The first of our featured games on a busy weekend for HRB Sport comes from The Pakex where Potters Bar entertain Margate in the Bostik League Premier.

The Kent town is home to the oldest operating rollercoaster in the UK a ride the Scholars can identify with as their first season at level 3 in footballs pyramid has certainly produced its fair share of ups, downs, twists and turns. After a bright start Potters Bar were rocked by the departure of coach James Duncan. The new management duo of Lee O’Leary and Scott Cousins got off to a perfect start with a 4-0 win over Wingate & Finchley. That though was as good as it’s got as the Scholars have now gone four without a win conceding frustrating late goals in their last three matches. Margate are one place below their hosts and in equally unimpressive form. The Gate have won just one of their last seven and were beaten 4-1 at home by inform Bishops Stortford a week ago. They have though performed better on their travels gaining 16 points away from their Hartsdown Park base. The teams met earlier in the season when the Scholars secured a 2-1 FA Trophy win in Kent thanks to a brace from Bradley Sach.

Margate Fact: Ballard Berkeley who played The Major in Fawlty Towers was born in Margate in 1904

Pete Hill will be on hand to provide reports and live commentary from the Pakex on our Saturday Sport Show from 3pm

Herts Senior Cup

HADLEY 2 Cheshunt 2

Cheshunt win 4-2 on penalties

FA Trophy

WINGATE & FINCHLEY 3 Chippenham Town 2

Evo-Stil League Premier South

Kings Langley 3 HENDON 1

BARNET v Bath City

WINGATE & FINCHLEY or Chippenham Town v Welling United or Dulwich Hamlet

Ties to be played weekend of 15th December

National League

BARNET 1 Gateshead 2

The Bees were brought back down to earth after their midweek cup heroics. A lacklustre first half display by the home side saw Gateshead take the lead after 19 mins when Scott Biden was left unmarked to slide the ball home from close range. John Still changed his side to flat back four at the beginning of the second half and it paid immediate dividends Barnet forcing three early corners. The visitors still looked dangerous on the break and Greg Olley hit the cross bar with a shot from the edge of the box. The Bees pulled level after 58 minutes when good work by Byron Harrison resulted in Jack Taylor thumping home his third goal of the season. Pushing forward for the winner Barnet were caught on the break Luke Armstrong completing a four man move sliding the ball wide of Mark Cousins. Despite plenty of possession the Bees best chance of securing a point was a Manny Duku header that rattled the visitors cross bar.

Bees: Cousins, Alexander, Reynolds, Adams (Bettamer), Robson, J.Taylor, Fonguck (Sparkes), Harrison, Walker (Duku)

Attendance: 940

League Position: 11th

FA Trophy

Chippenham Town 1 WINGATE & FINCHLEY 1

Charlie Cole proved the hero as the Blues earned a replay. Nat Jarvis gave the home side the lead in the 5th minute but Cole’s sharp finish from Tommy Texan-Sie’s pass made sure of a place in Monday’s first round draw.

Bostik League Premier

POTTERS BAR TOWN 1 Harlow 2

The Scholars were rocked by another last minute goal which gave the visitors the points. Harlow took the lead after 8 minutes through JJ Da Cruz but the home side were level after 20 mins thanks to Andy Lomas’s first goal of the season. The game looked to be heading for a draw until Christian Scales popped up with the winner in injury time.

League Position: 13th

Evo Stik League Premier South

Gosport Borough 3 HENDON 1

Two second half goals sent the Green’s home pointless. Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick‘s 39th minute put the visitors ahead but the lead lasted only two minutes before Craig McAllister equalised. Goals from Tony Lee and Patrick Suraci after the break securing the win for the home side.

League Position: 5th

Spartan South Midlands League Premier

HADLEY 0 Colney Heath 1

Hadley’s run of 10 straight league wins was brought to an end by a long range strike before half time.

League Position: 3rd

HRB Sport will be on air Saturday to cover all the key action from our teams matches including commentary live from the Hive.

