THE INANE RAMBLINGS FROM UP NORFF #40

With mass panic at the supermarkets as shoppers loaded their trolleys with everything in sight in preparation for the stores being shut on the 25th December, the SSML Fixture Secretary decided to inflict massive Saturday journeys for clubs.

WEEKEND’S HEADLINES
On a weekend when I had hoped to take in my first SSML game of the season jet-lag kicked in forcing me to miss my chosen game but should be fine foe next week. It was Landlords 1 Tenants 1 when Arlesey Town locked horns with Baldock Town and Harefield United hosted Broadfields United. Stotfold continue to look for that elusive first league win. Saturday’s 22 games seeing just 76 goals (an average of 3.45 per game). Samuel Shaw (Harefield United) leading the way with a four goal haul while Codi-Lee Spavins (Biggleswade United U23) netted a hat-trick.

22 December Stats: 22 games played of which 8 were home wins, 10 were away wins and 4 were draws.

(Most League Wins – all Divisions): 17 Harefield United, 15 Biggleswade FC, Tring Athletic 14 Broadfields United.
(Most League Draws – all Divisions): 10 Edgware Town, 7 Leighton Town, 6 Oxhey Jets, Wembley.
(Most League Defeats – all Divisions): 17 Hatfield Town, 15 Stotfold, 14 Brimsdown.
Average Saturday Goals: 4.09 (2565 goals from 627 games).
Unbeaten:
(Division One League): Harefield United.
Without a Win:
(Premier Division League): Stotfold.
Most Goals Scored:
(Premier Division League): 58 Biggleswade FC.
(Division One League): 65 Hillingdon Borough and Winslow United.
(Division Two League): 42 Pitstone & Ivinghoe.
(U25 Development Division League): 36 Berkhamsted Development.
Most Goals Conceded:
(Premier Division League): 57 Stotfold.
(Division One League): 71 Hatfield Town.
(Division Two League): 52 Clean Slate.
(U25 Development Division League): 34 Stotfold U25 and Ampthill Town Development.
Fewest Goals Conceded:
(Premier Division League): 20 Tring Athletic.
(Division One League): 16 Harefield United.
(Division Two League): 10 Old Bradwell United.
(U25 Development Division League): 8 Buckingham Athletic Development.
Fewest Goals Scored:
(Premier Division League): 17 Stotfold.
(Division One League): 18 Hatfield Town.
(Division Two League): 10 Clean Slate.
(U25 Development Division League): 6 Holmer Green Development U25.

Weekend’s Highest Attendances: 323 Biggeswade United v Biggleswade FC, 318 Harefield United v Broadfields United and 203 Winslow United v Buckingham Athletic.

Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Premier Division Clubs): 323 Biggeswade United v Biggleswade FC, 239 Tring Athletic v Biggleswade FC (FA Vase) and 211 Baldock Town v Arlesey Town.

Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division One Clubs): 351 Winslow United v Easington Sports (FA Cup), 318 Harefield United v Broadfields United and 257 Harefield United v Winslow United.

Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division Two Clubs): 121 Bovingdon v Biggleswade United (League Challenge Trophy), 101 Aston Clinton v Pitstone & Ivinghoe, 92 Bovingdon v Old Bradwell United.

Season’s Leading Goalscorers to date (Premier Division Clubs): 20 Ashton Campbell (Tring Athletic), Alex Marsh (Biggleswade FC) 19 Aaron McLeish (North Greenford United FC) 17 Kieran Turner (Tring Athletic).

Season’s Leading Goalscorers to date (Division One Clubs): 23 Sean Peter (Hillingdon Borough) 21 Tage Kennedy (Enfield Borough), Leonard Farhall (Harefield United) 18 Harry Dalton (Winslow United).

Season’s Leading Goalscorers to date (Division Two Clubs): 23 Nathan Skelton (Mursley United) 19 Joshua Smith (MK Gallacticos) 16 Albie Hall (Pitstone & Ivinghoe).

Saturday 22nd December

PREMIER DIVISION
League leaders Biggleswade FC needed an 94th minute equaliser to retain their top spot, the ‘El Wadeico’ fixture at Biggleswade United saw a hotly contested affair that ended 2-2 in front of the day’s highest attendance, 323. Tring Athletic are now level on points at the top as they came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Leverstock Green. Hadley remain third after their 1-0 success at Cockfosters. Stotfold picked up a much needed point when drawing 2-2 with visitors Potton United but it is much needed wins that are required if they want to avoid the drop. The good news is that all three sides above them all lost, Cockfosters (as above), London Tigers 1-2 at home to Wembley, a result that extends the visitors unbeaten run to three games and Harpenden Town who were beaten 1-3 at home by Colney Heath. Arlesey Town suffered their fifth straight defeat when their tenants Baldock Town defeated them 3-1, it was also a 3-1 scoreline in the day’s other game as Crawley Green defeated visiting Leighton Town. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below.

