Hit for Six! Div6: Chawton Athletic 6 Plough & Horses Res. 0.

Chawton Athletic were back in action this week, after a fortnight gap, taking on Plough & Horses Reserves.  The previous encounter between the two sides finished 5-3 in Athletic's favour, despite the disadvantage of not having a ref!

In the absence of manager Carl Waterfield, selection fell to captain Marc Taylor-Penfold.  Picking Skilton as the no1, behind a defence of Russell, Stevens, D.Nicholson, Taylor-Penfold.  Furey, Harvey, P.Nicholson, Vickers lined-up in midfield with Hodkin and Booth upfront.

After a hefty pitch inspection by referee Mike Gardner, the game got underway at the delayed time of 10.45... one of only six in the league to do so!

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A few minutes in and Athletic had a problem.  Right back James Russell departing play after pulling up with an injury.  Karl Teague coming on in a straight swap.  Not the start the Yellows had in mind.

Some crafty footwork soon followed from Paul Nicholson, and a testing shot by Ben Hodkin
forced a corner.  Nicholson's delivery was spot on and was headed in to the net by Andy Vickers for 1-0.

The Plough strikers were only on few occasions managing to find space behind the home side's back line.  The result was a couple of corners which didn't cause panic to Martin Skilton's goal.

Chawton were playing with confidence, putting together some good passing moves but at times were making it hard for themselves.  Another good run from Paul Nicholson created pace for Martin Booth who fed the ball to Ryan Furey, but the resulting effort was saved by the Plough keeper.

Half time came with the score still at 1-0 and the Binsted Rec side wondering if their profligacy would come back to haunt them.

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Athletic started the opening ten minutes of the second half more alert, playing with more freedom.  The away side were being overcome by the thawing pitch and the Yellows took full advantage.

The ball fell to James Harvey just outside the edge of the box.  He beat the Plough centre back and hitting a good left footed shot past the keeper; it seemed to trickle across the line to make it 2-0 and give Harvey his first goal for the club.

More good play and another goal followed as Booth's cross reached Hodkin.  His initial shot was parried by the Plough no.1 back into his path and he who buried it with his left.

It was soon four, as Hodkin passed the Plough defender and took a shot which was again blocked.  This time it landed at the feet of Furey for a tap in.  It could even have been five soon after but Vickers failed to score in an open net.

The game then took an aggressive turn as substitute Karl Teague's ball winning tackle on Plough's no.7 was seen as anything but fair by some Blues players.  This resulted in the away teams no.20, who didn't really need to be there, seeing red for retaliating and pushing Teague, who was also reprimanded by the ref for his initial challenge.

Hodkin was the provider again, playing the ball through to Booth who rounded the Plough keeper and scored with his right foot to make it 5-0.

Chawton made the last two of their allowed changes late on, with Furey off for Nathan Teague, and Ollie Williams on for Karl Teague, making way as a precaution to keep the 16 year old from being sent off or maimed by the opposition.

The final nail in Plough's coffin was soon hammered in, more good passing between Paul Nicholson and Hodkin on the left side, the ball being threaded through to Booth.  He turned, knocked the ball past the centre back and slotted it in off the far post.

Athletic tightened their defence for the last few minutes, with a shut out in sight.  Skilton kept command of his area with some positive saves while David Nicholson got stuck in, resulting in a telling off from the referee for bringing down the Plough no.10 near the half way line.  He was further reprimanded a couple of tackles on the edge of the box on no.15.

The referee finally blew the full time whistle, with the hosts running out 6-0 winners.

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This record-breaking win represented Chawton's first clean sheet of the season and their biggest ever victory!

Ben Hodkin gave a spirited display which ended with him getting two assists and a goal.  A late two goal salvo from Martin Booth carried on his recent good goalscoring form.  Man of the match, however, went to Paul Nicholson for a great attacking performance and a hand in four of the Chawton goals.

Lindford Match is Off.

Following today's pitch inspection, tomorrow's match at home to Lindford has been called off due to the inevitable frozen pitch.  The groundsman (well, Marc T-P) took one look at it and decided that there was no way the pitch would recover in time!

Hopefully the ground will warm up in time for next weekend's home match, but the forecast is for more freezing weather this coming week.  Updates will be put here as they emerge!

Reportage Has Begun, Ahead of Snowy Weekend.

Chawton Athletic now have further media coverage, with confirmation that match reports are now featuring in a number of local newspapers.

Confirmed so far are the Farnham Herald and the Alton Post Gazette.  The Herald will feature short match reports, but the Post Gazette this week featured the full report from Chawton's defeat at Rushmoor Celtic.  Neither has appeared on the publications' websites as of yet.

Hopefully, if the game goes ahead, the side can give the newspapers something positive to report!  Currently the match against Lindford at the Rec looks doubtful, with the pitch doubtless covered in snow.  But secretary Marc T-P is planning to clear it tomorrow to give it a chance of thawing for Sunday's match.  Much probably also depends on whether Binsted is readily accessible, given that is not a major road!

Sponsorship Actively Being Sought.

After two and a bit seasons with the old yellow kit, the club are looking to replace this as soon as possible.

With no proper alternative kit, either two cheaper kits will be required or one new home kit that isn't yellow (which is a last resort, as we are "the Yellows").  Either way, to ensure the club can afford this, the Chawton board are actively seeking sponsorship for the new shirts.

Also available is website sponsorship for a much smaller fee over one or two seasons.

Any interested parties in either club (shirt) or website sponsorship should contact the Treasurer, Carl Waterfield, by email at sabrewulf7@yahoo.com or by phone on 07793 538 773 for more details!

Div6: Rushmoor Celtic 2 Chawton Athletic 0.

Following back to back wins, Chawton Athletic were brought back down to Earth with a bump at Rushmoor Celtic.

Two changes from the previous week saw the unavailable Vickers replaced by Paul Nicholson in the attacking midfield role and player-manager Waterfield drop to the bench, with Williams replacing him at left back.

On a hideously sloping pitch and playing uphill in the first half, Chawton struggled to get the fluidity of the previous match.  The game as a whole lacked any rhythm.  Chawton were punished by some static defending half way through the first half as the Rushmoor striker ran through to tip it over the Athletic keeper, Martin Skilton.

Some runs from midfield from Paul Nicholson created a chance for the stretching Ben Hodkin up front, who couldn't quite connect with it fully.

Skilton kept the Yellows in the game by pulling off a couple of fantastic diving saves to keep the half time score down to 0-1.

The second half started brighter, with Chawton creating some chances of their own.  Some good running from Paul Nicholson allowed him to get off a couple of shots to force a good Celtic keeper into some decent saves.

Celtic began to turn the screw and only a goal-line clearance from Ollie Williams stopped them from pulling further ahead.  However they did eventually score a second, when Williams was unlucky to lose his footing in the box, bringing down the Celtic winger.  The resulting penalty was well struck.

The game began to get bitty with Skilton tipping further Celtic shots over the bar.

Celtic did have the ball in the Chawton net for the third time late on, but the striker was adjudged to be off-side when the ball was knocked forward at a corner, despite being played by manager Waterfield.

The game ended 0-2 in Celtic's favour with the Yellows letting some winnable points go by.

