2017-18 National League South

Look Out There Are Llamas said:

Eastbourne v Chippenham for me tomorrow.

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4-2 Eastbourne. I swear Chelmsford are the only team in this league that have any idea how to defend.

That's probably about right....

East Thurrock United 1-1 Wealdstone (Att: 411)

The work ethic and application put in by the players yesterday was very impressive and the credit has to go to Bobby Wilkinson as there is no way certain players would have put a shift in yesterday had it been under GB.

We had a fair amount of possession and territory but didn't test their goalkeeper anywhere near enough as we should have (especially in the second half) and when only 1-0 up plus an incompetent referee on the field, you're asking for trouble. I'd like to see if it was handball which was given as the FK which led to the goal but Sam Higgins managed to turn in the 6 yard box and rifle a shot past North into the roof of the net.

Shame as I thought we deserved the 3 points but the signs are there that we'll be moving up the table rather shortly. Matt Day was superb on his debut yesterday, pinging 50 yard diagonal passes for fun, organising at the back and didn't miss a tackle either.

Good on those at East Thurrock for having a £2 a pint happy hour before KO - had I not been driving then they would have got more of my custom. Pravha Pilsner on tap too which must be exclusive to this division and like fellow Essex clubs Chelmsford and Concord, they pour a decent pint.

Cracking win at St Albans and yet didn't play particularly well again. Last time we won five in a row was 2009 (we got promoted that season...). Chippenham away Tuesday and feeling pretty confident we can keep it going. Really need Ethan Moore to find the back of net soon though.

Missing my first game of the season at Weston tomorrow night - seems something every year prevents me from going. 4 seasons here now and I've still yet to make it to Weston!

Weston-Super-Mare 5-1 Wealdstone (Att: 416)

Shambolic by all accounts, although it's not like the scoreline didn't give that away...

Relegation battle it is. Oh goody!

Chippenham 2 Gloucester C 0

We looked like a team coming into the game on the back of four defeats not four wins. Considering Sandell missed out that should have been a blessing in disguise but instead they played us off the (very sloping) pitch. Their forward line, especially Andrews, caused us problems all night. We desperately need more firepower, we offered very little.

Weird home fans, any support that considers lighting up their mobile phones in unison and waving it about deserves eternal belterdom.

Clem Fandango said:

Weird home fans, any support that considers lighting up their mobile phones in unison and waving it about deserves eternal belterdom.

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Nothing will beat the Whitehawk ultras for weirdness.
When we played them, whenever they got a corner they all got their keys out and started jangling them.

I did read that at a tribunal earlier on this week, Whitehawk were ordered to pay Duncan Culley £7,000 in wages as their contract handed to him last season was deemed to be misleading. Even had one of their Ultra Twitter handles hoping that Bognor would win for the first time ever yesterday, speaking of which...

Wealdstone 3-0 Bognor Regis Town (Att: 845)

First win since the opening day and the first clean sheet of the season to boot. Our setup was to press after Bognor's defenders would play the ball into the midfield (half-press if you will), Bobby Wilkinson continually reiterating to the players that they keep their shape. We played 4-2-3-1 but were losing the midfield battle in the first half an hour as our narrow play allowed Bognor to spray it wide breaking the press and meant they could effectively press us when we had the ball in the middle.

The above changed when Danny Green planted a 30 yard free kick into the top corner. Suddenly Bognor's heads dropped, their decision making was flawed and we were picking up second balls. In fairness to Bognor, they did hit the post in the second half at 1-0 down which would have totally changed the dynamic of the game but my favourite goal of the season so far was our 2nd. Jerome Okimo on a darting run in midfield playing in Ryan Sellers on the left hand side, lovely feint and planted a shot into the top corner on his weaker foot. Ciaron Brown headed in from a corner for a convincing win in the end.

Bognor reminded me of ourselves in our first season in the Conference South. We brought in plenty of technically gifted footballers from the Ryman but they weren't up to the physical demands of the league and consequently were getting bullied off the ball.

Decent atmosphere at the Vale yesterday and I'm glad that BW got his first win as Stones manager. Hoping for more of the same on Monday night at home to Poole.

East Thurrock are top of the league
Gonna be a real culture shock for the ex league clubs if they come up next season.

Raymondo316 said:

East Thurrock are top of the league
Gonna be a real culture shock for the ex league clubs if they come up next season.

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ETU with their three bus shelter stands and a fanbase no bigger than Wingate & Finchley's!

rudebwoyben said:

ETU with their three bus shelter stands and a fanbase no bigger than Wingate & Finchley's!

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Would their ground meet the requirements for promotion?

