A Big Bostik (South Central) pre-season, part five: Ashford Town to Hayes & Yeading

By Ian Townsend

An eight-part guide to the - currently announced- pre-season fixtures involving our clubs. Part five takes us into the South Central Division.


Ashford Town

Not to be confused with Ashford United- there’s no way you’ll get to the ground in time for kick off after discovering your mistake- Ashford Town left the Isthmian League for the Southern League eight years ago. They return to our fold after finishing in twelfth place in Southern Division One East last season.
Pre-season looks like this:

  • Sat 14 Jul – a. Abbey Rangers
  • Wed 18 Jul – a. FC Deportivo Galicia
  • Sat 21 July – a. Spelthorne Sports
  • Tue 24 July – a. Badshot Lea
  • Sat 28 July – H. SOUTHALL
  • Tue 31 July – H. MET POLICE
  • Mon 6 Aug – H. FARNBOROUGH

Welcome to Cheshunt

Welcome to Cheshunt

Bedfont Sports

Runners up in the Combined Counties Premier Division last season, Sports are looking forward to their first Bostik League campaign. Their pre-season looks like this- with all matches at home:

  • Tuesday 10th July - Lyne - 7.45pm KO
  • Saturday 14th July - Farnborough - 3pm KO
  • Tuesday 17th July - Hartley Wintney - 7.45pm KO
  • Saturday 21st July - Windsor - 3pm KO
  • Wednesday 25th July - CB Hounslow - 7.45pm KO
  • Saturday 28th July - Ascot Utd - 3pm KO
  • Saturday 4th August - AFC Dunstable 3pm KO

Bracknell Town

Egham Town winning the Combined Counties Premier

Egham Town winning the Combined Counties Premier

Bracknell have already started their pre-season, with a 3-3 draw against Wealdstone on Saturday. They return to the Isthmian League for the first time in fourteen years, after finishing in second place in the Hellenic Premier Division last season.
The rest of their pre-season is as follows:

  • 7th Jul (H) 3pm Harrow Borough
  • 17th Jul (H) 7:45pm Knaphill
  • 21st Jul (H) 3pm Banbury United
  • 24th Jul (H) 7:45pm Windsor
  • 28th Jul (A) 3pm Hartley Wintney
  • 31st Jul (A) 7:45pm Binfield
  • 4th Aug (A) 3pm Thame United

Chalfont St Peter

The Saints return to the Isthmian League after twelve years away. Last season they finished 9th in Southern League Division One East. They start pre-season on Thursday when the B team of Championship side Brentford are the visitors.

The rest of their pre-season programme looks like this:

Hanwell Town panorama

Hanwell Town panorama

  • Sat 14th July Hayes (Brunel)
  • Tue 17th July Chertsey Town (Brunel)
  • Sat 21st July Edgware TownFC (Brunel)
  • Tue 24th July AFC Dunstable (A)
  • Sat 28th July Windsor (A)
  • Tue 31st July Thame United (H)
  • Sat 4th Aug Heybridge Swifts (H)

Cheshunt

The Ambers finished last season in 19th place in Bostik North, but manager Craig Edwards will demand more in the forthcoming season. Unfortunately we can’t tell you how his side are going to prepare for the new campaign as the website doesn’t have the detail, but once we have it, we’ll share it!

Chipstead

Last season the Chips regularly played far better than might be suggested by their 20th place finish in Bostik South, and in the forthcoming campaign will be looking to better both that and their best ever finish of tenth. Their pre-season list reads as follows:

  • Saturday 7th July - Croydon FC (venue tbc)
  • Tuesday 10th July - Sutton Common Rovers (a)
  • Friday 13th July - Atherton Collieries (a) - Manchester trip - Friday night game
  • Saturday 21st July - Lingfield (a)
  • Saturday 28th July - AFC Croydon Athletic (a)
  • Tuesday 31st July - Redhill (a)
  • Saturday 4th August - Cray Wanderers (h)
  • Tuesday 7th August - Greenwich Borough (h)

Egham Town

The Sarnies return to the Isthmian League after 12 years away, and will hope to follow last season’s sixteenth place in the Southern League Division One East by doing even better this time around. They’ve lined up at attractive set of pre-season friendlies, with a number of names familiar to Bostik League supporters- including a match with Gary McCann’s Beavers (containing more than half of the Hendon side who contested the Premier Division Playoff Final in May).

  • SAT July 7: Hampton and Richmond (Bedfont Sports)
  • TUES 17: Abbey Rangers (away)
  • THURS 19: Hillingdon Borough (away)
  • SAT 21: Met Police (away)
  • TUES 24: Hartley Wintney (neutral venue)
  • THURS 26: Chertsey (away)
  • SAT 28: Edgware (away)
  • TUES 31: Harrow Borough (HOME)
  • SAT 4 August: Aylesbury (away)

FC Romania

After finishing 3rd in the Essex Senior League for three consecutive seasons Romania were finally handed a deserved promotion to the Bostik League as part of the reshuffle following the demise of Shaw Lane.

We don‘t have details of their pre-season programme, but once we have it, so will you!

Hanwell Town

Hanwell will be taking their first steps in the Bostik League during the forthcoming campaign, but will be known to some of our supporters. Brightlingsea Regent fans will recall a 4-1 defeat in last season’s FA Cup, for example, whilst Enfield Town will also remember a tough tie before they triumphed in a replay. Town also knocked Greenwich Borough out of the FA Trophy in the last campaign.

All of their pre-season friendlies seem to be away from home:

All away

  • 7 July v Harefield United at Brunel
  • 10 July v Wembley FC
  • 14 July v Chertsey Town
  • at Bisham Abbey NSC
  • 17 July v Hayes at Rectory Park
  • 21 July v FC Southall at Rectory Park
  • 23 July v Edgware Town FC
  • 28 July v Glebe
  • 7 Aug v Harrow Borough

Hayes & Yeading United

Last season was the first time for a number of years that Hayes & Yeading Utd gave their supporters something to shout about, as they finished 3rd in Southern League Division One East. They’ll hope to shout some more, and have to be amongst the favourites for success in the forthcoming campaign. Their pre-season schedule is as follows:

  • Jul 07 QPR XI H
  • Jul 10 Hemel Hempstead T. H
  • Jul 14 TBC A
  • Jul 21 AFC Dunstable A
  • Jul 24 Harrow Borough A
  • Jul 28 Wingate & Finchley H
  • Jul 31 Berkhamsted A
  • Aug 04 Thatcham Town H

Where next?

Ken wins again! Our Bostik Supporter of the Year picks up Kent award
Taking a Bostik Bow: More supporters required! Have we covered your club? If not, step up!

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