On a day where most of the Chawton side underperformed, Jake Channon at right back had a good game.  Man of the match, for keeping Athletic in it for such a long time, was Martin Skilton in goal.


A week off this week, followed by three home games in December - weather permitting!  First up on the 5th are ex-Farnham league rivals Lindford.

Div6: Black Horse Reserves 2 Chawton Athletic 5.

Chawton Athletic travelled to Crondall for their fourth away match on the trot to play Black Horse Reserves for the second time this season, the previous clash having finished 2-2 at the Binsted Recreation Ground.

Preparation for the match was hampered as the Yellows had to wait an extra four hours to get this match going, due to being given the wrong kick off time. Also against the away side was the lack of official referee, meaning the Black Horse manager had to take the whistle. The pitch was also a major concern, as the persistent rain and morning's match had ravaged an already poor playing surface.

Chawton were forced to make some changes, with seven players unavailable with injuries or illness leaving just a solitary substitute. Skilton, as usual, lined up in goal with an unfamiliar backline of Carl Waterfield, captain Marc Taylor-Penfold, Matt Stevens and Jake Channon in front of him. The midfield consisted of Luke Ingram, James Harvey, Ben Hodkin and Ryan Furey with Martin Booth and Andy Vickers up top.

When the game finally got underway, Athletic asserted their dominance from the off, playing with fresh confidence which flowed through the team after getting their first win of the season the previous weekend. And it was Chawton who broke the deadlock early on with a good passing move which ended up at the feet of Martin Booth whose good run and fantastic left footed shot across the keeper hit the back of the net to make it 1-0 to the away side.

The hard work was soon undone though by some sloppy play at the back and a slip in the centre of defence on a poor pitch combining to give the Black Horse striker too much time on the ball. The resulting shot was converted, passing the outstretched arm of Skilts to pull the game back level, 1-1.

Chawton started to wake up again, applying a little more pressure on the home team with Booth trying for another goal forcing a corner. Luke Ingram came over to take it, his good left-footed inswinging delivery was expertly headed into the Black Horse goal by stand-in right back Jake Channon for his first ever goal for the Club. Athletic's lead was restored and they were back in control of the match at 2-1.

The game faded a little for the next ten minutes with both sides being bogged down in the midfield, with the pitch making every aspect very hard work. What shots that did get away were matched by both keepers.

However Chawton's endeavour was further rewarded when Carl Waterfield's long ball down the left wing found Booth who held off the Black Horse centre back before hammering it past the approaching 'keeper, making it two goals for him and a commanding 3-1 lead to Chawton - right on the half time whistle.

The home team started the second half better than Chawton, with a few good attacks that didn't really pressure Skilts in goal. The game was getting slightly heated now and the home side's number 4 was at the heart of their frustration. After a slightly late sliding challenge on him by Waterfield led to him poking his fingers into the chest of the Yellows' left back, he went on to put in a few lunging tackles himself. He could count himself lucky to stay on the pitch – an official referee may well have dished some cards.

Despite the adversity setting in, it was Chawton who kept their heads up and continued to make the better chances. A neat pass from the right by Ryan Furey reached Andy Vickers, who beat the Black Horse defence for pace and slotted his right foot shot in at the near post to put Chawton 4-1 up and on course to make a club record of two back to back wins.

Black Horse did manage to get a second after an error by Marc Taylor-Penfold, who couldn't manage to clear an easy ball, which then ended up at the strikers feet. He made the captain's mistake count, and the score was pegged back to 4-2.

At this stage, Athletic were still running the game. James Harvey was working tirelessly in the middle of the pitch with some last ditch tackles which broke up many of the BlackHorse attacks, and he was ably help by Booth who had dropped back into midfield. The two full backs, Waterfield and Channon, kept the attacking wingers quiet while Stevens dealt with majority of the aerial threats.

A spirited performance on the left by Luke Ingram was rewarded when a long range through ball from Taylor-Penfold fell to the left winger's feet and he who buried it, effectively sealing the victory with only fifteen minutes left. Chawton had successfully restored their three goal lead.

The Yellows were pressing for more with Ben Hodkin, Vickers and Booth all coming close but none being able to hit the net.

The last ten minutes was limited to counter attacks for the away side, as Black Horse pushed forward. Black Horse pinged a few shots on the Chawton goal, forcing a corner. The first attempt was a sneaky inswinging effort that Waterfield ensured did not sneak in at the near post. The second was ably cleared.

In the last minute of the game, a good passing move from the Black Horse midfield worked its way through to their number 9 whose good shot passed Skilton, but Taylor-Penfold, trying to atone for his earlier mistake, was on hand to slide across and block the shot on the goal line.

The final whistle soon followed, the match ending in a fully deserved 5-2 victory to Chawton, silencing the crowd on the touchline who had, at times, been giving a bit of verbal to Athetic's linesman and supporters.

A much better game by Chawton, especially considering the late team changes and adverse weather. A lot of this was down to an improvement in communication, particularly between the defence in midfield.

Luke Ingram worked well on the left providing excellent defensive cover, particularly in the second half. Martin Booth's energetic performance was rewarded by two well taken goals. Carl Waterfield and Jake Channon at each full back position kept the Black Horse wingers quiet all day long, the latter's efforts also being rewarded with a goal. But the man of the match goes to James Harvey for a superb effort bossing the central midfield role and helping to protect the Chawton back four with some crucial challenges.

Chawton Athletic are on their travels yet again next Sunday, with a trip to Rushmoor Celtic.

Div6: Plough & Horses Reserves 3 Chawton Athletic 5

Chawton Athletic travelled to Kennels Lane for their away match against Plough & Horses Reserves.

Chawton made a few changes from last weeks undeserved 6-2 loss.  Martin Skilton in goal behind the back line of Ollie Williams, David Nicholson, Marc Taylor-Penfold and Karl Teague. Luke Ingram, Paul Nicholson and Jake Channon were joined by debutant Ryan Furey in midfield. Ben Hodkin and Nathan Teague started upfront.  Subs were Martin Booth, James Harvey, Nathan Ingram and Matt Stevens.

Plough & Horses had failed to get a referee for the match which meant one of the substitutes had the duties.

Chawton applied the pressure straight from the off with Hodkin and Nathan Teague creating chances in the first couple of minutes, forcing corners.  One of these early corner kicks reached the head of David Nicholson... his bullet header whizzed across goal but the Plough keeper managed to get his fingers to it put it out for another corner.

The Plough’s centre back hit the ball hopefully over the Athletic defence, David Nicholson tried to header back to Skilton but his attempt didn’t make it.  The Plough striker had an easy tap in, which he almost wasted as the ball took a deflection off Nicholson’s foot for his second own goal in as many weeks making it 0-1 to the home side.  Skilton also picked up a slight knock to his neck putting the remainder of his game in doubt.

Chawton were making hard work for themselves, but continued to create chances.  Paul Nicholson snuck in a cheeky nutmeg pass through that reached Hodkin on the left flank.  Hodkin fired his cross deep over the Plough back-line for Furey to tap in a debut goal, unchallenged, at the far post for 1-1.

Plough retaliated with further attempts from some pretty dubious free kicks awarded by the stand in referee, one of which Skilton turned onto the crossbar.