They better bloody allow them up. Be totally pissed off if they don't

Chaps in here - talk to me about Gary Owers please.

I know there aren't any Bath fans on here but hoping some of you may have a bit of an insight?

Poor 1-0 defeat against Havant where we struggled to create anything on Saturday and then a 1-1 draw against Hampton & Richmond on Monday in a pretty forgettable game. Absolutely desperate for a forward and a midfielder with some creativity.

Talking of which Ethan Moore has gone on loan to Evesham.

Steve King has returned to Whitehawk for a second spell as manager.

DarkSithLord said:

Steve King has returned to Whitehawk for a second spell as manager.

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The money must have returned too. He's not gone there for peanuts and the love of the game. Hopefully he takes them down.

DarkSithLord said:

Steve King has returned to Whitehawk for a second spell as manager.

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When we were struggling last season he was hanging around our place like a bad smell. Then as soon as Saunders was given a new contract he suddenly disappeared....

Raymondo316 said:

When we were struggling last season he was hanging around our place like a bad smell. Then as soon as Saunders was given a new contract he suddenly disappeared....

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He wanted the job here before it was to an to Steve Brown.

4-1 win over Poole on Monday night. Can't say it was a thrilling game but we blew them away with a 5 minute onslaught before half time scoring 3 times.

As for Steve King going back to Whitehawk - I hope* the owners have their cheque book to hand.

*I don't.

Hemel have signed Paul Hayes following his release from Wycombe - aren't his legs completely shot mowgli?

Aberstone said:

Hemel have signed Paul Hayes following his release from Wycombe - aren't his legs completely shot mowgli?

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Yep he's got an achilles problem that won't heal so he'll probably miss more games than he plays. I read that he has a coaching role at Charlton where his lad plays for their youth team so i'm surprised he still wants to play with his injury.

Bath City 0-0 Wealdstone (Att: 645)

Pain in the backside to get into Bath today with the rugby on, freshers moving in and the A46 shut this afternoon.

As for the game, well it was drab. Darren Jones was given his marching orders for taking down Danny Green who was the last man. Upon initial viewing and later confirmed, it was a perfectly timed challenge and the referee got the decision wrong.

We didn't take advantage however, slow play and no width restricted options and continually meant we had to play it around the back. Bath had the best chance of the first half, a header going narrowly wide from a wide free kick.

Second half was even worse, sloppy passages of play from both sides and the referee must have believed that two wrongs make a right as Ryan Sellers was given a second yellow after he was deemed to have fouled Andy Watkins... he hadn't, it was a dive. After that, plenty of huff and puff from both sides but it's pretty damning when I can't remember either side having a shot on target.

Edit: That said, always enjoy my visits to Twerton, Bath were excellent hosts as ever although the Grolsch has gone from the clubhouse.

DarkSithLord said:

Would their ground meet the requirements for promotion?

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Truro almost certainly wont win the league or get the necessary ground grading (not sure what the timeframe for the new stadium is).

In the unlikely event of both happening, trips to Barrow, Hartlepool and Gateshead would be interesting

Good to see that the club are teaming up with Prostate UK on Non-League Day. Bucket collections will be held inside and outside the ground and the club are to donate a fixed fee for every person through the turnstiles - here's hoping for a 4 figure crowd.

FA Cup - Brackley 4 - 1 Braintree
Maybe Braintree had an off day, and one game doesn't prove too much...
But if they're second in Conf South, it would further the claims that Conf North is of a significantly higher standard than Conf South this year

Truro recovered from going a goal down in the 4th minute, to book their place in the 4th QR for the first time ever.

Say we are top of the league, say we are top of the league. New manager and a completely new team. Not one of last seasons sh#te left. Can we return to the National league? Keep our form going and who knows.

Watched St Albans beat Bath 2-0.

Had 2 very tricky pacey wingers.

Decent crowd too -1,500 with a few from Bath.

Wealdstone 2-1 Whitehawk (Att: 993)

Get out of jail free card yesterday. Awful first half yesterday where Whitehawk were brutally exposing us on the break and playing rings around us. Good finish from their winger on the edge of the box after Jonathan North had denied their striker from point blank range only minutes before.

Second half was slightly better but our equaliser came from a penalty that never was, granted Ramone Rose had some force in his tackle but he won the ball and didn't take any of the man. Danny Green converted and then two minutes before time Abo Eisa outrun the defence to finish through the legs of their 6'10 keeper.

Pretty it was not but some of the comments I've seen on Stonesnet and social media make me scratch my head - calling Bobby Wilkinson a fraud ffs.