Rhodes

Bulletin folks, I have it on good authority that Ollie will discuss the National League on the show later, the FA Cup, fans in stadiums and, wait for it, Bedford Town will be featured, I'm just wondering whether Ollie will have lined up an interview with Mark Ducket, surely not but you never know. Also on the show will be Boreham Wood with possibly their controversial Chairman Danny Hunter interviewed , a feature on Sarratt which will be interesting and to top it all Leighton Town, roll on 2.00pm. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_three_counties_radio

Lets not forget the Ilford v London Lions First Qualifying Round tie this afternoon:

I'm sure I am wasting my time posting a reminder about Ollie Bayliss's BBC Three Counties Radio Non League Show this afternoon at 2.00pm, Ollie is staying tight lipped about what is on the show however I gather he was at Valley Parade yesterday doing a commentary on the Bradford City v Stevenage League 2 game which will be interesting to hear about as three Stevenage players tested positive for Covid-19 beforehand yet the game still went ahead. Also Ollie won't have been happy with his beloved Aylesbury United's tame FA Cup First Qualifying Round exit this week, on penalties to Moneyfields, so no doubt he will have something to say about that: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08rjrhh

No doubt the Non League Paper will be a great read today with all the FA Cup reports from midweek, a preview on the Second Qualifying Round which is next Saturday already and a review of yesterday's games:

Savagebee - You have to despair really, not directly SSML but this is from Hendon's gateman on another Forum who was on duty at Silver Jubilee Park yesterday, I hope they fix the 'Track & Trace' system in time for Edgware Town's home game with Harpenden Town on Tuesday: Southern League South Premier Division Hendon 0-4 Truro City Att: 336 Admission: Turnstile duty today - for my apparently many sins in a previous life The Greens were given a little bit of a lesson by a very impressive and efficient Cornish outfit. It'll take a very good side to stop them winning the title this season. Admission was via a cocktail of advance online sales (60%), contactless card payments (25%) and cash (15%). Track and trace went a little bit haywire with issues with the NHS app meaning one of our poor fans took down 5-pages of A4 handwritten names and numbers. Inside the ground, from what I've heard, things seemed to work quite well with the bar trialling a take-away service as well as table service. The game. We never really got to grips with the two Truro wing-backs, especially Niall Thompson down the right. There aren't too many better or more effective players than him in the league. I didn't see much of the first half, but I did see Truro's well worked and simple opener after 14 minutes. A similar move on the hour mark made it 2-0 before a penalty and rebound after a fine Jonathan North save saw the White Tigers depart with 3 points and a handsome victory. For us, we've seen the standard we - and probably most others - need to aspire to.

A groundhopper was at this one and gives an interesting report, no programme must have gone down like a lead balloon: Spartan South Midlands League, Division 2 Tring Corinthians 2 Berkhamsted Raiders 2 Attendance 23 Admission £3, no programme (but team news and manager’s ‘programme review’ style notes on the website before the game) Pint of Carlsberg £3.40, coffee £1 For the first time since pubs re-opened, my mates decided to meet up on Saturday instead of Friday and at an earlier time due to the new 10:00 shutdown, so just as well I'd already chosen a relatively close hop. After a couple of false starts trying to visit previously, I finally made it to Tring Corinthians’ home in Icknield Way, a mile or so north east up the B488 from the junction with the A41. Corinthians’ chairman / gateman was incredibly thorough - NHS app, forehead temperature check, hand gel, and only six people allowed at one time in the compact clubhouse – I had to wait to get in there as the players’ profiles and photos were being compiled before the game! The ground is technically one-and-a-half sided for spectators, behind the goal nearest the road, where the dark green painted clubhouse and changing rooms (the latter very close to the pitch) and the car park are located, and halfway down a thorny hedged flank (which burst its second ball of the season already today) with the dugouts set into the greenery! Some people did stand on the unroped side in front of the field with a public footpath opposite the dugouts. A small stand with moveable plastic village hall type seats for about 15 spectators is situated in the corner nearest the clubhouse. On the first autumnal feeling Saturday of the season, the pitch length wind was absolutely freezing. Goodness knows what it was like for those poor souls in East Anglia. The wind and slope down towards Icknield Way assisted the home side in the first half, with two free kicks near halfway bouncing before needing to be tipped over the bar. The hosts opened the scoring in the 13th, a free kick 25 yards out flicked on and finished from an acute angle by Toby Bennett. Eight minutes later, Harry Bennett (no relation) latched onto a neat through ball and unflinchingly lobbed home from 20 yards. Raiders had an opportunity to score when a player was fouled in the box while travelling away from goal, but TC keeper Dan Bobinski saved Emmanuel Agyeman’s 28th minute spot kick to his left. On a bitterly cold day, someone obviously used the hairdryer treatment in the away dressing room during the break as the second half was virtually one way traffic, Raiders’ cause boosted when Alfie Boswell received the ball, arced round the edge of the box and hit a 20 yard scorcher 20 seconds into the half for 1-2. Boswell got his brace from the penalty spot in the 70th following a shove in the back just inside the box. The home side may have been annoyed at losing a two goal lead but would maybe have been happy to share the spoils due to the adversity after the break. Home somehow by 5.45 and a decent quaff soon after!

