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We would like to welcome you all to this afternoon’s match against Dorchester
Town, and offer a particularly warm welcome to the players, directors and
supporters of our visitors who have made the journey from Dorset today. We
hope you enjoy your visit, and trust everyone has a safe trip home this evening.
We would like to encourage supporters of both teams to support today’s Bucket
Collection and Raffle-which features a signed first team shirt- in aid of Cancer
in Children UK Charity- full details of this are given later in the programme.
Dorchester have had a difficult season, and are currently languishing in bottom
position. They have recently augmented their battle against relegation,
however, by signing our former striker Jordan Rogers from Mangotsfield United.
Also included in their squad is Jamie Laird who played regularly for us during
the 2015-16 season, and we bid an especially warm welcome back to Lodge
Road to both Jordan and Jamie.
When our teams met at The Avenue Stadium in October we enjoyed the better
of the first half, and missed several good chances, including one when a lob
from Louis Britton beat the ‘keeper but bounced over the bar on the artificial
surface. Dorchester on the other hand finished well when given the opportunity,
and secured a 2-0 victory with goals from Neil Martin and Tom Blair.
We are very pleased to offer a somewhat belated welcome to Jordan Williams
to our club following his transfer from Thatcham Town. Jordan, aged 22, was
signed in time to make a very encouraging debut for us against Hayes &
Yeading, and should prove a very valuable acquisition. As a youngster he played
for both Southampton and Bristol Rovers Academy teams, and also made two
appearances for Malta Under 18’s. He played for St Andrews FC in Malta, then
joined Weston S Mare before moving to Mangotsfield Utd at the start of the
2017-18 season, where he scored eleven goals in 43 appearances before being
transferred to Thatcham twelve months ago.
On a wider note, congratulations to Hendon who have won our Division’s Club
of the Month Award for January, and also congratulations to Kings Langley
(Premier Central), Berkhamsted and Melksham Town who won the other
divisional awards. Each club receives an engraved glass momento and a cheque
for £150 to be spent on pitch maintenance. Further congratulations to Royston
Town, from Premier Central Division and Halesowen Town, Central Division
One, who have both reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Trophy, when they
have both been drawn away to National League clubs this afternoon. Chesham
United and Cirencester Town (who narrowly beat us 2-1 in the Third Round) will
contest the Final of the League Cup later this season.
Several supporters have raised questions about this season’s promotion and
relegation criteria from Step 3 – the level at which we compete. Promotion is
straightforward- champions will be promoted automatically, plus another club
will be promoted via the play-offs. Relegation issues, which will be of more
interest to our supporters are more complex! Briefly, there are four Step 3
Divisions, all sponsored by Betvictor- Southern League Premier South and
Premier Central, Northern Premier League Premier Division and Isthmian
Premier Division. In each of these divisions, the bottom two clubs will be
automatically relegated to Step 4, along with two third-bottom clubs from these
divisions on a points per game basis; hopefully, this explains the situation!
Storm Dennis caused the postponement of our match against Tiverton a