Battle Baptist Football Club

News

Thur 28/09/2005

TEAM TO PLAY RED LION - Sat 1st Oct. - Away - KO 3pm

Meet at Church Car Park at 1:20pm Prompt.
If you are going straight to Sports Park at Eastbourne you MUST let me know so that we aren't waiting for you in Battle. Be there by 2pm latest.

Gary Walsh, Owen Davies, Doug Morris, Gary Williams, Darrell Hartley, Dave Mills, Pete Cooper, Andy Mills, Loksan Harley, Dom Fowler, Luke Graham.

SUBS: Ian Nunn, Paul Ford, Gary Wenham, Iain Henning, Richard Ahsam.

Injured: Chris Mammone (ankle), Adam Johnson (thigh).
Red Lion are a team to be respected, finishing 3rd last season. They are strong in attack and have several very good players who enjoy running past opponents with the ball.
However, they have conceded 11 goals in their 4 games so far. This is almost a 3rd of their total for last season - a fact that gives us great encouragement.

Our strategy depends on the hard work of our midfield - closing down space and chasing back without selling themselves in the tackle.
Defenders must stay compact and not allow lots of space in between so that Red Lion find it very difficult to play through us.

We also need tons of work from Dom and Luke in attack. They form the first line of defence and must not allow Red Lion defenders to suck our midfield out of position.
Most importantly we need to score goals. Both Dom and Luke are quick and skillful and are certain to create chances for each other if they work as hard as they did against Battle Rangers last week.

We have to expect to be under the cosh for periods of the game. The forwards will need to hold the ball up and not surrender possession easily when we do get the ball. I'm very confident that if we defend solidly, we will frustrate Red Lion and convert more chances than them.

It could be a high scoring game...but I'd settle for the same satisfaction that the 1-0 result gave us last year.

Our results so far will earn a small amount of respect, but this will last only 2 minutes on Saturday. After that, we earn respect on the day through our toil and talent.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Mon 26/09/2005

WEDNESDAY TRAINING

This week only, training at Battle Abbey will be 7pm to 8:30pm.
Gary Williams will be on gate duty to take money from 6:50pm.
Please spread the word to all who need to know.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sun 25/09/2005

OCTOBER AVAILABILITY

Check out your diaries for the 5 Saturdays in October and contact me immediately if there are any dates you cannot play.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sun 25/09/2005

SQUAD TO PLAY RED LION - Sat 1st Oct. - Away

Ian Nunn, Gary Walsh, Owen Davies, Chris Mammone, Paul Ford, Doug Morris, Gary Wenham, Gary Williams, Darrell Hartley, Pete Cooper, Richard Ahsam, Ollie Jeffs, Dave Mills, Andy Mills, Adam Johnson, Loksan Harley, Dom Fowler, Luke Graham, Iain Henning.

The final 16-man squad will be posted by Thursday night, following training on Wednesday.

Adam was hurt this morning playing for Ringles Cross and the extent of his thigh injury will not be fully known until later in the week.

Doug Morris is likely to return to the centre of defence enabling Pete to play a more advanced position.

Gary Walsh will continue to play in goal since Simon Cutler is still recovering from a knee twist and Jamie Pooley is not available.

The challenges are becoming keener by the week and Red Lion, who finished 3rd (just behind the promotion places) pose a great threat to our unbeaten record. They have a talented forward named Valentino Chang (Val) and several midfield players who like to dribble with the ball.

Few will forget the tactical way we beat Red Lion away last year by defending deep and forcing them to play through a crowded defence. With Bryn as the lone striker we scored early and successfully defended the one goal lead. It was one of the most satisfying results of the season.

Red Lion have conceded 11 goals in their 4 games so far, leading me to believe that they are more vulnerable than last year. This should play into our hands if we exploit the gifted talents of Luke and Dominic up front. Dominic was an unsung hero of Saturday's win. He worked hard in the first half under orders to tire out the Ranger's defence and it paid off later in the game when we scored all 3 of our goals.
Saturday's game against Red Lion will also require massive effort, not only from the forwards but from all 11 on the pitch. Red Lion are one of the favourites for promotion and will be keen to stop our run of success.

See you at training on Wednesday - don't forget the slightly later time of 7 to 8:30pm

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sat 24/09/2005

BBFC 3-1 BATTLE RANGERS

Two second half goals in 2 minutes from Zion Man of the Match Tom Frere-Smith and a further goal by Pat Mammone secured all three points in the first Battle derby game between these two sides, keeping Battle Baptists at the top of Division four for another week.

In a strange fixture between the pitch sharers, the Baptists were the 'Home' team and after starting strongly they fell behind to a well constructed long-throw routine from Rangers.

The Baptists continued to play great football, exploiting space down each flank before Dave Mills struck a shot against the post that would have levelled the scores before the interval.

Rangers tired as the game went on, and the Baptists again hit the post 5 minutes into the second half. Just as it began to look like it wasn't to be the Baptist's day, Owen Davies hit a firm corner to the front post area where Tom volleyed the equaliser into the roof of the net. The faithful home fans went even more crazy 2 minutes later when Tom burst through the hard working Rangers' defence to stroke his second past veteran keeper Bob Bluff.

As Rangers' pushed men forward to try to salvage a point, Pat Mammone latched on to a through ball and found himself running on goal with oceans of time. The industrious midfield dynamo cooly blasting his shot past the oncoming goalkeeper to make the result comfortable. Further opportunities to extend the lead were squandered as the relieved churchmen began to enjoy awell deserved win.

