EAGLE BITTER UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE
NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 1
Daventry part company with Walker
In a shock move Premier Division newcomers Daventry Town parted company with manager Martyn Walker following their defeat at Boston Town on 11th October.
The reverse was only the fifth suffered by Daventry in 58 matches under Walker’s tenure dating back to April 2007 when he stepped up from assistant to replace Tony Perry in the hot seat.
Last season Walker led Town to a runaway Division One title success which saw them become the first club in England to win a league championship while Daventry also become only the second Division One club to reach the Knockout Cup final, losing 3-2 to Desborough. Town’s achievements during the campaign saw Walker named as the league’s Manager of the Year.
Town continued to thrive at the higher level and lost just two of fifteen league and cup matches before Walker’s departure.
Assistant Lee McBain has also left Communications Park. Coach Steve Aucutt has been handed the reins as caretaker manager but he too is set to leave the club next month to take up a six month coaching post in New Zealand.
On field movement has seen Luke Walker depart for Woodford and Dan Burke arrive from Long Buckby.
Cook steps up at Bourne
Bourne have handed the managerial reins to Mark Cook following Neil Thorpe’s resignation after the defeat by Newport Pagnell on 4th October
Thorpe cited the reasons for his departure as the lengthy travel from his home in Chapel St Leonards and a desire to resume his playing career.
Cook joined the Wakes as one of Thorpe’s assistants last March. He is a former Lincoln City and Boston United player who has coached at the Pilgrims’ academy.
Bourne stalwart Jimmy McDonnell will assist Cook as he bids to turn Bourne’s season round after a lengthy run of defeats.
The Wakes have added full back Matt Hodgkin to the sizeable contingent of ex-Sleaford players in the Abbey Lawn squad, with Harrowby defender Darrell Chappell another recruit. Defender Stewart Smith has decided to take a break from the game due to persistent hamstring problems.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 2
Fuller leaves Doughboys for Woodford
Wellingborough have lost the services of assistant manager Ady Fuller who has been appointed co-manager of BGB Midland Division strugglers Woodford United in a partnership with Darren Tank.
Fuller joined the Doughboys in the close season from Banbury and had been doubling up as a player in the season so far. He is replaced as Jason Burnham’s assistant by former Doughboys player of the 70s John Daldy, a former Rushden Town manager.
Recent player movement has seen defender Dan Chilton return from a brief spell with ON Chenecks while midfield man Craig Lanham has been recruited from Leighton. Defender or midfielder Arron Parkinson looks set to be sidelined for a while with a toe injury and is also a target for former club Woodford.
Backroom changes at St Neots
St Neots have reshuffled their backroom staff in recent weeks.
Assistant manager Iain Parr has stepped down from the role to concentrate on running the club’s under 18 youth side, while Jez Green has left the reserve management team where Paul Dodson will now work alongside Grant Ager.
A new face on the field is former Biggleswade Town striker Jamie Steele.
Double international joins St Ives
St Ives Town have made one of the biggest signings in the club’s history by recruiting front runner Junior Macdougald. The 33 year old Texas born player graduated from the Huntingdon Rowdies youth set up to join Tottenham where he won England youth caps.
McDougald never made the Spurs first team but he did play in the Football League for Brighton, Chesterfield, Rotherham, Millwall and Leyton Orient. He has also played high level non league football for Dagenham & Redbridge, Canvey Island and most recently Histon, and while with the Daggers he gained further international recognition winning four England semi-pro caps and scoring one goal.
Another boost for the Saints is the return of free scoring defender Will Fordham from Corby, although he has been out of action through injury in recent weeks, joining long term casualties Ricky Dear and Dan Pilsworth on the sidelines.
Injuries bite deep at Roker
Premier Division champions Stotfold have been hit by a series of injuries to key players this season.
The casualty list includes Colin Shambrook (ankle), Gareth Cottenden (thigh strain), Jamie Taylor (knee ligaments), Scott Rennie (ankle ligaments) and Ryan Aldrin (sciatica) while goalkeeper Brad Gillham is about to have a knee operation.