A period of better passing from Chawton with the ball ending up with Paul Nicholson who beat the defending midfielder and slotted home from the edge of the box with a left foot shot.  The ball finding it's way through a gap in the defence and to the keepers unguarded left side to put Chawton 2-1 up.

The Yellows kept the ball for the last exchanges of the half, going into the break with the lead.

Plough & Horses changed the referee at half time, with their manager taking over the whistle, adding to the one sided nature of the game's decisions.

Chawton didn’t wake up straight away in the second half and were being put under pressure by the Plough attacks but luckily to no avail for the home side.  Indeed, some good battling of their own on the Chawton left wing by Luke Ingram followed by a good pass to Nathan Teague allowed the Yellows to increase the lead, as Teague held off the defender and scored an excellent chip over the advancing keeper to make it 3-1.

Then controversy: Penalty to Plough!  It was given against youngster Karl Teague, as the "ref" somehow saw a ‘handball’ from the half way line.  Even more controversial was that the Plough striker didn’t even make a claim!  The resulting spot kick was nearly saved by Skilton diving to his left, but the ball hit his hip and went under his body for an unfair 3-2.

Athletic chose to mix the play up a bit with Nathan Teague making way for Nathan Ingram, who slotted into the midfield with Paul Nicholson moving up front.

It was becoming apparent that the Plough & Horses were using the referee's "inexperience" (bias) by to dirty tactics, with many fouls being ‘unseen’.  But it was still Chawton who were on top of the match, with more good play.

Hodkin and Paul Nicholson played a one two which the Plough defender failed to get clear, the ball dropping at the feet of Hodkin who smashed it right footed into the net for his 11th goal of the season and the fourth of the game for the Yellows.

Defender Nicholson picked up a knock and was forced to leave the field of play, with Booth coming on at centre back to play alongside Taylor-Penfold.

The "usual ten minutes" sloppiness the Athletic are trying hard to work out of their game only lasted five this time.  Plough’s pressure forced some fine saves from the Yellows number 1,  who was keeping the score line in Athletics favour.  Eventually Chawton did concede a corner which was deflected into the net at the far post by the Plough winger.  The away side's defence failed to clear the ball, setting up a tense finish at 4-3.

With only five minutes left on the clock Paul Nicholson hammered the final nail into Plough's Horse shoe, with another cracking goal- a right footed lob over the keeper into the far side of the goal.  This restored Chawton’s two goal lead, with James Harvey joining the playto add a little defensive steel to the midfield, Furey coming off after an impressive debut.

The final whistle came with Chawton on the positive end of the 5-3 scoreline.  Chawton might not have played as well as they have done in previous matches this season, but still got the vital win they have deserved all season.

Paul Nicholson finished the match with two goals after a superb attacking display, but man of the match goes to Martin Skilton in goal for some fantastic saves that kept Chawton on course for the win.

The win was long overdue and with Athletic's only previous point coming from next weekend's opponents, Black Horse Reserves, returning Manager, Carl Waterfield, hopes the side can improve further and make it back to back wins for the first time in the Club's two and a bit year history!

Div6: Castle City 6 Chawton Athletic 2.

The Jeckyll and Hyde personality of Chawton Athletic continued when a poor second half against Castle City once again undermined the hard work put in beforehand.

A uncharacteristically slow start from Chawton in very wet conditions was not punished by the home side.  It didn't take long for the Yellows to get into their stride, as they started pinging the ball about on the exceptionally flat pitch.

The ball was skidding off the surface when allowed to bounce, but the away side seemed to control it better.  They forced a few corners early on which came to nothing, while Castle City were being limited to skying long shots over the bar.

Some slick passing between Luke Ingram, Paul Nicholson and Andy Vickers down the left resulted in an opening for Ben Hodkin, whose shot went wide.  Nicholson went close soon after with a thirty yard effort whizzing past the post.

Chawton failed to heed the warning when Castle broke forward, and after a corner was cleared by brothers Nicholson, the hosts did take an undeserved lead midway through the half.  The ball was worked into the box, where there were too many defenders in the way to clear the ball.  The ball was eventually smashed home, off Dave Nicholson, for 0-1.

Athletic set about righting the wrong and some more slick passing set Nathan Ingram up, his shot deflected narrowly wide.  The corner came to nothing... a theme that would continue.

A missed tackle from Karl Teague and another from Dave Nicholson put Chawton under some pressure, but Marc Taylor-Penfold was able to clear for a corner.    For his next clearance, Taylor-Penfold used the scorpion kick, to much adulation from the watching substitutes!

Taylor-Penfold then turned provider, when his excellent long ball found Hodkin on the right.  His cross was knocked back by Vickers to Luke Ingram.  His shot was knocked out for another corner.

More great work down the left, this time from Olly Williams and the brothers Ingram.  Luke's cross is just out of the reach of Ben.  Chances were starting to come Chawton's way, but none could be taken.  Another through ball from Paul Nicholson resulted in the ball striking the hand of a City defender, but it was deemed ball to hand.

When City did get the ball into the Athletic box, panic was beginning to set in.  A lack of communication between Dave Nicholson and Skilts in goal almost set up another chance, but Taylor-Penfold was on hand to clear the ball.

The left wing was proving a valuable outlet for Chawton, and another triangle of passes and runs from Luke Ingram, Paul Nicholson and Vickers saw the ball again in the Castle penalty area.  James Harvey, who had been working solidly all game, eventually put the ball wide.  He did have a very strong call for a penalty after bringing hauled down, but the referee was way behind play on the halfway line and didn't see it.

By this time the profligacy in front of goal was beginning to take it's toll on new manager Carlos Waterfield's voice...

Skilts made up for the earlier mis-communication by collecting the next ball into the away side's box.  Skilts set Williams away down the left and he continued all the way to the by line, but the City defender worked well to knock the ball out for a throw.

The score remained 0-1 at half time.

It could have been worse straight from the kick off.  A ball was not cleared or closed down and it was hit from just outside the area, rattling the crossbar and issuing a clear warning that City aimed to end the frustration that had set into their game.

This did kick start the Yellows and they duly scored not long after.  Luke Ingram, working down the right, beat two men and let fly a vicious shot.  The City keeper parried it but couldn't recover in time to stop top scorer Hodkin from turning it in the equalise with three second half minutes on the clock.

But after another ten minutes the game had been turned on it's head.  Another high ball into the Chawton box isn't dealt with and after a little pinball it's smashed past a helpless Skilts.

Not long later, City take complete control of the match by scoring twice in quick succession with two copycats goals hit from just outside the area.  Neither shot was closed down, with the City player using the wet surface and skimming both shots into the bottom corner.  The ball was there to be won in the box, but nobody took charge.

Chawton almost hit back immediately, but Vickers' through ball over the City midfield was dinked over the advancing keeper and the bar by Hodkin.  In fairness, he wasn't favourite to win the ball, as it was quickly closed down by two City defenders, but Hodkin was just a little quicker.

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Despite giving the ball away cheaply in the second half on occasion, Chawton were still creating half chances.  At the third time of asking from a James Russell throw-in(!) a free kick was won.  Despite the initial header being won by Athletic, the keeper managed to get hold of the loose ball, taking a hit to the face in the process.

