ChromaSport & Trophies
United Counties Football League
Company Secretary: Wendy Newey, United Counties League, Riverside Pavilion, Candy Street, Peterborough PE2 9RE
Telephone: 01733 566605 Fax: 01733 345454 E mail:
web site www.thefa.com/full-time/ucl Newsline telephone 09066 555 885
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 276 APRIL 2013 PAGE 1
Spalding strengthen for run in
With a hectic run in of matches to play in the remainder of the season Spalding have been busy in the transfer market strengthening their squad as they bid to fulfil their dream of a return to step 4 football.
Two players have been recruited from Northern Premier League Stamford with midfielder Jack McGovern and wide man Jake Gibson both switching from the Daniels. A suspension arising from his former club has delayed McGovern's Spalding bow.
Arriving from UCL rivals Deeping is left back Nick Jackson who has also seen service with Boston United and Stamford.
Returning to the Halley Stewart Field is front runner TJ Nightingale following a brief spell with step 3 Grantham. He replaces Gary King in the Spalding squad after the former Lincoln City striker linked up with Conference North club Corby.
Injuries have bitten into the Spalding squad with midfielder Danny Steadman likely to miss the remainder of the campaign with an ankle injury and the versatile Kieran Doherty currently sidelined with a calf strain.
Spalding's title bid suffered a setback on Easter Monday when they lost 3-1 to pacesetters Holbeach but with the Tigers not seeking promotion the Tulips could still step up if they can overhaul St Ives.
Three signings and a coach for Buckby
Long Buckby manager Scott Goodwin was a busy man as the transfer deadline approached, supplementing his squad with the arrivals of three new players and a backroom addition at Station Road.
Front runner Aaron Hinds and wide man Ashley Stewart have joined Buckby from beleaguered neighbours Woodford, while former Kettering midfielder Mark Pryor is another new face in the squad.
Dan Ainsworth has joined Goodwin's management team as a coach. He was previously part of the successful Bugbrooke second string management team.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 276 APRIL 2013 PAGE 2
Top scorer setback for St Ives
St Ives' title ambitions have suffered a setback with news that Karl Gibbs could miss an important couple of weeks of the season. The Premier Division's leading marksman suffered a calf injury in the Easter Monday win over Blackstones.
Other members of the squad have stepped up to the plate with Dom Lawless scoring back to back hat tricks in the 8-3 demolition of Stones and Easter Monday success at Huntingdon with Jon Stead netting twice in both holiday games.
Apart from Gibbs's absence everything is looking bright at Westwood Road with hard work by club members being rewarded with the approval of FA ground grading inspectors who have given the nod to the club's step 4 ambitions should they finish high enough in the final league table.
A recent addition to the Saints' playing strength is defender or midfielder Dan Banister who had a spell with Peterborough Northern Star last term after being released by Northampton Town.
Four newcomers join Harborough cause
Harborough are making a determined bid for survival in their first season in the Premier Division with recent results giving them a fighting chance of retaining their status.
Co-managers Chris Church and Mick Ogier have added four new players to their squad as they strengthen for the run In to the campaign.
Front runner Joe Wright was a member of last season's promotion winning squad before switching to Desborough last summer while Northants county youth midfielder David Goodman has made the move from Thrapston.
Two young recruits have also been snapped up on work experience from professional clubs. Full back or midfielder Jordan Chambers arrives from Northampton Town while one time Harborough junior, goalkeeper Josh Carpenter arrives on a similar basis from Luton Town.
Milestones for Poachers trio
Three Boston Town players have reached appearance milestones in recent weeks. Midfielder Mark Foster made his 250th Poachers appearance in the 4-1 win at Harborough on 2nd March with skipper Ollie Pinner
reaching the 200 game landmark in the same match. Defender Michael Wood completed a century of appearances for Town against Stewarts & Lloyds two weeks later.
Two new defenders have arrived at Tattershall Road. Left back Lawrence Heward and Dan Grant, who plays on the other flank, have both been signed from Northern Counties East League Cleethorpes. One departure from the squad is utility man Alec Robinson who has resumed his coaching career in the United States.
Bottom place confirmed for the Romans
Irchester are certain to finish the season at the foot of the Premier Division following their 1-0 reverse at neighbours Wellingborough on Easter Monday. With six games to play the Romans were left a massive 21 points adrift of Harborough at the foot of the chart.
