A South Central and Trophy Bank Holiday weekend

We have FA Trophy matches on Friday and Saturday, and we’re back to the day job on Bank Holiday Monday. Here’s our preview. 

AFC Portchester take to the field this evening in the FA Trophy, but they don’t take to their own field, which is still undergoing work- instead their match against Whitstable Town has been moved to Chichester City. The Royals have started the League season with three draws, and delivered another of those in the FA Cup before a midweek victory. Their opponents were also victorious in midweek, although that was a League match- their first League win of the season, although there have been two knockout victories too. 

AFC Stoneham will host Shaftesbury of Southern League Division One South in the FA Trophy on Saturday. The hosts have played only one League match so far- a defeat against leaders Winchester City- but have progressed in both Cup and Trophy; indeed this will be their fifth knockout tie, the fourth of those a replay win over Badshot Lea in midweek. 

Ascot United will hope to take the form they showed in their four-nil midweek win over Binfield into their Trophy tie against Margate this evening. The Yellas have been in good form, and are unbeaten in four competitive matches on their own patch; whilst Gate are unbeaten in all competitions and have won three in a row. United then host Windsor and Eton on Monday, sixth v thirteenth. 

Ashford Town need to board a plane on Bank Holiday Monday, heading to the land of Bergerac and Nigel Mansell as they take on Jersey Bulls. Bulls are unbeaten in the League and still in the FA Cup, whilst the Tangerines will be looking to put defeat against Cobham in midweek quickly behind them. The visitors have lost three of their four competitive matches so far this season. 

Bedfont Sports must travel to Eastbourne Town on Saturday. Whilst Sports were losing narrowly to Hendon in midweek Town were hitting Peacehaven & Telscombe for five, by far their best performance of the season. Sports four competitive matches this season have brought only one win and two defeats, but they’ve been competitive in every match and will expect to be so once more. Sports host Cobham on Monday- see below for preview. 

Binfield are the hosts for South East side Deal Town. Neither team has had a particularly positive start to the campaign and both await their first League win, but the Moles have started with four consecutive defeats whilst their visitors at least have two knockout wins to their name- although they do hit the road with three straight defeats behind them. Back to the League on Monday, and the Moles will look for that first League victory as Hartley Wintney come to call, the Row also looking to get off the mark in the League- although in their defence they have only played once. The sides met three times last season in League and Velocity Cup, all of them ending in home wins, two of those victories going the way of Binfield. 

Bognor Regis Town are back on their own patch on Saturday after a midweek win in Littlehampton, and they play host to Pitching In Isthmian South East side South Park Reigate, who were themselves victorious in Crowborough on Tuesday evening. The Rocks are unbeaten in the League, whilst the Sparks can say the same. Last season, when both were South Central sides, Bognor won one-nil, twice. 

Monday sees the Rocks at home once more, Moneyfields their visitors. They have the chance of going top with victory, whilst the Moneys will be still looking for a first League win. Last season the Moneys did a convincing double over these opponents, and we suspect that this one will be much closer. 

Cobham are next in action on Monday, when they travel to the end of the runway to take on Bedfont Sports. They picked up their first league win of the season in midweek, defeating Ashford Town in a five goal thriller, and are looking for a third win in a row. Sports won their only previous League match on their own patch. 

Egham Town will travel to Westfield in the Trophy on Saturday- and they will then do the same again in the League on Monday! The Sarnies bounced back from opening day defeat to win three in a row in League, Cup and Trophy- each of them without conceding a goal; whilst Field were comfortable FA Cup Replay winners in Hassocks in midweek and seem to be rediscovering last season’s form, with only one defeat so far this season. Last season’s meetings saw home wins for both sides- this season’s second meeting will give a speedy chance of revenge for whoever is defeated on Saturday (and somebody has to be). 

Harrow Borough return to action on Monday, travelling to take on Hayes & Yeading. Borough have had a slow start to the season, without a win after four matches in League and Cups, whilst United will be looking to get back to winning ways in the League after defeat in midweek. Borough did the double over United last season. 

Hartley Wintney are next in action on Monday, travelling to Binfield- preview above. 

Hayes & Yeading United head to take on Marlow in the Trophy, who these days are in Pitching In Southern Division One Central. Marlow have lost only once this season, that defeat coming in the Cup last weekend, whilst United lost in midweek- although that was their first competitive defeat this season. They then welcome Harrow Borough on Bank Holiday Monday- preview above. 

Hendon have had a fine start to their campaign, with five wins in a row in League and Cup and a one hundred percent record in all competitions. They head to the Sussex coast in the Trophy to take on Hastings United, who have also started well in Pitching In Isthmian South East, topping the table after a perfect start- although they did lose in the Cup against South Central opposition. The sides were relegated from our top flight together in 24-25, and fans from London will remember a nine-nil win, whilst Sussex based supporters will have wiped that from their memories and recall only the two-nil return match victory! 

The Greens then follow that match by returning to League action on Monday, Southall their visitors, second v fifth. Both sides are unbeaten in the League, and Hendon know that victory will send them top. Last season’s meetings brought thirteen goals, including a four-four draw- and four points for Hendon. 

Jersey Bulls will play host to Ashford Town on Monday- and our preview can be found above. 

Kingstonian head to South East side Herne Bay in the Trophy. Bay finally got underway in the League in midweek, their first match ending in victory, whilst the K’s have two wins and two draws from their four competitive matches so far, and striker Eddie Simon already in top form with two hat tricks amongst his seven goals. With Bay now hosting sharpshooter Joe Taylor this one looks rather tasty! The K’s will then be back on their own patch- well, Ashford Town’s patch- on Monday, Raynes Park Vale the visitors, fifteenth versus fourth- Kingstonian looking for a first League win. Vale have won three out of four of their last competitive meetings, the other a draw. 

Littlehampton Town have had a start to the season to forget, and they face Divisional rivals Raynes Park Vale in the Trophy this evening. Vale got back to winning ways in style at Hayes & Yeading in midweek whilst the Golds were losing to Bognor, and they’ve now lost four in a row in League and Cup and will be rather desperate for a positive result. The last time they met, back in March, Littlehampton triumphed three-nil. 

Moneyfields are also in Trophy action this evening, the Moneys heading to Sussex to take on Steyning Town. The visitors are without a League win so far this season, and indeed without a Cup win, too; whilst Steyning have started their campaign with four defeats in a row so will be even more desperate for a positive result. The Moneys are back in Sussex on Monday, taking on Bognor- preview above. 

Raynes Park Vale travel to Littlehampton Town TONIGHT, preview above, and to Kingstonian on Monday, again, preview above. 

Southall, undefeated after four matches in all competitions which have brought two wins and two draws, head to the land of the Royals in the FA Trophy- and this time it’s the actual royals, not Portchester, as they take on Windsor & Eton. Windsor have won three of their four competitive matches so far this season, and all of those victories have come on their own patch, so they will be delighted to be hosting this one and confident of success. The All then take on Hendon on Monday- preview above. 

Westfield will host Egham Town on Saturday in the FA Trophy and on Monday in the League- preview above. 

Winchester City will hope to bounce back from their first defeat of any kind this season- in the FA Cup against Dorchester Town- as they travel to take on Didcot Town in the Trophy. City have a one hundred percent League record, whilst their hosts, who also lost in the Cup last weekend, have only played three times in all competitions, winning the other two. 

Windsor & Eton host Southall in the Trophy- preview above. They then travel to Ascot United in the League on Monday, sixth versus thirteenth.