A Large Dollop of Musings, 30 Apr - 7 May

With the Premier Division title sewn up now and resulting in Hartley Wintney running out comfortable winners with a couple games to spare, the outcome for second place still remains uncertain until Monday when Camberley Town hope to secure the win that will see them secure this prestigious spot and possibly secure a promotion spot which, as we know, our 2015/2016 Premier Division champions had denied due to off-field difficulties. Standing in their way, though, is a trip to Hartley Wintney knowing anything less than a win will see Ashford Town secure a top two finish.

First half goals from Ross Cook and Julian Sills set Hartley Wintney, our new champions, on the way to a 2-1 victory over at Spelthorne Sports on Saturday. Lee Staples did, however, pull one back in the second period but, in the end, this was all in vain as the 'Row' were able to stay strong enough to make sure the points would be coming home with them after the trip.

Despite having their playing numbers reduced minutes before half time, Ashford Town silenced several of the 130 crowd when they scored what turned out to be the winning goal against hosts Epsom & Ewell over at the High Road, Chipstead, ensuring a top four finish for the 'Salts'.

Third placed Camberley Town head over to Hartley Wintney, our Premier Division 2015/2016 champions, Monday knowing that anything less than a victory will see them finish in third spot. Saturday thanks to two Perry Coles goals, victory over at Gander Green Lane against Sutton Common Rovers were enough to see them safely through 2-0 with just the one League game to go and knowing what will be required to clinch the runners-up spot and probable promotion.

Huge Congratulations go to Knaphill who, following a 4-1 win over at Alwyns Lane against Chertsey Town, finish the season in a highly respectable fifth spot. Jack Mazzone bagged a brace along with other efforts from Danny Taylor and Jimmy Norman.

Completing our top six placings are Horley Town whom, this season, have secured more League points than at any other time since joining our League. Saturday, though, they had to work extremely hard to overcome Chessington & Hook United thanks to Rich Setton. In this same match Ash Nadesan missed a penalty for the 'Clarets' and will, no doubt, be playing his football at a higher level next season following visits throughout the season from a host of bigger clubs - obviously we wish him well.

Over at Young’s Drive, hosts Badshot Lea had to wait until stoppage time before ending hopes of Redhill to secure something from the game in a closely fought contest that saw the 'Baggies' take maximum points right at the very end of the contest.

Stag Meadow, our penultimate Premier Division game to be covered, saw Stan Staines - 21 minutes - and Mark Corbett, eight minutes later, look to have set visitors Farnham Town on the way to victory. This was not to be the case, though, as, firstly, Kane Jones, 62 minutes, and then Travis Richardson-Hodge, seven minutes from time, rescue a point for hosts Windsor.

Finally Premier Division wise, over at Raynes Park Vale, visitors Westfield edged ahead when Adam Bezzamaine put them 1-0 up. However, it was RPV who took maximum points as they reversed this setback to secure a 2-1 win.

Division One saw the top three all win. Leaders C.B. Hounslow United, thanks to a solitary Jack Watts goal, edged at hosts Dorking Wanderers Res. 1-0 and Abbey Rangers secured a like for like result in their home encounter against Banstead Athletic thanks to a 15th minute Alex Hendrie goal to complete their League programme.

Bedfont & Feltham still have one game left to play - They visit Eversley & California on Bank Holiday Monday and would have been delighted Saturday afternoon as they put the disappointment of their Division One Cup Final defeat by whacking Sandhurst Town 7-0 on home soil thanks to goals from Jason Pinnock (50 minutes) followed by Luke Craig just before the interval. Second half, it was one way traffic as they scored another five goals through Hitcham Abdellah three times (48 minutes, 51 minutes and 65 minutes), Joe Meriarty weighed in with one additionally as did Rashid Obbadi.

Cobham and Sheerwater both secured four clear goal wins at Chalky Lane against Epsom Athletic and Sheerwater against Frimley Green respectively while, finally, over at Farleigh Rovers, they and Eversley & California shared six goals.

That Was The Week - 2nd to 7th May, 2016

Along with a Middlesex Charity Cup Final involving Hanworth Villa, who pitted their wits against Cockfosters from the Spartan South Midlands League, Premier Division, over at Chestnut Avenue, the delightful home of Northwood Football Club (Isthmian FL). First half goals from Jess Aitase in the first five minutes followed by a Lawrie Shennan goal on 32 minutes saw Hanworth Villa run out comfortable 2-0 winners which, naturally, we congratulate them upon.