Illustrating Irchester's plight, they have now used eleven players in goal this season! Recent signing from Whitworth Sam Foulser, reserve Paul Kimpton and the returning Hugo Fernandes have all been called upon between the sticks in recent weeks.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 276 APRIL 2013 PAGE 3
Three new faces for Desborough
Desborough have added three new faces to their squad in recent weeks.
Midfield man Victor Borode ha been on Stevenage's books, while wide man Pearson Mwanyongo joins from East Midlands Counties League Thurnby having been part of St Neots' step 4 promotion winning side last term.
An attacking recruit is Ade Yussuf who has played Southern Premier football for St Neots during the current season.
Northern Star rebuild continues
Peterborough Northern Star co-managers Darren Jarvis and Michael Goode have continued to revamp their squad in recent weeks.
The duo have returned to former club Blackstones to sign their former Lincoln Road skipper Matt Porter while another defensive capture is Lewis Sturman who joins on dual registration from Boston United.
Another arrival at Chestnut Avenue is front runner Jacob Joyce. The former Peterborough United youngster has spent the current campaign with Spalding.
Easter end to Huntingdon winning run
After starting 2013 with a twelve match unbeaten run which brought them a thirty point haul and a place in the Premier Division's top five, a horrendous Easter saw the top flight newcomers on the wrong end of two heavy reverses at home to title chasing opposition, with pacesetters Holbeach winning 6-1 at Jubilee Park on Easter Saturday and local rivals St Ives running out 5-0 winners two days later.
Cambridge City have allowed dual registration goalkeeper Enol Ordanez to remain at Jubilee Park for the remainder of the current season.
Stevens to miss remainder of campaign
Holbeach's title prospects have suffered a blow with the news that skipper Jamie Stevens is likely to be sidelined for the rest of the season with the hamstring injury suffered against Deeping on 2nd March. So far the Tigers have coped well with his absence, extending their unbeaten league run to nine games with holiday successes at both Huntingdon and Spalding. Experienced campaigner Derwayne Stupple has been deputising in defence for Stevens.
Striker Andy Tidswell scored five goals over Easter to overtake Karl Gibbs of title rivals St Ives in the race to top the Premier scorecharts.
Change at reserve helm for Yaxley
Yaxley have had a change at the reserve team helm with the departures of manager Gino Nespoli and assistant Andy Uglow just before Easter. Stepping into the breach is former Cuckoos player Elio Salerno who takes over a side still in promotion contention in its first season.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 276 APRIL 2013 PAGE 4
Record attendance for Diamonds
In a season of impressive attendances Rushden & Diamonds drew their best crowd yet to the Dog & Duck for the Easter Saturday clash with promotion rivals Oadby.
827 spectators attended and ten man Diamonds did themselves proud in a 2-2 draw which saw them playing with ten men from the twelfth minute after the dismissal of Alex Deakin. Oadby twice went ahead with Jon Stevenson's penalty and free kick, but the ten man hosts twice fought back to level through Alfie Taylor and Aaron King, the latter scoring from forty yards.
A recent addition to the Diamonds squad is experienced goalkeeper Tom Cross, most recently with Evesham.
Buckingham break duck in style
After collecting just one point from their first fourteen away games of the season Buckingham broke their duck in some style on Easter Monday with a spectacular 5-0 success at well placed Bugbrooke.
Joel McCormick, Ashley Wadhams, Ieuan Riley, Joe O'Reagan and Tony Ellis shared the Buckingham goals at Birds Close.
Recent Robins recruitment has seen goalkeeper Joe Pursell arrive from Olney, full back Conor Ecclestone return after moving back to the area and front man Tony Hill join from Mursley.
Buckingham have lost the services of forward Ben Gallant who has returned to Southern League football with Aylesbury.
New faces bring upturn in fortunes for Thrapston
Recent weeks have seen an upturn in fortunes for Thrapston following the arrival of some new faces at Chancery Lane.
Manager Ian Walker moved to strengthen his defence by recruiting Michael Keall from Division One rivals Sileby, while adding to the side's attacking threat with the arrival of front man David Sheridan from Stewarts & Lloyds.
Completing the new faces is goalkeeper Domenico Roggero who has been with both AFC Rushden & Diamonds and Rothwell Corinthians this season.