Was that agreed to by the SSML, is there a problem with the North Furzton Sports Ground, it gives an unfair advantage to MK Gallacticos doesn't it if they play on 4g every home game and the away team has to adapt to that surface on the day

A groundhopper from another Forum was at Ampthill Park, surprising the attendance wasn't over three figures: Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 Ampthill Town 1 New Salamis 1 Admission £3 (concessions) Attendance c80 (headcount) An entertaining match on a windy day at tree-lined Ampthill Park. New Salamis probably had the better of the first half but chances were missed at both ends with a close range header from Ampthill being the nearest we got to breaking the deadlock. Ampthill had much more of the play in the second period and should probably been in front before a long clearance forward was missed by a home defender and Georgiou ran clear to put the visitors ahead with ten minutes left. Ampthill continued to press forward and soon got their reward when a clumsy push on their #5 when he was facing his own goal gave them a penalty and Cerminara obliged with the resulting kick to earn them a deserved equaliser. A nice ground with covered accommodation on top of a grassy bank along one side of the ground. Covid precautions were the most comprehensive I've seen this season with temperature check, scanning of the NHS QR code and squirt of hand sanitiser all compulsory to secure admission. A one way system to the clubhouse, tea bar and toilets was clearly marked and even the referee and his assistants were wearing masks when entering and leaving the the pitch. The modest attendance meant that distancing was no problem with almost all spectators co-operating.

A Sports Shots report from Elmfields Gate: https://www.sportsshots.org.uk/2020/09/26/ssmfld1-winslow-united-6-langford-0/

Yes, but not Connor Calcutt who was on the bench today and didn't come on until it was 5-0, so much for AlwaysLeighton's bold prediction that he will 'no doubt score 30+ goals with ease'.

No real surprise today at the North Furzton Sports Ground with Old Bradwell United going down 2-0 to a lying in wait MK Gallacticos in a SSML Division 2 fixture. The Development side also had a bad afternoon losing 2-1 at Abbey Road to Hellenic League Division Two East Chalfont Wasps in a Bluefin Challenge Cup First Round tie: https://www.sportsshots.org.uk/2020/09/26/ssmfld2-mk-gallacticos-2-old-bradwell-united-0/

A disappointing third successive SSML Premier Division defeat for Tring Athletic at Arlesey Town this afternoon, going down 3-2, I wonder whether the Club are beginning to regret their over-cautiousness of Covid-19 during pre-season when all other Club's were happily, with no qualms, playing game after game Chris Juraszek and James Shaw's men were at home with their feet up hence still being behind the curve. The Reserve team however appear to be fairing better and beat Bovingdon Reserves 2-1 today at Cow Lane in a Herts Senior County League Division One fixture after their hard fought 0-0 stalemate at Bushey Rangers last week, Ian Butler's men haven't quite found their feet as yet following their defection from the Surburban League Premier Division however next Saturday's (3 October) visit to high flying Evergreen should be a good yardstick.

An excellent day at the office for Harefield Uited with the First team beating Newport Pagnell Town 4-3 at Preston Park, with goals from, who else, Richard Pacquette, Harry McCorkell and a brace from Samuel Shaw and the Reserve team now finding their feet in the Herts Senior County League Premier Division, winning 3-1 at Welwyn Garden City Under 23's who are no slouches with, as Karen knows, some of their players on the periphery of Step 4 football:

The scores on the doors: Premier Division Arlesey Town 3 Tring Athletic 2 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 2 Edgware Town 3 Colney Heath 2 Baldock Town 1 Crawley Green 0 Leighton Town 5 Eynesbury Rovers 2 Broadfields United 1 Harefield United 4 Newport Pagnell Town 3 Harpenden Town 4 London Colney 2 North Greenford United 2 Biggleswade United 5 Oxhey Jets 4 Dunstable Town 0 Potton United 2 Wembley 3 Division One Ampthill Town 1 New Salamis 1 Enfield Borough 2 Bedford 5 London Lions 1 Buckingham Athletic 0 Rayners Lane 2 Amersham Town 1 Shefford Town & Campton 1 Park View 0 Stotfold 1 Milton Keynes Irish 1 St Panteleimon 5 London Tigers 2 Winslow United 6 Langford 0 Division Two Aston Clinton 2 Berkhamsted Comrades 2 Bovingdon 2 Totternhoe 1 MK Gallacticos 2 Old Bradwell United 0 New Bradwell St Peter 1 Pitstone & Ivinghoe 2 Sarratt 7 Mursley United 1 The 61 FC (Luton) 1 Codicote 6 Tring Corinthians AFC 2 Berkhamsted Raiders 2

St Panteleimon's first competitive fixture at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, you have to feel a bit sorry for London Tigers who, along with Enfield Borough, have yet to kick a ball in anger in the SSML Division One this season