Southern League 2018/19

[Atavistic]

After news earlier this week that we've passed the ground grading for Step 4, we went and mathematically secured our Step 4 status for next season with our third win in a row today, as we beat Coleshill Town 2-0 at home. It's been a stressful season for quite some time, so it's nice to finally be able to relax for the final four games.

In many ways, it's a fantastic achievement that we've secured Step 4 survival in our first season: we have some of the smallest crowds in the division and probably one of the smallest budgets to boot (based on the fact that we've mostly gotten by with the core of last season's United Counties League title winning squad).

One thing's for sure, we have (and will likely continue to in the last games) learnt a lot this season, and hopefully we can capitalise on that experience to push on both on and off the pitch next season. Would be nice to see us blood some more youngsters in for these last few games, just to see if they're good enough or not so we can see what needs to be done with the squad in the summer.

 

[EricSabin]

Was at Kettering today to see them pass up their first chance at securing the Southern League Central title after losing late on against Alvechurch only needing a draw. Quite undeserved win for Alvechurch but they looked a pretty useful side regardless

 

[beautifulgame2015]

 

[Atavistic]

Our five game winning streak was brought to an end today as we lost 3-2 away at promotion-chasing Corby Town, although we were unlucky not to get at least a point out of the game. Just one game left now to cap off what has ended up being a solid first season at Step 4, as we've comfortably slotted oursleves into mid-table with that winning streak.

 

[Atavistic]

A 3-2 win at home against Kempston in tricky conditions saw us end the season on a high: 6 wins out of the final 7 games saw us fly away from danger and finish 11th in the league, above the likes of Cambridge City.

We had the 5th-best attack in the league this season (scoring an astonishing 72 goals), but at the same time we had the joint 2nd-worst defence (conceding 92 goals).

Now time for a much-deserved break, and hopefully this squad can push on again next season (if we can improve defensively but maintain our attacking threat, we should easily break into the top half next season).

Whatever happens, though, our manager Andy Furnell has worked miracles with one of the lowest budgets in the league and a team barely changed from last season at Step 5 (of today's starting 11, four weren't in last season's squad, but two of those four had played for us at Step 5 before).

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Hitchin finished the season with a good result at Banbury. A fairly underwhelming season for them in the league, early on I thought they were in real danger of going down as they started the season with some real heavy defeats against sides that were not expected to trouble the top end. That poor league season perhaps somewhat made up for by the great FA Cup run where they more than held there own against Solihull who of course had a very decent season themselves!

Think that FA Cup run did hold them back a little but post it they seemed to bring a few new players who helped them out and steered them to safety which has been confirmed for a little while now.

Got a few decent players they will want to keep hold of for next season, the stand outs for me being Galliford who always looked classy. Wonder if a lower Conference South team might take a look at him in particular. Hitchin have struggled for strikers in recent seasons if they can find one from somewhere they have the makings of a decent looking outfit who could find themselves higher up the league next season although promotion will probably always be a bridge too far for them.

 

[beautifulgame2015]

 

[beautifulgame2015]