Moments later, Paul Nicholson breakdances in the middle of the pitch.  Whilst tackling the opposition.

Pat Cross, on as a sub for Harvey, set about running at the opposition's left back.  His first run of significance sets Hodkin free, but his drilled cross is missed by everybody.  Cross was being afforded plenty of space down the Athletic right, despite the opposition being warned that he was the Chawton George Best.  After a quick one-two with Hodkin up front he got a shot off, which was saved by the keeper.

Hodkin himself was still looking for the net, and his thirty yard shot whistled past the far post.  Time was running out for the away side.  Shortly after, he again latched onto a Paul Nicholson through ball but his shot was just about saved by the keeper.

Then, out of nothing, the ball is at Hodkin's feet with the keeper way out of position.  He looked up after the entire Chawton team shouted at him to shoot, and calmly slotted it home.  The Castle defence had only conceded four goals in their first six games keeping four clean sheets so scoring two goals was better than most opposition sides had done.

Unfortunately it was City who ended the game on a high, with a tired looking Chawton side conceding two late goals.  The first was again a ball that wasn't cleared, although it appeared that Williams at left back was fouled in the build up.

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The final nail in the coffin was hammered in before the end.  A poor second half again leaving the scoreline looking incredibly flattering for the opposition, the match ending 2-6 on Waterfield's debut as Manager.

Even the exceptional first half couldn't mask the the areas requiring improvement.  The profligacy in front of goal, particularly in the first half when so many chances were created continues to limit Chawton's scoring to two a game.  Ben Hodkin again had another good game, but the burden needs to be spread a little.

The defence started strongly, but in the end six more goals were conceded and a lot of them were needless.  A lack of closing down, a lack of of tracking back from the midfield and a poor touch in the area was the side's undoing in the second half, despite the first half warnings.

That said, the attacking play was quick and incisive.  There was plenty of nice passing down the left, with Williams and Luke Ingram linking up well and bring in Vickers and Hodkin.

Man of the match though was Paul Nicholson who once again ran his arse off.  He constantly tracked back to win the ball and put through some fine forward passes.


In his absence next week (for personal reasons), Waterfield hopes to hear of a significant improvement particularly in the second half performance.  The matches in November are all away from home, so more time can be had preparing for the game.  Half time must also be utilised to it's full potential to stop the second half rot... Plough and Horses Reserves have also struggled this season, so it would be nice to get the result our generally good performances deserve!

Committees Shakes Up Management.

The Club has changed the way the playing side is run, as assistant and Treasurer Carlos Waterfield is promoted to Team Manager.  Marc Taylor-Penfold will Club Captain.

The decision has been made as Marc wishes to concentrate on on-pitch events.  Carlos has struggled to make in-roads into the first team and has increasingly been helping from the sidelines, thus it is an obvious situation.

Carlos' first official match in charge is this weekend's trip to Castle City.  The meeting time is 1PM, as the game is an afternoon kick off, with the Hop Poles Car Park (known as Mount Pleasant Car Park) as the venue.  Chawton's opponents have only conceded four goals in six games, so the team will have to take any chances that come their way.

Training is still being sorted by Marc, with Sunday's venue one possible place to train!

Div6 Cup 1st Rd: West Liss 4 Chawton Athletic 2.

Chawton Athletic travelled to Liss to take on West Liss for the second time in two weeks, with a place in the Division 6 Cup second round up for grabs.

A succession of injuries and unavailabilities robbed Chawton of a flurry of central defenders, so Skilts started at the back, with Martin Booth standing in for him in goal, after impressing in training.

Athletic once again got off to a good start, a real flyer in fact, and they duly took the lead inside five minutes.  A corner was was won and Nathan Ingram swung it in for Ben Hodkin to nod home.  With his shoulder!

And so the pressure continued to be exerted by the away side, with West Liss once again limited to counter attacking on the break.  However whenever they came forward, the back line with Skilts at it's heart, stopped them having any decent chances.

Liss did manage to force a couple of corners, but they were both well dealt with.  The second of them was cleared to Andy Vickers who had stayed on side.  One on one with the keeper, he chose to shot near post and the keeper saw it wide.

A rare attack by the home team saw the ball pinged about the Chawton box.  When the ball fell to a West Liss player on the penalty spot, he skewed his shot wide under pressure from right back, Karl Teague.

After twenty or so minutes, Liss began to get themselves in the game and started to look more threatening in attack.  Another shot went past Booth's post, although he had it covered.  The glovesman was quick off his line to claim the ball from West Liss' long balls forward.

A run from Nathan Ingram brought Chawton a free kick.  But the kick was overworked and the ball was cleared.  A run down the left soon after by Vickers produced another shot.  But it was well saved and the rebound narrowly evaded the other forwards following up.

A good run from the Liss right winger and shot was horribly deflected by Marc Taylor-Penfold towards goal.  But Booth produced a magnificent reaction save to turn it over the bar.  From the corner, there was a big shout for handball in the box, but the ref deemed it accidental.

Another five minute spell of attacking from the Yellows saw them win a corner.  The inswung corner was headed just wide by the defender, but it could so easily have been an own goal.  Moments later, a superb cross field ball from Paul Nicholson almost found Vickers, but it was inches too long.

Another long ball sets Nathan Ingram clean through on goal, as the nineteen other outfield players stood static.  But the Liss keeper was quickly out and Ingram could only hit the ball against the onrushing keeper's legs.

With the last kick of the first half, Liss completely fluked an equaliser.  The right winger was not closed down quick enough and was allowed to put a cross into the box.  However it was mis-hit and looped over Booth in goal, who could do nothing about it.  The score at half time was 1-1.

Liss started the better in the second half and took the lead, as a shot from the left squirmed past Booth in goal who got his left hand to it.

Hodkin then conjured up a long range equaliser that he dinked over the Liss keeper.

But the home side took control of the match and the last action for Booth in goal before he was forced off with injury, was to pick the ball out of his net once again.  A cross from the left was punched out by the Chawton stand-in keeper, but the ball wasn't dealt with.  A shot was pinged in but the striker deflected it away from Booth into the corner.  In truth, it probably should have been cleared.

Skilts moved back into his usual position in goal, with Pat Cross again taking up a berth in the centre of defence alongside Taylor-Penfold, who was having a good game.

Liss made the scoreline take a thoroughly undeserved look, not for the first time this season, when Paul Nicholson lost the ball in the box and the striker picked his spot to leave Skilts with no chance.

A further substitution was required as Carl Waterfield came on to cover an injury.  Unfortunately the game fizzled out into a succession of half chances for both sides, with another corner or two the best Chawton could force, along with a free kick in a promising position that was skied.

The match ended 2-4 in West Liss' favour, thus ending any cup interest for the Yellows this season.

Marc Taylor-Penfold got the man of the match honours this week with a commanding performance at the centre of defence.  There was also some fine play by Karl Teague at right back, who continues to grow in confidence and put in some good strong tackles.  Of course another two goals from leading striker Ben Hodkin helped massively too!


Next week's game is a trip to Long Sutton to visit Castle City, who have conceded only four goals in six games so far.