The squad has been bolstered by the signings of Hitchin duo, midfielder Alex Fraser and striker Russell Bull, and ex-Stevenage youngster Andrew Iwediuno from Welwyn Garden City, who joined the injured list in his first match for the Eagles!
The injuries have given a number of promising youngsters their first team chance while 16 year old James Peters recently played for Norwich City’s youth team against Arsenal.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 3
Boston recruit coach and keeper
Boston Town have become beneficiaries of UniBond League Grantham’s poor start to the season, with the arrival of one new face in the dugout and another on the pitch.
A change of management at the Gingerbreads has seen coach Mick Hogg join the Poachers’ management team. Hogg was John Wilkinson’s assistant both at The Meres and previously at Lincoln United. Experienced goalkeeper Nicky Conroy has also joined Town from Grantham. He is a former Boston United player who has also played for Lincoln United, Stamford, Yaxley and last season Holbeach.
Injuries to veteran striker Gary Bull (calf) and Lewis Blakey (fractured cheekbone) have left the Poachers short of front running options while RAF training has restricted Miles Mason’s availability.
Shopmates sign keeping duo
Raunds manager Colin Ridgway has moved into the transfer market to sign two new goalkeepers after regular Michael Hearn joined a lengthy Kiln Park injury list. Experienced campaigner John Hughes, who played for Ridgway at Wellingborough, has linked up with the Shopmates as has Michael Evans who was the first choice custodian for Desborough in their highly successful 2007-08 campaign.
Another player facing a lengthy lay off is defender David Coales who injured ankle ligaments in his comeback match against Newport Pagnell.
Semple boost for Deeping
With Deeping holding a big lead in the Premier Division table it is little surprise that other clubs have been seeking to tempt players away from Outgang Road.
Former Peterborough United winger Ryan Semple has been a key man in Rangers’ surge to the top and it was a major boost for Rangers when he turned down a move to BGB League high fliers Corby Town. Rangers did lose another player to higher grade football though, when midfielder Adam Weston signed for another BGB outfit Soham.
The Premier Division’s leading scorer Ashley Stevens is currently serving a three game suspension after being sent off against Holbeach.
New faces help Blackstones upturn
Blackstones have found their form after a poor start to the campaign with the arrival of two new faces and the return of another from suspension helping generate an upturn in fortunes.
Defender Darren Glover, signed from Bourne, and striker Adam Scotcher, recruited from Peterborough Northern Star both enjoyed goalscoring debuts against St Neots while young front runner Mark Jones marked his return from suspension with a run of five goals in four games as he took over where he left off back in the autumn before his ban.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 4
Ray takes charge at Huntingdon
Huntingdon Town have unveiled 33 year old Martyn Ray as their new manager in succession to Darren Young. Ray has played over 300 matches in senior football with Town, Somersham, Huntingdon United and Ramsey, and took his first step into management last season when he led the Huntingdon second string to the Reserve Division Two championship and success in the Huntingdonshire Benevolent Cup.
Ray guided Town to a good point at Kempston in his first match at the helm but a pre-arranged holiday meant he missed the season’s first victory at Buckingham on 11th October. Assistant Jason Lee and reserve boss Clive Rayner presided over the 2-1 Ford Meadow success.
The club’s contingent of Corby based players have now left the club as Town revert to a more local look. They have recruited Blackstones defender Lee Booker and front men Ian Dawkes and Matt Plumb from Great Paxton.
Fox in Whitworths exit
Whitworths have parted company with manager Kevin Fox and assistant Steve Sargent. Former S&L boss Fox joined the Flourmen as assistant early last season and took the top job when Joe Smythe resigned in January. Sargent joined the Whitworths management team over the summer.
The Flourmen have advertised the vacancy with reserve manager Lee Mayes and Whitworths stalwart Mark Herring looking after the team on a temporary basis until the post is filled.
