Hungry tigers
Nuneaton Borough had to switch last week’s visit of Bromsgrove Sporting in the Southern League Premier Division Central at the eleventh hour to Hinckley Leicester Road’s ground. The reason was that the landlord, Arden Tigress, changed the locks to Borough’s stadium. There was also a need to switch Saturday’s FA Trophy game against Hyde United to Hyde’s ground on Friday morning. The lockout appears to be due to rent arrears, although
Nuneaton Borough’s chairman claims that an agreement was in place before the lockout. Let’s hope Nuneaton Borough fans aren’t starved of football on their home patch for too long.
Abbey Life
In the North West Counties Division One South, Abbey Hey defeated Abbey Hulton by a 3-1 margin. The win puts Abbey Hey into second place, albeit ten points behind Brocton, who have two games in hand. Presumably, Abbey Hey put in some better crosses, or perhaps they just took their chancels.
Town haul
The only Pyramid club with a 100% record in their league is Farnham Town, with 11 wins from 11 games. They have scored 44 goals, only conceding three and kept six clean sheets to start the season. They play in the Combined Counties Premier South Division; their only defeat came in the FA Cup when they lost to Chesham United. The club was formed from two clubs in 1906 – Farnham Stars and the more curiously named Farnham Bungs. They are four points ahead of Jersey Bulls with three games in hand. Will it be another Abbey, Abbey Rangers, the club in seventh place, that spoils their run?
Whiskey chaser
Yeovil Town are top of the National League South, but they have assembled a beery team. Their scorers in this weekend’s win over Braintree Town were Worthington and Hyde. Perhaps only those of a certain age remember the almost undrinkable Worthington E beer. Unfortunately, the beer outlived the playing days of Frank Worthington. However, Yeovil’s team doesn’t stop there. There is Smith (everyone knows about John Smith’s bitter and possibly Sam Smith’s bitter, indeed) and Yeovil have Young (a rather good bitter, in my opinion). Yeovil keep Murphy and Bell on the subs bench for darker ale, followed by a whiskey chaser, perhaps. Maybe Yeovil should change their nickname from the Glovers to the Guzzlers.
Bishops meet Saints
One tie caught my eye in the FA Trophy 2nd Round Proper draw. It is the match between Bishop’s Stortford and St Albans City. It fascinates me for so many reasons. Firstly, these are two clubs I was lucky enough to encounter on my FA Trophy trail in 2021-22 and covered in my book From Hashtag 
United to Wembley. But there’s far more to it. Bishop’s Stortford has an apostrophe, but St Albans doesn’t. Having established that Bishop’s Stortford has an apostrophe, I learnt that everyone from the town refers to the place as Stortford. Bishop’s Stortford will be delighted to return to the southern part of the FA Trophy, having been forced into the National League North this season.
Slim pickings
Beaconsfield Town, Newcastle Benfield and Hereford Lads Club get a mention this week, although it’s not for any incredible feats on a football pitch. These four clubs have all the first six letters of the alphabet in their name. I can already hear howls of derision from Gloucestershire. What about Slimbridge AFC, which has all of the first seven letters of the alphabet? AFC is pushing it a bit far, but they deserve a mention, especially as Slimbridge AFC Under 18s play Hereford Lads Club Under 18s tonight. Something to discuss in the bar afterwards, no doubt.
More Trophy stuff
Sticking with clubs I encountered on my 21-22 FA Trophy trial, it’s good to see Leiston are having more success this season. They entertain Peterborough Sports in the 2nd Round of the FA Trophy, while there is a mouth-watering tie in Sussex in prospect if Whitehawk can overcome Kingstonian in a rearranged game, as they will face Lewes – the two clubs are separated by a few miles with the mighty Brighton & Hove Albion sitting between them geographically, about four miles from each club. If you’re fascinated by double-letter teams, Walsall Wood will travel to Hemel Hempstead Town.
Woodford five
Woodford Town proved too strong for FC Clacton in the Essex Senior League. Luke Parrott opened the scoring and, appropriately, Parrott repeated the performance to make it 2-0. Nathan Sollosi made it 3-0 with a solo effort, with fourth and fifth goals added by Rhodes-Bridge and Fawkes. Actually, the
fourth and fifth goals were scored by Messrs Gokou and Adelani.
Man united winning in Manchester clash
“Rubbish”, you may have thought when you read this headline. However, we’re talking about Isle of Man FC, who travelled to Manchester on Saturday and beat second-placed Wythenshawe 2-1 in the North West Counties Premier League fixture. Two goals from striker Sean Doyle were enough to cancel out Wythenshaw’s only goal scored by the short-surnamed striker Bryan Ly. There’s a little-known fact that the Isle of Man always play cup ties over three legs.
Friends or no friends
If the friends of Farnborough, Fisher, Frome or Faversham are thinking of forming a group, we humbly suggest they don’t adopt a similar acronym to the Friends of Fulham. #justsaying.
