A Big Bostik (South Central) pre-season, part six: Hertford Town to Westfield

Hertford Town

Town stepped back into the Isthmian League last season after London Colney refused promotion, and if the team had as much fun on the pitch as the supporters had off it then a good time was had by all! They’ll be looking to improve on their fifteenth place in the last campaign as they move sidewards into Bostik South Central.

Pre-season looks like this:

• Sat 14 July H Cockfosters FC
• Tue 17 H St Margretsbury FC
• Sat 21 H Stevenage FC XI
• Tue 24 A Colney Heath
• Sat 28 A Welwyn Garden City
• Mon 30 H St Albans City FC
• Tue 31 H Bowers & Pitsea
• Sat 04 August A Harlow Town FC
• Tue 07 H Hoddesdon Town FC

Marlow

Marlow move back to the Isthmian League after fourteen years away, and will look to improve on last season’s fourteenth place in Southern League Division One East. Pre-season for the Blues is as follows:

• Saturday 7th July Sandhurst Town (A) (To be played at JMA in Reading RG2 8AF) 1:00 pm KO
• Tuesday 10th July Wealdstone (H) 7:45pm KO
• Saturday 14th July Balham FC (A) (To be played at Southfields Academy SW18 5JU) 3:00 pm KO
• Tuesday 17th July Hungerford Town (H) 7:45 KO
• Saturday 21st July Abingdon Town (A) 3:00pm KO
• Tuesday 24th July Holmer Green (A) 7:45pm KO
• Saturday 28th July Barton Rovers (H) 3:00pm KO
• Saturday 4th August Kidlington (H) 3:00pm KO

Molesey

The Moles didn’t much enjoy the last campaign, winning only seven matches and staying up only because; a) only one team was relegated, and b) Shoreham were abject. This season will start with a new manager and a rebuilt team, and a fair amount of optimism. Here are their pre-season fixtures:

• Sat 07 July H Three Bridges
• Tue 24 A Met Police
• Sat 28 H Walton & Hersham
• Tue 31 A Raynes Park Vale
• Sat 04 August A Whyteleafe
• Tue 07 H Sutton United

Northwood

Wood celebrate the opening of their new clubhouse this weekend, and then the following weekend entertain a Chelsea XI. But there are a number of other attractive fixtures too!

• Tu 10 Jul Burnham v Woods 7.00pm
• Sat 14 Jul Woods v Chelsea XI 3.00pm
• Tu 17 Jul Sun Sports v Woods 7.45pm
• Sat 21 Jul Hoddesdon v Woods 3.00pm
• Tu 24 Jul Biggleswade v Woods 7.30pm
• Sat 28 Jul Cockfosters v Woods 3.00pm
• Tu 31 Jul AFC Hayes v Woods 7.30pm

South Park

“Oh my God, they killed Kenny!” There, for the benefit of the supporters of all new Bostik League teams, the obvious joke is now out of the way and you can concentrate on the football.

Sparks have a new manager- former Merstham and Leatherhead boss Mick Sullivan- and so far he seems to have hosted a trial for every footballer within a fifty mile radius, which undoubtedly means that he’ll have a very large and capable squad but be worn out before the season kicks off. Home fans will be looking forward to seeing the results of all of that work, and they’ll get the chance very soon- Mick has lined up four higher division clubs amongst his pre-season schedule.

• Sat 14th Corinthian v South Park Kick Off 3.00pm
• Tue 17th Banstead Ath v South Park Kick Off 7.45pm
• Sat 21st Redhill v South Park Kick Off 3.00pm
• Tue 24th South Park v Kingstonian Kick Off 7.45pm
• Sat 28th Whyteleafe v South Park Kick Off 3.00pm
• August
• Wed 1st Carshalton Ath v South Park Kick Off 7.45pm
• Sat 4th South Park v Merstham Kick Off 3.00pm
• Tue 7th South Park v Met Police Kick Off 7.45pm

Tooting & Mitcham United

The Terrors were disappointed to find themselves relegated last season after only one campaign in the Bostik Premier Division, as Burgess Hill Town once more did their last minute escape act to leave their rivals facing the drop. Still, new season, new manager, refreshed team, new hope- perhaps we’ll see them back in the top flight in twelve months!

• Tue 10 July v Redhill (home) on 3G 7:30pm
• Sat 14 July v Ramsgate (home) on 3G 3:00pm
• Tue 17 July v Merstham (home) on 3G 7:30pm
• Sat 21 July v Whyteleafe (away) 3:00pm
• Tue 24 July v Greenwich Borough (away) 7:30pm
• Sat 28 July v Carshalton Athletic (away) 3:00pm
• Tues 31 July Three Bridges (away) 7:45pm
• Sat 4 Aug v Horsham (home) Kick off tbc

Uxbridge

The Reds finished fifteenth in Southern League Division One East last time out, and in preparation for their first Isthmian League campaign for fourteen years have lined up a collection of pre-season friendlies against higher division opposition. Head along to Honeycroft for the visits of Potters Bar Town, Wealdstone and their Raider, Hendon and Wingate & Finchley, amongst others.

• Tue 10 July H Potters Bar Town
• Thu 19 H Wealdstone
• Tue 24 A AFC Hayes
• Sat 28 H Hendon
• Tue 31 H Wingate & Finchley
• Sat 04 August H Beaconsfield Town

Waltham Abbey

Nineteenth in the North Division last season, the Abbots now have a new manager- former Thurrock boss Mark Stimson- and a new squad, and will be expected to be much stronger in 2018/19.
Their pre-season is as follows:

• 7th July - Frenfield (A) 1pm
• 14th July - Enfield 1983 (A) 3pm
• 21st July - Takeley FC (A) 3pm
• 24th July - Brentwood Town FC (A) 7.45pm
• 28th July - Haringey Borough (H) 3pm
• 4th August - Romford (H) 3pm

Ware

Twentieth in the North Division last season, Ware ended the campaign strongly and banished relegation fears that had looked very real only a few months previously. They’ll be kicking off the new campaign with a new 3G pitch, and will open that with the visit of a Stevenage XI on July 18th. The entire schedule looks like this:

• Sat 14 A Clapton
• Tue 17 A Biggleswade United
• Wed 18 H Stevenage
• Sat 21 H Enfield Town
• Tue 31 H Barton Rovers
• Sat 04 August H Royston Town
• Fri 10 A AFC Dunstable

Westfield

Woking’s second side are now not all that far away from Woking’s first side, and indeed take them on in pre-season. Last season they clinched the Combined Counties League title with six games remaining to move up to step four for the first time ever. They’ve lined up an exciting pre-season schedule, including matches against Bostik Premier Division Corinthian-Casuals, Carshalton Athletic, Kingstonian and Dorking Wanderers.

• Thurs 5 July A Lyne FC
• Sat 07 A Colliers Wood United FC
• Tue 10 H Corinthian-Casuals FC
• Sat 14 A Shoreham FC
• Tue 17 A Carshalton Athletic FC
• Sat 21 H Farnborough FC
• Tue 24 H Woking FC
• Sat 28 H Kingstonian FC
• Tue 31 H Aldershot FC
• Sat 04 August A Dorking Wanderers FC