OUR LATEST RESULT(S)
Updated on 8th March 2010
A.F.C. CHESHUNT.....1  EDMONTON ROVERS.......0
(First Match of 'Double-Header' played on 7th March)
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EDMONTON ROVERS......0  A.F.C. CHESHUNT.......1
(Second Match of 'Double-Header' played on 7th March)
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 FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
...INCLUDING THE SQUADS FOR EACH MATCH
Updated on 8th March 2010

                      MANAGER'S COLUMN - TREVOR HUGHES WRITES ! (via e-mail !)        Updated on 8th March 2010

The severe weather which has caused so many postponements meant that our remaining fixtures will feature several double headers.  The first of these was against AFC Cheshunt who we had not played before.  Goalkeeper Simon Jackson had flu, captain Stuart Dorward had family commitments and midfielder Danny Hagan was suspended but we were still able to name a strong squad.  Daniel Daley dropped out on the morning of the game due to illness so Steve Cokell was given another opportunity up front.  Our opponents started the game at a very high pace which did not give us the time on the ball that suits our passing game.  Fortunately we were very solid in defence with the experience of Paul Woolston, Terry Moore and Alan Barnard and we were very competitive in central midfield with our ex London Ajax players Rob Brown, Terry Brown and Danny Smith making several crunching tackles.  However, we were very poor going forward and hardly gave any service to our front two.  The game was something of a stalemate and a 0-0 draw looked inevitable until an overhit cross was misjudged by Darryl Johnson in goal allowing a Cheshunt forward to head in from beyond the far post with 15 minutes left.  We had one real chance to equalise when Alan Barnard’s header from a corner was saved but we were very disappointed with outr overall performance as the first game finished 1-0.
Martin Loveday replaced Wooly in defence for the second game and Kris Spyrou and Vernon ‘Kizza’ Nxumalo came into the starting XI to give us fresh legs.  The pace of our opponents had slowed down and we felt we were the better side in the first half although we still created very few chances and it remained 0-0 at half time.  Cheshunt improved in the second half and Darryl was forced to make several fine saves to keep us in the game.  Rob Brown had our best chance shortly before the end but his backheel from Kizza’s cross fell easily for the keeper.  Kris Spyrou was suffering with cramp and came off with 3 minutes to go leaving us with 10 men but a 0-0 draw looked likely so we did not change our formation.  Typically, the ball fell to the player who Kris would have been marking in the last minute and the shot deflected off Terry Moore to give Darryl no chance and we lost 1-0 again.
The honest assessment was that we probably deserved to lose both matches because of our poor offensive performance but we felt a bit unlucky not to pick up at least one point as both games were lost to a scrappy goal

                                MONDAY NIGHT TRAINING SESSIONS          Updated on 22nd February 2010

Unfortunately, following discussions between players at our recent match against East Herts, it has now become clear that Monday Night Training sessions (or indeed training sessions on any other night of the week) are simply not going to happen.
The main reason for this is because Enfield Council have now informed us that we can only hire the floodlit area outside the Barrass Stadium between 6.30 & 8.00.p.m. (instead of until 8.30.p.m.) on Monday evenings, so with numerous players not being able to get there from work until 7.30.p.m., there is no point in them only having a 30-minute session. In addition to that, a number of other players admitted that they would not attend on Monday nights because they either do other sports or they would be 'too stiff' from playing on both Saturdays and Sundays every weekend. With that being the case, there is no real point in looking for an alternative venue for training on a Monday night where we may be able to train from 7.30.p.m. until 9.00.p.m. (It would be too expensive anyway, especially if only 6 or 7 players were prepared to turn up every week).
A number of players can make training on either a Tuesday, Wednesday or a Thursday night, but then there are just as many who cannot attend on one or more of those three nights. We also have several players who cannot attend training on any night because of work & family commitments or because they live too far away. Not that we can book anywhere for training on a Tuesday, Wednesday or a Thursday night anyway. Most floodlit pitches are now used for 5-a-side Leagues on those nights and have been fully booked by established clubs & organisations for years.
At the moment, we will not be entering a team in the Summer 7-a-side League either, because those of our players who organised it last Summer now have too many work & family commitments. This means we will not be able to look at any new players until Pre-Season Training and/or Friendlies on Sunday mornings in August. Basically, we will just be carrying on as we are now for the rest of this season and throughout next season where we just rely on players to go down the gym, play 5-a-side with work teams or go running and swimming on the day(s) it suits them in an effort to get fit of their own accord.
It is clear that the only way we are ever going to be able to have midweek training sessions again is if something like 80-90% of our club members are unmarried younger players in the 18-25 age bracket with no kids and no responsible jobs in the City, etc. where they have to work ridiculously long hours. They would also need to be playing Sunday football only and not have midweek training sessions for Saturday clubs and also not be supporters of Champions League clubs. At the moment, we are not prepared to 'get rid' of all our over-25's as we would rather be loyal to them and let them play for as long as they want to, even if that means we have no chance of winning a trophy and continue to finish in mid-table every season.
These problems with a lack of training can continue to be discussed here on the Forum.

   DRILL TOPS   

We are currently looking for a company to sponsor a new set of warm-up tops for us, something which is being discussed here on the Forum. Here is an example of the type of thing we are looking for. We are likely to need something like 20 fleece-lined warm-up tops, and including the printing of logos, etc. we would estimate the total cost to be something in the region of about £700.00. However, players will be given the option to buy their own tops (with their initials on) for about £35.00 each, thereby re-imbursing the sponsor. If any companies are interested, please contact Laurence Hughes. Your sponsorship will be very visible on the back or front of these drill tops when our match highlights are shown on You Tube.

                                       YOU TUBE HIGHLIGHTS           Updated on 22nd February 2010

                                          PLAYER MILESTONES           Updated on 22nd February 2010

Our Club Captain Stuart Dorward is getting very close now to breaking two All-Time Club Appearance records, these being for First Team Appearances where he is currently on 349 and needs 3 more to equal Demitrius Nurse's record for that, then for All-Time Club Appearances (including Reserve Team), he is currently on 352 and only needs another 2 to equal Demi's record for that.
Unfortunately, Stuart is missing matches on the 28th February, the 7th March & the 14th March because of work & family commitments, so that doesn't give him much time to break those records this season, but hopefully he will do it at some stage.
Click Here to see all our Club Records.

   LONDON F.A. SUNDAY INTERMEDIATE CUP   

We are now out of this competition following our 4-2 defeat to Yavruvatan in the Third Round.
Yavruvatan's progress can be followed by clicking here for the full draw on the London F.A. website.

  WALTHAM SUNDAY LEAGUE CUP DRAWS   

We are now out of both the Purdy Challenge Cup (for all teams in the League) and the League Senior Cup already, losing at the first hurdle to Spenny Rangers and Cheshunt Corinthians respectively.
CLICK HERE for the full Purdy Challenge Cup draw (and results) on the Waltham League website.
CLICK HERE for the full League Senior Cup draw (and results) on the Waltham League website.