SATURDAY HEADLINES
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos hit eight to record best ever SSML result. Bovingdon march on after another big win on the road. Three SSML sides reach semi-finals of the Beds Senior Trophy. Premier Division Committee man dons boots.

Saturday brought about 93 goals from the 28 games (an average of 3.32 per game). Nathan Burrows (Northampton Sileby Rangers), James Younger (Langford) and Luke Beckwith (Bovingdon) all netting hat tricks.

Saturday Stats: 28 games played of which 17 were home wins, 6 away wins and 5 draws.

Without A League Draw to date: Aston Clinton, Codicote, Eynesbury United, Old Bradwell United, Risborough Rangers Development and The 61FC (Luton).

Without A League Defeat to date: Risborough Rangers.

Saturday Highest Attendances: 356 Leighton Town v New Salamis, 168 Dunstable Town v Tring Athletic and 147 Stotfold v Cranfield United (Beds Senior Trophy).

Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Premier Division Clubs): 473 Leighton Town v Broadfields United, 449 Leighton Town v Aylesbury Vale Dynamos and 435 Dunstable Town v Leighton Town.

Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division One Clubs): 392 Stotfold v Bedford, 317 Stotfold v Letchworth Garden City Eagles and 292 Shefford Town & Campton v Risborough Rangers (FA Vase).

Season’s Highest Attendances to date (Division Two Clubs): 212 Bovingdon v Totternhoe, 175 Bovingdon v Berkhamsted Raiders and 134 Totternhoe v Leighton Town (Gladwish Challenge Trophy).

Saturday 4th December

PREMIER DIVISION
Risborough Rangers returned to the top of the table following Saturday’s fixtures, Rangers defeating Milton Keynes Irish 2-1 at home while morning leaders Leighton Town were beaten by third placed New Salamis (more on this one later in the ramblings). At the bottom it’s as you were with the bottom four all being defeated, London Colney winning 4-1 at bottom club Crawley Green while Baldock Town fell to a solitary goal defeat at Oxhey Jets to remain in the second of the relegation places. Tring Athletic were beaten 0-3 at the hands of improving Dunstable Town and Holmer Green were thumped at Aylesbury Vale Dynamos in a drama packed game that saw two lengthy stoppages, the result being the hosts biggest SSML win. Elsewhere Flackwell Heath enjoyed a 2-0 success at Ardley United while Harpenden Town dropped two points in their promotion bid with a 1-1 draw at Arlesey Town, the hosts now under new management. The day’s other action saw Broadfields United defeating their previous landlords Harefield United 4-1 while Hadley edged out hosts Leverstock Green by the odd goal in three. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below.

0-2 Ardley United v Flackwell Heath (Essex, Weekes [pen]) Attendance: 67
1-1 Arlesey Town v Harpenden Town (Crowter) / (Anthony [pen]) Attendance: 103
8-1 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos v Holmer Green (Baldwin [2], Shortt [2] [1 pen], Hodgins, Berry, Touceda, Brown) / (Dimitrijevic) Attendance: 76
4-1 Broadfields United v Harefield United (J Smith, Rogers, B Smith, Williams) / (Bircham [pen]) Attendance: 83
1-4 Crawley Green v London Colney (Clark) / (King, Hartley, Odetola, Unknown) Attendance: 45
3-0 Dunstable Town v Tring Athletic (Muchineripi, Sellers-West, Faulkner) Attendance: 168
0-1 Leighton Town v New Salamis (Lutaaya) Attendance: 356
1-2 Leverstock Green v Hadley (Pett) / (Uribarri, Ofori) Attendance: 53
1-0 Oxhey Jets v Baldock Town (Nobrega) Attendance: 48
2-1 Risborough Rangers v Milton Keynes Irish (Wyllie [pen], Mealing) / (Spence) Attendance: 111

DIVISION ONE
With leaders Stotfold involved in County Cup action second placed Winslow United took full advantage to close the gap to three points with a 4-1 home success against struggling Burton Park Wanderers while Buckingham Athletic lost ground after a 2-3 defeat at Bedford, the hosts moving into fifth place as a result of their win. At the other end of the table bottom club Irchester United picked up their fifth point of the campaign with a 2-2 draw with visiting Penn & Tylers Green while Amersham Town also picked up a useful point after their goalless draw with visiting Kidlington Reserves. Elsewhere Northampton Sileby Rangers thumped London Tigers 5-0 and Letchworth Garden City Eagles enjoyed an odd goal in three over visiting Raunds Town. The day’s other action saw Long Crendon held to a goalless draw at home against Thame United Reserves in front of a crowd of 125. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below.

0-0 Amersham Town v Kidlington Reserves Attendance: 32
3-2 Bedford v Buckingham Athletic (Bamford, Amadi, Burford) / (Cray [2]) Attendance: 35
2-2 Irchester United v Penn & Tylers Green (Kirkham, Cullis) / (Cox, Unknown) Attendance: 28
2-1 Letchworth Garden City Eagles v Raunds Town (James, Opponent Own Goal) / (McBride) Attendance: 22
0-0 Long Crendon v Thame United Reserves Attendance: 125
5-0 Northampton Sileby Rangers v London Tigers (Burrows [3], Stevens, Taylor) Attendance: 24
4-1 Winslow United v Burton Park Wanderers (Khan [2], Carter, Owusu) / (Clarke-Knowles) Attendance: 63

BEDS SENIOR TROPHY Quarter Finals
It was 3-0 to the SSML against the Beds County League Premier Division in the Beds Senior Trophy Quarter Finals as Stotford, Langford and Shefford Town & Campton all progressed to ensure at least one SSML side will contest this season’s Final. Stotford defeated visiting Cranfield United 2-0, Langford overcame Riseley Sports 3-1 at home while Shefford Town & Campton secured a solitary goal success at Crawley Green Reserves. Full results and goalscorers (where known) are listed below.