Div6: Chawton Athletic 1 West Liss 4

Chawton Athletic welcomed ex-Farnham League rivals, West Liss (formerly Bluebell) to the Recreation Ground but allowed the visitors to take all three points away with them.


Athletic got off to a good start, setting about controlling the game.  West Liss were being limited to long shots and it was the home side that looked like they would take the lead.

James Russell, who's chundering
 was a particular highlight!

Indeed it was Chawton that took first blood.  From midfield, Paul Nicholson took the ball and went on a mazy run down the right.  He smashed a shot from fully twenty five yards which pinged over the away side's keeper and into the top left corner.  It was a lead that Chawton fully deserved.

The Liss side did manage a few shots on target, but Skilts in goal was equal to them.  They nearly equalised when the Liss left winger broke free and pinged a dangerous ball across the box.  Skilts knocked the ball out to their striker, but he found his shot cleared off the line by an excellent block from Matt "Wonka" Stevens.

The away side did equalise mid way through the first half, when a pass into the centre of the box allowed the striker to pick his spot, despite Skilts best efforts at getting a hand to it.

Luke Ingram takes on West Liss' defence.

Athletic tried to force their way into the lead again, with Paul Nicholson dinking a lovely pass forward from Ben Hodkin to run onto, but Hodkin's shot was saved well by the Liss keeper.

West Liss took an undeserved 1-2 lead into half time, when they scored again five minutes before the break.  Completely against the run of play, they broke forward and the ring winger crossed for a completely unmarked man at the far post to tap home an easy second.

They were unlucky not to have gone 1-3 up too, when the referee deemed a heavy challenge in the box not to be a foul.  They did win the corner, but the home side's defence cleared.  The score remained 1-2 at half time.

James Harvey feels the burn!

The second half, against the wind, Chawton lost their way a little with West Liss adding two more goals.  The half was more even, but Liss looked dangerous going forward against a makeshift defensive line-up which had seen winger Pat Cross come on at centre back!

Chawton did have the ball in the net though, but it was correctly ruled offside, as Nathan Teague had allowed himself to get ahead of Hodkin's cross pass needlessly.

Ultimately it did not matter and the match ended 1-4.

A good first half performance was undone by two pieces of poor play allowing Liss to smash and grab their goals.  The wind with the away side evened the game up in the second, but a slightly lacklustre performance up front meant the ball kept coming back at the Athletic defence.

Paul Nicholson, man of the match.

James Harvey performed well in a defensive centre midfield role, giving the team some balance that had been missing and Luke Ingram on either wing put the effort in and never stopped running.  Man of the match though went to Paul Nicholson, with another superb effort in the middle of the park going forward.  Hopefully his effort will be rewarded with a win when these two sides meet this Sunday in the cup match!


Meet at Mark and Spencers' carpark at 09:25 on Sunday.  Fines are in operation!

Fines...

They are now in force.

Fines will be dished out for:

Lateness to matches - £2  (this is usually 09:30 for home matches)
Refusal to run the line or help with nets etc. when asked by Manager or Assistant Manager - £2
Not turning up on match day, despite confirming you would - £5 (i.e. match fee is payable anyway)

All monies raised from fines will not be going into the Club coffers though.  They will be kept separate and used for team bonding etc... which means drinks at the end of the season or whatever else we decide as a team to do!

Div6: New Inn 6 Chawton Athletic 2

A first trip of the season to Cove was in the offing on Sunday, as Chawton Athletic attempted to be only the second side this season to take points off high fliers New Inn.

Manager Taylor-Penfold decided to change the formation slightly to counteract New Inn's free scoring football, with a 4-3-2-1 look about the side.  In front of Skilts was a back line of Williams - D Nicholson - Stevens - Channon.  In front of the back line were the midfield trio of Taylor-Penfold with P Nicholson and L Ingram either side of him.  Behind the lone striker Hodkin were N Ingram and Booth.

A New Inn Player is watched all the way.

In took a few moments for Athletic to get in there stride and a few balls went loose.  The New Inn striker found himself free in the box in the first five minutes, but Skilts in goal was able to turn it over.  But for all the misplaced passes at the back, Chawton did look dangerous on the attack.

The game became more end to end but it was still New Inn posing the harder questions.  Skilts again having to be on his toes, making another save.

It took just over ten minutes for the home side to open the scoring.  A clearance found the New Inn winger on the right.  His outrageous lob left the defence and keeper with no chance as it dipped just under the bar, 0-1 to the Inn.

Hodkin gets a cross in.

New Inn were putting their foot in, and on one occasion from midfield they hit a ferocious shot against the right hand post with the keeper beaten.  From the rebound Chawton broke forward.  The ball found Nathan Ingram, but his shot flew high and wide.

At times Chawton rode their luck at the back.  A poor clearance again allowed the New Inn striker a shot on goal, but an alert Skilts was quickly down low at his near post to thwart his effort.  Unfortunately, the relief was short lived.  From the resulting corner, Skilts knocked the ball into his own net and New Inn found themselves 2-0 up.

Paul Nicholson tackles.

New Inn  should have had a third shortly after, but the striker put the ball against the far post when played through, the ball rebounding to a grateful Skilts.

The shots were coming one way, despite the possession Chawton was having at times, and from the previous kick, the ball once again found it's way back into the box and Skilts was once again on hand to claim it.

With challenges getting meaty, a free kick in the centre circle was flicked on by the advancing New Inn midfielder, but the ball went harmlessly over the bar.  From the goal kick however, a surging  run from N Ingram forces the Yellows' first corner of the match.  At the second attempt, the ball found it's way to the edge of the box but Marc Taylor-Penfold couldn't keep his shot down.

Skilts with a goal kick.

Athletic were in the ascendency by this point and another break forwards allowed Martin Booth (probably) to get a shot off.  It seemed to take a deflection, but the ref deemed it a goal kick.

Seconds later, Booth barged his way through the New Inn defence and this time managed to make the keeper save down low.  The pressure was building as Athletic really looked like they were going to find a way back into the match.  Another good through ball, this time from Taylor-Penfold, finds Ben Hodkin but the New Inn defender recovered with a good tackle just as he was shaping to shoot.

Wonka up for a header.

A run down the right hand side from Jake Channon forced the defender to foul him.  Nathan Ingram couldn't keep the free kick down though from twenty five yards out.  There was a suggestion of some shirt lifting in the box, but the referee did not see it... Moments later a run from Paul Nicholson was halted illegally and from the free kick another corner was won which comes to nothing.

Luke Ingram clears the danger.

A rare break forward from the home side sees an unchallenged cross headed against the bar.  The first rebound is well saved by Skilts and the second is put wide under pressure.  And completely against the run of play, some slack defending gifts New Inn a third before half time.

Chawton had a chance to pull one back before half time though.  Luke Ingram's thirty yard dipping shot was acrobatically saved by the home keeper.  But it was from this corner that Athletic did find a way back into the game.  The ball pinged around the box and Luke Ingram was brought down.  The task fell to designated penalty taker, Hodkin, to send the keeper the wrong way for 1-3.  This remained until half time.

Hodkin slots home the penalty.

A good start to the second half saw Booth through on goal, but he pulled his shot wide of the post.  At the other end, a long shot is saved by Skilts and from the resulting corner New Inn have the ball in the net, only to see it ruled out for a foul.

