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NON-LEAGUE UPDATES – SUNDAY, September 5th, 2010
Scarborough Town may not be playing this season, but ...
... how are things shaping up around the country?
A surprise home defeat by Tamworth cost Mansfield Town the leadership of the Conference, with AFC Wimbledon returning to pole position after winning 2-1 at Kettering. Crawley drew with Fleetwood to remain second, while Grimsby moved up to fourth place by defeating Luton Town 2-0 at Blundell Park. With only one point from 7 games, Altrincham have the unfortunate ‘privilege’ of occupying bottom spot.
In the regional Conference sections, Alfreton (North) and Bromley (South) maintained their 1005 starts to the campaign, having now gone 7 games without dropping a point. Alfreton’s lead is, however, just 2 points because Workington made it 6 wins in seven by beating Solihull 2-1. In the Southern section, Braintree Town lie second, 4 points off the lead and still unbeaten. At the foot of Step 2 in the Non-League Pyramid, Hyde, Redditch, St. Albans, Thurrock, Boreham Wood and Dorchester have yet to win a league game.
Northwich Victoria are top of the Evo-Stik Premier after beating Whitby Town 2-0 and lead by a point from Ashton United. A late equaliser from Bradford kept Worksop from sharing top spot. Chorley lead the way in 1st Division North, despite having no fixture. Table-toppers in Division 1 South are newcomers Barwell, who came from behind to beat Grantham and remain 100% after 4 matches. Fifteen Division 1 sides in the Evo-Stik League have yet to win, but it is, of course, early days yet.
Good starts in the Ryman League have been made by Sutton United and Kingstonian in the Premier Division, where only 2 points cover the top five clubs. Things are even tighter in Division 1 North, with just one point separating leaders Brentwood from 6th-placed Harlow Town. Burgess Hill lead the southern section at this level, though Metropolitan Police have a game in hand and trail the front-runners by a single point. The Zamaretto Premier promises to provide an interesting campaign, with 4 clubs prominent, including early pace-setters Cambridge City. Last season’s play-off finalists, Chippenham Town, seem to have overcome a somewhat sluggish opening and moved into fifth spot after winning 4-1 at Bashley. Hitchin Town and Abingdon United top the regional 1st Divisions.
Reigning champions Bridlington Town (NCEL) and Spennymoor Town (Northern League) are already at the head of their competitions, with last season’s North West Counties League runners-up, New Mills, at the top of the table with a 100% record. Other Step 5 leaders include a couple of ‘big names’ from the past – Enfield in the Essex League, Hillingdon Borough in the Spartan South Midlands League and King’s Lynn Town in the United Counties League. Lower down the Pyramid, in the Wearside League, Annfield Plain hold a 3-point advantage over Easington Colliery, New Marske and Kirkbymoorside, with unbeaten Easington having played 2 matches fewer. In seventh place, with 13 points from 6 games are former F.A. Amateur Cup winners Willington. After a few difficult seasons, maybe this once-famous club is at last starting to revive.
The 1st Qualifying Round of the F.A. Vase was played at the weekend. St. Helens Town, Studley and Tividale all scored 8 goals in big victories, while there were also high-scoring games at Basildon, where Kings Langley were beaten 5-3 by United, and Easington, where Colliery edged out NCEL side Hall Road Rangers 5-4. For many clubs the dream of playing in a Wembley final remains alive, while others can now ‘focus on the league’ ... or something like that.
Next major update will be in a week's
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