Bovingdon

[Rhodes]

On 21/07/2020 at 03:41, Rhodes said:

Bovingdon Reserves have been allocated a Herts Senior County League Division One place again with an 'A' team in Division Two:

Bovingdon Reserves lost their first Herts Senior County League Division One outing of the new campaign on Saturday, 3-0 at Aldenham FC, it was a disappointing result after some encouraging pre-season performances. The 'A' team also disappointingly lost 3-0 at Hatfield Athletic in a their first Herts Senior County League Division Three fixture where it was finally decided to place them following their transfer from the West Herts League Premier Division. The Reserves entertain Hertford Heath on Saturday (12 September) whilst the 'A' team travel to Oxhey Jets Vets, the First team will have to wait another week before their SSML Division Two campaign starts in earnest against Buckingham United at Green Lane on Saturday 19 September.

Edited September 8, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 08/09/2020 at 11:40, Rhodes said:

The Reserves entertain Hertford Heath on Saturday (12 September) whilst the 'A' team travel to Oxhey Jets Vets, the First team will have to wait another week before their SSML Division Two campaign starts in earnest against Buckingham United at Green Lane on Saturday 19 September.

Bovingdon Reserves made amends for the disappointing start last week to their Herts Senior County League Division One campaign by beating Hertford Heath 3-2 at Green Lane on Saturday however Bovingdon 'A' lost 4-0 at Oxhey Jets Vets and are now rooted firmly to the bottom of the Herts Senior County League Division Three having lost 3-0 at Hatfield Athletic last week. It's maybe just as well the 'A' team have no fixture next Saturday prior to entertaining Knebworth the following week (26 September) in the prestigious Aubrey Cup, the Reserve side meanwhile travel to Buntingford Town next Saturday (19 September) with the First team finally starting their SSML Division Two campaign against Buckingham United at Green Lane.

[Rhodes]

On 15/09/2020 at 20:05, Rhodes said:

the Reserve side meanwhile travel to Buntingford Town next Saturday (19 September) with the First team finally starting their SSML Division Two campaign against Buckingham United at Green Lane.

Bovingdon had a mixed Saturday afternoon, the First team had an excellent 3-2 win over Buckingham United at Green Lane after being 2-0 in arrears after 34 minutes, the key to the comeback was a spot kick awarded on 43 minutes which Ben Baldwin converted following a retake to go in at the break just 2-1 down. Tea cups must have hit every wall of the dressing room during the interval as Bovingdon were a changed team and equalised on 74 minutes through another penalty which Baldwin clinically put away, then three minutes into added on time a speculative cross was headed home. Unfortunately the Reserve side were unable to match the First teams heroics and they lost 3-2 at Buntingford Town in a Herts Senior County League Division One fixture, the 'A' team weren't in action:

https://twitter.com/BovingdonFC

[Rhodes]

On 31/08/2020 at 23:45, Rhodes said:

Bovingdon entertain Buckingham United on Saturday 19 September in their first SSML Division Two fixture of the new campaign, they then welcome Totternhoe to Green Lane the following Saturday so boss Andy Stratford will be rather hoping for six points to kick off with

A hard fought 2-1 win for Bovingdon's First team against Totternhoe at Green Lane, after going a goal behind, gave them the six points they were looking for from two home games to start the new SSML Division Two campaign. It was not such a good afternoon for the Reserve side who went down 2-1 at Cow Lane to Tring Athletic in a Herts Senior County League Division One fixture whilst Bovingdon's 'A' team were in Aubrey Cup First Round action against Knebworth's First team who play two divisions higher, unsurprisingly they lost 4-0 (see match report below). Next Saturday (3 October) the First team have an unenviable visit to Old Bradwell United, the Reserve team entertain Wheathampstead Wanderers (pitch 2) and the 'A' team are also at home to Hemel Hempstead Rovers Reserves (pitch 1):

https://knebworthfc.co.uk/2020/09/27/seniors-saturday-26-september-2020/

[Rhodes]

On 28/09/2020 at 22:58, Rhodes said:

Next Saturday (3 October) the First team have an unenviable visit to Old Bradwell United, the Reserve team entertain Wheathampstead Wanderers (pitch 2) and the 'A' team are also at home to Hemel Hempstead Rovers Reserves (pitch 1)

