There are five games involving Berkshire teams in Step 6 this weekend, including our first taste of Friday night football in the 2019/20 season.
On Friday night all eyes will be on Lowther Road as Wokingham & Emmbrook make their return to the borough. The Sumas have lived a nomadic existence in recent times, playing home games in 4 different counties since the club, then known as Wokingham Town, left their Finchampstead Road ground in 1999.
The club have been back in Wokingham since then, including playing at Lowther Road as recently as the 2017-18 season, but with the ground needing to be improved in order to host Step 6 football Wokingham were forced to play their home games at Bracknell Town’s Larges Lane last season.
Now with the relevant improvements having been made the club can look forward to playing their home games in Wokingham for the foreseeable future.
The Suma’s are even lucky enough to have a Berkshire derby for their first game back home, with AFC Aldermaston the visitors this evening. The Atom Men have already played two league games this season, recording draws from tough away trips to Thame Rangers and Wallingford Town.
The Suma’s kicked off their campaign with a midweek win over Penn & Tylers Green in the Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup but are yet to play a league match. With both sides targeting promotion at the end of the season and with excitement around the return to the ground, the game should be a fantastic occasion at Lowther Road.
Elsewhere..
On Saturday Woodley United are hosting Abingdon Town. The Kestrels recorded a 4-2 win over league newcomers Langley in the Challenge Cup on Tuesday to get their season up and running. The Abbotts, who are yet to play in 2019/20, are playing their first competitive game under manager Tranell Richardson who will be familiar to many after spells at Reading Town, Reading City and Aldermaston among others.
Last season the two league matches between the sides produced 17 goals so we are hoping for more of the same at Scours Lane this weekend.
In the final game in the Hellenic Division One East with Berkshire interest, Chalvey Sports welcome Wallingford Town to Arbour Park.
The Stabmonks started their season with a narrow defeat in midweek to promotion hopefuls Thame and, as mentioned above, Wally started their campaign with a 1-1 home draw with Aldermaston so both sides are in search of their first win of 2019/20.
Combined Counties League
In the Combined Counties League Eversley & California play their first home match of the season as they welcome Westside to the ESA Ground.
The Boars are looking to kick start their season after an opening day defeat to Walton & Hersham. Westfield were promoted from the Surrey Elite Intermediate League at the end of last season and started life in the Combined Counties in emphatic fashion with a 6-0 win at home to Deportivo Galicia in the opening weekend.
Sandhurst Town are on the road this weekend as they travel to face Kensington and Ealing Borough. Borough started their season with a 3-1 loss at Farnham Town last Saturday, so the Fizzers will be looking to pile on the misery for the home side. Sandhurst are rumoured to have made goal celebration gifs for all their players, so we are hoping we have reason to see them on Saturday.
Combined Counties League Division One
Eversley & California vs Westside
Kensington & Ealing Borough vs Sandhurst Town
Hellenic League Division One East
Wokingham & Emmbrook vs AFC Aldermaston (Friday 7:45pm)
Chalvey Sports vs Wallingford Town
Woodley United vs Abingdon Town
