A Big Bostik (North) pre-season, part four: Felixstowe to Witham

Felixstowe and Walton United

Promoted alongside Coggeshall Town from the Eastern Counties Premier Division, the Seasiders not only managed to amass 109 points but also came in with an average attendance of 414- fit for our Premier Division and including an incredible 1541 for one home game. Perhaps they could be the new Dulwich Hamlet?! They warm up for their first ever Bostik North campaign as follows:

• Saturday 21 July Whitton United (A)
• Tuesday 24 July Newmarket (A)
• Saturday 28 July Leiston FC (H)
• Tuesday 31 July Woodbridge (H)
• Saturday 04 August 2018 Kempston Rovers (A)

Grays Athletic

Athletic finished a slightly disappointing sixteenth in last season’s North Division, but manager Jamie Stuart has made a number of notable signings during the summer and his side would expect to be a force to be reckoned with during 2018/19. All but one of their pre-season fixtures is at Parkside, and the pick of the crop looks to be the visits of FA Trophy Finalists Bromley and an Ipswich Town XI.

• Wed 11 July H Walthamstow
• Wed 18 July H Cray Wanderers
• Sat 21 July H Tilbury FC
• Wed 25 July H Hackney Wick
• Sat 28 July H Bromley FC
• Wed 01 August H Ipswich Town XI
• Sat 04 August A Whitstable Town FC

Great Wakering Rovers

Rovers won only six matches as they departed the Bostik League just over a year ago, but they bounced back in some style last season, winning the Essex Senior League for a third time. Their pre-season looks like this:

• Saturday 7th July 3pm Southend United (Home)
• Wednesday 11th July 7:45pm Cray Wanderers (Away) BR2 9EA
• Saturday 14th July 3pm Old Southendians (Cupids) SS3 0AX
• Tuesday 17th July 7:45pm Hullbridge Sports (Home)
• Saturday 21st July 3pm Redbridge (Away) IG6 1NB
• Thursday 26th July 7:45 Barkingside (Home)
• Saturday 28th July 3pm Margate (Away) CT9 5RD
• Saturday 4th August 3pm FC Romania (Home)

Heybridge Swifts

If we were to try to describe the success of Swifts last season we’d run out of superlatives, but ultimately they ran out of steam right at the end- rather unsurprisingly given the number of games they had to cram into a short period of time. Will they do even better in the forthcoming campaign? You wouldn’t want to bet against it.

We haven’t written out their pre-season fixtures, we’ve included their poster.

Maldon & Tiptree

The Jammers were somewhat overshadowed by their noisy neighbours last season, and they’ll want to do all they can to make sure that doesn’t happen two years in a row. New manager Wayne Brown has forged his managerial reputation by building exceptional youth and under 23 sides, so expect to see youth take a bow at Park Drive.

Home fixtures:

• v Colchester United, July 7th
• v Barnet, July 17th
• v Chelmsford City, July 21st

Away fixtures:

• v Brantham Athletic, July 26th
• v Stowmarket Town, July 31st
• v Hitchin Town, August 2nd

Mildenhall Town

Hall finished their first season in the Bostik League in 22nd place, but there were many highlights- perhaps chief amongst those victory at Kings Lynn Town in the FA Trophy. Matches against Cambridge United and Leyton Orient are pre-season highlights- see attached image.

Romford

The Borough’s last-gasp escape from relegation probably caused their supporters to bite their nails right down to their elbows, and they’ll be looking for far less stress this season. They’ll be playing in a different location, too- having moved in with East Thurrock United.

Pre-season is rather extensive, and looks like this:

• Thu 05 July H Burnham Ramblers
• Sat 07 July H Stowmarket Town
• Thu 12 July H Hutton
• Sat 14 July H Hashtag United
• Tue 17 July H Kelvedon Hatch
• Sat 21 July A Great Yarmouth Town
• Thu 26 July H St Margreatsbury
• Sat 28 July H Hythe Town
• Tue 31 July A Saffron Walden Town
• Sat 04 August A Waltham Abbey

Soham Town Rangers

Rangers ended last season in a comfortable 13th place, and gave many higher placed sides a fright along the way. Pre-season has a rather local flavour, and includes a trip to face departing Bostik Premier side Lowestoft Town.

• Tuesday 10 July, 7.45pm St Ives Town (A)
• Saturday 14 July, 3pm Lowestoft Town (A)
• Tuesday 17 July, 7.45pm Chatteris Town (A)
• Friday 20 July, 7.45pm Royston Town (H)
• Tuesday 24 July, 7.30pm Downham Town (A)
• Saturday 28 July, 3pm St Neots Town (A)
• Tuesday 31 July, 7.30pm Histon (A)
• Saturday 4 August, 3pm Peterborough Sports (A)

Tilbury

The Dockers ended last season in seventeenth place and would hope to be more consistent in the forthcoming season. They seem to have kept the core of last season’s side, and added some quality new signings.

• Saturday 7th July – Hutton (A) 2.00pm Hannakins Farm 3G
• Tuesday 10th July - Lopes Tavares (A) KO 7.00pm West Ham Memorial Ground
• Saturday 14th July –. Hollands and Blair (A) 3pm
• Tuesday 17th July - Sporting Bengal (A) 8.00pm 3G Bow
• Thursday 19th July - Clapton (A) 7.45pm
• Saturday 21st July – Grays Athletic (A) (Stan Veness Trophy) KO TBA
• Tuesday 24th July – East Thurrock United (H) (Robin Nash Trophy) 7.45pm
• Saturday 28th July – Ashford United (A) 3.00pm
• Monday 30th July – Hashtag United (H) 7.45pm
• Wednesday 1st August – Opponents to be advised (H) 7.45pm
• Saturday 4th August – Hythe Town (H) 3pm

Witham Town

Witham ended last season in eleventh place, although very few Non-League sides got their level of media exposure- courtesy of the Non League Paper’s Supporter of the Year James Beardwell. Perhaps this season they might make as much noise on the field as he makes off it! Their pre-season schedule looks like this:

• Sat 7th July - Haverhill Borough - Away at 3pm
• Sat 14th July - Sawbridgeworth Town - Away at 3pm
• Tues 17th July - Harwich & Parkeston - Away at 7.45pm
• Sat 21st July - Halstead Town - Away at 3pm
• Tues 24th July - Southend Manor - Away at 7.45 pm
• Sat 28th July - Whitton United - Away at 3pm
• Tue 31st July - Enfield FC - (at Harlow Town FC) Away at 7.45pm