They say 'two out of three ain't bad' and just Bovingdon's 'A' team fell foul of the weather conditions yesterday with their Herts Senior County League Division Three fixture with Hemel Hempstead Rovers Reserves being called off, they entertain Harpenden Rovers next week. The Reserve side really went to town, following two successive defeats, beating Wheathampstead Wanderers 6-0 in Division One with goals from Josh Bundey, Haydn Cassidy, Lee Picknell, Jamie Barker and a brace from Ben Davis and can go to Knebworth next Saturday (10 October) in great heart and armed with a dossier from the 'A' team who met Knebworth last week in an Aubrey Cup tie. The First team, perhaps unsurprisingly, went down 3-1 at Abbey Road to Old Bradwell United however made a real fist of things, equalising through Scott Burge straight after the hosts had taken a 13 minute lead and it was beginning to look like Andy Stratford's men could take a point back to Green Lane with them however two late goals on 80 and 93 minutes put paid to that hope, next Saturday they welcome Mursley United to Green Lane:

[Rhodes]

Very strange goings on today (Friday) regarding the Covid-19 outbreak at Green Lane and news is very difficult, if not impossible, to come by, there's no word of it whatsoever on the Club's Twitter page or elsewhere. Although the First team's home fixture with Mursley United has been called off tomorrow, the Reserve side's Herts Senior County League Division One visit to Knebworth appears to still be taking place and, even more mystifyingly, so does the 'A' team's Division Three meeting with Harpenden Rovers at Green Lane where the Covid-19 outbreak supposedly is. Hopefully things will become clearer later on as at the moment the situation couldn't be less clear which is rather unsatisfactory:

When Saturday comes... Knebworth host @BovingdonFC at The Rec (SG3 6AH) - 14:30 kick off #SupportYourLocal #TeaBarOpen #FreeSeasonTicket

Edited October 9, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

An interesting programme from the 1992/93 campaign when Bovingdon had just re-joined the Herts Senior County League Premier Division having been promoted from Division One, they were unlucky not to win the Championship at the first time of asking, finishing second: 

[Rhodes]

Over 200 excellent photographs courtesy of photographer Ian Randall, and match reports, of when QPR 'came to town' for a pre 2017/18 season friendly fixture, at Green Lane on Saturday 15 July 2017, certainly a day to remember for the Club with QPR unsurprisingly winning 6-0:

Bovingdon (0) – QPR U23 (6) – Independent Rs (indyrs.co.uk)

Match Report: Bovingdon 0, QPR U23s 6

2017 Football Pre Season Friendly Bovingdon FC v QPR U23s Jul 15th - Images | Marketing Action Plus (photoshelter.com)

Edited January 21, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Unfortunately the 2020/21 SSML season has been unceremoniously 'curtailed' as was officially announced by the FA last Wednesday that 'Steps 3-6 will be curtailed' although, in the case of the Herts Senior County League, who appeared to 'jump the gun' on Thursday, it has already been declared null and void with no promotion or relegation taking place, the League are preparing to run an end of season League Cup competition for all its Divisions. That includes Division One and Division Three where, as was also the case last season, the respective campaigns of Bovingdon Reserves and Bovingdon 'A' came to a sad premature conclusion, the 'A' team hadn't kicked a ball in anger since 5 December when drawing 2-2 with Buntingford Town Reserves at Green Lane and the Reserve side since 12 December when disappointingly losing 3-1 at Hinton. The First Team last saw action on, wait for it, Saturday 31 October,  defeating The 61 FC (Luton) 7-1 at the Kingsway Recreation Ground, there is talk however of 'the blazers' at the FA Council being asked to extend the Step 7 campaign to 30 June, whether that would give sufficient time for all the remaining SSML Division 2 games to be played is the million dollar question and Karen would need to be paid 'through the nose':

[Rhodes]

Further to the announcement by the Herts Senior County League last Thursday where they declared their season null and void, here is an update from League Secretary Scott Patmore who you may have heard talking to Ollie Bayliss on the BBC Three Counties Radio Non League Show on Sunday. I wonder whether both Bovingdon Reserves and the 'A' Team will take part and also whether the SSML will be doing something similar in arranging a cup competition during April and early May:

[Rhodes]

The draw for the end of season Herts Senior County League Divisional Cup competitions were made yesterday afternoon which sees Bovingdon Reserves in a Division One group with Oxhey, Evergreen and Sun Sports and Bovingdon 'A' in a Division Three group with Mill End Sports, Stanmore & Jafferys and coincidentally Evergreen Reserves, there are four groups of four teams and the winners of each group go into a Semi Final which gives all Division One and Three Club's at least three matches. Bovingdon 'A' have a difficult task to progress but at least they are grouped with basement outfit Stanmore & Jafferys who lost all their six League fixtures prior to the curtailment, Mill End Sports will be favourites to win the group. Bovingdon Reserves stand a good chance of progressing if they can overcome high flying Oxhey as was the case in no uncertain terms on Saturday 17 October when winning 6-2 at Queens School in Bushey with goals from Josh Bundey, Haydn Cassidy, Alex Marsh, Lee Picknell and a brace from Ben Davis. Incidentally the two sides locked horns in a 2018/19 Herts Senior County League Division One fixture at the same venue on Wednesday 29 April 2019 with Bovingdon Reserves winning 2-1, see a report and photographs below:

