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The Football Association have now confirmed the clubs that will be playing in the Ryman Football League in season 2009/10. The FA have said that in releasing the allocations, there could still be change, as there remain issues with a couple of clubs, not in the Ryman League, to be resolved. We say goodbye to Kingstonian, Cray Wanderers and Crowborough and welcome Horsham YMCA, Ramsgate and Chatham Town
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Pre-Season friendly games ...........
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Burgess Hill Town FC is pleased to announce the signing of the following players. Last season's Player of the Season: Danny Gainsford Previous Player of the Season: Lloyd Cotton Signed on dual forms late last season : Leo Day Signed on dual forms late last season: Toby Phillips ex-Albion and ex-Hillian winger : Lloyd Skinner 1st Team Young Player of the Year: John Lansdale Reserve Team Player of the Year: Nivaldo Preira (from Senegal) More signing will be announced through the week. |
Burgess Hill Town FC is delighted to announce the addition to its staff of a new Club Coach ...
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Gary Croydon today announced the latest batch of players re-signing and a surprise new signing - Danny Curd from Mile Oak FC. Danny was last season's leading goalscorer in Sussex, scoring 38 league goals and 1 for the Sussex Representative side Pictured below are Danny Curd and two players to welcome back from last season Matt Piper and Gavin Geddes, who have both signed new deals.
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A couple of changes to pre-season friendlies ... On 4th August we now play Wealdon FC at home instead of Whitehawk as they are involved in a Cup game. Additional fixture: Tuesday 11th August, home v Lindfield FC There is a full list of pre-season fixtures on the front page. |
Dave Bradbury and Sharon Collins have taken over running the Social Club and Bar. See the new opening times below and come and welcome them on their OPENING DAY THIS SATURDAY - from 10am onwards.
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Click the picture to find out what Lloyd & Leo find funny (the clue is - it's what the losers have to do)
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Burgess Hill Town FC 0 - 1 Whitstable Town FC Disappointed? One set-piece early goal against and plenty of untaken or cleared chances equals no points on the opening day. Long way to go ........ stick with it.
Report from Kentishfootball.co.uk We
rode our luck, admits heroic Fewell
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C
Chatham Town FC 3 - 2 Burgess Hill Town FC
A
goal with the last kick of the game at Chatham on Tuesday sent Burgess
Hill to their second defeat in three days.
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Chipstead FC 1 - 2 Burgess Hill Town FC
On a sunny afternoon in Surrey on a pitch that looked lush and soft, and was even protected from the warm-ups, another engaging Hillians battle took place. The pitch did in fact hold up perfectly and this time out the Hillians were more vocal and urgent from the off. Chances came from the start with Lloyd Cotton, Steve Harper and Danny Curd all going at goal. Tom Edmonds returned from Germany and settled straight back in. Good pressure continued from the away side, and the Hillians did seem more energized this time out and created more chances for themselves. Not that it was all one way, Hill Keeper Joe Adams needed to drop sharply a few times to deny Chipstead. Things nearly opened up when Lloyd Cotton headed powerfully just past the keeper's left post from Harper's corner. Then on 28 minutes it was a foul on Steve Harper which led to the same player sending the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot to put Hill 0-1 up. Chances continued ... Cotton volleyed over from the edge of the box ... Harper had a great chance which was very well saved ... a characteristic driving run from Cotton who got past defenders and shot across the goal for Lloyd Skinner to slide the ball home from the shortest of distances .... 0-2. There was still time for Skinner - on the edge of the box - to shoot powerfully, his shot brilliantly tipped over by the keeper flying to his left. Skinner headed the resultant corner powerfully just past the post. In the 2nd half Chipstead came
more into the game, from a corner Nathan Campbell (on at 1/2 time)
hit the post with the ball rebounding to Scott Simpson who put it
away for 1-2. With the opposition now more into the game Simpson
has another shot just wide of Adam's goal. Matt Piper recovered
from being 'cartwheeled' while mid-air to continue his good work.
