REVIEW OF 2023: ASCOT UNITED MAKE HISTORY AT WEMBLEY, WOODLEY UNITED LADIES CAPTURE TITLE
BRACKNELL TOWN had a superb first-half to their year, despite their Southern League Premier South campaign ending in heartbreak.
The Robins racked up an exceptional 90 points with 29 wins from 42 matches in the league, but finished just three points off league champions Weston-super-Mare.
That meant that they had to go into the play-offs to win promotion, but suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final to Truro City, conceding in stoppage time to lose 3-2.
This season’s campaign has been trickier for Jamie McClurg and Carl Withers’ side and they currently sit 10th in the table on 29 points from 20 matches.
ASCOT UNITED made it a year to remember with a historical FA Vase trophy win at Wembley Stadium in May.
On their big day out at the home of English football, the Yellas made club history as Kai Walters struck an 80th minute winner which saw them beat defending champions Newport Pagnell Town.
That capped a spectacular season for Jamie Tompkins’ team who wrapped up the Combined Counties Premier North title in April as they amassed 102 points with 33 wins from 38 games.
Having won promotion to the Isthmian South Central, the Yellas are currently in 13th spot with 19 points from 17 games.
It has been a year of two halves for BINFIELD. They performed strongly at the back end of the 2022/23 campaign in the Isthmian South Central and ended in sixth position, one place off the play-off places.
It has been a turbulent 2023/24 campaign so far with the team sitting bottom of the table with just four points to their name after 17 games.
The Moles will be hoping for a more positive 2024 and are currently undergoing a search to appoint a new manager after previous boss Garry Haylock left the club on December 18.
WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK finished the 2022/23 season in 17th place on 34 points and are currently two places higher than that in the current campaign heading into the new year.
The Sumas have picked up 15 points from 17 matches under manager Matt Cronan.
READING CITY capped off a stunning season in 2022/23 and despite falling just short of pushing for the title, they earned a third placed finish with 76 points.
This season has been more challenging so far for Simon Johnson’s side who are in 12th on 21 points heading into the winter break.
In the Combined Counties Division One, WOODLEY UNITED are in 15th spot with 24 points from 16 games and EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA are just outside the play-off places on 35 points in seventh.
YATELEY UNITED and BERKS COUNTY are both pushing towards the top of the table.
Having been promoted from the Thames Valley Premier League last season, Yateley are flying high this campaign and are in second place having picked up 42 points from 21 matches.
The Swords follow closely behind on 41 points and have two games in hand.
ASCOT UNITED LADIES finished as runners-up last season in the Southern Region Womens’ Premier Division and are looking to go one better this season.
The Yellas currently lead the title charge and are top of the table with eight wins from 10 matches. They have a five point buffer over closest challengers Bournemouth Sports, who have two games in hand.
WOODLEY UNITED had an excellent year with their highlight of the year coming with them capturing the Southern Region Women’s Division One North title.
The Kestrels stormed to their title win by winning 12 of their 14 league matches.
Having gone up a division,
Woodley have made a strong start to life in the Premier Division by winning four of their eight games which puts them in fourth.
In Thames Valley Division One, last season’s title was taken by ASCOT UNITED RESERVES, who pipped TILEHURST PANTHERS by just one point.
Tilehurst have their sights set on going for top spot this campaign and go into the break with a perfect record having won all eight of their league games.
They are currently in second spot, just three points off Slough Town in first and with two games in hand.
ASHRIDGE PARK are in sixth with five wins from eight games, while WARGRAVE have five wins to their name from 12 games in seventh.
EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA WOMEN RESERVES took the title in the 2022/23 Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S after winning 17 of their 20 matches.
YATLEY UNITED LADIES currently lead the division with eight wins from 11 matches, while FINCHAMPSTEAD LADIES are hot on their heels having won eight of their nine matches and have two games in hand.
WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK LADIES returned to action at the start of the current campaign as they reformed after a few seasons away.
With a new team which features several players playing competitively for the first time, the Sumas have adapted quickly and made an excellent start to life in the Thames Valley Women’s Development Division.
The Sumas have won seven of their 13 matches which puts them in third on 23 points.
BERKS COUNTY WOMEN have their sights set on trying to challenge for top spot.
They have won 10 of their 13 games which puts them in second, nine points off top with a game in hand.