Ives strengthen squad
St Ives have strengthened their squad in recent weeks with defender Will Fordham committing to the club full time after initial returning on dual registration from Corby Town and widely travelled striker Ozie Foster joining the Saints from Enfield.
Junior McDougald has also returned to action following a spell on the sidelines through injury and made an instant impact with the winning goal in the FA Vase success at Long Buckby.
Former youth duo rejoin Stotfold
Stotfold’s squad has been strengthened by the return of two former Eagles youth players. Midfielder Michael Davis and defender David Iwediuno have been with the Stevenage Borough and Welwyn Garden City since their days as Stotfold juniors. Wide man Paul Garrett has joined the Stotfold casualty list with an ankle injury but goalkeeper Brad Gillham has returned to action following his operation.
Northamptonshire clubs mourn former players
Two of our Northamptonshire clubs have been mourning the loss of former players in the last couple of weeks.
Former Cogenhoe player Steve Fairbrother passed away at the age of 24 while travelling in Chile. He joined the Cooks from University College Northampton and was a mainstay of the Cogenhoe second string which completed a Reserve Division One and Reserve Knockout Cup double in the 2006-07 season. He made his first team debut against Potton last February shortly before embarking on a year out travelling overseas.
One time Northampton Spencer player Marc Birch (26) was one of four Royal Marines killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan on 12th December. Marc had progressed through the Millers junior ranks and played in their senior sides intermittently after joining the forces eight years ago. He last played for Spencer in the 2003-04 season.
Our condolences go to Steve and Marc’s families and friends.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 229 DECEMBER 2008 PAGE 4
Murphy brothers boost Sileby
Sileby have boosted their promotion prospects by adding the experienced Murphy brothers Matt and Phil to their squad. The pair briefly spent time with Wellingborough early in the campaign.
37 year old striker Matt started his career in the UCL before moving to Corby where his form earned a move to then Football League club Oxford United. He played over 250 matches there before spells with Bury and Swansea later in his professional career. Since leaving the pro ranks he has played for the likes of Kettering, Kings Lynn, Brackley and Banbury.
Defender Phil has plenty of experience in the higher levels of the part time game, his previous clubs including Corby, Racing Warwick, Rugby and Brackley.
The Fernie Fields club face at least six weeks without the services of defender Keith Morson who has been sidelined with a broken foot.
Two in, two out for Robins
Recent player movement at Buckingham has seen the Robins introduce two new players to their squad while two others have left Ford Meadow.
Arriving at the club are goalkeeper Shaun Abson from New Bradwell and experienced striker Marc Redsull from Leighton, who made an instant impact with two goals in his first two matches.
Leaving Ford Meadow are strikers Drew Mitten who has returned to his former club Newport Pagnell, and Joel McCormick, who is trying his luck at BGB League Leighton while remaining on UCL forms with the Robins.
Olney injury crisis easing
Olney are gradually recovering from an injury crisis which has left them without up to eight of their first team regulars in recent weeks.
Pete Latham, Ian King, Ian Lindop and Alec Watts have now returned to action but the Nurserymen are still without the services of long term casualties Tom Collins (dislocated shoulder), Steve Foster (torn hamstring), Danny Wilkinson (ankle ligaments) and Jamie Harris (torn hamstring).
A recent addition to the Olney ranks is Anish Khinda who has previous experience with the Kettering academy and Bedford Town.
Orchard brings in duo
New Whitworths manager Steve Orchard has made a good start to his London Road tenure despite shuffling his pack to see all the squad he has inherited in action.
Recent additions to the Flourmen squad are Lee Draper who made a goalscoring debut at Kempston on 13th December after switching from the manager’s former club New Bradwell, and Simon Anderson who kicked off the season as reserve player boss at neighbours Wellingborough Town.
The club’s new floodlighting system should be operational in the new year when work will also begin on the perimeter fence around the London Road ground.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 229 DECEMBER 2008 PAGE 5
Three still on the Wembley trail
A disappointing day in the FA Vase Third Round saw just three of our best ever last 64 representation of nine clubs progress, two of them against league rivals. Stewarts & Lloyds saw off Daventry Town 2-1 at Occupation Road thanks to set piece goals from Tom Mills and Chris Logan, Ady Greatrex replying late on for Town, while last season’s most successful club St Ives went through 2-1 in a dramatic encounter at Long Buckby. Jason Lee gave the home side the lead, but the dismissal of home goalkeeper Farhad Afandiyev for bringing down Scott Fielding proved a turning point. Will Fordham missed the resulting spot kick but Fielding levelled a minute from time and Junior McDougald gave the Saints victory in extra time. The individual performance of the day came from Cogenhoe striker Darren Frost who scored a first half hat trick to help the Cooks to a 4-1 victory at Arundel. Dan Holman completed the scoring a minute from time.
St Neots were edged out 4-3 at last season’s semi finalists Needham Market, Luigi Rocco, James Hall and Ben Dyett on target for the Saints, while Holbeach exited 4-3 at FC Clacton after extra time. Liam Nimmo twice gave the Tigers a first half lead and a stoppage time goal from Shaun Keeble took the tie into the additional half hour. Blackstones were on the wrong end of a 6-1 drubbing at Scarborough Athletic in front of the second biggest crowd of the round of 583. Adam Scotcher scored a late Stones consolation. Division One interest ended as Buckingham went out 2-1 at Witney. Marc Redsull’s opener for the Robins was cancelled out by a home spot kick and then the award of a penalty to Buckingham saw Keith Williams miss from the spot before Witney snatched victory late on.
Exits for three holders
Recent county cup action has seen three of last season’s trophy winners relinquish their hold on the silverware. Bedfordshire Senior Cup holders Stotfold exited in their first defence, 5-3 to Dunstable in extra time, while Winterton avenged last season’s semi final defeat by beating Blackstones 3-1 in the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy. The biggest upset saw Huntingdonshire Senior Cup holders Yaxley go out 2-1 at minnows Ramsey.
The performance of the season on the county cup front came from Long Buckby who won 2-1 at Rushden & Diamonds in their Northants Hillier Senior Cup semi at Nene Park. Goals from Jon Crockett and Russ Dunkley took the Bucks into a final against Brackley or Daventry Town.
Boston Town and Sleaford have reached the last four of the Lincolnshire Senior Trophy. A Paul Goodhand brace and Ollie Pinner effort saw the Poachers to a 3-1 quarter final victory at Deeping while Matt Lunn’s penalty gave Sleaford a 2-1 home win over Holbeach.
A quartet of clubs are still chasing Huntingdonshire Senior Cup glory after emphatic Second Round wins. Eynesbury enjoyed the biggest victory, demolishing Warboys 6-0 with Chris Brown, Jamie Graham, Jason Bannie, Sam Kingston, Dwayne Rankin and Chris Stanton all on target. St Neots also scored six although visitors Bluntisham managed one in reply. Declan Rogers, Luke Knight, James Hall, Keith Thomas, Jamie Steele and an own goal made up the Saints tally. St Ives progressed 4-0 at Needingworth, their marksmen Jamie Blackwell, Carl Foreman, Liam Kennett and Nina Appiah-Adjei. Huntingdon went through with a 3-0 derby success at Godmanchester, Simon Wareing, Lee Bassett and Lee Booker on target.
AFC Kempston Rovers beat neighbours Kempston Town 2-1 to reach the quarter finals of the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy, Samir Guri scoring both Walnut Boys goals.
Five Division One clubs will line up in the Northants Junior Cup last eight. Two Joel Young goals gave Daventry United a 2-1 win at league rivals Irchester while Peterborough Northern Star saw off Corby Kingfisher 2-0 with goals from Ronnie Fortune and Karl Gibbs. Mike Houghton was the Burton Park matchwinner in a single goal success at Earls Barton, while Thrapston went through on penalties after sharing six goals with Desborough Reserves. A high scoring encounter saw Bugbrooke progress 5-3 at Stewarts & Lloyds Reserves with Jack Bartley and Will Briscoe scoring two apiece for the Badgers.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 229 DECEMBER 2008 PAGE 6
Eagles through to semis
Premier Division champions Stotfold are the first club through to the semi finals of this season’s League Knockout Cup. The Eagles avenged a defeat by Newport Pagnell in last season’s competition with a 3-1 quarter final success this time round.
