03/09/2026
Our roundup of the league fixtures played in August. A great start to the season following us joining a new league, with some new faces and some old. A really challenging four games, especially with player availability and half a squad carrying knocks, not helped by the relentless nature of playing back to back Sundays and Thursdays for two weeks, something we will need to remember when planning in the following year. Great to get two wins under our belt already, a feeling that is unfamiliar for many of the lads who have played for the club in the last few seasons, but hopefully something they will enjoy plenty of going forward.
Game 1 - FC Lambourne Reserves
A great start for the lads and an excellent boost to their confidence as the season begins. Every player on the pitch put a shift in to earn the result. In play we looked extremely dangerous on the attack, capitalising twice through Lewis Rand and Jordan Eagle. An unfortunate penalty miss stopped it from being three, however our defence held up at the back to prevent us from needing another to really put the game to bed. We had a real bite about us, never stopping running and cut open their defence with fluidity and pace. Unfortunately the gaffer’s match report referenced the lads looking really fit, which has since jinxed the side with nothing but knocks and injuries.
Game 2 - The Thistleberry Hotel FC
Availability killed us this game, with many of the lads having work commitments leading to us to beginning the game as a bare eleven. The evening went from bad to worse when Jordan Eagle left every shirt and pair of shorts we own on the grass to get drenched in the storm that passed over, just so he could wear the number ten kit. A move that rightfully earned him dick of the day, and a strike in the gaffer’s girlfriend’s bad books as the whole thing needed washing again. Unfortunately many of the lads were carrying knocks but despite this they showed a strong desire and commitment that was faultless and proved that the principles of what we are working on are coming to fruition.
Game 3 - Potters Bar FC
Unfortunately another game we failed to capitalise on. The first twenty was sluggish and we came out of the period lucky to only be one goal down. We eventually got to grips with the game, and the gaffer was proud of the lads for matching their physicality without stooping to their lows of time wasting, foul play and lack of sportsmanship. Eddie Mayne ripped their full backs to shreds on the wing, and eventually a bit of magic from Lewis Rand to Kee Richardson led us to equalise with the ball somehow finding its way to the back of the net. We switched off again and paid the price, going behind once more. However after some fruity language on the sideline, a glorious free kick from Ash Critchlow was fumbled into the net by their player for our second equaliser of the game. The behaviour of the opposition ended up being the talking point of the game as we finished level, something of a fair result for the performance displayed but still disappointing on the whole.
Game 4 - Stone Town FC
A short trip to Stone marked our final game of August, and we were grateful to get another win under our belts. We started extremely positively scoring two goals in the first fifteen, putting us immediately on the front foot. We showed a really dominant display throughout the time played, with only a rare few reminders that we hadn’t yet put the game to bed. Unfortunately it wasn’t us that put the game to bed in the end, but a few magnificent bolts of lightening put an end to the match at about 75 minutes. Ultimately the correct call from the ref for the safety of the lads and spectators but frustrating to have not been able to see out the last 15 minutes. Fortunately as we suspected, the league confirmed the result a few days later, a positive statement considering the opposition didn’t look like scoring, nor did we look like conceding, at any point. Overall a great display, and nice to see the gaffer’s formation practice really paying off.
