A4 Action Conference South thread 2017/18

[Bored Of Education]

The thread title refers to Bath City's game against Chippenham on Tuesday being the first A4* derby in a decade. As it is the first home game of the season as well, it should be a massive game as should the return fixture on December 23rd. Unfortunately, the traditionally called-off-when-there-is-a-cloud-spotted-on-the-horizon away fixture at Weston Super Mud has been deemed a better 'local' derby for New Year's Day. Chippenham is our appropriate rivalry rather than WSM or, laughably, Hungerford and it has been a friendly rivalry, at least, for the last decade so Tuesday should be a great occasion.

As far as the wider division action goes this year, here are the bookies predictions (last year's positions in brackets) -

1. Chelmsford (4)
2. Dartford (3)
3. Hampton and Richmond (7)
4. Poole Town (5)
5. Hemel Hempstead Town (12)
6. Braintree Town (22nd in National League (relegated))
7. Havant and Waterlooville (1st in Isthmian League Premier Division)
8. Hungerford Town (6)
9. St Albans (10)
10. Bath City (9)
11. Oxford City (14)
12. Wealdstone (8)
13. Welling . (16)
14. Eastbourne Borough (11)
15. Truro City (19)
16. Chippenham Town (1st in Southern League Premier Division)
17. Bognor Regis Town (2nd in Isthmian League Premier Division (won play-offs)
18. Gloucester City (10th in National League North (transferred)
19. Whitehawk (17)
20. East Thurrock United (13)
21. Concord Rangers (18)
22. Weston Super Mare (15)

Obviously, they are bookies' odds so, you know, but I can't see much that I disagree with there. One oddity is that Gloucester City are so far down. They were 10th in the Conference North and I don't know that that is a weaker league. Havant & Waterlooville seem quite high up as well so I don't know whether they have had any investment and subsequent buying in the close season. East Thurrock seem a bit low as well.

*Hardenhuish Park is actually on the A420 but that goes a mile north of Bath.

[Paul S]

I'm not sure about Chelmsford winning the title. I thought the money had run out.

[Auntie Beryl]

Bit of local interest for me in Hemel Hempstead Town and St Albans City, so I'll be keeping an eye on this league and thread.

Back when I was more actively Spurs than I am now, I used to be a regular at Clarence Park, St Albans to watch the reserves.

[Bored Of Education]

Saturday's results.
Chelmsford City 2 - 0 Gloucester City
Chippenham 0 - 0 Havant & Water…
Dartford 0 - 0 Hungerford Town
East Thurrock … 1 - 1 Hampton & Richmond
Eastbourne Boro 2 - 3 Braintree Town
Bognor Regis . 3 - 2 Bath City
Hemel Hempstead 3 - 0 Whitehawk
Weston-super-Mare1 - 2 Poole Town
Oxford City 2 - 3 St Albans City
Truro City 3 - 2 Welling United
Wealdstone 2 - 1 Concord Rangers

Monday's results
Gloucester City 0 - 3 . Truro City
Hungerford Town 2 - 0 Weston-super-Mare

Tuesday's results.
Braintree Town 2 - 2 Dartford
Concord Rangers 1 - 0 Hemel Hempstead
Hampton & Richmond 1 - 0 Oxford City
Havant & Waterlooville 3 - 2 Eastbourne Borough
Poole Town 2 - 2 Bognor Regis Town
St Albans City 2 - 1 Wealdstone
Welling United 0 - 1 Chelmsford City
Bath City 2 - 5 Chippenham Town
Whitehawk 2 - 3 East Thurrock

NATIONAL LEAGUE N / S TABLE
# Team MP D P
1 Truro City 2 +4 6
2 Chelmsford City 2 +3 6
3 St Albans City 2 +2 6
4 Chippenham Town 2 +3 4
5 Hungerford Town 2 +2 4
6 Bognor Regis Town 2 +1 4
7 Braintree Town 2 +1 4
8 East Thurrock … 2 +1 4
9 Poole Town 2 +1 4
10 Havant & Water… 2 +1 4
11 Hampton & Richmond 2 +1 4
12 Hemel Hempstea… 2 +2 3
13 Wealdstone 2 +0 3
14 Concord Rangers 2 +0 3
15 Dartford 2 +0 2
16 Eastbourne Borough 2 -2 0
17 Oxford City 2 -2 0
18 Welling United 2 -2 0
19 Weston-super-Mare 2 -3 0
20 Bath City 2 -4 0
21 Whitehawk 2 -4 0
22 Gloucester City 2 -5 0


Firstly, Bath City have to play Chelmsford City on Saturday at home and Truro City away on Tuesday. It is going to be difficult not least with a greatly diminished attendance after Tuesday night's woeful performance., I expect. Secondly, thank goodness for Whitehawk and Gloucester City. They both appear to need to sort their whole teams out while we just have our hopeless defence to sort out. Needless to say, I take back my remark about Gloucester City being predicted to be so far down. I wonder what has happened there.

[Gangster Octopus]

I should finally be able to join in next week...

[Bored Of Education]

Good, I am not going to be doing this every week. School holidays are over in three weeks.

[Gangster Octopus]

Wealdstone legend, Gordon Bartlett, stands down after 22 years in charge. He's the only Wealdstone manager that I've known...

[Bored Of Education]

Bloody hell, I did not know that. That is amazing.

[Bored Of Education]

Two 2-1 away wins in a row for Bath City (what have they got against home supporters?) mean the table looks like this

1. St. Albans 15

2. Chelmsford 12

3. East Thurrock 11

4. Braintree 10

5. Dartford 9

6. Bognor 9

7. Hemel 9

8. Havant & Waterlooville . 8

9. Truro 7

10. Poole Town 7

11. Concord 7

12. Bath City 6

13. Oxford City 6

14. Chippenham Town 5

15. Welling 5

16. Eastbourne Borough 5

17. Hampton & Richmond 5

18. Wealdstone 4

19. Hungerford 4

20. Weston 4

21. Gloucester City 4

22. Whitehawk 0

[Janik]

Wealdstone legend, Gordon Bartlett, stands down after 22 years in charge. He's the only Wealdstone manager that I've known...

My dad had mentioned that the opening day win I went to with him had not been backed up since, but doing away with such a long-standing boss a handful of matches into the new season is pretty gob-smacking. I wonder if there is anything else behind it.

[Gangster Octopus]

Interesting fact from the Beeb. Apparently Gordon played in the NASL.

[Gangster Octopus]

And the replacement is Bobby Wilkinson from Hungerford Town.

[Bored Of Education]

Bath City have got some consistency and wins under our belt with a settling back four and missing midfielders returning from injury and Gary Owers quits to take up the job at Torquay. Bollocks.

[Gangster Octopus]

Tight league so far. Wealdstone are in the bottom half, but just 12 points behind the leaders, Dartford, with three games in hand. And guess who's coming to The Vale on Saturday...

[Bored Of Education]

Indeed. East Thurrock - at 13th just below Wealdstone - win their three games in hand on us and they are a place above us and just outside the play-offs. We are only 8 points off Dartford. On the other hand, anyone below East Thurrock will be worried I would have thought. I don't think there is going to be safe mid-table mediocrity for a while yet.