Brett Donnelly, a James Fletcher own goal and Ryan Aldrin won the tie for Stotfold with Rob Macdonald on the scoresheet for the Swans. Stotfold will host St Ives, Holbeach or Boston Town in the last four.
Transfer trail
Transfer activity continues to be plentiful in the run up to Christmas with the following players changing allegiance of late:-
121. Barry Mead Northampton Sileby Rangers to Northampton ON Chenecks 122. Tom Siddons Sleaford Town to Bourne Town 123. Colin Cooper Northampton ON Chenecks to Northampton Spencer 124. Simon Anderson Wellingborough Town 2004 to Whitworths 125. Mark Edge Woodford United to Northampton Spencer 126. Steve Sargent Whitworths to Wellingborough Town 2004 127. Jake Pinner Huntingdon Town to St Ives Town 128. Chris Stanton Eynesbury Rovers to Potton United 129. Ellis Alleyne Woodford United to Long Buckby 130. Michael Freeman Rushden & Higham United to Wellingborough Town 2004 131. Josh Sadler St Neots Town to Huntingdon Town 132. Derek Simmons Rothwell Corinthians to Burton Park Wanderers 133. Aaron Bellairs Bourne Town to Yaxley 134. Phil Murphy Wellingborough Town 2004 to Northampton Sileby Rangers 135. Matt Murphy Wellingborough Town 2004 to Northampton Sileby Rangers 136. Jim Le Masurier Rushden & Higham United to Raunds Town 137. Darren Woodend Eynesbury Rovers to Potton United 138. Oliver Urquhart Wellingborough Town 2004 to Rushden & Higham United 139. Drew Mitten Buckingham Town to Newport Pagnell Town 140. Joe Cossey Rothwell Corinthians to Wellingborough Town 2004
Double award success for Daventry
The November awards brought a double success for Daventry Town. Caretaker management partners Danny Finlay and Ady Greatrex carried off the month’s Premier Division accolade after steering Town to a haul of thirteen points from five Premier Division matches, as well as making progress in both the FA Vase and Northants Hillier Senior Cup competitions.
Daventry’s five domestic games during the month brought them twenty goals, eight of them scored by Tom Berwick’s whose fine form earned him the Goalscorer of the Month award. He scored twice against Stotfold, Cogenhoe and Deeping and once against Potton and Desborough.
The Division One Manager of the Month award was won by Bugbrooke’s Adam Turnbull. The Badgers’ three November league games brought them seven points and nine goals, and they also defeated the previously unbeaten Stewarts & Lloyds second string to move into the quarter finals of the Northants Junior Cup.
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Cups round-up
League Knockout Cup
Second Round – outstanding ties Potton v Northampton Spencer (13/1); Holbeach v Boston Town (14/1). Quarter finals Peterborough Northern Star v Blackstones (20/12); Stewarts & Lloyds v Potton/Northampton Spencer; Stotfold 3 Newport Pagnell 1; St Ives v Holbeach/Boston Town. Semi finals Stotfold v St Ives/Holbeach/Boston Town; Stewarts & Lloyds/Potton/Northampton Spencer v Peterborough Northern Star/Blackstones.
Reserve Knockout Cup
Second Round – outstanding ties Blackstones v Burton PW (20/12); St Ives 3 Deeping 5 aet; Daventry Town v Bugbrooke (20/12); Wootton 1 Northampton Spencer 2 aet; Irchester v Stotfold (20/12). Quarter finals Daventry Town/Bugbrooke v Yaxley; Deeping v Blackstones/Burton PW; Northampton Spencer v Stewarts & Lloyds; Irchester/Stotfold v Peterborough Northern Star.
F.A. Vase
Third Round Scarborough Athletic 6 BLACKSTONES 1; LONG BUCKBY 1 ST IVES 2 aet; Needham Market 4 ST NEOTS 3; STEWARTS & LLOYDS 2 DAVENTRY TOWN 1; FC Clacton 4 HOLBEACH 3 aet; Arundel 1 COGENHOE 4; Witney 2 BUCKINGHAM.1. Fourth Round (17/1) Bitton v COGENHOE; ST IVES v Stanway; Glossop v STEWARTS & LLOYDS.
Bedfordshire Senior Cup
First Round STOTFOLD 3 Dunstable 5 aet. Quarter final (27/1) POTTON v Biggleswade United.
Bedfordshire Senior Trophy
Second Round AFC KEMPSTON 2 Kempston Town 1. Quarter final (17/1) AFC Dunstable v AFC KEMPSTON.
Bedfordshire Intermediate Cup
Second Round POTTON RESERVES 0 AFC Dunstable Reserves 5; AFC KEMPSTON RESERVES 2 STOTFOLD RESERVES 3. Quarter final (24/1) STOTFOLD RESERVES v Langford Reserves.
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Cups round-up – continued
Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy
Quarter final (6/1) Hungerford v NEWPORT PAGNELL.
Berks & Bucks Junior Cup
Second Round – outstanding tie MK Titans Reserves 2 BUCKINGHAM RESERVES 5. Third Round (20/12) Castlethorpe v BUCKINGHAM RESERVES; Abbey v OLNEY RESERVES.
Huntingdonshire Senior Cup
Second Round ST NEOTS 6 Bluntisham 1; Ramsey 2 YAXLEY 1 aet; Needingworth 0 ST IVES 4; Godmanchester 0 HUNTINGDON 3; EYNESBURY 6 Warboys 0. Quarter finals (by 31/1) EYNESBURY v ST NEOTS; Ramsey v ST IVES; Hemingfords v HUNTINGDON.
Huntingdonshire Premier Cup
First Round – outstanding ties WOOTTON v Biggleswade Town (30/12); Biggleswade United 3 HUNTINGDON 0; YAXLEY 0 Ely 6; ST IVES v STOTFOLD (30/12), Quarter finals Ely v WOOTTON/Biggleswade Town; Langford/Needingworth v ST NEOTS; Godmanchester v ST IVES/STOTFOLD.
Huntingdonshire Scott-Gatty Cup
Semi finals (14/2) HUNTINGDON RESERVES v Eaton Socon Reserves; ST IVES RESERVES v ST NEOTS RESERVES.
Huntingdonshire Benevolent Cup
Semi finals (14/3) EYNESBURY RESERVES v Buckden; ST NEOTS RESERVES v YAXLEY RESERVES.
Lincolnshire Senior Trophy
Quarter finals Winterton 3 BLACKSTONES 1; DEEPING 1 BOSTON TOWN 3; SLEAFORD 2 HOLBEACH 1. Semi finals (by 28/2) SLEAFORD v Winterton; BOSTON TOWN v Lincoln Moorlands Railway (27/1).
Northamptonshire Hillier Senior Cup
Semi finals Rushden & Diamonds 1 LONG BUCKBY 2; Brackley v DAVENTRY TOWN.
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Cups round-up – continued
Northamptonshire Junior Cup
Third Round STEWARTS & LLOYDS RESERVES 3 BUGBROOKE 5; THRAPSTON 3 DESBOROUGH RESERVES 3 aet, Thrapston won 4-2 on penalties; SILEBY 0 Kislingbury 2; RUSHDEN & HIGHAM 1 Moulton 1 aet, Moulton won 5-4 on penalties; Earls Barton 0 BURTON PW 1; PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR 2 Corby Kingfisher 0; IRCHESTER 1 DAVENTRY UNITED 2. Quarter finals (3/1) Kislingbury v PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR; BUGBROOKE v Moulton; BURTON PW v Brackley Sports; DAVENTRY UNITED v THRAPSTON.
