Tuesday 28 July 2015

They'll Be On Their Hands and Knees...

A hint of drizzle in the air as half-time hot dogs are served at HAH's most successful club, Team Solent.
They'll be on their hands and knees, begging me to come back next season once they know that I'm their lucky charm...

The final part of HAH's summer stats series sees the top ten revealed. The top ten most successful clubs in the history of this blog. The undefeated heroes, the goals against columns with the most zeroes. It's the same deal as the previous three posts - a table of stats followed by individual results. Two points awarded for a win (although this rule didn't affect the top or bottom of the table at all).

The stadium of dreams / nightmares (delete as applicable...)
Firstly, the table:





P
W
D
L
F
A
GD
Pts
Pts/Game
10.
Moneyfields
4
3
1
0
7
4
+3
7
1.75
9.
Eversley & California
1
1
0
0
2
1
+1
2
2.00
8.
Fleetlands
1
1
0
0
4
3
+1
2
2.00
6=.
Andover Town
1
1
0
0
2
0
+2
2
2.00
6=.
Southampton
1
1
0
0
2
0
+2
2
2.00
5.
Folland Sports
1
1
0
0
3
1
+2
2
2.00
4.
Winchester City
1
1
0
0
3
0
+3
2
2.00
3.
AFC Totton
3
3
0
0
5
1
+4
6
2.00
2.
Eastleigh
3
3
0
0
8
4
+4
6
2.00
1.
Team Solent
2
2
0
0
9
4
+5
4
2.00


The referee signals for an indirect free-kick at Eversley (& California).
And now for the individual records:

10. MONEYFIELDS
Sep 2011 v Gosport Borough (h) 2-1
Aug 2013 v Romsey Town (a) 1-0
Nov 2013 v Odd Down (Bath) (a) 3-2
Dec 2013 v Bitton (h) 1-1 (abandoned during extra-time due to players fighting)

9. EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA
Mar 2013 v Banstead Athletic (h) 2-1

8. FLEETLANDS
Oct 2014 v Overton United (h) 4-3

You may have noticed from the table that six of the top ten have only played one game with HAH in attendance, so that their overall positions could arguably be distorted, but then, who's to say that they wouldn't win again if I reported on them a second time? I have every intention of seeing most of these "single-game-so-far" clubs this coming season (if the fixtures work out in their favour). Perhaps Eversley & California will top the charts if I do these stats again next summer?

The Moneyfields game against Bitton saw the blog's highest number of single day visits when I reported on it in 2013 (around 300 views compared to the usual 50 or so for the first day of an average match report). Oh, and by the by, Fleetlands are the top Portsmouth area club...

Andover Town's box-like stand at the Portway.
6=. ANDOVER TOWN
Mar 2014 v New Milton Town (h) 2-0

6=. SOUTHAMPTON
Feb 2012 v Burnley (h) 2-0

5. FOLLAND SPORTS
Jan 2012 v Hayling United (h) 3-1

One match each for these three, and all at home, but they could only beat what was put in front of them, as the cliché goes. Andover Town are the top mid-county side, with the other clubs in the top six all coming from the Southampton area. Please don't gloat, Sotonians...

Like all true ultra groups, AFC Totton have their own version of the Union Jack.
4. WINCHESTER CITY
Aug 2012 v Alton Town (h) 3-0

3. AFC TOTTON
Jan 2011 v Sholing (h) 2-1
Apr 2011 v Gosport Borough (a) 1-0
Jan 2015 v Wimborne Town (a) 2-0

AFC Totton are the first of three sides with 100% records after more than one featured match on HAH. All the more impressive when you notice that two of their three victories were away from home. I intend to file a report from their new ground this season, but the fixtures will have to fall right at some point over next nine months for that to happen (see also: Hythe & Dibden).

Shivering in the November rain outside Eastleigh's Executive Suite last season.
2. EASTLEIGH
Jan 2011 v Havant & Waterlooville (h) 4-2
Apr 2014 v Basingstoke Town (h) 2-1
Nov 2014 v Lincoln City (h) 2-1

1. TEAM SOLENT
Nov 2011 v AFC Portchester (a) 5-4
Jan 2013 v Whitchurch United (h) 4-0

The team representing the students of Solent University in Southampton are HAH's most successful side! Not only that, but they play within walking distance of my house! Two wins, nine goals...If only the sun had shone at any point during their two featured matches! I recall heavy, gloomy, grey skies with a hint of drizzle both times. Never mind! Well done to them. Newly promoted to the Wessex League Premier Division this season, let's see if they can hold on to pole position this time next year...

The setting sun glows on a factory behind Moneyfields' ground in Portsmouth.
Okay, that's enough stats for one summer! I'll be back with my first match report of 2015/16 in mid-August. The current plan is to visit a North Berkshire League ground in Oxfordshire to watch an FA Cup tie between an Hellenic League side and a Hampshire-based club from the Combined Counties League. It will all make sense, I promise!

Thursday 2 July 2015

There or Thereabouts

Sholing celebrate in front of their Ultras after beating Wisbech Town in the Vase in 2014.
It's time for Part Three of HAH's Summer Stats Spectacular! The last two posts have featured the Hampshire clubs that could have done a little bit better when HAH has been present. This latest post spotlights twelve clubs that have either won more often than they've lost when on HAH, or have mid-table records with positive goal differences in my special league table. They're there or thereabouts, but not quite in the top ten.

Okay, okay, it's just an excuse to publish more pictures whilst waiting for the new season to start, but what the hey!

