Bostik 17/18- a season in review: November

On the pitch

November began with a great deal of focus on the FA Cup, Billericay Town and Leatherhead playing out a draw at Fetcham Grove (the Tanners- of course- won the replay) whilst Heybridge Swifts were fighting valiantly but eventually falling to defeat at Exeter City- read about that here. Back in the league, Dulwich Hamlet went six points clear with a win at Thurrock, Hendon falling to defeat at home to Kingstonian. Tooting & Mitcham United were nine points clear of the relegation place, with a 5-2 win over Harrow Borough, whilst Worthing now had two league victories, beating Needham Market to close the gap on second bottom Harlow Town to six points. By the end of the month the gap between the Rebels and the Hawks was four points, and Hamlet were nine points clear of Billericay- but Billericay had six matches in hand.

In the North Division, Dereham Town continued their run at the top of the Division until almost the end of the month and despite a terrible run of results, only being overhauled by AFC Hornchurch on 28th November after the Urchins win 6-0 at Mildenhall Town, whilst Heybridge Swifts cup and trophy campaigns see them as drop to fifteenth but with as many as eleven games in hand over their rivals at the top end. Potters Bar Town, incidentally, were at this point eleven points away from an automatic promotion place.

The South Division saw Lewes continue to lead the way, ending the month three points clear of Corinthian-Casuals with a game in hand, whilst the top six was made up of those two plus Greenwich Borough, Carshalton Athletic, Cray Wanderers and Corinthian Casuals with Hythe Town in seventh.

In the FA Trophy Billericay Town marched on with victory over Hungerford Town, whilst Haringey Borough’s victory over Thame United saw them land a plum tie against Leyton Orient- whilst Brentwood Town outplayed National League South leaders Dartford before crashing out to a last-gasp thunderbolt which you can read about here.

Off the pitch

November dawned to the announcement that Lowestoft Town manager Ady Gallagher had left the club, and to the start of a Dulwich drama that still continues many months later, with landlords Meadow withdrawing from their commitment to pay football related costs. The clubs supporters launched their Help the Hamlet appeal.

Whyteleafe unveiled Leigh Dynan’s replacement- a duo of John Scarborough and Paul Dale.

Shoreham were deducted six points, making their position at the bottom of the South Division even more precarious.

Gavin Rose of Dulwich Hamlet, Neal Simmons of Dereham Town and Gary Alexander of Greenwich Borough were announced as winners of October’s Manager of the Month Awards.

Wingate & Finchley opened their new training facility in the company of Geoff Shreeves, Alan Smith and Harry Winks.