Well Boris has brought the curtain down on Spartan South Midlands League football for 2020 as all but one of the League’s 53 clubs are placed in the new Tier Four. With Covid and the weather hitting the weekend’s programme hard with just twelve games kicking off on the final action of 2020, however just eleven were completed as a serious injury causing the match referee to abandon the Eynesbury Rovers v Potton United fixture.
SATURDAY’S HEADLINES
Newport Pagnell Town record their biggest win since re-joining the SSML. For their victims Tring Athletic it was their heaviest defeat since going down 0-7 to Wealdstone in the FA Cup back in September 2010. In FA Vase action the hopes of four SSML sides were dashed with just Leighton Town progressing. The weekend brought about 36 goals from the 11 games (an average of 3.62 per game) with James Burnside (Newport Pagnell Town) leading the way with a four goal haul while Jake Stronge (Newport Pagnell Town) netted a hat-trick.
Saturday Stats: 11 games played of which 4 were home wins, 3 were away wins and 4 draws.
100% league record to date: Pitstone & Ivinghoe.
Saturday’s Highest Attendances: 159 Leighton Town v Gorleston (FA Vase), 128 Newport Pagnell Town v Tring Athletic and 103 Biggleswade United v Oxhey Jets.
Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Premier Division Clubs): 320 Leighton Town v Leiston (FA Cup), 320 Leighton Town v Biggleswade United and 315 Leighton Town v Leverstock Green.
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 280 Ampthill Town v Walthamstow (FA Vase).
Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division Two Clubs): 109 Codicote v Berkhamsted Comrades, 103 Codicote v New Bradwell St Peter and 92 Codicote v Pitstone & Ivinghoe.
Saturday 19th December
THE BUILDBASE FA VASE Third Round
It was a case of Spartan South Midlands League 1 Other Leagues 4 on Saturday but we can all feel proud as three of our departing clubs went out in the lottery of a penalty shoot-out while the fourth exited after conceding the only goal of the game six minutes from time. So congratulations to both Milton Keynes Irish and North Greenford United who set club records in reaching the Third Round for the first time in their history while Colney Heath equalled their best run in the competition. Onto the action and Leighton Town once again remain as the only flag bearers for the SSML after sealing their place in the Fourth Round draw with a fine 4-2 success over visiting Gorleston. For Ampthill Town it was heartbreak as hosts Mulbarton Wanderers scored in the last five minutes to deny the SSML side of progressing. It will be a case of practicing penalties when training resumes for Colney Heath, North Greenford United and Milton Keynes Irish as all see their interest of cup glory this season end on Saturday. For Colney Heath having battled hard to end 0-0 at former SSML side Hadley they blew it as both Jay Lovell and Jack Woods skied their penalty attempts as hosts Hadley scored all four of their attempts to win the shoot-out 4-1. North Greenford United having led early on were thankful for a 88th minute equalizer to send their tie at Lancing to penalties however the hosts held their nerve to win the shoot-out 5-3. Milton Keynes Irish recovered from 0-2 down to level their tie at Fakenham Town with five minutes remaining on the clock only to see their efforts vanish as the hosts progressed with a 4-2 win on penalties. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.
2-2 [4-2 pens] Fakenham Town v Milton Keynes Irish FC (Jarvis, Robinson) / (Lawless, Spence [pen]) Attendance 295
0-0 [4-1 pens] Hadley v Colney Heath Attendance 150
2-2 [5-3 pens] Lancing v North Greenford United (Connolly, Daniel) / (Molyneux, Leonard) Attendance 155
4-2 Leighton Town v Gorleston (Newberry-Barr, Campbell. Collier, Thomas) / (Ingram, Murphy (og)) Attendance 159
1-0 Mulbarton Wanderers v Ampthill Town (Jones) Attendance 91
PREMIER DIVISION
Biggleswade United remain Premier Division leaders despite being beaten by the odd goal in three at home against Oxhey Jets, the win for the visitors sees them climb into second place. Newport Pagnell Town move into the top six after inflicting more misery on Tring Athletic with James Burnside and Jake Stronge bagging seven of the goals between them in the 8-2 win. The day’s other action saw Crawley Green winning 2-0 against visiting Arlesey Town, both goals coming after the interval the first being an own goal by the visitors custodian. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.