Northamptonshire Lower Junior Cup
Fourth Round Peterborough SSPIO 0 ON CHENECKS RESERVES 2; RUSHDEN & HIGHAM RESERVES 0 Danesholme Vikings 1; LONG BUCKBY RESERVES 1 Gretton 0 aet; Wellingborough OG 2 BURTON PARK RESERVES 1; PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR RESERVES 6 Northampton Ashley Rovers 3. Quarter finals (10/1) LONG BUCKBY RESERVES v PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR RESERVES; Danesholme Vikings v ON CHENECKS RESERVES.
Buckingham Charity Cup
First Round – outstanding tie WOOTTON 0 OLNEY 3. Quarter finals Stony Stratford v BUCKINGHAM; LONG BUCKBY v Bicester/Brackley; OLNEY v Leighton.
Hinchingbrooke Cup
Preliminary Round – outstanding tie NORTHAMPTON SPENCER v ST NEOTS. First Round - outstanding ties RUSHDEN & HIGHAM v Biggleswade Town; Godmanchester v WOOTTON; DEEPING v Langford (13/1); NORTHAMPTON SPENCER/ST NEOTS v THRAPSTON; BLACKSTONES v STOTFOLD. Quarter finals BOURNE v RUSHDEN & HIGHAM/Biggleswade Town; BLACKSTONES/STOTFOLD v Cranfield; NORTHAMPTON SPENCER/ST NEOTS/THRAPSTON v DEEPING/Langford; Godmanchester/WOOTTON v ST IVES.
North Beds Charity Cup
Quarter finals STOTFOLD 8 Biggleswade Town 0; Cranfield 2 WOOTTON 0; Langford v POTTON. Semi finals Biggleswade United/Arlesey Athletic v STOTFOLD; Langford/POTTON v Cranfield.
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Cups round-up - continued
South Midlands Floodlight Cup
First Round POTTON v St Margaretsbury (6/1). Quarter final Hanwell/Cockfosters v POTTON/St Margaretsbury.
Ancaster Cup
Quarter finals BOURNE RESERVES v Sleaford Reserves; Cottesmore v DEEPING RESERVES.
Biggleswade Knockout Cup
Quarter final (by 23/4) Campton/Sandy v STOTFOLD RESERVES.
South Midlands Reserve Floodlight Cup
First Round POTTON RESERVES 2 Colney Heath Reserves 1; STOTFOLD RESERVES 6 Sawbridgeworth Reserves 0. Quarter finals Oxhey Reserves v STOTFOLD RESERVES; POTTON RESERVES v Stansted Reserves/Wormley Reserves.
Snippets
Holbeach groundsman Peter Cousins, a club stalwart for over half a century, has been named the ‘Unsung Hero’ of the Year by the Lincolnshire Free Press newspaper in their sports awards for 2008. On the field December will test the club’s resources with James Doughty, Matt Warfield, Tommy Treacher, Stacy Cartwright, Danny Hussey and Ross Nichols all facing bans….Newport Pagnell striker Vinny Shrieves will be out of the Swans line up until the new year due to suspension….New faces in the Northampton Spencer squad are ON Chenecks front runner Colin Cooper and ex-Rugby and Woodford defender Mark Edge…. Rothwell Corinthians’ squad has been boosted by the return of Chris Dunn and Tom Johnson from injury and Dan Morris and Aaron Campion from university….Yaxley have increased competition for goalkeeping places following the return of regular John Feetham from a month working in Australia and the signing of Aaron Bellairs from Bourne….Bugbrooke have striker Dan Brown back in the fold after travelling overseas. On 3rd December the Badgers took on Heyford under the Birds Close light in a match to mark the Northants Combination outfit’s centenary. The game finished 2-2….Burton Park have signed front runner Derek Simmons from Rothwell Corinthians….Daventry United have boosted their squad by bringing in midfielder Warren Garcia from Brackley….Huntingdon have added Mark Furness to their backroom staff, he will assist Clive Rayner with the Town second string….Irchester have been granted planning permission for additional covered accommodation at their Alfred Street ground….ON Chenecks have signed experienced campaigner Barry Mead from neighbours Sileby….Rushden & Higham have signed former Northampton Spencer and Wellingborough goalkeeper Ollie Urquhart to replace Wellingborough bound Michael Freeman between the sticks. Long serving Lankies player Jason Kew is still in plaster after suffering a broken leg in a reserve fixture against Peterborough Northern Star on 15th November.
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Leading goalscorers (to 13 December)
Premier Division 18 – Scott Fielding (St Ives) 17 – Ryan Semple (Deeping) 16 – Darren Lynch (Newport Pagnell) 14 – Ashley Stevens (Deeping) 13 – Gary Bull (Boston Town) 12 – Ryan Aldrin (Stotfold), Tom Berwick (Daventry Town) 11 – Callum Donnelly (Stotfold), Mark Jones (Blackstones), Adam Taylor (Raunds) 10 – Ben Foster (Long Buckby), Vinny Shrieves (Newport Pagnell) 9 – Danny Nicholls (Newport Pagnell), Kevin Slinn, Alfie Taylor (Northampton Spencer), Tommy Treacher (Holbeach) 8 – Brett Donnelly (Stotfold), Darren Frost (Cogenhoe), Miles Hunter (Bourne – including 2 for Sleaford), Matt Kennedy (Boston Town) 7 – Tom Beech, Jeremy McMurrough (Potton), Michael Byrne (Stewarts & Lloyds), Russ Dunkley (Long Buckby), James Hall, Peter Okechukwu (St Neots), Dan Jacobs (Yaxley), Danny Nelson (Daventry Town), Jamie Shaw (Sleaford)
Division One 18 – Karl Gibbs (Peterborough Northern Star) 16 – Jamie Graham (Eynesbury), Mark Paul (Peterborough Northern Star) 15 – Will Briscoe (Bugbrooke) 11 – Lewis Haycock (Sileby) 8 – Sam Donadio (Wootton), Ben Morgan (Thrapston) 7 – Matt Collins (Rushden & Higham), Joel McCormick (Buckingham), Jamie Nuttall (ON Chenecks)
Reserve Dvision One 14 – Charlie Wixon (Sileby) 11 – Tom Lorraine (Woodford), Pete Smith (Sileby), Addie Staffieri (Bourne), Lee Thomson (Stewarts & Lloyds) 10 – Carlton Ellwood (Whitworths – including 7 for Wellingborough) 9 – Ben Cole (St Neots) 8 – Louis Taylor (Stotfold) 7 – Anthony Bowskill (Stotfold), Daniel Drane (Yaxley), Moises Rodrigues (Whitworths)
Reserve Division Two 15 – Lewis Leckie, James Stubbs (Deeping) 14 – Tommy Waldock (ex-Daventry Town) 12 – Delaney Fifield (Long Buckby) 8 – Jerome Thompson (Wootton) 7 – David Kilby (Peterborough Northern Star), Dan Renshaw (Long Buckby), Julian Wilson (Wootton), Sam Worthington (Potton)
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Smyth takes the Doughboys reins
Former Whitworths manager Joe Smyth is back in UCL management after being handed the reins at Premier Division neighbours Wellingborough Town. Smyth took charge at the Dog & Duck after summer appointee Jason Burnham resigned following a reduction in the playing budget.
Smyth, who steered the Flourmen to the Division One championship without losing a game in the 2006-07 campaign, left Whitworths in January 2008. Joining him at the Dog & Duck as his assistant is Kevin Fox who succeeded him at the Whitworths helm while one time Valleybrook boss Barry Shields also joins the management team. A change with the reserves has seen James Foulser take over from Simon Anderson.
