WFC v EBFC v WFC - Festive matches thread
Dec 24, 2023 11:26:03 GMT
Worthing Scottish and Kenty in Weardale like this
Post by Keithsson on Dec 24, 2023 11:26:03 GMT
Forgive me doing the Eastbourne double header as a single thread, it saves duplication at my end. As there are multiple fixtures elsewhere in the NLS, spread over multiple dates, it also makes sense logistically to have a single point of reference for the whole festive period.
To me Eastbourne has always seemed a lot further away than it is. That’s probably because the roads to get there are not the most free flowing and speedy. But they are in Sussex and even if it doesn’t feel like a proper Derby, it is the correct choice for the back to back festive games. It certainly beats Hampton & Richmond last season… and just as well too, they would be a very different prospect with the form Hampton have been in.
We commence with the home leg on Boxing Day –
Match Centre – Link
Match Tickets (home fans only) – Link
We’ve had four games with Boro’ since our NLS return, two in the league and two in the cup. We remain undefeated by them in the league but we share a cup victory each. Every game was close, none more so than Roco’s singlehanded ‘thou shall not pass’ performance back in September…
WFC v Boro NLS (29/08/22) – YouTube
WFC v Boro FAC (01/10/22) – YouTube
Boro v WFC NLS (14/01/23) – None available (probably because we won 0-2).
Boro v WFC FAC (16/09/23) – YouTube
This season has been tough for them. Wholesale changes at the club from the owners to the manager right through to the coaching and playing staff (not to mention the AI programme that picks them all!!) all inevitably take time to bed in. We’re half way through the season now though and they’re still down amongst the dead men of the NLS. Small glimpses of a stable footing have poked through the gloom very occasionally but nevertheless I’m sure they are still grateful for the presence of two genuine basket case clubs this year in the shape of Dover and Havant.
Currently in 21st place after yesterday's narrow home defeat to leaders Yeovil (23 pts/24 games), they trail us by 14 points having played a game more...
NLS Table – Link
They aren't doing much better form wise either, sitting in 20th place with just four points from the last available eighteen. Our 'two steps forwards two steps back' form inevitably sees us mid table in 13th (8/18). Although unbeaten in the last three at home we don't fare much better for home form, in 10th (10/18). Boro are in 19th place for away form with just 4/18 for their last six games on the road. All those points have come on trips to fellow strugglers, a 0-2 victory at Welling and a 1-1 draw at Dover.
NLS Form Table (last 6 H&A) – Link
Squad wise the threatened "clear out" after yesterday's defeat obviously can't happen until the New Year, if it ever happens at all. A relatively clean bill of health exists currently with, off the top of my head, just Jessie and Udoka Chima unavailable recently? How or if he chooses to mix things up remains to be seen but we're back at square one yet again having to bounce back from a disappointing defeat. Its quite telling how short our undefeated runs have been this season. A four game spell (Whitehawk, Truro, Bath [FAC], Crawley [SSCC]) back in Sept/Oct is the best we've managed, two three game spells undefeated were even earlier. And we haven't won back to back games either since that Bath/Crawley pair... that needs to change on Tuesday because this is a highly winnable game.
All festive period games…
Boxing Day
Braintree Town v Chelmsford City
Chippenham Town v Bath City
Dover Athletic v Aveley
Havant & Waterlooville v Farnborough
Slough Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough
St Albans City v Hemel Hempstead Town
Tonbridge Angels v Maidstone United
Torquay United v Truro City
Welling United v Dartford
Weston-super-Mare v Weymouth
Worthing v Eastbourne Borough
Yeovil Town v Taunton Town
Saturday 30th December
Aveley v Dover Athletic
Dartford v Welling United
Truro City v Torquay United
Sunday 31st December
Taunton Town v Yeovil Town
New Years Day
Bath City v Chippenham Town
Chelmsford City v Braintree Town
Eastbourne Borough v Worthing
Farnborough v Havant & Waterlooville
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Slough Town (1pm)
Hemel Hempstead Town v St Albans City
Maidstone United v Tonbridge Angels
Weymouth v Weston-super-Mare
Obviously I can't right now do the green/red 'three point swing thing' beyond the first round of games but for the festive period as a whole we've been sucked right back into the peloton of this hugely tight league... add six points to our tally right now and we could be second, take six points away and we could be 11th!!
Crowd watch wise the numbers we need to be aiming for/beating are as follows. We should surely comfortably beat the 1,037 for the 'this isn't a local Derby' game with Hampton last Boxing Day. The two Boro games last season were 1,662 (August) and 1,426 (October), you'd like to think the average of those (1,544) could be at least matched on a dry bright Boxing Day. So as ever for the bigger games, please get there as early as your hangover and 'food baby' will allow.