On 56 minutes Danny Curd glances a header backwards and just wide
from a Will Berry long throw. Shortly after that Lloyd Skinner is
played though on goal but his shot - although powerful - was easily
blocked by the keeper. Chipstead search for an equalizer, and catch
Hill asleep as ball is put across the box but the Chips no.8 shoots
nearer the corner flag than the goal when it could have been easier
to score. The last 2 minutes bringing only two incidents of note: a booking for the industrious Captain Leo Day and the appearance of Peter Martin on for Danny Curd. Adams, Piper, Berry, Edmonds, Hurley, Lansdale, Skinner, Cotton, Day, Curd, Harper ... Martin/Geddes/Barnard/Gainsford/Phillips |
Burgess Hill Town FC 0 - 2 Walton & Hersham FC
No point in grizzling ... from The Mid Sussex Times Injuries
to skipper Leo Day and Steve Harper added to Hillians' misery after
their third Ryman League loss in the first four matches. |
Burgess Hill Town FC 2 - 3 Chipstead FC (FA Cup Preliminary Round)
HILL FISH FOR EQUALISER AGAINST THE CHIPS Burgess Hill at home in the Cup to a side they despatched 1-2 away from home only a week ago, saw their fortunes reversed. Hill dominated the early stages and took a deserved lead, however Chipstead eponymously chipped away at the Hillians resolve and scored a deserved equaliser. Barely moments into the 2nd half the Chips worked a good move down the left hand side and stunned Hill with a well taken equaliser. Hill responded well and a magnificent move down the left involving Max Barnard who put the ball across saw the ever improving Danny Curd slot a superb equaliser from 12 yards for his second of the game. All looked set for grandstand finish but Hill were caught napping from a rare Chipstead foray forward to slot past the helpless Adams. Late
inspired substitutions by Gary Croydon of Skinner for a tiring but
worthy Lansdale, and the ever energetic and dangerous Martin for
Geddes injected some pace and urgency for the last ten minutes as
Hill threw evwerything forward, but the Chips held firm to go on
to meet Dartford in the next round.
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Burgess Hill Town FC 0 - 1 Folkestone Invicta FC
92nd MINUTE GOAL SINKS A MUCH IMPROVED BURGESS HILL Folkestone came out playing neat quick football but found the Hillians to be resolute in defence. Burgess Hill played Gainsford, Edmonds and Hurley as three centre backs, but Folkestone were stretching the home side down the flanks. However the best chance of the first 15 minutes fell to the Hillians as Gainsford headed a Lansdale corner over the bar. The stalemate was nearly broken on 40 minutes as the Hillians pressed: a long Folkestone clearance split the home defence but the Folkestone no.10 Jon Driscoll hooked the ball over the bar. Minutes later Martin shot from the edge of the box but his shot was collected easily by the away keeper. The second half had a similar pattern to the first, but with Burgess Hill coming more into the game and enjoying more territory. It was Folkestone who fashioned the first chance of note on 50 minutes when no.8 Michael Yianni fired wide of the post. Shortly afer Lloyd Cotton shot over the bar. On 57 minutes a good move by Folkestone who put some neat passes together only to shoot wide of Adams left post. Peter Martin was substituted by Toby Phillips on 60 minutes. Folkestone now defending for the longest period so far conceded a corner from which Gainsford hooked the ball over from 18 yards. With Folkestone lacking firepower up front and sometimes having the better of the midfield the game still continued to see action all over the pitch. In the high temperature and on a hard and bouncy picth both sides looked to profit from mistakes. On 83 minutes Folkestone released down the left and drew a good save from Adams. After a good move and run down the left, ex-Hillian Darren Smith brought a great save out of Adams, but the parried shot fell to Yianni who forced the ball into the net on about 90+2 (of the +3 minutes) played !!! A desolate Hill warmed down and trudged off ...... and were generously applauded for an improved and committed display. Hillians: Adams; Piper, Berry, Edmonds, Gainsford, Hurley, Lansdale, Cotton, Curd, Martin, Skinner, Phillips, Abbott, Carr, Greer |
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Ramsgate FC 1 - 3 Burgess Hill Town FC It was a bit of a shock when Ramsgate, keeping the ball and playing it around on a beautifully flat seaside pitch took the lead as their centre forward latched on to a channel ball and slipped the ball under the advancing Adams. A minute later Ramsgate almost doubled their lead with a glancing header from a corner and then Adams had to save low down to his left. But then Hill got the slice of luck their persistence deserved as the ball ran out for a goal kick but Max Barnard, returning from illness, played on pulling the ball back to Gainsford who slotted the ball home from thee yards. Hill took full advantage and pressed forward against the rather poor and out of sorts Ramsgate defence. A deep corner from Steve Harper on 28 minutes was headed back across the goal by Tom Edmonds and ably dispatched by Danny Gainsford