In addition to this highly appealing fixture on offer on Bank Holiday Monday, three Premier and three Division One games were contested out and about including the potentially significant game over at Hartley Wintney whom recently we crowned as Champions. Sadly though, this great achievement was slightly soured when news filtered through that they would not be progressing to a higher level next season. What this did, though, was throw a lifeline to Ashford Town whom, prior to the commencement of this game, led Camberley Town by two points upon completion of their League programme on Saturday last (30th April), Camberley Town, on the other hand, faced a daunting trip over to Hartley Wintney hoping to secure the nothing less than three points that were required to pip the 'Ash Trees' from Ashford Town for second place.

Spurred on by a fantastic crowd somewhere in the region of 350 - 400, hopes of another classic encounter these sides produced earlier on in the season over at Krooner Park when Camberley Town, on that day, ran out 3-1 winners and recently notched another win this time in an Aldershot Football Association Senior Cup tie 3-2. Surely hopes of a third win of the season against the champions might just have crept through Dan Turkington's Krooner Park outlaws. Ross Cook, on 32 minutes, gave the hosts the lead which 'Row' kept hold of till the break. Barely a
minute into the second half, though, Perry Coles squared proceedings - once again, folks, it was game on. Cook again popped up with 63 minutes on the clock giving Hartley Wintney a slim lead which lasted a mere six minutes as Craig Bradshaw made it 2-2. Desperate for a third and, possibly, winning goal, time was slowly ticking by with no sign of a third goal for the visitors. Instead, in the 90th minute, Sam Argent made it 3-2 to Hartley Wintney meaning the second spot dream was about to shortly end in defeat on the day despite a sound effort and shift put in by Dan Turkington's lads. Not for the first time this season, these two fine clubs have never failed to show how wonderful this game is when you get two sides who play some lovely football. Sadly though, one of them Bank Holiday Monday missed out thus allowing Ashford Town to secure that promotion spot to Level 4 along with our congratulations and best wishes for the future which ever of the two Leagues they are promoted to.

Epsom & Ewell ended their season in a very respectable fourth spot which, although highly pleasing for many within the 'Salts' contingent, could and should have been higher. Missing out at crucial times points wise, the season for them ended on a high as they ventured over to Chalky Lane to take on Chessington & Hook United whom, previously, their record, should we say, has not been their best. HOWEVER: This latest encounter somewhat went a short way to lay these previous statistics as mythical thanks to a comprehensive 6-1 victory being secured. Dan Dean got the show started inside the first four minutes for the visitors. To be honest, the visitors were seldom in any danger of not coming away with a maximum points haul. Further goals came frequently via Matt Farrell, Matt Tanton, Daryl Cooper-Smith (twice) and Kyle Hough. For Chessy, a slight ray of hope came on 57 minutes when they pulled it back to 3-1 but this only spurred Epsom & Ewell on goal wise.

Two goals from Mark Corbett were not enough for Farnham Town as they went down 4-2 at Westfield.

Main match in Division One saw Bedfont & Feltham come from 2-0 down over at Eversley & California to win 3-2 propelling them to top spot a point ahead of C.B. Hounslow United who travel to Chalky Lane on Saturday (7th May) for their final League fixture knowing a point from the game will give them the Division One league title. Matt Griffiths and Lewis Robson scored for hosts Eversley & California as they looked to be well on the way to victory before an inspired substitution for the visitors saw Mick Campbell score a couple of goals in quick succession to bring the scores level and then, ten minutes from time, Jacob Lambe, courtesy of a converted penalty, completed the fightback to see the visitors home courtesy of a 3-2 result being achieved slightly against the odds an hour into play.

Farleigh Rovers and South Park Reserves produced a highly
entertaining encounter that, come final whistle, saw Farleigh take the points having secured a 5-3 victory. Dorking Wanderers Res., playing their final CCFL game, ended their one season stay with us sharing a 1-1 home draw against Ash United.