Channon is for the tackle.

Paul Nicholson had the bit between his teeth and several runs forward brought shots on goal, but none could find the net.  The game becoming more end to end again, and a poor ball by Olly Williams saw a New Inn shot go narrowly over the bar, with Skilts covering.

Taylor-Penfold runs.

First blood in the second half went to New Inn after ten minutes of the second half, with a drilled shot from the centre of the box making it 1-4.  This gave them the initiative once more, as they pulled the defenders out of position, but the Athletic defence managed to recover, time and again and then Paul Nicholson puts in the challenge when the defence are beaten.

New inn then made it 1-5, as the ball is pinballed around the box.  The final shot took a wicked deflection to leave Skilts with no chance at all.

Substitute Nathan Teague set about using his pace to put the New Inn defence under pressure.  One of his runs resulted in him being pulled back on the edge of the box and a free kick awarded.  Luke Ingram stepped up to hit it low into the bottom right corner for 2-5.  A goal Chawton easily deserved.

Luke Ingram pulls a goal back from a free kick.

A sumptuously dinked ball into the box finds Ingram but he was muscled out of the shot.  At the other end, Karl Teague shepherded the ball out for a goal kick after coming on.

Paul Nicholson's silky skills.

The game's scoreline took a further negative twist, as a corner was not marked up well enough.  The on-running midfielder free to pick his spot, although he was lucky to get it through the man on the post.

Chances continued to come the way of both sides way though, with Hodkin scuffing a shot at the keeper.  Skilts stopped the result taking a further unfair touch with a superb double saved after Paul Nicholson had lost the ball on the edge of the box.

Substitute Nathan Teague.

He almost redeemed himself straight away with the last shot of the game, but his thirty yard effort went over the bar.  The game ended 2-6.


Although the scoreline flattered the home side, as confirmed by their manager, it was the silly mistakes that again cost Chawton.  These will be eradicated with time on the pitch and further gelling of the new team.  The overall view was still a positive one, with highlights being our attacking play.  Paul Nicholson's running was a delight, as was his unflinching tackles.  Man of the match, however, went to the impressive 16-year-old Jake Channon at right back.  He was strong in the tackle, looked good when moving forward and again showed he is a force to be reckoned with in the air.


Next up, ex-Farnham League rivals West Liss at home in the league-cup double header first leg!  Meet at the ground no later than 09:30 on Sunday.  Fines are now in operation!!

Div6: Chawton Athletic 2 Imperial 2010 Reserves 4

Chawton Athletic threw away points against a pretty average Imperial 2010 Reserves side at home, who stupidly turned up in an equally yellow kit and refused to change shirts despite the home side providing them.

Typical of this season's play, the Yellows got off to a good start.  They passed the ball around, despite the wet pitch and blowing wind.  Nathan Teague up front was unlucky to latch on to a number a through balls in the first twenty minutes and the midfield did well in driving the team forward.

But Athletic were undone halfway through the half, when Imperial scored out of nothing to open the scoring.

This stirred Chawton in to life.  The equaliser came as a poor kick from the keeper went straight to  Ben Hodkin who returned the ball with interest... into the net.

But alas, the hard work in drawing back level was soon undone, when sloppy play at the back allowed Imperial to re-take the lead.

That was not the last action of the first half, as Nathan Ingram fed Hodkin, who made no mistake in front of goal.   The score remained at 2-2 until half time.

The team set about grabbing all three points were soon found themselves 2-4 down with twenty to play.  Injury and niggles had, by this point, meant Marc Taylor-Penfold and David Nicholson had been replaced at the back.

Gaps had started appearing in the middle of the park as Chawton attempted to get themselves back into the match.  Pressure was applied to the Imperial goal, but the away side's keeper had stepped up his game.  The home side were not being handed any favours from the referee either, who was consistently giving decisions Imperial's way whilst failing to get a grip on the increasingly aggressive tackles on show.

At the back, Chawton were remaining resolute.  Further forward, they had forced a number of corners.  One of these found it's way out to Carl Waterfield on the D, but his half volleyed shot was deflected over the bar by an approaching defender.

Time inevitably ran out and Imperial took all three points back with them, as Athletic went down 2-4.

Too many "switch-offs" meant Chawton paid a price their effort did not deserve against the twelve men of Imperial 2010 Reserves.  A highlight was the heading of Jake Channon, looking increasingly good in the air.  Man of the match honours though when to Paul Nicholson for a combative display in midfield.


Next up are league leaders New Inn, on their patch.  Meeting point is Anstey Park at 09:10 on Sunday morning.

As an aside, fines will be brought in for lateness, not showing up at all (when previously available - without good reason) and refusal to run the line when asked!  More details of these on Match Day 4...!

New Website with Improved Stats!

A new website for the club has been made, which contains more detail than the blog easily allows.

The website is http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/chawtonathletic.

The new website will have all the players info and statistics, including biographies, appearances, goals.  The site will be updated more often with the league table and fixtures.  All club news and match reports will be on the new site, which includes match ratings.

This blog site will continue, but will only have information duplicated from the new website.  First point of call should be the new site, particularly where fixtures etc. are concerned.  Tables, Fixtures and Stats will no longer appear on here... instead, there will be links directly to the new site.


The club also has a new badge, seen on the top right of this blog.  It's better than the original one!

Div6: Chawton Athletic 2 Black Horse Reserves 2.

Chawton Athletic changed the side round a little after last weeks 3-5 defeat to Rushmoor Celtic in Aldershot and District Sunday Football League Division 6.

Martin Skilton remained in goal, Karl Teague, Marc Taylor-Penfold and Matt "Wonka" Stevens and debutant David Nicholson in defence.  Paul Nicholson, captain Martin Booth, Nathan Ingram and Andy Vickers across the midfield.  Ben Hodkin and Nathan Teague in attack.

Substitutes were Olly Williams, Jake Channon and Si Horner, back in the squad for his first game of the 2010/11 season.

A very impressive start by Chawton as they attacked from the off with some good passing all over the pitch which kept Black Horse on their toes for the opening exchanges.

The first fifteen minutes of pressure was rewarded when Ingram won a free kick twenty yards from goal which he himself took the responsibility of taking.  A well struck shot to the right of the Black Horse goal was only parried by the keeper into the path of Hodkin, who tapped in over the goalies legs to make it 1-0 to Chawton.

Paul Nicholson's fancy footwork on the left wing and the aerial ability of Booth and Ingram in the middle eventually led to Chawton leading 2-0, when a treaded pass got to the feet of Hodkin, who hit the back of the net with a well struck left footed shot that was just out of reach of the Black Horse keeper's full stretched arm.

The Yellows were playing with real class now, hardly giving the opposition any chances on the ball.  On the rare occasions Black Horse managed to build an attack, they were quickly quelled by the strong and tight backline and Skilton in goal.

Chawton nearly went three up when Ingram picked up the ball in the final third, moved round two opposition defenders, before hitting an excellent shot across goal which rattled the far post.

That ended the half, with Chawton leading 2-0 at half time.

The Black Horse manager clearly gave his team a proper grilling at half time, as the away team came out a different team; more confident as quickly established themselves in the opening ten minutes of the second half.  But Chawton were up for it too and held strong.