The new manager will inherit a squad boosted by the returns of Ben Holley, a prolific scorer in his first spell with the club before moving to Cogenhoe in the summer of 2007, and Carlton Ellwood who has been turning out for Wellingborough this term.
Clark leaves Burton Park
Burton Park Wanderers are looking for a new manager after the departure of James Clark from the Latimer Park hot seat after just three months in charge. Clark took the reins during pre season after the Lambert twins Andy and Carl stepped down.
Senior players Gary Owen and Spencer Newcombe, who have been assisting Clark this season, have been placed in caretaker charge.
A notable signing in recent weeks is experienced midfielder Andy Greensmith who returns to Latimer Park after kicking off the campaign with Rothwell Corinthians.
Waldock in United return
Daventry United’s promotion prospects have been boosted by the return of striker Tommy Waldock from neighbours Daventry Town. Waldock netted 29 goals for United last season but opted to try his luck at Communications Park this term. He struggled to break into the Town first team but plundered fourteen goals in their reserve side including a seven goal haul against Wootton.
Defender Duncan Harris has also rejoined United while another new face is midfielder Carl Lawes from Highfield Rangers.
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NEWSLETTER NO. 227 OCTOBER 2008 PAGE 5
FA Cup interest over for the season
The league’s interest in the FA Cup for the 2008-09 season came to an end at the Second Qualifying Round stage as our last two survivors made their exits in contrasting circumstances.
Stewarts & Lloyds gave it a real go at home to UniBond Premier Division leaders Ilkeston before bowing out by the odd goal in five. Steve Noble’s men took a fifth minute lead through Paul Caswell but conceded at key times with Jon Douglas levelling three minutes before the break and Chris Adam putting the higher grade visitors in front five minutes after the restart. When Aaron Morgan-Smith added a 52nd minute third S&L looked out of the hunt put Michael Byrne reduced the arrears a minute past the hour with a penalty to keep the game close.
Like S&L Newport Pagnell had claimed two higher grade scalps en route to this stage and a trip to Fleet offered potential for a third upset. On the day though the Swans failed to show their capabilities and Jamie McClurg, James Field and Jermaine Hamilton all scored for Fleet in the opening half hour. Further goals from Billy Boylen and Eddie Smith late on made the final score 5-0.
Nine wins give league best ever Vase 2nd Round representation
FA Vase First Round action saw nine of fifteen clubs progress, and with four exempt clubs joining the fray in Round Two the league will have a best ever representation in the last 128, 13 clubs bettering the dozen who lined up in Round Two in the 1976-77 competition.
Three Scott Cross goals, two from Darren Frost and one from Jack Ashton gave Cogenhoe the biggest win of our successful clubs, a 6-0 success against Codicote, while Raunds produced the best comeback, winning 4-2 at Halstead after trailing to two goals in the opening half hour. Dan Spaughton, Josh Davis, Ross Atkins and Jamie Russell were the Shopmates marksmen, but manager Colin Ridgway grabbed a share of the glory, saving a penalty after going on as a substitute for the injured Mike Hearn.
Tom Berwick scored in each half to give Daventry Town a 2-0 win over neighbours Daventry United but Division One has representation in Round Two thanks to Buckingham’s 2-0 home win over Malmesbury with goals from Dan Hart and Keith Williams, a penalty.
Paul Djeneralovic, Mark Forbes and Paul Caswell shared the goals as Stewarts & Lloyds beat Oxhey 3-0, while two Wayne Richardson goals and a late Dan Surridge winner took Northampton Spencer through 3-2 at Leverstock Green. Matt Bannister and Jamie Steele netted as St Neots won 2-0 at Long Melford.
Two extra time goals from Martin Thompson gave Wellingborough a 3-1 win at Royston while Matt Warfield was the villain turned hero as Holbeach progressed in a replay at Felixstowe. Sent off in the first match, Warfield converted the penalty which gave the Tigers a single goal success in Suffolk.