Oxhey v Bovingdon Reserves | Hopping across The Pond

[Rhodes]

The full draws for the Herts Senior County League Division One and Division Three Cup competitions, dates are yet to be confirmed however it is thought the first group matches will take place on Saturday 10 April:

Herts Senior County League Division One Cup draw
Group A Oxhey; Evergreen; Bovingdon Res; Sun Sports.
Group B Hatfield United; Oracle Components; Knebworth; Hertford Heath.
Group C Aldenham; Wheathampstead Wanderers; Buntingford Town; Old Parmiterians.
Group D Hinton, Tring Athletic Res; Bushey Rangers; Standon & Puckeridge.

Herts Senior County League Division Three Cup draw
Group A Sarratt Res; Knebworth Res; Hinton Res; Bedmond Sports.
Group B Hatfield Athletic; Stevenage BC; Oxhey Jets Vets; Hemel Hempstead Rovers Res.
Group C Mill End Sports; Stanmore Jaffreys; Bovingdon 'A'; Evergreen Res.
Group D Hatfield Town U23, Harpenden Rovers; Lemsford Res; Buntingford Town Res.

Herts Senior County League ready to return after cup draw | Welwyn Hatfield Times (whtimes.co.uk)

Edited March 18, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 18/03/2021 at 18:13, Rhodes said:

Herts Senior County League Division One Cup draw
Group A Oxhey; Evergreen; Bovingdon Res; Sun Sports.

Herts Senior County League Division Three Cup draw
Group C Mill End Sports; Stanmore Jaffreys; Bovingdon 'A'; Evergreen Res

Bovingdon Reserves travel to Sun Sports on Saturday 3 April before entertaining Evergreen the following Saturday, the final group fixture is against Oxhey, also at Green Lane, on Saturday 17 April. All three Herts Senior County League Division One Cup Group A matches kick off at 3.00pm. Meanwhile the 'A' team travel to Stanmore Jaffreys on Saturday 3 April before hosting Mill End Sports the following Saturday, the final group fixture is a visit to Evergreen Reserves Abbots Langley base, on Saturday 17 April. All three Division Three Cup Group C matches also kick off at 3.00pm. 

[Rhodes]

An interesting local newspaper article when Bovingdon lifted the Apsley Junior Cup in 1975 and comparing the win to 43 years earlier when they last won it in 1932 :

Edited March 23, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Bovingdon's 1981/82 squad that was surprisingly relegated to Division One of the Herts Senior County League that season despite lifting the Apsley Senior Cup:

[Rhodes]

Some interesting history on the Club featuring the 1948/49 West Herts League Division One Championship and prestigious Aubrey Cup winning side:

[Rhodes]

Both Bovingdon Reserves and Bovingdon's 'A' team were in Herts Senior County League Cup action this afternoon (3 April), the Reserves travelled to Sun Sports in a Division One Cup Group A fixture and unfortunately lost 1-0, the 'A' team were also on the road at Stanmore Jaffreys in the Division Three Cup Group C and were successful, winning 4-0 against the 'whipping boys' of Division Three prior to the premature end to the season, Mill End Sports will present more difficult opposition at Green Lane next Saturday when the Reserves also entertain Evergreen. Meanwhile the First team entertained SSML Premier Division Colney Heath this afternoon in a friendly fixture and despite still being level at the break succumbed during the course of the second period, going down 3-0 in the end, Green Lane was looking in very good shape:

Edited April 3, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

A nice photograph of Bovingdon's new Management team following the recent, and somewhat surprise, departure of Andy Stratford: 

[Rhodes]

An interesting photograph of Bovingdon lifting the Webster Cup back in the 1951/52 campaign:

[Rhodes]

On 23/03/2021 at 22:24, Rhodes said:

Bovingdon's 1981/82 squad that was surprisingly relegated to Division One of the Herts Senior County League that season despite lifting the Apsley Senior Cup:

Not sure what happened to the photograph, it seems to have disappeared so here it is again: