A Big Bostik (Premier) pre-season, part one: AFC Hornchurch to Haringey Borough

AFC Hornchurch

The Urchins prepare for their first campaign back in the Bostik Premier with six fixtures, four away from home; but the highlights are undoubtedly the home fixtures with Sammy Moore’s reconstructed Concord Rangers squad and against the Arsenal Under 23’s.

• Sat 14th Jul Hullbridge Sports AWAY
• Tue 17th Jul Concord Rangers HOME
• Sat 21st Jul Cheshunt AWAY
• Sat 28th Jul Canvey Island AWAY
• Tue 31st Jul Arsenal U23 HOME
• Sat 4th Aug Bury Town AWAY

Bishop’s Stortford

The Blues move over from the Evo-Stik League after last gracing us with their presence in 2003/04, and their pre-season highlights are home matches with Dagenham & Redbridge and Cambridge United.

• Thurs 19th July VCD Athletic AWAY
• Sat 21st July Dagenham & Redbridge HOME
• Tues 25th July AFC Sudbury AWAY
• Sat 28th July Cambridge United HOME
• Tues 31st July Aveley AWAY
• Sat 4th August AFC Rushden & Diamonds HOME

Bognor Regis Town

We’re sad to see the Rocks back after only one season away, but look forward to visiting Nyewood Lane this season. The highlights of their programme look to be the visits of a Portsmouth XI and Brighton & Hove Albion Under 23’s. Fixtures as follows:

• HOME to Brighton U23 on Tuesday 17th July
• AWAY to Horndean FC on Friday, July 20th
• HOME to Portsmouth X1 Football Club on Tuesday July 24th
• AWAY to Salisbury City on Friday July 27th
• AWAY to Gosport FC on Friday 3rd August

Brightlingsea Regent

Regent prepare for their second season in the Bostik Premier Division with seven fixtures, the highlights being the visits of an Ipswich Town XI and of old rivals Needham Market.

• Sat 14th July Ipswich Town XI HOME
• Tues 17th July Brantham Athletic AWAY
• Fri 20th July Needham Market HOME
• Tue 24th July FC Clacton HOME
• Fri 27th July Long Melford AWAY
• Tues 31st August AFC Sudbury AWAY
• Sat 4th August Bowers & Pitsea HOME

Burgess Hill Town

The Hillians will hope to have a Premier Division season where they don’t dice with danger for once, and they plan to prepare for it with five pre-season matches- four against Sussex rivals, and one a trip to Harrow Borough.

• 7 Jul A East Grinstead Town
• 17 Jul H Horsham
• 24 Jul A Eastbourne Borough
• 28 Jul H Haywards Heath Town
• 4 Aug A Harrow Borough

Carshalton Athletic

The Robins are returning to the Bostik Premier Division after four seasons away, and are currently doing some work on their website- so we don’t yet have a list of fixtures. Once they are confirmed, we’ll feature them here!

Corinthian-Casuals

Our favourite amateur football club have two prestigious friendlies confirmed so far, both home matches. On Saturday 21st July they are at home to Crystal Palace Under 23’s, then a few days later on Tuesday 24th a Bristol Rovers XI will arrive at King George’s Field. We’ll bring you the rest of their pre-season fixtures once they are available.

Dorking Wanderers

New season, new ground, and so many top class new signings that you have to think they’ll challenge for promotion. Their first opponents at Meadowbank are yet to be confirmed, but we know it will be Tuesday 17th July.

• Sat 7 July- Staines Town- AWAY
• Sat 14 July- Hythe Town- AWAY
• Tues 17 July- TBC- HOME
• Sat 21 July- Horsham- HOME
• Thurs 26 July- Brighton & Hove Albion U23's- HOME
• Sat 28 July- Concord Rangers- AWAY
• Tues 31 July- Welling Utd- HOME
• Sat 4 Aug- Westfield- HOME

Enfield Town

Town perhaps underachieved last season, finishing in seventeenth place after a fourth place finish in the previous campaign- so a strong pre-season will undoubtedly be important to Andy Leese and his side. The highlights of their pre-season programme look to be the visits of Oxford United and old rivals Hendon on 31st July and 4th August.

• Saturday 14th July - K.O. 15.00 - Saffron Walden Town ( Away)
• Tuesday 17th July - K.O. 19.45 - Greenwich Borough (Away)
• Saturday 21st July - K.O. 15.00 - Ware (Away) - first XI emphasis
• Saturday 21st July - K.O. 15.00 - Walthamstow (Away) - U23 emphasis
• Tuesday 24th July - K.O. 19.45 - Cheshunt (Away)
• Saturday 28th July - K.O. 15.00 - Rushden & Diamonds (Away)
• Tuesday 31st July - K.O. 19.45 - Oxford United (Home)
• Saturday 4th August - K.O. 15.00 - Hendon (Home)
• Tuesday 7th August - 19.30 - Clapton Academy (Home) - U23 emphasis

Folkestone Invicta

Invicta were one of the surprise packages of last season’s Bostik Premier campaign- perhaps even surprising their own supporters as they repeatedly challenged at the top end of the table before falling to defeat in a Playoff Semi Final at Hendon. Expectations will be high as we approach 2018/19, and manager Neil Cugley has put together a comprehensive (and tough) pre-season programme.

The highlights will be the visits of Gillingham, Maidstone United and Dover Athletic in early July- but there seem to be a collection of highlights!

• 6th July GILLINGHAM H
• 9th MAIDSTONE U H
• 14th DOVER ATH H
• 17th Cray Valley A
• 21st Ramsgate A
• 24th CONCORD R H
• 28th DARTFORD H
• 31st WHITSTABLE T H
• 4th Aug Ashford Utd A

Haringey Borough

How do you follow a season like that? Playoff Final winners, FA Cup and FA Trophy runs, goals being scored by goalkeepers from their own half- Haringey Borough’s first season in the Bostik Premier Division will have to go a long way to match it! Their pre-season schedule is as follows- including the late addition of Dulwich Hamlet!

• Saturday 7th July HOME to COGGESHALL TOWN
• Tuesday 10th July a Club XI HOME to ENFIELD BOROUGH
• Saturday 14th July HOME to ROYSTON TOWN
• Monday 16th July Under 23s HOME to University of Hertfordshire
• Tuesday 17th July HOME to CHESHUNT
• Saturday 21st July AWAY to HENDON
• Saturday 28th July AWAY to WALTHAM ABBEY
• Saturday 4th August HOME to BARTON ROVERS

AND A LATE ENTRY: Monday 9th July, HOME to DULWICH HAMLET!