for his second of the game. Hill then settled but were rarely threatened as the heart went out of Ramsgate. The teams changed ends and Ramsgate, with the wind at their backs, had the better of the opening exchanges but without seriously threatening the Hill goal. Then, Ramsgate once again showed their frailty at the back as they failed to deal with a long throw from Will Berry which eventually fell to the grateful and fortunate Curd who placed the ball wide of the keeper with the simplest of finishes. Ramsgate then pressed and for a while Hill's goal looked vulnerable and Manager Gary Croydon switched Max Barnard for John Lanadale on 65 minutes to give more solidity to the defence. Hill were defending stoutly and on 67 minutes Joe Adams pulled off a good save low to his right and then tidied up well from the resulting corner. On 75 minutes Curd had the chance to seal the game when put through by another defensive lapse but he hit the post when 1 on 1 with the keeper. Ramsgate continued to have the majority of the pressure but once again Hill fashioned the best chances as Skinner hooked the ball wide from 5 yards, Curd shot straight at the keeper and Harper's injury time effort was deflected wide. There was no last minute comeback from Ramsgate who pressed to the end as Hill easily held firm and pocketed their second away Saturday win of the season. |
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Burgess Hill Town FC 3 - 2 Fleet Town FC
It's been a long time, and although ours was the only league game played today : The Hillians are in the top half of the table! Fleet had the better of the first 10 minutes and a fine move down the left saw a good header fly just over the bar. This remained the story of the first quarter on a sun baked and dry pitch. Then on 27 minutes a vintage turn, run and shot from Steve Harper fizzed just wide of the Fleet keeper's left hand post and 3 minutes later John Lansdale went close with a shot from outside the box. Hill were now starting to come into the game and were spending more time in the Fleet half. On 37 minutes however Fleet again worked the ball down their left flank and a goal bound shot drew an exceptional save from Joe Adams low down to his right. The Hill goal once again led a charmed life as a header was scrambled away on the 45 minute mark but both teams took a welcome respite from the heat and walked in at half time on level terms at 0 - 0. Fleet took their time in coming out for the second half which kicked off a couple of minutes late. The first chance of the half fell to Fleet on 5 minutes with a long throw which was eventually mopped up by Adams. Fleet continued to have the better of the play and a fine flowing move from back to front threatened the Hill goal. Then, on 58 minutes Hill struck. Matt Piper got to the byline and managed to pull the ball back across goal for Steve Harper to bury a fine finish into the right corner of the Fleet goal. Fleet struggled to regain composure and minutes later Lloyd Skinner sliced a threatening shot just over the upright. The force was now definitely with Hill and from another attack on 59 minutes Steve Harper finished with a looping lob over the keeper from 25 yards, catching the Fleet keeper heavy footed in no-man's land. Minutes later a fine header from Tom Edmonds from a Steve Harper corner was well saved by the Fleet keeper. Hill were well on top and an impudent back heel from Danny Curd nearly put Skinner through on goal and shots in quick succession from Harper and Lansdale were desperately charged down and a Lloyd Cotton header from a Will Berry cross was well saved by the Fleet custodian. Then on 68 minutes a blinding run from the Fleet no.11 was uncremoniously ended by a clumsy Hill foul in the box and the stonewall penalty was duly dispatched by Smith, the Fleet no.10 to make the score 2 - 1. The game was now pulsatingly moving from end to end and not 1 of the 181 spectators could have reasonably asked for their money back. On 75 minutes Lloyd Cotton tormented the Fleet defence with a mazy run and was brought down on the edge of the box but Harper's effort from the resulting fee kick was disappointingly wide. On 80 minutes another finely struck goal bound effort from Cotton was charged down and as Fleet pressed they left themselves exposed at the back and Harper latched on to a through ball, drew the keeper and slipped the ball to the inside his right post for his third of the game on 82 minutes making the score 3 - 1. Lansdale was substituted on 83 minutes by Jason Hollick and Fleet immediately scored to make the score 3 - 2 and set up a grandstand finish. A downward header from a corner flew just over Adam's bar as Fleet laid seige to Hill's goal and Adams was forced into world class saves with four minutes left. Three minutes of injury time had Hill supporters nerves on edge and a weary and cramped Piper was replaced by Toby Phillips with one minute to go. But Hill held on for a well deserved victory and the supporters went home well satisfied with the feast of football served up by both teams ….. a credit to both.
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Press Release …. 3 NEWS ITEMS A Winning Team!