The new management have had to rebuild almost from scratch after losing virtually the entire first team squad, many of whom have teamed up with former Wellingborough assistant manager Ady Fuller at Woodford. Matt Finlay, Ross Harris, Arron Parkinson, Josh Urquhart and Martin Thompson have all linked up with the Reds while Dean Chapman has joined another BGB League side Leighton. Only Nick Mason of the club’s regulars has remained loyal to the cause.
The Doughboys plan to rebuild with locally based players and have brought in defender David Coales and midfielder Dan Spaughton from Raunds, while wide man Dan Grainger has rejoined the club. Ex-Rushden & Diamonds and Stamford man Richard Bailey, most recently with Long Buckby, will add midfield experience. Adam Fitzjohn and Pete Callan have arrived from Sileby, striker Darren Halfyard has switched from Burton Park, Matty Freeman has crossed the fence from Whitworths and Michael Boyle-Chong has signed from Rothwell Town. Completing the new faces is Tom Judge from Rothwell Corinthians.
There have been changes off the field too with chairman Dave Clingo taking a sabbatical, he hands over for the time being to Martin Potton who at various times occupied many posts with the club’s previous incarnation, including chairman and manager.
Familiar faces boost Stotfold ranks
Stotfold’s injury hit squad has been bolstered by the return to the Roker ranks of some familiar faces. Brett Donnelly, who has featured occasionally this season, has rejoined the Eagles permanently after leaving BGB League neighbours Hitchin. The striker celebrated his return with a hat trick as the champions beat Yaxley 6-2, and also on target in that game with a second half brace was midfielder Luke Gregson, another player who has played plenty of higher grade football with Arlesey Town, Boreham Wood and Hitchin since his previous spell with Stotfold. Also back in the ranks is veteran goalkeeper Nigel Blower who is deputising for Brad Gillham who has recently had an operation.
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Senior players take charge at Daventry
Daventry Town appear to be in no hurry to appoint a permanent manager after the departure of Martyn Walker. Coach Steve Aucutt has had a few games at the helm, but has now left Communications Park to take up a coaching post in New Zealand.
The managerial reins have now been handed to two of the club’s senior players, defender Ady Greatrex and striker Danny Finlay, on a temporary basis.
The change at the top does not appear to have had any adverse effect with Town unbeaten in the league since Walker’s exit and through to the Northants Hillier Senior Cup semi finals and FA Vase 3rd Round.
The club’s facility improvement programme is now underway with the imminent arrival of two new temporary stands.
Work is also about to start on phase one of the clubhouse and dressing room complex. The project will take 29 weeks to complete with June 2009 the estimated conclusion date. Phase two will see a first floor function room constructed above the dressing room and clubhouse area.
Saints set for reunion
St Neots staged a reunion at the new Kester Way ground on 21st November with over 200 former players, club officials and supporters expected to attend.
The surviving members of the club’s famous 1966 FA Cup 1st Round side which narrowly lost to Walsall were all expected to attend the function along with 90 year Wilf Lindsay, believed to be the oldest living ex-player, who made his debut for the club as a 13 year old!
Turning to the present day squad, a recent arrival at the club is goalkeeper Chris Adams, previously with the Stevenage academy and St Albans. He has replaced Jon Chatfield in the line up, the latter’s availability being restricted by university commitments.
Long term absentee, striker Chris Johnson, is back in training following his long standing knee injury.
Two new faces for Cuckoos
Yaxley have strengthened their squad in recent weeks with the addition of three new faces.
Utility player Richard Challinor has rejoined the Cuckoos after a spell with Blackstones while goalkeeper Richard Roberts has checked in at Leading Drove from Unibond League Spalding. Front man John Johnson completes the list of recruits.
Further good news at Leading Drove is the return to action of midfielder Ricky Hailstone following suspension.
Injured Poachers trio near a return
Boston Town look set to have increased competition for places in the weeks ahead as a trio of players look set to rejoin the squad. Midfield anchorman Nathan Collins is now available after spells on the sidelines with suspension and injury, while striker Lewis Blakey is back in training after suffering a facial injury against Stotfold. Long time absentee Tony Pascu is also progressing well after a thigh problem.
Skipper Gary Bull has become the latest Poachers casualty having been forced to leave the field in the Vase defeat by Cogenhoe with a recurrence of a calf problem.
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Desborough strengthen squad
Desborough are still too close to the Premier Division relegation zone for comfort but recent sorties into the transfer market made by manager Dave Williams should see them start to move up the table.
Midfield playmaker Jamie Gilsenan, a member of last season’s League Knockout Cup winning squad, has returned to the Waterworks Field after a summer switch to Long Buckby, while another familiar face checking in is striker Chris Caswell who played for the club two seasons ago and has more recently been with Huntingdon. Joining Ar Tarn for the first time is Wellingborough striker Jon Mitchell, a man with a proven scoring record both with the Doughboys and before that with Rothwell Town in the Southern League.
Coach Mark Watson has left the Ar Tarn management team for personal reasons.
Wakes halt losing run
Bourne ended a run of twenty two matches without a win in all competitions in emphatic style with a 4-1 defeat of Potton on 15 November. The Wakes’ previous win was an opening day defeat of Long Buckby.
Recent improvements had seen Bourne draw three of their four previous matches, as manager Mark Cook’s team building shows signs of progress.
Recent additions to the Wakes squad are goalkeeper Richard Stainsby from Grantham and RAF wide man Dan Cartwright, while Dane Harper is back from suspension and fellow defender Stewart Smith has shelved retirement plans.
Midfielder Lewis Cook is on the sidelines though with a stress fracture.
Buckby resources stretched
Long Buckby’s resources have been stretched to the limit in recent weeks with injuries to key players and departures weakening the squad.
Carl Holmes (ligaments), Matt Green (knee), Mark Hewitt (calf) and Stuart Smeathers (cartilage) are all sidelined at present while defender Paul Rice has rejoined Rothwell Town, others going through the exit door are Jamie Gilsenan who has returned to Desborough and veteran campaigner Darren Harmon who has dropped into Division One with ON Chenecks.
One arrival at Station Road is Wellingborough defender Dan Chilton, while assistant manager Andy Peaks has resumed playing to help plug the gaps in the squad.
Deeping add duo
Premier Division pacesetters Deeping have added a couple of new faces to their squad in recent weeks.
Widely travelled front runner Liam Harrold has made the short trip from top flight rivals Yaxley to add to the competition for striking places in the Outgang Road line up, while full back or midfielder Scott Bogusz has stepped up from Division One football with Peterborough Northern Star.
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Orchard takes charge at Whitworths
Whitworths have unveiled Steve Orchard as their new manager in succession to Kevin Fox who left the club in September.
Orchard played for Rushden Town and Buckingham Town before his injury halted his playing days. He has managed Old Bradwell and New Bradwell St Peter, the latter for the last three years, leading them to a top six finish in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One last season.
Assisting Orchard will be Rob Fisher and Steve Mahoney who worked with him at New Bradwell.
Player recruitment has been limited so far although defender Dave King has arrived from Wootton and centre back Andy Allison has joined from Uppingham. Returning to London Road is goalkeeper Craig Neighbour who has been playing for Northampton Spencer this season.
Sileby ring the changes
Sileby manager Gary Petts has been a busy man in recent weeks, strengthening his squad for a planned promotion push.
Adding experience to the squad is former Rothwell Town man Simon Underwood while other new faces are goalkeeper James Stirling from Heyford, ON Chenecks defender Lee Haines and Moulton front runner Nick Worley.
Elliott Sandy has now returned to BGB League Brackley Town after spending a month with Rangers on loan.
Locally based Premiership referee Peter Walton and former top flight whistler Jeff Winter are the speakers at a fund raising dinner being staged by the club on 27th November.
Swannell back at Jubilee Park
Paul Swannell, who managed Huntingdon in the 2006-07 season, has returned to Jubilee Park as part of Martyn Ray’s management team. With Ray and assistant Matt Plumb both occupying playing roles also, Swannell will take on coaching duties and provide a matchday view from the dugout.