1-2 Biggleswade United v Oxhey Jets (Dave Parkinson) / (Cameron, Haidar) Attendance 103
2-0 Crawley Green v Arlesey Town (Si Lei (og), Holmes) Attendance 0 (Behind Closed Doors)
8-2 Newport Pagnell Town v Tring Athletic (Burnside [4], Stronge [3] [1 pen], Ford) / (Short [2]) Attendance 128
DIVISION ONE
Shefford Town & Campton will see out 2020 as the top side in Division One after securing all three points thanks to a solitary goal success at Rayners Lane. Winslow United edged out Langford on their travels by the odd goal in three. At the bottom Amersham Town picked up a vital point after being held 1-1 by visiting Bedford. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below.
1-1 Amersham Town v Bedford (Unknown) / (Unknown) Attendance 55
1-2 Langford v Winslow United (Unknown) / (Coles [2]) Attendance 50
0-1 Rayners Lane v Shefford Town & Campton (McNamara) Attendance 96
AND FINALLY
The result of this week’s Team of the Day Poll with 301 votes cast is:-
Leighton Town 53.5%
Newport Pagnell Town 26.6%
Oxhey Jets 16.3%
Winslow United 3.7%
“When FC Santa Claus called I didn’t have to think a lot. Who wouldn’t want to work for Santa Claus’ official football club?” Ralf Wunderlich may just have the most famous ‘boss’ in world football. The 43-year-old German has taken charge at the club based in Lapland’s capital Rovaniemi, otherwise known as the official home town of Santa. “If you like Christmas, and I do, then this place is very good – it’s all about Christmas here,” he tells BBC Sport. “You have some kind of Christmas feeling the whole year without being too much – a whole year of positive feelings “Of course, Santa is not officially in charge, but in the background everyone knows he runs this club.” Rovaniemi has a population of 63,000 people. The area – with forests, reindeer and in sight of the Northern Lights – “feels like you are at the end of the world”, says Wunderlich. The city’s main team has always been RoPS, who were relegated from Finland’s first division in November. FC Santa Claus is the “second team – for players who can’t play at the very top but support the spirit of Christmas”. Last year they played in the fifth tier of Finnish football, but then stopped, and only have a team featuring in a local eight-a-side league this year. Wunderlich, who moved to Lapland in June to oversee the club’s junior section, is restarting the men’s team in January and will be the head coach.”I like the idea of being Santa Claus’ official club – such a big potential to be cheerful and spread positive messages,” he said. “For me it is very important people realise it is not just FC Santa Claus in name but the whole spirit of Santa and values around Christmas. I will do my best to make the whole world understand there is this positive small football club in north Finland representing Santa.” Playing football in Lapland presents its own challenges. It can snow from October to April, there are limited daylight hours during the long winter and some players have to travel long distances for games and even training. “It takes a lot of dedication for footballers in Lapland to play – there are few players but those who are here are very dedicated,” adds Wunderlich, who himself recalls a 14-hour round trip for a game. Wunderlich who has been a football coach for 22 years, moved to Finland six years ago from Berlin, working with various clubs. He had to leave his role at FC Ylivieska because of the coronavirus situation in the spring but was soon snapped up by FC Santa Claus, who got in touch through social media. “I feel very comfortable here. It is such an open-minded club and I have realised how much of a big Christmas fan I actually am,” he said. “Growing up in Germany I loved the feeling, but now I am actually living it, being part of the Christmas tradition “I feel so proud and happy the whole time, going outside in the jacket with the Santa Claus logo – the kids come up to me and give me a high five. “There is a lot of negativity in football, jealously and envy, but there is none of that here – I have never been so happy in my life doing what I love. “When I was here the first time, Santa walked up to me and said my name. Even though I am adult I was like: ‘Wow, Santa Claus said my name!’ It gave me such a good feeling.” Wunderlich has big ambitions for the club – and the men’s team restarting is one of the “driving forces” to provide a “complete player route” throughout the age groups. He expects the men’s team will re-enter the league system in the fourth tier, and he aims to win promotion, make games attractive for tourists and eventually produce players who can play in the top division. Do that and he should find himself on Santa’s nice list.
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:-
Answer to last week’s teaser – can you work out which two clubs (that participated in this season’s FA Cup) are facing each other in this fantasy game based upon their former names?
LSS Lucarlys (Northern Premier League) v Malex (Spartan South Midlands League).
The answer was Cleethorpes Town v London Lions
It appears my Wheelie Bin goes out to football more than I do
Finally
Message From Santa
To all in Tier Four
My good friend Boris has informed me you have been naughty this year therefore you will be getting coal in your stocking this Christmas
Signed
Santa
With this being the final ramblings until it is safe to play football again, may I take this opportunity to wish my reader (I won’t name and shame my reader) a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year