Royalists’ slim title hopes are ended but promotion was already in the bag
Windsor & Eton's slim title hopes were finally ended on Saturday by Westwood Wanderers' 4-0 win at AFC Winkfield; however, Matty Angell's side have moved into the top three with a narrow win at Finchampstead.
The Royalists needed to beat Finchampstead - which they managed - and then get a favour from Winkfield in Saturday's games, however, Westwood were in no mood to give their rivals a glimmer of hope as they ran out comfortable 4-0 winners.
Windsor & Eton did their job, with Isaiah Chase-Kelly getting the only goal of the game at Finchampstead in first half stoppage time, and Angell's side can rise as high as second if they win both of their remaining games at Holyport Reserves on Saturday and home to Reading City's u23s on Saturday, May 11.
After a frustrating spell of disappointing results and postponed fixtures, Angell's side have found their feet again in recent weeks to record back-toback league wins over Maidenhead Town (5-0) and Finchampstead (1-0). These results have confirmed their promotion to step six as they can no longer finish outside of the top five.
As the only side from the Thames Valley Premier
League to apply for promotion this season, Windsor & Eton had to achieve a top five finish - and meet ground grading requirements - to claim their place at the level above.
Rules for promotion at step 7 are different to that for the rest of the English Football Pyramid. A team applies for promotion rather than going up automatically through winning the title, and only one team per step 7 division can be promoted in any given season.
Angell has said that he is already planning for next season, and he has plenty of experience managing at that level having spent several seasons in the Combined Counties League 1 with Eversley & California. It seems most likely Windsor & Eton will move into this league where they'll join derby rivals Windsor FC, the club who used to hold the lease for Stag Meadow.