The Non-League Football Blog

Dah Dah Dah pull up a chair it's Lewes in town

2010-04-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Lewes F.C - Founded 1885

Lewes are a team who never feature in news bulletins or newspaper articles, quietly go about their supporting, and a small but dedicated away following such as the photo above, and just missed out on consecutive relegations by two points, something their manager Steve Ibbitson is very proud of.

And in this look at the club from a fan's view, you can see that although the club is minor, the fan support is there for all to see. I interviewed Lewes fan Robbie, who told me that although his club has suffered a relegation and a near miss in two years, they are not just a team, they are his life and that rings true for many Lewes fans.

Why do you think you're on a bad run?

I haven't got a clue, I think there is some mis-management of the club going on, but I couldn't possibly tell you because the people behind the club quite obviously don't know what they're doing. We lost Steve King, who went to Farnborough, one player left when relegated from the Conference last year (Anthony Barness), and we didn't know where to start. Luckily though, we won the last game of the season this year to stay up, incredibly our second away win of the season.

Do you think Lewes have the best away fans in the country? (!)

Of course!! No, we have a good away following most games but we lack the impetus of previous seasons so it's hard to get the crowd in and make up alot of numbers. Our ground holds 3,000, and mostly away fans are sparse. We expect teams like Dartford, who should bring around 200-300 fans every game next season, and also teams like Havant and Waterlooville, Dover and Ebbsfleet, Forest Green Rovers and new boys Farnborough will bring a few. This year will be tight, I can't see us getting any higher than 15th this year unless we recruit some new players. Saying that we do have some good players coming through like JJ Banasco-Zaragoza, who is a great keeper, and has played with Benalmadena in Spain, so he has experience of European football, something we're keen to implement now.

more to follow.

The end of the season

2010-04-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

What an end the season came to, and here are the ups and downs from Blue Square to Zamaretto Premier.

Blue Square Premier:

Promoted: Stevenage

Play-offs: Luton Town, Oxford United, Rushden and Diamonds, York City

Relegated: Ebbsfleet, Forest Green, Grays Athletic

Blue Square South:
Promoted: Newport County
Play-offs: Dover Athletic, Chelmsford City, Bath City, Woking
Relegated: Worcester City, Weston-super-Mare, Weymouth

Blue Square North:
Promoted: Southport
Play-offs: Fleetwood Town, Alfreton Town, Workington, Droylsden
Relegated: Harrogate Town, Vauxhall Motors

Ryman Premier
Promoted: Dartford
Play-offs: Kingstonian, Aveley, Sutton United, Boreham Wood
Relegated: Bognor Regis, Waltham Abbey, Margate (TBC), Ashford Town (Middlesex)

Unibond Premier
Promoted: Guiseley
Play-offs: Bradford PA, Boston United, North Ferriby, Kendal Town
Relegated: Ossett Town, Durham City

Zamaretto Premier
Promoted: Farnborough
Play-offs: Nuneaton Town, Chippenham Town, Hednesford Town, Brackley Town
Relegated: Tiverton Town, Hemel Hempstead, Clevedon Town, Tiverton Town

Player Profile I: Moses Ashikodi

2010-04-12T01:47:00.000-07:00

Moses Ashikodi is the footballing version of a nomad. He has, only at the tender age of 22, already been at ELEVEN clubs, and only at his last two has he managed to cement a place down and play his most league appearances. Unbelievable, to think that he has played in the Premier League for Watford in 2007, and even appeared in front of 60,000 in a Old Firm derby in 2006, his only game for Rangers. Beforehand he had played for Millwall, West Ham United and Gillingham.

From 2007 to 2009, loan moves away from Watford to places such as Bradford, Swindon, and Hereford United, meant that he was constantly kept busy up and down the country.

But his true loves remianed in the south, and after his move to Shrewsbury, in which he only played 7 games and scored one goal, he moved onto the Poppies of Kettering Town, where he started to find some form. Six goals in 14 starts, and an appearance on ITV when Kettering played Leeds United in the FA Cup, however he wanted out, pursuing league football, but he did not get his wish, moving to Ebbsfleet United on a short-term deal.

Following his release from Kettering, Ashikodi signed for Ebbsfleet on 19 January 2010. On the same day he made his debut and scored a penalty against his former club Kettering. Since then he has scored 13 goal in 17 appearances as he looks to keep Ebbsfleet from going down to the Blue Square South and a meeting with rivals Welling United, Grays Athletic, Dartford FC and so on.

Career Stats:

League Appearances: 71

League Goals: 20

Cup Apperances: 14

Cup Goals: 4

England U-16: 3

Goals: 2

England U-17: 3

Goals: 0

England U-18: 1

Goals: 0

England U-19: 5

Goals: 3

Career Total Games: 98

Career Total Goals: 29

Match of the week: Havant 4-0 Newport County

2010-04-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

Havant and Waterlooville came away 4-0 winners in this one in an amazing second half display. Newport went to pieces after the break and exclusive highlights are brought to you by HawksAction.