Come on you Rebels!
NB - Additional links for the away game...
Match centre - Link
Match Tickets - EBFC Online ticketing
No suggestion of segregation and discounted by £5 if purchased by 31/12.
Ground Guide - Priory Lane
To me Eastbourne has always seemed a lot further away than it is. That’s probably because the roads to get there are not the most free flowing and speedy. But they are in Sussex and even if it doesn’t feel like a proper Derby, it is the correct choice for the back to back festive games. It certainly beats Hampton & Richmond last season… and just as well too, they would be a very different prospect with the form Hampton have been in.
We commence with the home leg on Boxing Day –
Match Centre – Link
Match Tickets (home fans only) – Link
We’ve had four games with Boro’ since our NLS return, two in the league and two in the cup. We remain undefeated by them in the league but we share a cup victory each. Every game was close, none more so than Roco’s singlehanded ‘thou shall not pass’ performance back in September…
WFC v Boro NLS (29/08/22) – YouTube
WFC v Boro FAC (01/10/22) – YouTube
Boro v WFC NLS (14/01/23) – None available (probably because we won 0-2).
Boro v WFC FAC (16/09/23) – YouTube
This season has been tough for them. Wholesale changes at the club from the owners to the manager right through to the coaching and playing staff (not to mention the AI programme that picks them all!!) all inevitably take time to bed in. We’re half way through the season now though and they’re still down amongst the dead men of the NLS. Small glimpses of a stable footing have poked through the gloom very occasionally but nevertheless I’m sure they are still grateful for the presence of two genuine basket case clubs this year in the shape of Dover and Havant.
Currently in 21st place after yesterday's narrow home defeat to leaders Yeovil (23 pts/24 games), they trail us by 14 points having played a game more...
NLS Table – Link
They aren't doing much better form wise either, sitting in 20th place with just four points from the last available eighteen. Our 'two steps forwards two steps back' form inevitably sees us mid table in 13th (8/18). Although unbeaten in the last three at home we don't fare much better for home form, in 10th (10/18). Boro are in 19th place for away form with just 4/18 for their last six games on the road. All those points have come on trips to fellow strugglers, a 0-2 victory at Welling and a 1-1 draw at Dover.
NLS Form Table (last 6 H&A) – Link
Squad wise the threatened "clear out" after yesterday's defeat obviously can't happen until the New Year, if it ever happens at all. A relatively clean bill of health exists currently with, off the top of my head, just Jessie and Udoka Chima unavailable recently? How or if he chooses to mix things up remains to be seen but we're back at square one yet again having to bounce back from a disappointing defeat. Its quite telling how short our undefeated runs have been this season. A four game spell (Whitehawk, Truro, Bath [FAC], Crawley [SSCC]) back in Sept/Oct is the best we've managed, two three game spells undefeated were even earlier. And we haven't won back to back games either since that Bath/Crawley pair... that needs to change on Tuesday because this is a highly winnable game.
All festive period games…
Boxing Day
Braintree Town v Chelmsford City
Chippenham Town v Bath City
Dover Athletic v Aveley
Havant & Waterlooville v Farnborough
Slough Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough
St Albans City v Hemel Hempstead Town
Tonbridge Angels v Maidstone United
Torquay United v Truro City
Welling United v Dartford
Weston-super-Mare v Weymouth
Worthing v Eastbourne Borough
Yeovil Town v Taunton Town
Saturday 30th December
Aveley v Dover Athletic
Dartford v Welling United
Truro City v Torquay United
Sunday 31st December
Taunton Town v Yeovil Town
New Years Day
Bath City v Chippenham Town
Chelmsford City v Braintree Town
Eastbourne Borough v Worthing
Farnborough v Havant & Waterlooville
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Slough Town (1pm)
Hemel Hempstead Town v St Albans City
Maidstone United v Tonbridge Angels
Weymouth v Weston-super-Mare
Obviously I can't right now do the green/red 'three point swing thing' beyond the first round of games but for the festive period as a whole we've been sucked right back into the peloton of this hugely tight league... add six points to our tally right now and we could be second, take six points away and we could be 11th!!
Crowd watch wise the numbers we need to be aiming for/beating are as follows. We should surely comfortably beat the 1,037 for the 'this isn't a local Derby' game with Hampton last Boxing Day. The two Boro games last season were 1,662 (August) and 1,426 (October), you'd like to think the average of those (1,544) could be at least matched on a dry bright Boxing Day. So as ever for the bigger games, please get there as early as your hangover and 'food baby' will allow.
Come on you Rebels!
NB - Additional links for the away game...
Match centre - Link
Match Tickets - EBFC Online ticketing
No suggestion of segregation and discounted by £5 if purchased by 31/12.
Ground Guide - Priory Lane