Latest addition to the Town ranks are Grant Robbins from Somersham and Great Paxton striker Andy Conway.
Work on the new Jubilee Park clubhouse and changing room facilities is due to start on 1st December and is likely to take around six months to complete.
Star sign duo
Division One title contenders Peterborough Northern Star have strengthened their squad by bringing in left back Scott Woods from Deeping and Eynesbury’s Mark Randall who signed for Star in the summer only to leave in an eve of season switch.
The club has been successful in renewing its planning application for floodlights to be installed at the Chestnut Avenue ground.
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Swans, Eagles, Saints and S&L through to last eight
Newport Pagnell are through to the last eight of the League Knockout Cup after beating Eynesbury 2-1 at Willen Road in their Second Round tie. First half goals from Danny Nicholls and Darren Lynch gave the Swans victory. Stotfold progressed 2-0 at Cogenhoe with goals from Ryan Aldrin and Brett Donnelly while four extra time goals saw St Ives overcome Raunds 5-1 at Weatwood Road. The Saints marksmen were Dan Newman, two goal Scott Fielding, Jamie Blackwell and Barry Albone. Stewarts & Lloyds, including several of last year’s winning Desborough line up, booked their quarter final place with a 2-1 victory at lower grade Thrapston, Bobby Drain and Paul Malone the marksmen for Steve Noble’s side.
After beating Deeping on penalties in the Preliminary Round Sileby were unable to repeat the trick against 2007 winners Boston Town in Round One. Rangers twice led through Lewis Haycock and Nick Woodroffe but were pegged back by Gary Bull’s two equalisers for the Poachers who held their nerve better in the shootout to progress 4-1.
Holders Desborough bowed out in the final First Round tie, 3-2 at Northampton Spencer after extra time. Joe Power, Jason Gray and Adam Hancock took the Millers through.
Vase joy for nine
The league enjoyed a highly successful day in the FA Vase Second Round with nine out of thirteen clubs making progress to the last 64 – a best ever performance for the league in the 35 years the competition has been running. The league will also have the largest representation of any competition nationally at the Third Round stage.
Three all domestic matches went the way of the visitors. A Russ Dunkley brace and Ben Foster effort gave Long Buckby a 3-0 win at Wellingborough, while strikes from Liam Nimmo and Johnny Allen gave Holbeach a 2-1 extra time success at Raunds who replied with an Adam Taylor penalty. Veteran defender Nick Ashby was the matchwinner for Cogenhoe as they beat Boston Town 2-1 at Tattershall Road after a Jed Ainge opener had been cancelled out by Matt Kennedy’s reply for the Poachers.
Four clubs progressed at home to outside opposition. Stewarts & Lloyds led the way with a 5-1 demolition of Heanor, Paul Caswell scoring twice and Michael Byrne netting three as well as missing a penalty! Blackstones also saw off East Midlands Counties League opposition, beating Dunkirk 2-0 with Jon Stead and Adam Scotcher, with a penalty, the marksmen. John Cullen, Dan Burke and an own goal took Daventry Town through 3-1 against Dudley while a late Junior McDougald penalty saw St Ives overcome unbeaten Essex Senior League Romford 2-1, Liam Kennett the other Saints scorer.
St Neots were the biggest winners of the day with a 5-0 success at Sport London e Benfica. The goals were shared by Peter Okechukwu, Declan Rogers, Luke Knight, Matt Kenneford and Jamie Steele. Buckingham kept the Division One flag flying with a 1-0 victory at Egham, Reuben Max-Grant the Robins matchwinner as they became the first ever side from the lower grade to reach Round Three.
The only casualties against outside opposition were Northampton Spencer who exited 1-0 at last season’s semi finalists Needham Market.
Winning start for Reserve holders
Reserve Knockout Cup holders Blackstones made a delayed start to their trophy defence with a 3-2 win over Sileby in the final First Round match. A Kieran Brennan brace and Chris McRoyal penalty gave Stones a winning start. In Round Two Carl Harper’s lone strike gave Peterborough Northern Star a 1-0 success at higher grade Bourne while extra time goals from Lee Genner and Lee Thompson were needed to see Stewarts & Lloyds through 2-0 against Long Buckby. Luke Bonney, Dave Stratton and Ashleigh Fife shared the goals as Yaxley progressed 3-1 at Olney, again after extra time.
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Duo through to Hillier Cup semis
The league will have two representatives in the semi finals of the Northants Hillier Senior Cup after Long Buckby and Daventry Town enjoyed victories in the quarters.
Buckby were reinstated in the competition after losing at Corby in the First Round, as the Steelmen had fielded an ineligible player in their victory, and they made the most of their reprieve by edging out league rivals Desborough 3-2 with two Russ Dunkley goals and one from Ben Foster. Daventry overwhelmed a largely youthful Kettering side 5-1 with Tom Berwick, Richard Wesley, two goal Danny Nelson and Adam Confue on target.
Rothwell Corinthians’ Senior Cup debut saw them acquit themselves well in a 1-0 Nene Park reverse against a strong Rushden & Diamonds side, while Stewarts & Lloyds exited 4-1 at Brackley, Bobby Drain the marksman.
The draw for the semis kept the two survivors apart. Long Buckby travel to Nene Park to take on holders Rushden & Diamonds while Daventry face a derby trip to Brackley.
Goals galore in Junior Cup
Division One clubs filled their boots in the Northants Junior Cup Second Round, with Peterborough Northern Star scoring eleven times without reply against Denton in the highest scoring match of the round. Mark Paul scored five for Star with Karl Gibbs hitting a hat trick and singles for Eddie Patten, Paul Hill and Mohamed Sohail. Thrapston weren’t far behind with a 9-0 demolition of Wellingborough Reserves, Marcus Keirle scoring three and Paul Norton two, Ben Armstrong, Craig Ferguson, Jack Wisniewski and Cory James also featuring on the scoresheet. Another hat trick man was Bugbrooke’s Shaun Daly in a 6-1 success at Delapre, he was joined among the goals by Will Briscoe with two and Dave Weedon.
Two own goals and a Darren Halfyard brace plus singles from Gary Owen and Andrew Cox helped Burton Park to a 6-0 win over Airflow, that score was mirrored by Sileby against Raunds Reserves, Lewis Haycock on target twice with a goal apiece from Lee Cotton, Sam Callear, Gaston Guei and Craig Heard completing the Rangers tally.
A lone Gavin Batt goal gave Rushden & Higham victory over Northampton Spencer Reserves while league strugglers Irchester edged past Wootton St Georges with Mark Dudley the Romans matchwinner in a 1-0 victory.
Only Division One casualties were ON Chenecks who lost 3-1 to Stewarts & Lloyds Reserves who had Bobby Drain on target twice and Lee Genner once, while Desborough Reserves will also fly the Reserve Division One banner in the last sixteen after a 2-0 defeat of Deanshanger.
Daventry United took the league’s representation in Round Three to ten after scheduled Second Round opponents Mill Wheel folded.