First Half: Havant and Waterlooville 0-0 Newport County

The Hawks took Newport to the sword after the break, but the first half reaped little reward for their display. Bobby Hopkinson’s chance shot from midfield forced Glyn Thompson in the Newport goal into a diving save inside the second minute, and Jon McDonald’s ball forward for Wes Fogden to set up Mustafa Tiryaki ended with a shot that went narrowly wide soon after.

Fogden then had a chance to score, a rasping drive cannoning back off Stephen Walker and out for a corner. Walker then latched onto a Jon McDonald corner, but his close range volley went just wide.

Newport became frustrated, former Havant player Jamie Collins pushing down Manny Williams but this went unnoticed to the referee, who was glad to wave play on, but from a resulting throw Tiryaki was cautioned for excessive contact with Garry Warren as the throw was being lined up.

Charlie Henry's quick free kick gave Newport a chance to score, Havant turning off but returning goalkeeper Aaron Howe scooped it away from danger.

Wayne Turk took out Fogden 25-yards from goal, but Tirayki's freekick was deflected away from danger, then McDonald's freekick was pushed away by Newport keeper Thompson, and Ian Selley's was caught again by Thompson, who was experiencing a lot of action.Warren's clearance from Tiryaki was a fantastic clearance as it looked as though he was going to connect with a Bobby Hopkinson cross.

However Newport nearly scored thanks to Danny Rowe's 30-yard volley, only for it to hit the post with Howe rooted on the line.

Second half: Havant and Waterlooville 4-0 Newport County

After a stern ticking off for missed chances during the half time team talk, Havant came out for the second half all guns blazing. Tempers began to flare and this made excellent watching for those at Westleigh Park.

Chris Todd handled the ball in midfield, and Tiryaki quickly forwarded the ball to Williams, who layed the ball to Fogden, and Tiryaki claimed the ball back and smashed a 20-yarder square into the top corner to give the Hawks a lead.

Collins for Newport then sent another freekick into the Hawks penalty area, only to be denied by Hopkinson in the wall not once, but twice, the second effort coming in from Rose, who had the earlier chance, only for Fogden to hack it clear when it seemed as though Newport were gaining some ground.

Newport County's commentators were supposedly complaining about the lack of footballing style by Havant, but they laid that to rest with a free flowing second.

Beforehand however, McDonald gave Hopkinson the ball on the byline, whose skill and tenacity gave the chance to Tiryaki to try a spectacularly ambitious overhead kick which went far wide of the goal.

Warren was clearly intent in ruffling a few of Tiryaki's feathers, and this showed when a poor tackle by Warren on the edge of the Newport box cost them dearly, yet another freekick given and some fans moaning about the lack of proper football being played due to stoppages. This was quashed when Tiryaki smashed yet another shot into the net, getting up after an elbow by Warren to double Havant's lead.

McDonald's long throw then exceeded everyone's expectations of a long throw and Williams only poked wide when it looked easier to make it three.

But the third eventually came, Wes Fogden latching onto a one-two with Williams to place the ball beyond the onrushing Thompson.

By this time, they were having fun, and Hopkinson could and should have made it four when Williams ran into Rose in midfield and layed a through ball into him, only for Hopkinson to miskick 15 yards out.

Newport's heaviest defeat of the season was confirmed when Ian Simpemba's long, swirling freekick (yet another) and substitute Jay Gasson met the ball with a header to put it beyond Thompson and cue wild celebrations.

The game ended with more freekicks and just a dent in Newport's otherwise impeccable league record of 97 points,

however for Havant the play-offs are looking a possibility. The news that Dartford had been promoted filtered through to Havant as a reminder of what they could be facing next season.

Havant and Waterlooville: Howe 7; Newton 6, Simpemba 7, Pearce 6 (Gasson 83), McDonald 6; Fogden 7, Selley 6, Hopkinson 7, Tiryaki 8 (Jusufi, 77); Williams 7 (Hinshelwood, 87), Walker 6. Substitutes not used: Ashmore, Sewell.

Newport County: Thompson 5; Bignot 6, Warren 5 (Cochlin 83), Todd 5, Collins 7; Henry 5 (Morgan 63), Turk 4, Rose 7, Rogers 6 (Ake, 74), Gilroy 5; Reid 6. Substitutes not used: Blackburn, Hunt.

Attendance: 1,020

Non-league puts on a show

2010-04-11T02:38:00.000-07:00

The Non-League world was treated to some incredible performances over the weekend, Dartford winning the Ryman League Premier with promotion to the Blue Square South.

Dartford won 6-2 away at Kingstonian to join Newport County as one of the first promoted teams in the top tiers of the Non-League hierarchy. Over 500 Dartford fans made the trip down to the game knowing that just a point would give them the league, and the one talking point was not whether they would do it, it was more a case of how many they would score. They went on to score six, and some of the celebrations can be found above the Ilkeston v Telford match highlights of April the 4th, courtesy of Mel Jones.