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Burgess Hill Town FC 1 - 1 Walton Casuals FC On a very hot day and on a very dry pitch, this was always going to be a tough game for any passing teams. Walton looked to be the biggest team we have seen this season at Leylands Park. It took 15mins before there was much goal mouth action when the Hillians won a corner, and from Steve Harper's kick Danny Gainsford was just beaten to the ball. On 20mins Walton put a hopeful ball into the box and was well punched out by keeper Joe Adams, the ball fell to Barima who took a whack from 30 yards and after 2 wicked deflections the ball rolled into an empty net 0-1. Hillians were being pushed off the ball time after time with the 2 boys up front using there height and weight to their advantage. But on 32mins a great piece of skill from Harper put Danny Curd in on goal with only the keeper to beat, he lobbed him delightfully only to see the ball hit the post. H/T 0-1 .... The second half started very brightly for the Hillians who looked a lot sharper and several half chances went stray. On the hour Hill boss Gary Croydon made a double substitution and on came Max Barnard and Jason Hollick. Both subs settled into the middle of the park very quickly as Walton began to look a bit tired. On 69mins the subs paid dividends, it was Barnard wide on the left who passed a superb ball to Matt Piper who crossed the ball, a half clearance by the Casuals fell to Jason Hollick who vollied towards goal, the Walton keeper dived to his left and the ball bobbled into the net for the equaliser. After that it was all Burgess Hill with Steve Harper going close on a couple of occasions. But that wasn't the end of the action, on 90mins a tackle in the box by Piper gave the referee no option but to give Walton a very tame penalty. Up stepped the very impressive Leon Yarnie to take it ..... but Joe Adams went the right way and pulled off a fine save.
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Burgess Hill Town FC 2 - 0 Dulwich Hamlet FC
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Burgess Hill Town FC 2 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals FC
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Whyteleafe FC 1 - 2 Burgess Hill Town FC
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Cray Wanderers FC 1 - 2 Burgess Hill Town FC
A short spell of sustained Hill pressure followed but without any cutting edge and Cray established their edge and were looking the more likely as they continued to probe. Adams had to display a variety of assured cross taking techniques. A rare Cray defensive lapse on 32 minuters saw Lloyd Skinner presented with a good chance but again he shot just wide of the keeper's left post.
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More pictures from yesterday's FA Trophy game against Cray Wanderers can be found at ... http://www.simonroephotography.co.uk/Cray%20Wanderers%20vs%20Burgess%20Hill%20Town%20181009/ |
Hillians handed tough draw in Trophy Burgess Hill have been handed a tough draw in the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy. The Hillians will visit Southern League side Farnborough, managed by former Lewes boss Steven King, on Saturday October 31. Farnborough are currently second in the premier division and unbeaten after ten games. Boro boss Steve King said he was content with the draw. "I'm happy enough with a home draw and it will be a good game to watch," he said. "I know the manager Gary Croydon very well, and he likes to get his teams playing football, so it should be an entertaining game. "They are going well in their league as well, and have shown in the last round that they are capable of beating a team from a higher level. "They have a number of young players who were released by Brighton, so they will be a talented side and we will have to play well if we want to progress." |
Gary
Croydon interviewed |
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Burgess Hill Town FC 7th Annual Golf Day
(Sorry, once again, pictures taken indoors lack the quality of the match pictures - it may be necessary to read the manual)
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Leatherhead FC 2 - 0 Burgess Hill Town FC It was a good day for football on a nice flat green pitch and in a beautiful setting. Hill were back in yellow for this game after two consecutive wins on the road in blue with the traveling faithful quietly optimistic given the recent run of good results stretching right back to the last minute defeat by top of the table Folkestone at the end of August . One change to the line up who had seen off Cray the previous weekend saw Steve Harper making a welcome return from injury, young Max Barnard dropping to the bench and Lloyd Skinner slotting back into midfield. In what was an early sign of things to come the Tanners threatened just three minutes in when keeper Joe Adams mistimed a cross and Josh Smith headed just wide with the goal at his mercy. Adams totally redeemed himself within a minute with a fantastic save from the excellent Smith who had latched on to a fine through ball from the Tanners impressive 16 year old left back, Adam Goodwell. Hill's first real threat followed soon after when Harper showed great close control to wriggle through a series of challenges cutting in from the left along the goal line but couldn't get any real purchase on his shot which was dealt with by Bradshaw. Generally the Tanners bossed the early exchanges with Lloyd Cotton and John Lansdale unable to assert authority in the centre of midfield - some hint as