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Transfer trail
Transfer market activity has again been high in recent weeks with the seasonal total moving into three figures. The latest movers are as follows:-
85. Liam Harrold Yaxley to Deeping Rangers 86. Lee Crockett Sleaford Town to Bourne Town 87. Karl Bates Northampton ON Chenecks to Raunds Town 88. Matt Redding Rothwell Corinthians to Raunds Town 89. Dan Spaughton Raunds Town to Wellingborough Town 2004 90. Richard Challinor Blackstones to Yaxley 91. Dan Chilton Wellingborough Town 2004 to Long Buckby 92. Darren Harmon Long Buckby to Northampton ON Chenecks 93. Adam Fitzjohn Northampton Sileby Rangers to Wellingborough Town 2004 94. Dave King Wootton Blue Cross to Whitworths 95. Craig Neighbour Northampton Spencer to Whitworths 96. Pete Callan Northampton Sileby Rangers to Wellingborough Town 2004 97. Scott Bogusz Peterborough Northern Star to Deeping Rangers 98. Jamie Gilsenan Long Buckby to Desborough Town 99. Dan Turiccki Whitworths to Irchester United 100. Jon Mitchell Wellingborough Town 2004 to Desborough Town 101. Stefan Morris Rushden & Higham United to Irchester United 102. Darren Halfyard Burton Park Wanderers to Wellingborough Town 2004 103. Andy Allison Raunds Town to Whitworths 104. Byron Brown Burton Park Wanderers to Rothwell Corinthians 105. David Coales Raunds Town to Wellingborough Town 2004 106. Ashley Simpson Northampton Sileby Rangers to Cogenhoe United 107. Jason Bannie Peterborough Northern Star to Eynesbury Rovers 108. Mark Randall Eynesbury Rovers to Peterborough Northern Star 109. Ashley Etherington Irchester United to Cogenhoe United 110. Richard Stainsby Yaxley to Bourne Town 111. Chris Caswell Huntingdon Town to Desborough Town 112. Damon Black Daventry Town to Daventry United 113. James McDermott Whitworths to Thrapston Town 114. Matty Cox Daventry United to Daventry Town 115. Scott Woods Deeping Rangers to Peterborough Northern Star 116. Ashley Yeomans St Neots Town to Wootton Blue Cross 117. Paul Crane Irchester United to Thrapston Town 118. Matty Freeman Whitworths to Wellingborough Town 2004 119. Lee Haines Northampton ON Chenecks to Northampton Sileby Rangers 120. Tom Judge Rothwell Corinthians to Wellingborough Town 2004
Treble awards success for Newport
Newport Pagnell enjoyed a treble success in the league’s October awards, with manager Terry Shrieves named as the Premier Division Manager of the Month and Swans strike duo Darren Lynch and Vinny Shrieves sharing the month’s Goalscorer award.
The Swans won five league matches during the month as well as making Knockout Cup progress to give Shrieves senior the managerial accolade, while son Vinny and Darren Lynch both scored seven times in six domestic matches to top the October goals tally.
The Division One Manager of the Month prize was won by Rushden & Higham manager Simon Stewart, whose side was unbeaten in a six match programme of league and cup football. The Lankies picked up an eight point haul from four Division One matches, adding wins in the Northants Junior and Hinchingbrooke Cups.
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Cups round-up
League Knockout Cup
First Round – outstanding ties Sileby 2 Boston Town 2 aet, Boston won 4-1 on penalties; Northampton Spencer 3 Desborough 2 aet. Second Round – outstanding ties Potton v Northampton Spencer (16/12); Newport Pagnell 2 Eynesbury 1; Holbeach v Boston Town (10/12); Thrapston 1 Stewarts & Lloyds 2; Cogenhoe 0 Stotfold 2; St Ives 5 Raunds 1 aet. Quarter finals Peterborough Northern Star v Blackstones (20/12); Stewarts & Lloyds v Potton/Northampton Spencer; Stotfold v Newport Pagnell (9/12); St Ives v Holbeach/Boston Town.
Reserve Knockout Cup
First Round – outstanding tie Blackstones 3 Sileby 2. Second Round Blackstones v Burton PW (20/12); Stewarts & Lloyds 2 Long Buckby 0 aet; Olney 1 Yaxley 3 aet; Bourne 0 Peterborough Northern Star 1; St Ives v Deeping (22/11); Daventry Town v Bugbrooke (20/12); Wootton v Northampton Spencer (22/11); Irchester v Stotfold (20/12). Quarter finals Daventry Town/Bugbrooke v Yaxley; St Ives/Deeping v Blackstones/Burton PW; Wootton/Northampton Spencer v Stewarts & Lloyds; Irchester/Stotfold v Peterborough Northern Star.
F.A. Vase
Second Round BLACKSTONES 2 Dunkirk 0; DAVENTRY TOWN 3 Dudley 1; STEWARTS & LLOYDS 5 Heanor 1; BOSTON TOWN 1 COGENHOE 2; Sport London e Benfica 0 ST NEOTS 5; WELLINGBOROUGH 0 LONG BUCKBY 3; ST IVES 2 Romford 1; RAUNDS 1 HOLBEACH 2 aet; Needham Market 1 NORTHAMPTON SPENCER 0; Egham 0 BUCKINGHAM 1. Third Round (6/12) Scarborough Athletic v BLACKSTONES; LONG BUCKBY v ST IVES; Needham Market v ST NEOTS; STEWARTS & LLOYDS v DAVENTRY TOWN; FC Clacton v HOLBEACH; Arundel v COGENHOE; Witney v BUCKINGHAM.
Bedfordshire Senior Cup
First Round (25/11) STOTFOLD v Dunstable. Quarter finals (w/c 26/1) STOTFOLD/Dunstable v Leighton; POTTON v Biggleswade United.
Bedfordshire Senior Trophy
Second Round (22/11) AFC KEMPSTON v Kempston Town.
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Cups round-up – continued
Bedfordshire Intermediate Cup
Second Round POTTON RESERVES v AFC Dunstable Reserves (22/11); AFC KEMPSTON RESERVES v STOTFOLD RESERVES (29/11).
Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy
Quarter final (w/c 25/1) Hungerford v NEWPORT PAGNELL.
Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup
Second Round Stony Stratford 4 OLNEY 2.
Berks & Bucks Junior Cup
Second Round MK Titans Reserves v BUCKINGHAM RESERVES (22/11); Bletchley Trees Reserves 0 OLNEY RESERVES 11. Third Round (13/12) Castlethorpe v MK Titans Reserves/BUCKINGHAM RESERVES; Abbey v OLNEY RESERVES.
Huntingdonshire Senior Cup
Second Round (22/11) ST NEOTS v Bluntisham; Ramsey v YAXLEY; Needingworth v ST IVES; Godmanchester v HUNTINGDON; EYNESBURY v Warboys.
Huntingdonshire Premier Cup
First Round – outstanding ties WOOTTON v Biggleswade Town; Biggleswade United v HUNTINGDON (25/11); Godmanchester 3 POTTON 1 aet; YAXLEY v Ely (2/12); ST IVES v STOTFOLD. Quarter finals YAXLEY/Ely v WOOTTON/Biggleswade Town; Langford/Needingworth v ST NEOTS; Godmanchester v ST IVES/STOTFOLD; Ramsey v Biggleswade United/HUNTINGDON.
Huntingdonshire Scott-Gatty Cup
Quarter finals ST IVES RESERVES 4 YAXLEY RESERVES 2 aet; HUNTINGDON RESERVES 3 Somersham Reserves 1; CSV United 1 ST NEOTS RESERVES 5 (at St Neots); EYNESBURY RESERVES 2 Eaton Socon Reserves 4. Semi finals (14/2) HUNTINGDON RESERVES v Eaton Socon Reserves; ST IVES RESERVES v ST NEOTS RESERVES.
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Cups round-up - continued
Huntingdonshire Benevolent Cup
Quarter finals ST NEOTS RESERVES 6 ST IVES RESERVES 0; YAXLEY RESERVES 4 Ramsey Reserves 1; EYNESBURY RESERVES 3 HUNTINGDON RESERVES 2. Semi finals (14/3) EYNESBURY RESERVES v Buckden; ST NEOTS RESERVES v YAXLEY RESERVES.
Lincolnshire Senior Trophy
Quarter finals Winterton v BLACKSTONES (26/11); DEEPING v BOSTON TOWN (25/11); SLEAFORD v HOLBEACH (25/11).