In the Blue Square Premier, Stevenage extended their lead at the top after Luton were held disappointingly to a 1-1 draw away at Tamworth. Ebbsfleet's inevitable relegation was extended after they lost 2-0 at promotion chasers Rushden and Diamonds, who got their two goals through Aaron O'Connor, who joined Rushden in the summer from Mansfield. And with the play-offs looking dead certs as it is, the results yesterday hardly seemed to matter. Yes, Stevenage did win 2-0, yes Luton drew and slipped up to possibly hand the 'Boro the title. But down the bottom there was a more sincere fight going on. Eastbourne Borough took the lead at York and extended it, news flooding through at Gateshead that they had to hold onto a 3-1 lead, and they themselves unfortunately conceded two near the end to slip into the relegation places. Histon's poor run of form means that they are now down there but another win for them will surely keep them up. Forest Green are also in danger after they lost to Stevenage.

In the Blue Square South and North, starting in the South, Dover kept alive their promotion hopes with a 2-0 victory over Weymouth, albeit with only 13 fit players, two of them goalkeepers. Dover are safe in the play-offs now, two victories in a week leading them to the top of the play-of spots, 11 points clear with two to play. Chelmsford can officially join them there if they win their next fixture. The play-off places now look set to be contested between Staines Town, who lost to fellow promotion hunters Bath City, who leapfrogged them into the play-off spots. Woking, Havant and Waterlooville, who sprung a massive surprise beating promoted Newport County, and Thurrock are now favourites for the title.

In the North, Vauxhall Motors are set to go down with Harrogate Town's demise despite Stafford Rangers and Redditch losing on Saturday. At the top, Southport were unable to extend their lead at the top despite winning 3-0 away at play-off hopefuls Droylsden, whose gap in the division was cut by Hinckley, who unfortunately drew at Gainsborough when a win would have leveled them on points with Droylsden. Workington and Alfreton are destined to stay in the play-off spots after wins at the weekend and will hope to avoid each other until the final at Wembley.

In the Ryman Premier, as aforementioned, Dartford won 6-2 away at Kingstonian, of their biggest wins of the season and the party well and truly started. There are many more games left to play, but now is an opportunity for the youngsters to get their chance to play and impress now that the league was confirmed yesterday. Two away games beckon before the big title party on Saturday against Aveley. Dartford will present the trophy to the fans and we will have the video right here. As for the rest of the Ryman/Isthmian League, wins for Bognor Regis and Billericay Town getting vital, vital wins in the race to stay up this weekend. These results mean that Waltham Abbey are now bottom for the first time this season, however themselves, Bognor and Maidstone have games in hand (three to be precise) over Margate and will look to implement those games in the coming fixtures. Kingstonian's devastating loss means that they may well drop out of the play-off places come the end of the season, Tonbridge Angels and Aveley are hovering around that area, with Sutton, Hastings, Hornchurch and Wealdstone along with Boreham Wood all fighting to get in there. It will make interesting reading come the season's end. Dartford's incredible away form means that they, by away form only, would be in the league by merit. They have throughly deserved their place in next year's Blue Square South thanks to some inspiring performances and refusal to lie down while they were on the dreadful run that they were on. Good luck to the Darts next year.

The beginning of the end

2010-04-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

The non-league season is fast approaching its climax and there are some massive games to come. Today, Luton travel to Stevenage in the Blue Square Premier. Although a loss for Stevenage will close the gap to two points, they are lucky enough to have the cushion of two points over their opponents today. The other fixtures in todays Non-League from the Blue Square to the Ryman are shown on the left of the screen. Last week presented a hugely entertaining set of fixtures, in the Blue Square Premier, Kettering and Mansfield played out a highly entertaining 2-2 draw, with Pascal Ebigbo scoring a highly dramatic 87th minute equaliser, with the Poppies fans going mental in the crowd. Luton also beat Hayes and Yeading 8-0 in a hugely one-sided game at Kennilworth Road, Luton running riot in the first half scoring seven goals in the space of half an hour. Luton then beat Salisbury in the week 4-0, Richard Money the Luton manager praising his side's performances and hopes to extend this winning run until the end of the season.

In the lower leagues, starting with the Blue Square North, Fleetwood Town lead Southport by two points but have played a game more going into todays games, with Alfreton and Droylsden in the play-off positions. Hinckley United and AFC Telford and Workington will battle it out for the remaining place. In the Blue Square South, Newport County have already won the league, 24 points ahead of the next team, Chelmsford, who are on 67. It is very tight from there on, with Braintree on 66, Dover 65, Staines on 63, with Welling, Thurrock and Bath on 59. It is looking very tight there and could be an excellent end to the season.

Finally, the Ryman Premier is the last league to be previewed today. Dartford FC lead by 10 points ahead of Kingstonian in second and 11 from Sutton United.

On the left of the screen is a fixtures bar as aforementioned, which is updated every ten minutes during games.

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