Hartley Wintney attempt to waste a few precious seconds towards the end of their FA Cup draw with Clevedon Town.
Here's the latest table, running from number 22 (of 46) through to number 11. As previously, two points awarded for a win:





P
W
D
L
F
A
GD
Pts
Pts/Game
22.
AFC Portchester
2
1
0
1
6
5
+1
2
1.00
21.
Havant & Ville
5
2
1
2
11
10
+1
5
1.00
20.
Alton Town
4
2
0
2
8
6
+2
4
1.00
19.
Basingstoke Town
2
1
0
1
5
2
+3
2
1.00
18.
Tadley-Calleva
3
1
1
1
8
5
+3
3
1.00
17.
Alresford Town
2
1
0
1
6
2
+4
2
1.00
16.
Hartley Wintney
4
2
1
1
4
6
-2
5
1.25
15.
Andover New Street
3
2
0
1
7
6
+1
4
1.33
14.
Fareham Town
2
1
1
0
4
3
+1
3
1.50
13.
Ringwood Town
2
1
1
0
4
0
+4
3
1.50
12.
Petersfield Town
4
2
2
0
8
3
+5
6
1.50
11.
Sholing
6
4
1
1
12
7
+5
9
1.50


Havant & Waterlooville's seated stand, as reflected in a Foster's lager advert.
And here are the clubs' individual records:

22. AFC PORTCHESTER
Aug 2011 v Cove (a) 2-0
Nov 2011 v Team Solent (h) 4-5

21. HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE
Jan 2011 v Eastleigh (a) 2-4
Oct 2011 v Farnborough (h) 5-0
Apr 2012 v Staines Town (h) 3-2
Feb 2013 v Farnborough (a) 1-1
Nov 2014 v Preston North End (h) 0-3

20. ALTON TOWN
Jan 2012 v Blackfield & Langley (a) 2-0
Aug 2012 v Winchester City (a) 0-3
Mar 2013 v Hayling United (h) 4-0
Aug 2014 v Horsham YMCA (a) 2-3

Portchy featured in the highest scoring game I've covered on HAH, yet I haven't written about them since. Maybe next season after a four year gap? I regularly watch the Hawks when I'm not writing HAH. I've featured them in every calendar year so far, except 2015 (see also, Hythe & Dibden, but nobody else).

Tadley-Calleva's stand.
19. BASINGSTOKE TOWN
Oct 2011 v Hartley Wintney (h) 4-0
Apr 2014 v Eastleigh (a) 1-2

18. TADLEY-CALLEVA
Feb 2011 v Andover New Street (a) 3-4
Mar 2012 v Ringwood Town 0-0
Apr 2013 v United Services Portsmouth (a) 5-1

17. ALRESFORD TOWN
Feb 2013 v Fawley (h) 5-0
Dec 2014 v Phoenix Sports (h) 1-2

I declared at the end of 2010/11 that Tadley-Calleva's match at Andover New Street was the most exciting I'd seen all season. I don't recall seeing a more thrilling contest since. Conversely, their 0-0 draw at home to Ringwood was mind-numbingly tedious. You never know what you're going to get with Tadders!

Fareham Town on the attack at Downton in February 2014.
16. HARTLEY WINTNEY
Sep 2011 v Bashley (h) 1-0
Oct 2011 v Basingstoke Town (a) 0-4
Sep 2013 v Bracknell Town (a) 2-1
Oct 2013 v Clevedon Town (h) 1-1

15. ANDOVER NEW STREET
Feb 2011 v Tadley-Calleva (h) 4-3
Nov 2013 v Fleet Spurs (h) 2-1
Jan 2015 v Laverstock & Ford (a) 1-2

14. FAREHAM TOWN
Jan 2011 v Romsey Town (h) 1-1
Feb 2014 v Downton (a) 3-2

Considering how low down the league Andover New Street usually finish, it's remarkable that I'd never seen them lose until their trip to Lavvy in January. Oh, and I must return to Fareham Town this coming season - Cams Alders is a fine ground and I really didn't do it justice the first time around.

Petersfield Town's subs warming up during their promotion-winning game against Lymington Town in April.
13. RINGWOOD TOWN
Mar 2012 v Tadley-Calleva (a) 0-0
Nov 2012 v Hythe & Dibden (h) 4-0

12. PETERSFIELD TOWN
Mar 2011 v Stockbridge (a) 1-1
Apr 2013 v Stockbridge (h) 4-0
Mar 2015 v Hamworthy United (a) 2-2
Apr 2015 v Lymington Town (h) 1-0

11. SHOLING
Jan 2011 v AFC Totton (a) 1-2
Dec 2012 v Tiverton Town (h) 2-2
Jan 2014 v Hullbridge Sports (h) 3-1
Mar 2014 v Wisbech Town (h) 1-0
Apr 2014 v Eastbourne United Association (a) 4-2
May 2014 v West Auckland Town (Wembley) 1-0

Ringwood Town are the only side I've covered more than once that have yet to concede a goal. Petersfield Town are one of eight clubs that I've featured four times or more, and I'll be very tempted to cover them again this coming season in the Southern League. There is nobody that I've featured more often than Sholing, primarily because of their run to the Vase final in 2014 when I was concentrating on that competition. Hang on a minute...did I say Andover New Street v Tadley-Calleva was the best match I'd written about thus far? Scratch that! Sholing's semi-final victory at Eastbourne was a belter!

The sun sets over Ringwood Town.
Top Ten next! To be fair to some of the teams featured this time out, the top ten includes six clubs that I've only featured once, so the likes of Petersfield and Sholing can feel they're morally up there with the best.

As an aside, I created a Pinterest board with some of my non-league pictures on it, if anybody's interested. You can find the link on the right-hand side of the screen if you're reading this on a PC or tablet. Not sure why I did it, as my e-mail inbox has been mega-spammed by Mr Pinterest pretty much every day since I created the board. Oh, well...