Northamptonshire Hillier Senior Cup
First Round Corby 3 LONG BUCKBY 2 – tie awarded to Long Buckby, Corby fielded ineligible player. Quarter finals Rushden & Diamonds 1 ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS 0; Brackley 4 STEWARTS & LLOYDS 1; LONG BUCKBY 3 DESBOROUGH 2; DAVENTRY TOWN 5 Kettering 1. Semi finals Rushden & Diamonds v LONG BUCKBY (2/12); Brackley v DAVENTRY TOWN.
Northamptonshire Junior Cup
Second Round – outstanding ties Delapre OB 1 BUGBROOKE 6; THRAPSTON 9 WELLINGBOROUGH RESERVES 0; PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR 11 Denton 0; DAVENTRY UNITED walkover, Northampton Mill Wheel withdrew; RUSHDEN & HIGHAM 1 NORTHAMPTON SPENCER RESERVES 0; ON CHENECKS 1 STEWARTS & LLOYDS RESERVES 3; SILEBY 6 RAUNDS RESERVES 0; IRCHESTER 1 Wootton St Georges 0; BURTON PW 6 Airflow 0. Third Round (22/11) STEWARTS & LLOYDS RESERVES v BUGBROOKE (29/11); THRAPSTON v DESBOROUGH RESERVES; SILEBY v Kislingbury; RUSHDEN & HIGHAM v Moulton; Earls Barton v BURTON PW; PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR v Corby Kingfisher; IRCHESTER v DAVENTRY UNITED.
Northamptonshire Lower Junior Cup
Third Round PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR RESERVES 1 ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS RESERVES 0; RUSHDEN & HIGHAM RESERVES 5 IRCHESTER RESERVES 0; Corby Strip Mills 0 LONG BUCKBY RESERVES 1; Netherton 0 ON CHENECKS RESERVES 4; Gretton 5 DAVENTRY TOWN RESERVES 2; Corby Eagles 0 BURTON PW RESERVES 6 (abandoned, tie awarded to Burton). Fourth Round (29/11) Peterborough SSPIO v ON CHENECKS RESERVES; RUSHDEN & HIGHAM RESERVES v Danesholme Vikings; LONG BUCKBY RESERVES v Gretton; Wellingborough OG v BURTON PW RESERVES; PETERBOROUGH NORTHERN STAR RESERVES v Northampton Ashley Rovers.
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Cups round-up – continued
Hinchingbrooke Cup
Preliminary Round – outstanding tie NORTHAMPTON SPENCER v ST NEOTS. First Round – outstanding ties RUSHDEN & HIGHAM v Biggleswade Town (9/12); Godmanchester v WOOTTON (2/12); DEEPING v Langford; NORTHAMPTON SPENCER/ST NEOTS v THRAPSTON; BLACKSTONES v STOTFOLD; BOURNE 1 ROTHWELL CORINTHIANS 0. Quarter finals BOURNE v RUSHDEN & HIGHAM/Biggleswade Town; BLACKSTONES/STOTFOLD v Cranfield/Arlesey Athletic; NORTHAMPTON SPENCER/ST NEOTS/THRAPSTON v DEEPING/Langford; Godmanchester/WOOTTON v ST IVES.
Buckingham Charity Cup
First Round – outstanding tie WOOTTON v OLNEY (16/12). Quarter finals Ampthill/Stony Stratford v BUCKINGHAM; LONG BUCKBY v Bicester/Brackley; WOOTTON/OLNEY v Leighton.
North Beds Charity Cup
Quarter finals STOTFOLD v Biggleswade Town (2/12); Cranfield v WOOTTON (9/12); Langford v POTTON.
South Midlands Floodlight Cup
First Round POTTON v St Margaretsbury. Quarter final Hanwell/Cockfosters v POTTON/St Margaretsbury.
Ancaster Cup
Quarter finals BOURNE RESERVES v Sleaford Reserves; Cottesmore v DEEPING RESERVES.
Biggleswade Knockout Cup
First Round STOTFOLD RESERVES walkover Ickwell & Old Warden withdrew; Biggleswade United Reserves 5 POTTON RESERVES 0. Quarter final (by 23/4) Campton/Sandy v STOTFOLD RESERVES.
South Midlands Reserve Floodlight Cup
First Round POTTON RESERVES v Colney Heath Reserves (3/12); STOTFOLD RESERVES v Sawbridgeworth Reserves (16/12).
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Leading goalscorers (to 19 November)
Premier Division 17 – S. Fielding (St Ives) 14 – R. Semple (Deeping) 13 - A. Stevens (Deeping) 12 – D. Lynch (Newport Pagnell) 10 – G. Bull (Boston Town), M. Jones (Blackstones), V. Shrieves (Newport Pagnell), A. Taylor (Raunds) 9 – R. Aldrin, C. Donnelly (Stotfold), B. Foster (Long Buckby), T. Treacher (Holbeach) 8 – M. Kennedy (Boston Town), D. Nicholls (Newport Pagnell), K. Slinn (Northampton Spencer) 7 – T. Beech, J. McMurrough (Potton), T. Berwick (Daventry Town), B. Donnelly (Stotfold), A. Taylor (Northampton Spencer) 6 – M. Byrne (Stewarts & Lloyds), M. Coles (Rothwell Corinthians), D. Jacobs (Yaxley), K. Jones, J. Shaw (Sleaford), L. Kennett (St Ives), D. Nelson (Daventry Town), P. Okechukwu (St Neots)
Division One 16 – K. Gibbs, M. Paul (Peterborough Northern Star) 15 – J. Graham (Eynesbury) 14 – W. Briscoe (Bugbrooke) 11 - L. Haycock (Sileby) 8 – B. Morgan (Thrapston) 7 – J. McCormick (Buckingham) 6 – M. Collins (Rushden & Higham), S. Donadio (Wootton), Z. Fotheringham (Daventry United), J. Wisniewski (Thrapston)
Reserve Division One 12 – C. Wixon (Sileby) 11- A. Staffieri (Bourne) 10 – C. Ellwood (Whitworths – including 7 for Wellingborough), L. Thomson (Stewarts & Lloyds) 9 – T. Lorraine (Woodford) 7 – A. Bowskill (Stotfold), M. Rodrigues (Whitworths) 6 – L. Allen (Bugbrooke), K. Brennan (Blackstones), B. Cole (St Neots), O. Odane (Yaxley), P. Pickering (Northampton Spencer), P. Smith (Sileby), L. Taylor (Stotfold)
Reserve Division Two 14 – T. Waldock (ex-Daventry Town) 10 – D. Fifield (Long Buckby), L. Leckie, J. Stubbs (Deeping) 7 – D. Renshaw (Long Buckby), J. Wilson (Wootton), S. Worthington (Potton) 6 – J. Bishop (Buckingham), H. Mumin (Burton PW)
Snippets
Newport Pagnell have unveiled a new kit sponsor in Milton Keynes based construction company Lodge Park….Northampton Spencer have goalkeeper Shaun Markie back in action after injury….Raunds have signed ON Chenecks striker Karl Bates….Latest addition to the Rothwell Corinthians squad is Byron Brown from Burton Park….Will Briscoe’s hat trick for Bugbrooke against Olney on 15 November was his third in four league matches….A three match unbeaten run under the caretaker management team of Spencer Newcombe and Gary Owen has steered Burton Park away from the lower reaches of Division One….New faces in the Eynesbury squad are Peterborough Northern Star full back Jason Bannie, Karl McPolin from Crowland and Danny Tyler from Great Paxton….Irchester have signed Whitworths defender Dan Turiccki and Rushden & Higham front runner Stefan Morris….One time Northampton and Shrewsbury man Darren Harmon has joined ON Chenecks from Premier Division Long Buckby….Olney have the Mason brothers Andy and Tim back in the fold from a spell coaching in the United States.
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Daventry part company with Walker
In a shock move Premier Division newcomers Daventry Town parted company with manager Martyn Walker following their defeat at Boston Town on 11th October.