Then, as has happened in the previous two matches, Athletic suffered from poor play.  The home side seemed to switch off... Black Horse bombarded the home team with long throws and some skilful attack and won a corner.  The delivery in was poor by Black Horse's Michael Mason, but it still found the back of the net when it should have been cleared by Karl Teague on the front post, perhaps showing some inexperience.  This left Skilton with no chance as the ball hit his hand and into the goal, 2-1.

Nathan Teague picked up a slight knock which made way for substitute Si Horner to come on for his first appearance of the season, with Booth moving in the vacated position upfront and Horner slipping into his usual place in central midfield.

Chawton were under pressure now from the away team but with some last ditch tackles from Taylor-Penfold and Stevens in the heart of defence saving them on occasion.  One tackle gave Black Horse another corner, with a better delivery this time from the their winger, but it was another very slackly defended set piece as the Chawton defence allowed the opposition space by not tracking their runs and gifted Black Horse's Mark Buddery an easy tap-in to make it 2-2.

Another substitute, a straight swap at left back as Olly Williams came on in place of Karl Teague, who had a very good game up to his error.  It seemed to have rocked the 16-year-old's confidence and started the Black Horse come back.

Chawton fought hard to get the lead back with Hodkin, Vickers and even defender Stevens going close but to no avail.  In the last ten minutes player/manager Taylor-Penfold was lucky to remain on the pitch after electing  to give Black Horse's Alix Kirk a loving kick, as he was on his way to goal but luckily the referee kept his cards in his pocket on this occasion.  It was a sign that there was clear frustration creeping in to the whole team at losing their hard earned lead.

The manager made his final substitution, moving Booth again - this time to right back - for the departing Nicholson, who was feeling the effects of the game (plus the birthday boy's massive drinking session on Friday night) with five minutes remaining.  Jake Channon took to the field upfront to use his pace in search of a much deserved winning goal.  But, alas, it did not come.

The match ended 2-2.

Man of the Match was Ben Hodkin, with a tireless display by the striker, bagging two goals in the process. 

Chawton can take a lot of positives out of this, such as some great passing moves throughout the game and very committed performances from all.  The club just needs to work on that spell of lack of concentration before we take on Imperial 2010 Reserves next Sunday.

Div6: Chawton Athletic 3 Rushmoor Celtic 5.

Chawton Athletic battled bravely against more experienced opposition in Rushmoor Celtic and the elements, but ultimately fell a little short in their first ever match in the Aldershot and District Sunday Football League last Sunday.

Chawton lined up with debutants Karl Teague and Olly Williams either side of Matt "Wonka" Stevens and Marc Taylor-Penfold in a defence, with Martin Skilton in goal.  The midfield four were Pat Cross, Martin Booth, Nathan Ingram and Ben Hodkin and the front two were Nathan Teague and Paul Nicholson.

Nathan Teague showed early on that he had some pace on the visitors defence, and it proved a thorn in their side.  Early half-chances were created, but the final ball not quite finding it's target.  Rushmoor had some attacking play of their own too, forcing a couple of corners that Skilton in goal did well to deal with, knocking one shot over the bar.

Celtic came closest to opening the scoring in the first twenty minutes, when a shot from their right wing hit the Chawton post and rebounded away.  Up the other end, Teague was using his pace again to caused more problems and forced a corner, before chasing up the loose ball which was eventually cleared.

Celtic forged another chance, which probably should have been buried, but the striker could only knock the ball tamely at Skilton.

Wonka would play no further part in the game, as he was replaced by another debutant, Jake Channon.  Booth dropped back into defence, Nicholson back into midfield with Channon joining Teague up front in what is by far the youngest strike partnership the club has ever had!

The Athletic keeper was called into action once more, parrying a shot.  The rebound was chipped from a tight angle onto the far post though, following some poor reactions.

In the 26th minute, the visitors took the lead.  The ball into the box was not dealt with and it was headed in from close range.

Rushmoor's Chris Boast
 who scored a hattrick.

The Yellows went straight up the other end and Booth was unlucky to see his well hit shot blocked by the Celtic defence.  A decent spell of pressure, but no goals, ended when Athletic let in two quick goals before the break...

Another ball into the box, this time from a corner, saw an unmarked header give Skilts no chance in goal.  This was closely followed by the third goal, a run through the middle and the half time whistle.

At 0-3 down, the game had not quite gone away from the home side, especially with the wind in the second half.

Chawton went about dominating the second half, limiting the amount of balls pumped into the box.  Karl Teague moved across the left back and he and Channon, moved to the left wing at half time, combined well up the left hand side.

Athletic got back into the game, when a shot was parried and Nathan Teague was quickest to respond, tucking the ball away for a goal on his debut.

Cross, who had been working hard down the right wing was replaced by Andy Vickers fifteen minutes into the second half, and this change brought about Athletic's second goal.  From outside the area, Vickers unleashed a shot that the keeper could only watch as it hit the back of the net to make it 2-3 - another debut goal.

Chawton continued to dominate the game, thanks in part to the partnership of Ingram and Nicholson in midfield.  Ingram was winning tackles and showing true commitment, while Nicholson's quick feet created chances.

Alas, Celtic pulled further ahead against the run of play to make it 2-4.

The Yellows weren't beaten yet, however.  Hodkin, on his competitive debut (having played the friendly) scored his first goal for the club after some good footwork opened up some space.  His well placed finish into the bottom right corner evading the keeper's despairing dive.

There were still five minutes left on the clock... plenty of time for an equaliser.  But it was Rushmoor who finished the game off.  A rare occasion in the second half when the defence couldn't get the ball cleared was punished with a bullet of a shot from around the penalty spot.  Skilton barely saw it and Karl Teague almost got a touch on it on the line.

The ref blew up shortly after, ending an enthralling first match in this new league at 3-5.

The match chucked up plenty of positives, as well as a few negatives.  The battling, talking and commitment was there for everyone to see.  Athletic dominated the game for long periods and, at times, showed a cutting edge.  Some work is needed at set pieces, but this will improve.

Stand out performances came from Martin Booth in midfield and in defence and Karl Teague, particularly in the second half, when he put in some good challenges.  Vickers' cameo from the bench was rewarded with a goal, as was Nathan Teague tireless running up front.  Hodkin's Mum will be pleased he got on the scoresheet too (blogmaster was told to mention her at some point - don't take it out on him at training).

But man of the match for a full-on all-action performance went to Nathan Ingram in midfield.


Stats are up.  Table is updated.  And training is at the usual Anstey Park spot at 7pm tomorrow (Thursday).

Chawton Debutants Ready for Celtic Challenge!

Chawton Athletic's new-look line-up is ready to take on Rushmoor Celtic in their first ever game in the Aldershot and District Sunday Football League.

The club submitted eighteen forms, which are now cleared for this Sunday's big kick off.  The new team has no less than ten players that could make their debuts in the match and has seen good turn-outs in the recent training sessions as the whole squad pushes hard for that elusive starting berth.

The Binsted based side are keen to take the positives from their friendly defeat at rivals West Liss two weeks ago and turn it into a winning start.  Their opponents lost their opening game of the season, but recorded a first win on Sunday and will be keen to keep up momentum.  But Athletic, in their third season, are more than capable of taking three points at the weekend and turning their home pitch into a fortress.