Barnet produced a thrilling comeback to stun League One Bristol Rovers and advance to the second round of the FA Cup. After going behind in the 63rd minute to a Tom Nichols strike, the Bees silenced the home crowd by scoring twice in three minutes. Craig Robson chipped Adam Smith in the Rovers goal to draw the teams level on 75. John Still’s substitutions worked a treat as Dan Sparkes crossed for Byron Harrison to slide in the winner and silence most of the 2,500 crowd.

The Bees will entertain Stockport County, from National League North on Sunday 2nd December.

On the eve of their FA Trophy visit to Chippenham, Wingate & Finchley have confirmed that Marc Charles-Smith has left the club to join Farnborough. The striker scored 13 goals for the Blues.
The team suffered a disappointing home defeat to Kingstonian midweek losing 4-0.

Hendon had Ricardo German to thank for salvaging a point in their league battle with fellow promotion chasers Beaconsfield Town. He put the team ahead in the 18th minute, and after a hint of good fortune about the visitors equaliser, they took what looked like a decisive lead. However, German continued his prolific vein of form notching an 18th goal in 21 matches with 6 minutes to go.
The Greens remain in 4th with a game in hand on the three teams above.

Hadley consolidated their position in the top three beating Cockfosters 2-0 with goals from Shehzad Anwar and Ibrahim Câmara.

Coming up on HRB Sport………..

Saturday November 24
2.30-6.30
Presenter: Mel

National League
Barnet v Gateshead
Garry and Pete

AFC Fylde v Boreham Wood

FA Trophy 3rd Round Qualifying
Chippenham Town v Wingate & Finchley
Paul

Bostik Premier Division
Potters Bar v Harlow Town
Alan

Evo-Stik Southern Premier South
Gosport Borough v Hendon

Spartan South Midlands Premier
Hadley v Colney Heath
Edgware Town v Harpenden Town

The Bees return to The Hive after the best week of the season so far. A 3-1 win at Hartlepool in front of the BT Sport cameras was quickly followed by a comeback win at Bristol Rovers setting up an FA Cup second round tie against National North Stockport County. After all that it will surely be a case of keep your feet on the ground for the visit of 8th placed Gateshead.

The Heed or the Tynesiders if you prefer have been on a poor run of late losing three of the last four. Its been a case of feast or famine away from home for Steve Watson’s team winning five and losing four. The Bees home form though has been in contrast to their performances on the road where they have picked up 16 of their 28 points. With the top four meeting a win for either side today would be a big boost to their play off chances. Last time the teams met the Bees secured promotion back to the Football League thanks to two goals from Mauro Vilhete in May 2015.

Looking forward to an eight day break before the Stockport cup tie John Still may be tempted to keep an unchanged line-up although it will be interesting to see whether Byron Harrison who scored the winner on Wednesday night or Manny Duku who apologised for throwing a strop when being substituted against Rovers but scored two at Hartlepool will get the nod to play up front.

We’ll have full match coverage from Pete Hill & Garry Lakin at the Hive while keeping an eye on the progress of Wingate & Finchley in the FA Trophy and Hendon, Potters Bar, Hadley and Edgware in league action.

Gateshead Fact: The town was once home to Sir Joseph Swan who’s house ironically called Underhill was the first in the world to be fitted with electric light bulbs!

 

FA Cup 1st Round Replay

Bristol Rovers 1 BARNET 2

The Bees set up a second round meeting with Stockport County on a memorable night at the Memorial Stadium. Rovers took the lead after 62 minutes through Tom Nichols before two goals in as many minutes stunned the hosts. Craig Robson got the first with an assured lob over Adam Smith before substitute Dan Sparkes set up Byron Harrison for the winner with 13 minutes remaining.

Bees: Cousins, Reynolds, Alexander, Sweeney, Johnson, Adams, Robson, Taylor, Fonguck (Sparkes), Duku, (Walker), Bettamer (Harrison)

Attendance: 2740

Spartan South Midlands League Premier

HADLEY 2 Cockfosters 0

The Bricks made it 10 wins in a row thanks to goals from Shaz Anwar and Ibrahim Camara.

League Position: 3rd

Bostik League Premier

WINGATE & FINCHLEY 0 Kingstonian 4

Evo-Stik League Premier South

HENDON 2 Beaconsfield Town 2