The reverse was only the fifth suffered by Daventry in 58 matches under Walker’s tenure dating back to April 2007 when he stepped up from assistant to replace Tony Perry in the hot seat.
Last season Walker led Town to a runaway Division One title success which saw them become the first club in England to win a league championship while Daventry also become only the second Division One club to reach the Knockout Cup final, losing 3-2 to Desborough. Town’s achievements during the campaign saw Walker named as the league’s Manager of the Year.
Town continued to thrive at the higher level and lost just two of fifteen league and cup matches before Walker’s departure.
Assistant Lee McBain has also left Communications Park. Coach Steve Aucutt has been handed the reins as caretaker manager but he too is set to leave the club next month to take up a six month coaching post in New Zealand.
On field movement has seen Luke Walker depart for Woodford and Dan Burke arrive from Long Buckby.
Cook steps up at Bourne
Bourne have handed the managerial reins to Mark Cook following Neil Thorpe’s resignation after the defeat by Newport Pagnell on 4th October
Thorpe cited the reasons for his departure as the lengthy travel from his home in Chapel St Leonards and a desire to resume his playing career.
Cook joined the Wakes as one of Thorpe’s assistants last March. He is a former Lincoln City and Boston United player who has coached at the Pilgrims’ academy.
Bourne stalwart Jimmy McDonnell will assist Cook as he bids to turn Bourne’s season round after a lengthy run of defeats.
The Wakes have added full back Matt Hodgkin to the sizeable contingent of ex-Sleaford players in the Abbey Lawn squad, with Harrowby defender Darrell Chappell another recruit. Defender Stewart Smith has decided to take a break from the game due to persistent hamstring problems.
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Fuller leaves Doughboys for Woodford
Wellingborough have lost the services of assistant manager Ady Fuller who has been appointed co-manager of BGB Midland Division strugglers Woodford United in a partnership with Darren Tank.
Fuller joined the Doughboys in the close season from Banbury and had been doubling up as a player in the season so far. He is replaced as Jason Burnham’s assistant by former Doughboys player of the 70s John Daldy, a former Rushden Town manager.
Recent player movement has seen defender Dan Chilton return from a brief spell with ON Chenecks while midfield man Craig Lanham has been recruited from Leighton. Defender or midfielder Arron Parkinson looks set to be sidelined for a while with a toe injury and is also a target for former club Woodford.
Backroom changes at St Neots
St Neots have reshuffled their backroom staff in recent weeks.
Assistant manager Iain Parr has stepped down from the role to concentrate on running the club’s under 18 youth side, while Jez Green has left the reserve management team where Paul Dodson will now work alongside Grant Ager.
A new face on the field is former Biggleswade Town striker Jamie Steele.
Double international joins St Ives
St Ives Town have made one of the biggest signings in the club’s history by recruiting front runner Junior Macdougald. The 33 year old Texas born player graduated from the Huntingdon Rowdies youth set up to join Tottenham where he won England youth caps.
McDougald never made the Spurs first team but he did play in the Football League for Brighton, Chesterfield, Rotherham, Millwall and Leyton Orient. He has also played high level non league football for Dagenham & Redbridge, Canvey Island and most recently Histon, and while with the Daggers he gained further international recognition winning four England semi-pro caps and scoring one goal.
Another boost for the Saints is the return of free scoring defender Will Fordham from Corby, although he has been out of action through injury in recent weeks, joining long term casualties Ricky Dear and Dan Pilsworth on the sidelines.
Injuries bite deep at Roker
Premier Division champions Stotfold have been hit by a series of injuries to key players this season.
The casualty list includes Colin Shambrook (ankle), Gareth Cottenden (thigh strain), Jamie Taylor (knee ligaments), Scott Rennie (ankle ligaments) and Ryan Aldrin (sciatica) while goalkeeper Brad Gillham is about to have a knee operation.
The squad has been bolstered by the signings of Hitchin duo, midfielder Alex Fraser and striker Russell Bull, and ex-Stevenage youngster Andrew Iwediuno from Welwyn Garden City, who joined the injured list in his first match for the Eagles!
The injuries have given a number of promising youngsters their first team chance while 16 year old James Peters recently played for Norwich City’s youth team against Arsenal.
EAGLE BITTER UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 3
Boston recruit coach and keeper
Boston Town have become beneficiaries of UniBond League Grantham’s poor start to the season, with the arrival of one new face in the dugout and another on the pitch.
A change of management at the Gingerbreads has seen coach Mick Hogg join the Poachers’ management team. Hogg was John Wilkinson’s assistant both at The Meres and previously at Lincoln United. Experienced goalkeeper Nicky Conroy has also joined Town from Grantham. He is a former Boston United player who has also played for Lincoln United, Stamford, Yaxley and last season Holbeach.
Injuries to veteran striker Gary Bull (calf) and Lewis Blakey (fractured cheekbone) have left the Poachers short of front running options while RAF training has restricted Miles Mason’s availability.
Shopmates sign keeping duo
Raunds manager Colin Ridgway has moved into the transfer market to sign two new goalkeepers after regular Michael Hearn joined a lengthy Kiln Park injury list. Experienced campaigner John Hughes, who played for Ridgway at Wellingborough, has linked up with the Shopmates as has Michael Evans who was the first choice custodian for Desborough in their highly successful 2007-08 campaign.
Another player facing a lengthy lay off is defender David Coales who injured ankle ligaments in his comeback match against Newport Pagnell.
Semple boost for Deeping
With Deeping holding a big lead in the Premier Division table it is little surprise that other clubs have been seeking to tempt players away from Outgang Road.
Former Peterborough United winger Ryan Semple has been a key man in Rangers’ surge to the top and it was a major boost for Rangers when he turned down a move to BGB League high fliers Corby Town. Rangers did lose another player to higher grade football though, when midfielder Adam Weston signed for another BGB outfit Soham.
The Premier Division’s leading scorer Ashley Stevens is currently serving a three game suspension after being sent off against Holbeach.
New faces help Blackstones upturn
Blackstones have found their form after a poor start to the campaign with the arrival of two new faces and the return of another from suspension helping generate an upturn in fortunes.
Defender Darren Glover, signed from Bourne, and striker Adam Scotcher, recruited from Peterborough Northern Star both enjoyed goalscoring debuts against St Neots while young front runner Mark Jones marked his return from suspension with a run of five goals in four games as he took over where he left off back in the autumn before his ban.
EAGLE BITTER UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 4
Ray takes charge at Huntingdon
Huntingdon Town have unveiled 33 year old Martyn Ray as their new manager in succession to Darren Young. Ray has played over 300 matches in senior football with Town, Somersham, Huntingdon United and Ramsey, and took his first step into management last season when he led the Huntingdon second string to the Reserve Division Two championship and success in the Huntingdonshire Benevolent Cup.
Ray guided Town to a good point at Kempston in his first match at the helm but a pre-arranged holiday meant he missed the season’s first victory at Buckingham on 11th October. Assistant Jason Lee and reserve boss Clive Rayner presided over the 2-1 Ford Meadow success.
The club’s contingent of Corby based players have now left the club as Town revert to a more local look. They have recruited Blackstones defender Lee Booker and front men Ian Dawkes and Matt Plumb from Great Paxton.
Fox in Whitworths exit
Whitworths have parted company with manager Kevin Fox and assistant Steve Sargent. Former S&L boss Fox joined the Flourmen as assistant early last season and took the top job when Joe Smythe resigned in January. Sargent joined the Whitworths management team over the summer.
The Flourmen have advertised the vacancy with reserve manager Lee Mayes and Whitworths stalwart Mark Herring looking after the team on a temporary basis until the post is filled.
The new manager will inherit a squad boosted by the returns of Ben Holley, a prolific scorer in his first spell with the club before moving to Cogenhoe in the summer of 2007, and Carlton Ellwood who has been turning out for Wellingborough this term.
Clark leaves Burton Park
Burton Park Wande |