Meeting spot is 09:15 at Anstey Park, Alton to leave at 09:30.  If players are going stright to the ground, be there no later than 09:45.  Maps and directions (pretty easy from Alton - through Holybourne!) are on the Club Info page.

Website Updates!

The Chawton Athletic Football Club blog has expanded... it's now a full-on website.

Blogmaster Wulfy has been hard at work adding extra pages to ensure everything Chawton is in one place!  The breakdown of the extra pages are as follows:

CLUB INFO contains details of our pitch and team colours, as well as who runs the club and how to contact them!
FIXTURES AND RESULTS, obviously, contains all Chawton's upcoming matches and well as all prior results, including scorers of Athletic's goals.
TABLE simply has the league table, updated as often as possible - depending on how often the League's website is.  This can be time consuming, so please be patient with this feature!
SQUAD STATS AND INFO will have details of players, positions, appearances, goals and man of the match awards.
SPONSORS will have details of the Club's sponsors, as and when they appear.  Although the main Club sponsors will have a prominent spot on the main page!
OTHER LINKS contains other links of interest.  These currently include the league's site, various football associations and any other sites that may be of interest, including the blogmaster's personal site (shameless plug!).

Match Reports, as last Sunday's friendly one was, will continue to be included on the main blog, which is now headed NEWS.  This will also have photos and any other club news that arises!

Also, a new logo is in the offing.  A draft version has been created by Marc, and is in post-production to tidy it up.  It is hoped that it can be used for any club clothing in the future, including the hoodies the Club currently has.

Finally, anybody that wants blog updates automatically, email me at sabrewulf7@yahoo.com and I'll add you to the list.  It can only have a certain amount... first come first served!

FRND: West Liss 5 Chawton Athletic 0.

Sunday saw Chawton Athletic travel to Liss to take on West Liss (formerly The Bluebell) in a hastily arranged friendly.

Due to injuries, unavailabilities and late drop outs, the ten men of Chawton lined up against Liss with help from one of their substitutes in a 4-4-2 formation.  Skilts took the gloves in goal, behind a back line of Waterfield, Stevens, Nicholson and Taylor-Penfold. Furey, Hodkin and Ingram started in midfield with Booth and Turnbull up front.

The first half started solidly.  Some resolute defending and some safe hands saw off any Liss threat in the first half and hour.  But the good start was undermined by a crazy fifteen minute spell before half time which saw Athletic ship five goals.

The first goal saw a wet ball skid through the keeper's gloves.  The next two goals were certainly dubious, Chawton's reward for playing a high line.  The fourth was a good finish from the Liss forward, shot with the outside of his boot to the bottom right corner.  The fifth, again, was another goal that had a hint of offside about it.

The second half came and a chance to start from scratch, being just a friendly.  Chawton forced a few corners, which amounted to nothing but were containing Liss well.  Liss did eventually get the ball in the net again but it was ruled out for offside!  Chawton were hanging on in the end as Turnbull went off after picking up an injury, with Waterfield also struggling after jarring his neck in the first half.

The game ended 0-5, with plenty to build on before the first league game of the season on the 19th.  Man of the match honours went to Martin Booth.

AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Signing On and Training.

Chawton Athletic's first game of the season is on Sunday 19th September.  As there is no game this weekend, there is training at 10:00 at Anstey Park, Alton (the usual spot).


It is imperative that all players attend attend, as signing on forms MUST BE DONE by next week.  Thus, please bring two passport-sized photos and the £25.00 signing on fee if you have not done so already.


This final pre-season training is also the last chance for all new players to meet the rest of the squad before the first match on the 19th - and vice versa!


Fixtures will be up on a separate page soon!  A match report for the friendly on Sunday is also imminent...!

Chawton to Play in Aldershot League.

Chawton Athletic have been accepted into the Aldershot and District Sunday Football League and have been placed in the newly formed Division 6.

Due to the influx of teams from the defunct Farnham League, the ADSFL have created the new division for most of the new teams.  The League has been very helpful in accommodating Athletic at what is pretty short notice.  That said, the Club must now act fast to ensure we have enough players signed on before the first match.

Although the fixtures are not yet known, the expected first match is on Sunday 12th September.  Signing on is more complicated than the FDSL, as each player must also provide two passport-sized photos.  With this in mind, it would be very helpful if everybody could come along to training this Thursday (7pm at the Anstey Playing Fields) with the aforementioned photos.  Carlos will be bringing his camera if the weather is dry, with a view to getting the required pictures of those without.

Again, training on Thursday is extremely important - otherwise players will have to visit either Marc or Carlos this week to sign on in time, which isn't ideal (but in some cases, unavoidable).  Please contact either of them if you cannot make it!

Chawton Athletic to be Re-Born!

Chawton Athletic Football Club enter a new dawn today, as the Club is brought back from the brink of closure following the sad collapse of the Farnham and District Sunday League.  The new Management Committee would like to thank Matt I and George van Petrie for all their hard work to date, as both have stepped down from the running of the Club.  It is hoped that all they have done so far will not have been in vain.

Current players, Marc Taylor-Penfold and Carl Waterfield, will be taking over where Matt and George have so excellently left off.  The Club is aiming to enter the Aldershot and District Sunday League and plans to do so are hurriedly being put into place.  Details as and when they happen will be on here soon!

Marc is the new Club Secretary and Carl is the Club Treasurer and plans are afoot to appoint a new Club Chairman.  Again, details of that will follow when appropriate.

Training will continue for the foreseeable future at Anstey Playing Fields on Thursdays, starting at 19:00.  Every player, whether new or current are encouraged to attend!

Indeed, it would be advantageous to attend this Thursday, the 26th August, so the new management can update all players with the most recent goings-on!!

Matt I had already put into motion plans to make the Club more official, and joining the Aldershot League means this would be even more important.  With this in mind, the following will hopefully be put into place:

1) The Club should actively seek either further backing from existing sponsors, or obtain an additional sponsor or sponsors.

2) The formation of a Management Committee to oversee decisions that affect the club and to spread the burden.  This will be a minimum of the three main members, and a possible maximum of five people - therefore players will be encouraged to join the Committee to have a say in how the Club will be run, going forward.

3) The creation of a rota of tasks that are required to be carried out on match days.  In the past it is often the same people who help out.  Hopefully all players can help in whichever way they can and make this club a team!

4) The introduction of visible and fair fines system, details to be decided by the Management Committee.  All monies raised will go towards the running of the Club - allowing it run more smoothly and maybe have some trophies come the season-end.

5) The drawing up of a Chawton Athletic Club Rules, as the Club is expected to have a set.  In this will also be details of the fines system, as well as the usual signing on and match fees.  These fees are not expected to change from those already mentioned:  £25 signing on, £5 match fee with £3 for subs on/off.

6) The designing of a Club Badge!  This is currently in its draft stage...

Finally, I am looking into the possibility of having a more detailed website.  It is now possible to add separate pages to the blog, such as Squad Members etc - although it is hoped more detailed playing stats can be recorded too, so your friendly Blogmaster will continue to look into it!