Tuesday evening saw Dorking secure their place in the Southern Combination Cup, Final, which, I believe, is due to be played on Monday, 9th May, in this the first semi-final against Chessington & Hook United thanks to a hat-trick from Dan Bransbury and, firstly, courtesy of Glen Wright, by a highly impressive 4-1 scoreline over at the West Humble Playing Fields. The second semi-final involving Molesey (Isthmian FL) and Camberley Town takes place at Walton Road on Wednesday evening - details of which will be included further on in these Musings.
Knaphill and Horley Town brought to an end the Premier Division programme over at Redding Way for this season and resulted in a comfortable 5-0 victory for hosts Knaphill thanks to goals from Josh Coke, Yassa Kabuye, Danny Taylor and a couple courtesy of Charlie Postance.

Over at Merland Rise, hosts Banstead Athletic entertained Sheerwater and ran out 3-0 winners on the night in Division One.

Wednesday evening over at Walton Road, the crowd were treated to a seven goal thriller with Molesey (Isthmian FL) just edging out Camberley Town 4-3 on the night in a pulsating Southern Combination Cup tie that really could have gone either way. Matt Bunyan gave Camberley Town the lead only for Molesey to go in at the break 2-1 up. Two Perry Coles goals, in the 52nd and 60th minutes, edged the tie towards Camberley Town only for the drama to continue and, in addition, both sides having a player sent off. Molesey not only got themselves back on level terms, they then popped up with what turned out to be the winning goal and they will now play Dorking in the Final on the 11th May again over at Walton Road, kick-off 7.45pm.

Our only League fixture was a Division One encounter over at Chalky Lane involving Epsom Athletic and Frimley Green. Once again, the crowd in attendance were treated to a game of high scoring proportion as the two teams shared six goals on the night.

It was the turn, Thursday evening, for the Final of the Grant-McLellan Youth Cup which, this year, we staged at Frimley Green Football Club in this our second of three finals internally. For those unaware, the finalists this year are AFC Croydon Athletic and Bedfont Sports and, in the case of our boys from Bedfont Sports, a third successive final win was their initial target on the night. Ceiron Brown, not for the first time this season, got his name on the score sheet eight minutes before the break to put those Bedfont boys 1-0 up on the night and much to the delight of the healthy percentage of the support. Second half pressure on this slender lead was eased on 69 minutes as Harrison Livingstone doubled their advantage bringing ever closer a third successive Bedfont Sports Grant-McLellan Youth Cup Final win which, when final whistle blew, was greeted with huge delight as this most wonderful set-up secured what is truly a delightful achievement and deserves to be applauded accordingly leaving us to ask, twelve months in advance, a 4th successive final win ???. Watch this space, folks; for now though, Hearty Congratulation to Bedfont Sports.

So then first stop Saturday we call in at Stag Meadow where Camberley Town and Farnham Town battle it out for the right to be Cherry Red Records 2015/2016 Premier Challenge Cup winners. Going into the match, several neutrals expected Camberley Town to secure silverware from this our final internal Cup Final for the season. However Paul Warner and his Farnham Town team certainly had other ideas as first half goals from man of the match Matt Glass, on 15 and 43 minutes along with a 38th minute Mark Corbett effort, saw Farnham Town race to a 3-0 interval lead as Camberley, time after time, struggled to break down a very determined Farnham side. Second half, courtesy of Matt Bunyan, they did pull a goal back and created more chances. However, it was not be as those Farnham boys held on to secure a 3-1 victory.

Division One saw, as expected, C.B. Hounslow United were crowned Champions following a 3-0 victory against bottom club Epsom Athletic 3-0 over at Chalky Lane. And then, finally, on the day over at Sandhurst Town, last season’s Division One champions Farleigh Rovers ended their season on the wrong end of an 8-2 scoreline.

So then, folks, despite there being a couple of loose ends to tie up Cup Final wise after today (Saturday) for this season 2015/2016, Musings are now taking a short break although I ask that you keep a watchful eye on our Pitchero website as, no doubt, reports from the Southern Combination Cup Final, involving Dorking and Molesey (Isthmian FL), along with news from the Aldershot Football Association Senior Cup Final, between Camberley Town and Farnham Town, should appear via this link and bring to a close what has been a wonderful 2015/2016 season here at the Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League both internally and externally. This website, during close season per normal, will naturally be updated at regular intervals so do please be sure to visit us, in addition to requesting that should YOUR Club have any close season news, please e-mail it over to me at the usual address which is neil.morrell4@tiscali.co.uk.

Enjoy Your Short Break.