to why this might be was to follow later in the day when Cotton was substituted just after half time clearly suffering from some sort of illness. Hill were gifted a chance on 20 minutes thanks to some uncharacteristically poor play by Bradshaw but Harper was disappointed to see his shot go wide of the post. As so often in football, Hill were left to rue the missed opportunity as just a minute later Leatherhead put together a series of great first time passes through midfield and, following two world class stops from Adams, the ball eventually fell to no 7, Michael Morgan, who crashed the ball in from the edge of the box. The goal bred confidence in the Tanners and two minutes later Adams had to make another superb save, this time from centre forward, Osuwu-Bekoe. It was clearly time for Hill to ride out the storm and regroup but they were undone by a piece of true brilliance from Tanners no 10, Tommy Hutchings, who took the ball on a right to left diagonal run slicing through the Hill defence and slotting the ball past the helpless Adams. To their credit, Hill did not take this lying down and had two good efforts in succession but these were easily dealt with by keeper Bradshaw who had visibly grown in confidence and added assured handling to his excellent distribution. Lansdale was lucky not to see red for a clumsy challenge on Nyang on 35 minutes but then nearly caught the Tanners napping just before half time when his long punt forward was headed on by Harper to Danny Curd six yards out but he was flagged offside. Hill came out for the second half unchanged and following an early chance for Nyang which was high wide and not particularly handsome Hill fashioned two good chances of their own - first on 50 minutes when Matt Piper charged down a clearance and saw the ball rocket goalwards only for it to be really well saved by Bradshaw low down to his left; then on 52 minutes when Will Berry nearly profited from a rare Bradshaw error. Thereafter the Tanners took control and Hutchings shot over Adams bar on 60 minutes and Matt Hurley had to resort to some clever defending at the risk of conceding a penalty to put Osuwu-Bekoe off his stroke when through on goal. Lansdale and Lloyd Skinner were generally in the wars in central midfield but Lansdale did get forward and force a good save from Bradshaw on 67 minutes, Harper too was finding it hard work and saw a good shot fly just wide of the post on 75 minutes ; then minutes later Lansdale unleashed a cracking shot which really deserved a goal but flew just wide of the upright Hill's fans were unable to find their voice and rouse the team in the closing stages for it was to be the Tanners day as they judiciously used their substitutes to consolidate their position and Adams was forced into two more great saves from Hutchings and Smith; after Barnard had replaced the ailing Cotton on 50 minutes the only other change to the Hill line up was Jason Hollick replacing the injured Edmonds who suffered a nasty kick to the face on 90 minutes. As the game drew to a close Hill's day was summed up deep into injury time when Berry's superb first time effort flew over the bar. From a neutral's perspective this was a good game to watch; both goalkeepers played superbly and Adams was Hill's man of the match by some distance. It saw Hill's recent run come to an end ... but that is what happens to runs and it was certainly no disgrace to lose to a Tanners team who were at the very top of their game.
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Farnborough FC 5 - 2 Burgess Hill Town FC
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Burgess Hill Town FC 1 - 1 Godalming Town FC
Hillians:
Adams; Piper, Edmonds, Hurley, Gainsford, Berry; Cotton, Harper,
Skinner, Barnard; Curd. Subs: Avery, Hollick, Martin, Percival,
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Burgess Hill Town FC 1 - 4 Eastbourne Borough FC
Hillians: Joe Adams, Matt Piper, Will Berry, Jason Hollick, Danny Gainsford, Rick Peacock, Steve Harper, Max Barnard, Danny Curd, Lloyd Skinner, Lloyd Cotton . . . Subs: Aaron Walsh, Ben Greer, Peter Martin, Ashley Carr, Pat Gannon
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Leatherhead FC 1 - 0 Burgess Hill Town FC (aet)
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Dulwich Hamlet FC 0 - 2 Burgess Hill Town FC
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Folkestone Invicta FC 3 - 1 Burgess Hill Town FC
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Burgess Hill FC 1-2 Ramsgate FC Sometimes it's hard to be a Hillian! Missed chances cost Burgess Hill as they go down 2-1 at home to Ramsgate.
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Burgess Hill FC 2 - 1 Metropolitan Police FC
Harper gets Hillians back on track Steve Harper scored twice to get Burgess Hill back on the winning trail. Harper took his tally to eight for the season with a brace in a 2-1 win at home to Met Police in Ryman division one south. Delighted manager Gary Croydon said: “For a number of games we have been doing well attacking and not scoring and then looking vulnerable at the back because we are not scoring so I am delighted to get back to winning ways. “The first half was a bit scrappy but we had all the chances that fell.” Lloyd Cotton hit the crossbar in the first half before Harper broke the deadlock around the hour mark. Met Police drew level when goalkeeper Joe Adams dropped the ball into his own net but Harper struck again ten minutes from time to seal the points. |
Horsham YMCA 1 - 1 Burgess Hill FC
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