New faces plentiful for Burton Park
Recently appointed Burton Park manager Joe Smyth has continued to be a busy man in recent weeks as he reshapes his side in a bid to climb off the foot of the table.
Recruitment of new defenders has seen three new faces arrive in that department with Joe Chubb joining from Thrapston, Lewis Moses switch from Rushden & Higham and ex-Bedford Town and AFC Kempston man Andy Hall check in.
Wide man Craig Jackson has rejoined Park Wanderers after departing for Long Buckby last summer while attacking midfielder Jamie Black has arrived from Whitworth.
It appears that prospective ground sharers Kettering Town may be starting the 2013-14 season at their current Steel Park base in Corby, but the programme of Latimer Park ground improvements is continuing with the Poppies hoping to relocate once the Southern League give them approval.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 276 APRIL 2013 PAGE 5
Record run for Rovers
Eynesbury have kept their promotion challenge going in recent weeks and in the process have set a new club record for matches unbeaten, which currently stands at fifteen following the 1-1 draw with Potton on 3rd April. The sequence has improved on a thirteen match unbeaten run in 1991.
Two new faces have recently joined Roves' promotion push. Young midfielder Charlie Binns, formerly with York City, has signed after moving to the area while front man Dion Sembie-Ferris has bern recruited from the youth set up at near neighbours St Neots.
Two new defenders for Badgers
Bugbrooke have slipped out of Division One promotion contention in recent weeks following a run of five successive defeats which saw their colours lowered by fellow top flight aspirants AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Oadby and Eynesbury.
Manager Paul Field has introduced a couple of new defenders to his squad. Ryan Dufty returns to Birds Close after being part of former boss Lee Herbert's squad before moving to Cogenhoe last summer, while Ray Hackett joins the Badgers from Wellingborough.
Oakes in Oadby exit
Former Leicester City midfield man Stefan Oakes has left Oadby to resume his coaching career in the United States. The experienced playmaker had been an influential figure in the Poachers' promotion challenge and only featured on the losing side once in nine games for the club.
A recent arrival at Freeways Park is widely travelled front runner Andy Tiday, who has most recently been with Barrow Town.
Arrows skipper out for the season
Harrowby will be without the services of skipper and defensive kingpin Jack Whyley for the rest of the season after he suffered knee ligament damage in the defeat at Sileby on Easter Saturday.
Better news for the club is the return of striker Dan Reidy to action. The prolific marksman has spent a year on the sidelines with knee ligament trouble.
Snippets
Deeping signed Kings Lynn goalkeeper Alex Street to cover for regular James Doughty's recent ban.... Quorn pair Chris Hollist and Lewis Jackson have left the club to work overseas....Shepshed have signed Mansfield front runner Joe Flint on work experience but veteran goalkeeper Neil West will miss the rest of the season through injury....Stewarts & Lloyds have signed Thrapston midfielder Lee Garvie....A new face in the Wellingborough squad is Irchester defender Ben Wilson....Bourne have defender Dan Smith back in the fold after a spell with Peterborough Northern Star....Potton have recruited Jordan Butcher from the Watford academy....A new face at Raunds is John Aldridge from Whitworth....Rothwell Corinthians have signed former Burton Park midfielder Kevin Fox....Rushden & Higham have recruited Jon Tite from Wellingborough.
CHROMASPORT & TROPHIES UNITED CONTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 276 APRIL 2013 PAGE 6
Holders on the Knockout Cup trail again
League Knockout Cup holders St Ives are homing in on a fourth successive League Knockout Cup final. Winners in 2010 and again last year the Saints were also beaten finalists in 2011. In this season's quarter final they won 4-2 at Rushden & Higham with two goals from David Cobb and one apiece from Junior McDougald and Jon Stead. Standing between the Saints and another final appearance are newcomers Oadby who won an all lower grade tie at Thrapston 4-1 with a Jon Stevenson hat trick and Elliott Wright effort.
2011 winners Peterborough Northern Star's depleted side was no match for Spalding who ran out 4-0 home winners with Lee Beeson, Dan Cotton, Lee Canoville and TJ Nightingale sharing the goals in a Halley Stewart Field success, while the only surprise at the last eight stage saw Yaxley win 1-0 at Holbeach with a Luke Hipwell strike in extra time.