Storm Alex (no it was not Sir Alex handing out the hairdryer treatment at Old Trafford) played havoc with the SSML on Saturday with just fifteen games played however it was once again a drama packed afternoon for the hardy souls that ventured out into the elements.
.
SATURDAY’S HEADLINES
Bedford and Harefield United maintain their 100% league records and are amongst five clubs with a perfect start to the new campaign. 100% league record. Langford and Mursley United both recorded their first wins of the campaign. Saturday brought about 56 goals from the 15 games (an average of 3.73 per game) with Owen James (Buckingham Athletic), Max Kyte (London Lions), Jonathan McNamara (Shefford Town & Campton) and Luke Smith (Langford) all bagging hat-tricks.
3 October Stats: 15 games played of which 7 were home wins, 6 were away wins and 2 draws.
100% league record to date: Bedford, Codicote, Harefield United, Leighton Town and Pitstone & Ivinghoe.
Saturday’s Highest Attendances: 320 Leighton Town v Leiston (FA Cup), 148 Ampthill Town v Shefford Town & Campton and 129 Colney Heath v Dunstable Town.
Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Premier Division Clubs): 320 Leighton Town v Leiston (FA Cup), 300 Harpenden Town v Aveley (FA Cup) and 250 Harefield United v Leighton Town (FA Cup).
Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division One Clubs): 315 New Salamis v West Essex (FA Cup), 285 Winslow United v Newport Pagnell Town (FA Cup) and 236 New Salamis v Colney Heath (FA Cup).
Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division Two Clubs): 103 Codicote v New Bradwell St Peter, 90 Totternhoe v MK Gallacticos and 75 Bovingdon v Totternhoe.
Saturday 3rd October
THE EMIRATES FA CUP Second Qualifying Round
The SSML’s interest in the FA Cup ended on Saturday when Leighton Town just failed to pull off a shock against higher ranked Southern Premier Division Central side Leiston, the Step 3 visitors winning by the odd goal in three at Bell Close. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.
1-2 Leighton Town v Leiston (McClelland) / (Jackson [pen], Davies) Attendance: 320
PREMIER DIVISION
Saturday’s Premier Division fixtures were hit by the weather and only four survived Storm Alex. Table toppers Colney Heath, looking to extend their 100% league record, welcomed struggling Dunstable Town but found themselves a goal down to the Bedfordshire club after 16 minutes. The second period began with an off the ball melee that resulted in three straight red cards (one for Colney and two for the visitors) and with an extra man advantage the hosts preserved their unbeaten record with an 72nd minute equalizer. Biggleswade United recorded their first home win of the new campaign with a 2-1 win over bottom club Tring Athletic while Leverstock Green enjoyed a fine 3-1 win at Baldock Town. In the day’s other action Harefield United (second) travelled to third place Eynesbury Rovers, the ‘Hares’ maintaining their 100% league record with a 3-1 success to close the gap to one point on leaders Colney Heath. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.
1-3 Baldock Town v Leverstock Green (Piggott) / (Mannion, Delgaudio, Opponent Own Goal) Attendance: 93
2-1 Biggleswade United v Tring Athletic (Clayton, Parkinson) / (Bagatti) Attendance: 78
1-1 Colney Heath v Dunstable Town (Shepherd) / (Pedro) Attendance: 129
1-3 Eynesbury Rovers v Harefield United (Danobrega) / (Farhall [2], Payne) Attendance: 91
DIVISION ONE
There were no changes at the top of Division One as the top four all recorded victories, leaders St Panteleimon won 4-2 at fifth placed Rayners Lane while second placed Bedford maintained their 100% league record with a 2-1 win at struggling London Tigers. London Lions stay third after defeating visiting Stotfold in a game that was delayed with thirty minutes to play due to a serious injury to Lions player Adam Bolle. The drama all coming after the lengthy stoppage as Stotfold (playing with ten men due to a first half red card) took the lead only for the hosts to hit back immediately, the home side edged in front with eight minutes to go and then with the visitors down to nine ten due to a sin bin offence the hosts wrapped up the game when Max Kyte completed his hat-trick in dying minutes. Fourth placed Buckingham Athletic handed out a 5-1 drubbing to visiting Enfield Borough after going behind early on. At the other end of the table Langford moved off the bottom with a 3-0 home success against fellow strugglers Hillingdon Borough. The day’s biggest league attendance was at Ampthill Park Stadium where 148 saw Ampthill Town welcomed local rivals Shefford Town & Campton, however for the home following it was a day to forget as their guests scored four without reply to take the points. The day’s other action saw New Salamis travelling to Winslow United, the hone side requiring a late equalizer for a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.
0-4 Ampthill Town v Shefford Town & Campton (McNamara [3], Lewis) Attendance: 148
5-1 Buckingham Athletic v Enfield Borough (James [3], Faulkner, Tappin) / (Tavares) Attendance: 48
3-0 Langford v Hillingdon Borough (Smith [3]) Attendance: 40
3-1 London Lions v Stotfold (Kyte [3]) / (Forsythe) Attendance: 31
1-2 London Tigers v Bedford (Omotosho [pen]) / (Ward, Pickard) Attendance: 45
2-4 Rayners Lane v St Panteleimon (Bell, Maher) / (Massay [2], Abufalah, Miezou) Attendance: 77
2-2 Winslow United v New Salamis (Coles [pen], Garcia) / (Staunton, Michael) Attendance: 72
DIVISION TWO
Old Bradwell United climbed to second place in the table with a 3-1 home success over previously unbeaten Bovingdon however the nightmare of last week’s penalty drama continued as Darryl Smith failed to convert from the spot for the second successive game thankfully goals in the last ten minutes by Butler and Green spared him. MK Gallacticos are up into third place following a 2-1 home success against new boys Berkhamsted Comrades. In the day’s only other surviving fixture Mursley United bounced back from last week’s 1-7 mauling to record their first points of the new campaign with a 2-1 home win against Tring Corinthians AFC. Full results and goalscorers listed below.
2-1 MK Gallacticos v Berkhamsted Comrades (Hanley, J Smith) / (Fulton) Attendance: 30
2-1 Mursley United v Tring Corinthians AFC (Wright, Agunbiade) / (Hatt) Attendance: 30
3-1 Old Bradwell United v Bovingdon (Butler, Cooke, Green) / (Burge) Attendance: 45
AND FINALLY
The result of this week’s Team of the Day Poll with 303 votes cast is:-
Leverstock Green 33.7%
Dunstable Town 27.7%
Buckingham Athletic 22.4%
Mursley United 16.2%
Don’t forget that every Sunday afternoon the Non-League Show on Three Counties Radio (Herts, Beds & Bucks), a show all about local non-league football. The popular show presented by Ollie Bayliss has been increased to two hours each week and moves to a new day and time, every Sunday afternoon from 2.00pm – 4.00pm and is the perfect opportunity to catch up with our local non-league scene at all levels.
For those who missed it then you can catch up here:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08s5ws6