1-3 Arlesey Town v Baldock Town (Ashley) / (Barnes, Gilbert, Buchanan) Attendance: 149
2-2 Biggleswade United v Biggleswade FC (Hankins, Lewis) / (Carroll, MaCafferty) Attendance: 323
0-1 Cockfosters v Hadley (Wright [pen]) Attendance: 87
3-1 Crawley Green v Leighton Town (Morgan [2], Williams) / (Dentice) Attendance: 52
1-3 Harpenden Town v Colney Heath (W McClelland) / (Sears-Black, Scott, Shepherd) Attendance: 71
2-3 Leverstock Green v Tring Athletic (Mohamed, Kossifos) / (Riddick, Turner, Verney) Attendance: 76
1-2 London Tigers v Wembley (Unknown) / (Berchiche [2]) Attendance: Unknown
2-2 Stotfold v Potton United (Ryan, Opponent Own Goal) / (Webb [pen], Murrell) Attendance: 83

DIVISION ONE
Landlords Harefield United moved nine points clear of tenants Broadfields United at the top with a 4-0 win as the sides battled it out in front of a healthy 318 crowd at Preston Park, Samuel Shaw netting all four goals. Winslow United remain third despite suffering a 1-3 home defeat against local rivals Buckingham Athletic, the game which saw the hosts have three players dismissed in the second period attracting a crowd of over 200. The big ‘six-pointer’ at the bottom of the table saw Codicote record their first win since October to leave visitors Hatfield Town nine points adrift. Amersham Town, now under new management, boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 3-1 win at Rayners Lane. Langford were 1-0 winners against Wodson Park while Bedford recorded a 3-0 success at neighbours Ampthill Town. Elsewhere Buckingham Town and Risborough Rangers shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw and London Lions ran out 3-1 winners against Enfield Borough. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below.

0-3 Ampthill Town v Bedford (Smith [2], S Macrea) Attendance: 60
2-2 Buckingham Town v Risborough Rangers (Unknown) / (Touceda, Castello) Attendance: Unknown
3-1 Codicote v Hatfield Town (Banks, L’Honore, Houghton) / (Unknown) Attendance: 82
4-0 Harefield United v Broadfields United (Shaw [4]) Attendance: 318
1-0 Langford v Wodson Park (Bamford) Attendance: 35
3-1 London Lions v Enfield Borough (Lipman, Furman, Unknown) / (Bangura) Attendance: 26
1-3 Rayners Lane v Amersham Town (McKay) / (Benvenga, Stonnell, Aldred) Attendance: 36
1-3 Winslow United v Buckingham Athletic (Kedzierski) / (Zulu [2], Carter) Attendance: 203

DIVISION TWO
Berkhamsted Raiders reclaimed top spot with a 6-2 success over Mursley United whilst morning leaders Bovingdon saw their game postponed when their opponents could not raise a side. Old Bradwell United are now fourth after a solitary goal success at Grendon Rangers. Clean Slate remain rooted at the bottom and are now 13 points from having to apply for re-election after they went down 1-4 at The 61FC (Luton). The days other game saw Totternhoe and Aston Clinton attracting the Division’s highest attendance, 52 watching the ‘Totts’ secure a 1-0 win. Full results and goalscorers (where known) listed below.

6-2 Berkhamsted Raiders v Mursley United (Smith [2], Carbery, Cox, Brookes, Ibarra) / (Skelton [2]) Attendance: 30
0-1 Grendon Rangers v Old Bradwell United (Rooney) Attendance: 32
4-1 The 61FC (Luton) v Clean Slate (Currington, Mapp, Eugene, Raja) / (Unknown) Attendance: 12
1-0 Totternhoe v Aston Clinton (Hunter) Attendance: 52

UNDER 25 DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Kempston Rovers Development missed the chance to enter 2019 as table toppers when they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by bottom club Holmer Green Development U25 and the day’s only other action saw Biggleswade United U23 winning 4-0 at AFC Dunstable U21. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.

0-4 AFC Dunstable U21 v Biggleswade United U23 (Spavins [3], Agyemang) Attendance: Unknown
0-0 Kempston Rovers Development v Holmer Green Development U25 Attendance: Unknown

AND FINALLY
May I take this opportunity to wish my reader festive greetings and a Happy New Year.

Updated 07:25 - 30 Aug 2019 by Rob Cairney