0-1 Crawley Green Reserves v Shefford Town & Campton (Hammer) Attendance: 17
3-1 Langford v Riseley Sports (Younger [3]) / (Unknown) Attendance: 58
2-0 Stotfold v Cranfield United (Spavins, Walster) Attendance: 147

LES UNDERWOOD JUNIOR CUP Third Round
Rushden & Higham United booked their passage into the next round of the Les Underwood Junior Cup with a 2-1 success at home against ChromaSport Northants Combination League side Woodford United. Full result and goalscorers are listed below.

2-1 Rushden & Higham United v Woodford United (O’Dell [pen], Morgan) / (Watkins) Attendance: 28

DIVISION TWO
Bovingdon made it six wins from their last six games with a 5-1 success at Buckingham United and as a result climbed to second place in the standings while Milton Keynes College Football Academy recorded their third successive league win with a 3-1 success at home against The 61FC (Luton), a result that moved them up to third place. Old Bradwell United continue to top the table following a 4-0 success against visiting Risborough Rangers Development. At the other end of the table Tring Corinthians AFC remain rooted at the bottom after going down 0-5 at Pitstone & Ivinghoe. Elsewhere Totternhoe dropped to fifth following a 0-2 defeat at Eynesbury United while Aston Clinton defeated visiting Berkhamsted Raiders 5-1. The day’s other action saw Sarratt claim a valuable point after a goalless draw at New Bradwell St Peter. Full results and goalscorers are listed below.

5-1 Aston Clinton v Berkhamsted Raiders (Mann [2], Collins [2], Mitchell) / (Barnard-White) Attendance: 20
1-5 Buckingham United v Bovingdon (Gordon) / (Beckwith [3], Wadmore [2]) Attendance: 30
2-0 Eynesbury United v Totternhoe (Baxter [2]) Attendance: 101
3-1 Milton Keynes College Football Academy v The 61FC (Luton) (Odojukan, Boyce, Lodder) / (Lewis) Attendance: 30
0-0 New Bradwell St Peter v Sarratt Attendance: 35
4-0 Old Bradwell United v Risborough Rangers Development (Green, Valentine, Smith) Attendance: 33
5-0 Pitstone & Ivinghoe v Tring Corinthians AFC (Hall [2], Gallant, Groom, Downes) Attendance: 61

COMMITTEE AWAYDAYS
SSMFL Board & Committee member Bob Flight was at Leighton Town on Saturday and sends this report – A crowd of over 300 watched the top of the table fixture between hosts Leighton Town and visitors New Salamis. In an entertaining hard fought match, it was Salamis who edged a narrow win to dent the title ambitions of the hosts. This was the proverbial game of two halves as the home team squandered numerous first half changes to score, including two one on ones with the Salamis goalkeeper who made crucial saves on both occasions. There was also a goal line clearance which somehow enabled Salamis to keep a clean sheet at half time, Little was seen of the Salamis attack in the first half but it sprang into life in only minutes after the restart when Leighton lost the ball in defence and a swift cross field pass found George Lutaaya free to score from inside the penalty area, Another Salamis effort was well saved by the home keeper and he provided another great save from a free kick. Leighton tried to respond and they did have a couple of chances, one cleared off the line and another hitting the top of the crossbar. As the game drifted towards the final quarter, Leighton seemed to lose their composure and despite winning a free kick, Leon Lobjoit talked himself into the referee’s book and also into the sin bin and for a crucial ten minutes Leighton were reduced to ten men. It did not end there as when Lobjoit returned to the pitch, shortly after, home player Tom Silford received a second yellow card and once again Leighton were reduced to ten men for the final few minutes of the game. The general impression of the game was that Leighton should have been out of sight in the first half whilst Salamis kept their composure and managed the game well to seal a vital win.

AND FINALLY
The Oxhey Jets jinx has struck again, for the third time this season there has been a management casualty after playing Oxhey Jets, the latest being Baldock Town where Rob Bates departed soon after being beaten at Jets. So management beware playing Oxhey Jets can seriously damage your career.

Don’t forget that every Sunday afternoon the Non-League Show on Three Counties Radio (Herts, Beds & Bucks), a show all about local non-league football. The popular show presented by Ollie Bayliss has been increased to two hours each week and is the perfect opportunity to catch up with our local non-league scene at all levels. For those who missed it then you can catch up here:-

Ollie Bayliss Non League Show

The result of this week’s Team of the Day Poll with 253 votes cast is:-
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 53.0%
Broadfields United 26.9%
Aston Clinton 13.8%
Northampton Sileby Rangers 6.3%

Best Tweet of the Day goes to Aylesbury Vale Dynamos following the match referee pulling a fetlock – Play suspended again as a Dynamos committee member is getting boots on to run the line …!