For a full match report go to the FIXTURES section and click on the score.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sat 24/09/2005

BBFC Site Update

Following the win against Battle Rangers, the site has been updated and a report on the game can be found here.
Follow the link or go through the pictures section to see pictures from our game against Battle Rangers. Click Here.

Posted by: Steve Mumford

Thur 22/09/2005

BBFC Site Update

Follow the link or go through the pictures section to see pictures from our game at Northiam. Click Here.

Posted by: Steve Mumford

Thur 22/09/2005

Team To Face BATTLE RANGERS - Sat 14th Sept. - Home

Gary Walsh

Owen Davies Pete Cooper Gary Williams Darrell Hartley

Dave Mills Pat Mammone Andy Mills(c) Loksan Harley

Tom Frere-Smith Dominic Fowler

Subs: Chris Mammone, Luke Graham, Paul Ford, Adam Johnson, Gary Wenham, Ian Nunn.

Meet at the Rec at 2pm (latest). Don’t be late. Loksan, give me a call if you need to.
I’ve named 6 subs for the moment because we may need Ian Nunn as a spare keeper, depending on how confident I am in my groin on Saturday morning. Adam Johnson joins us for the first time since he played in central midfield for us in August.

This is a very strong looking team, with several unlucky players waiting their opportunity on the subs bench. Tom and Pat have both decided to come back from University for this match which means that the inclusion of Dominic in place of Bryn is the only change from the line-up that were so successful at Northiam last week.

It’s officially OUR home game so although both sides will feel at home, we have the honour of the HOME changing room. Unfortunately we also have the home team duties too, so don’t forget to help in taking down the nets at the end of the game.

Battle Rangers contain a number of players that we’ll be familiar with. Ben King is a very experienced and good attacker who I used to play alongside at Punnetts Town in the short period of time when he was away from Battle Rangers. Likewise Tony Elliott is a seasoned and skilful central defender who always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Earlier in September I went to see Rangers when they beat Hawkhurst 3-1. (Afterwards they have had their points withdrawn, possibly for playing an unregistered player). In midfield Rangers were physical and we must be prepared for quite a battle in there. They also have a couple of nippy attacking players who will test our defence if we allow them to play.

However, we’re a completely different looking side to last season. I’m particularly impressed at how we have learned to crush teams that are not as good as we are. In several games last season when we came up against weaker teams, we played at their level and the game was closer than it should have been.

With fine weather, it’s likely there’ll be a good-sized crowd. This can sometimes be a distraction and cause players to take unnecessary risks. The last big crowd at the Rec was the day we lost 5-1 to Beulah in the Neville Barnett Trophy. We don’t want a repeat of that day. Remember to play simple football. The secret is to work hard and do your part well. Trust that everyone else will do his part and the team will perform well.

The game on Saturday will be tough, but again, man-for-man we are a stronger team. If we approach the game correctly, and show no signs of complacency, we should come out worthy winners and keep our place as Division 4 leaders. That’s a position we have deserved and I don’t want to give it up without a struggle.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Mon 19/09/2005

SQUAD TO PLAY BATTLE RANGERS - Sat 14th Sept. - Home

Ian Nunn, Gary Walsh, Owen Davies, Chris Mammone, Paul Ford, Gary Williams, Darrell Hartley, Pete Cooper, Gary Wenham, Richard Ahsam, Ollie Jeffs, Dave Mills, Andy Mills, Pat Mammone, Adam Johnson, Loksan Harley, Tom Frere-Smith, Dom Fowler, Luke Graham.

The final 16-man squad will be posted by Thursday night, following training on Wednesday. Remember...training at Battle Abbey this Wednesday.

Tom rang me this evening to say that he IS able to play this weekend. This is a fantastic boost to the team. Hopefully Tom can lead the attack and score or create the goals we need to win.
Pat may also be available...we'll know by Wednesday.

Another addition to the squad is Adam Johnson who many of you will remember playing for us in the final pre-season friendly against Beulah.

Although Rangers lost again on Saturday, they were up against Red Lion, one of the pre-season favourites for promotion. The 4-3 scoreline suggests that it was a close game and that Rangers have a dangerous attack, capable of socoring goals.

This game represents a stiffer challenge than previous weeks. Weather permitting, there should be a large crowd at the Rec., and derby games are not certain to follow the form book. It's more likely that the result of this game will be influenced by those players who have a cool head and passionate attitude.

It's a spangling prospect!!!I can't wait.

(Check out www.esfl.org.uk to see us TOP OF THE DIVISION).

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sun 18/09/2005

TRAINING AT BATTLE ABBEY starts this Wednesday

This week we start training at Battle Abbey 6:30-8pm and there are a few necessary changes to the routine.

Firstly, WE MUST NOT LEAVE THE GATEHOUSE OPEN AND UNATTENDED.

So, these are the arrangements we are putting into place.

Everyone is encouraged to arrive between 6:20 and 6:30pm.
We will ensure that, from 6:20 until 6:35pm the gates will be open and manned by a BBFC representative, who will take your training fee as you enter. PLEASE HAVE YOUR MONEY READY.

If you arrive later and the gates are closed, you are still welcome, but you will need to open the gates yourself and make sure that YOU CLOSE THE GATES BEHIND YOU.
You should ensure that you pay your training fee before leaving at the end of the evening.

There is no flexibility on training times now. We are paying Ł25 to have the astroturf between 6:30pm and 8pm.
It makes sense then to make a PROMPT start. Latecomers will present a nuisance and cause unnecessary disruption. PLEASE GET THERE ON TIME if you possibly can.
The fees collected during Summer training go a long way to paying for Winter training as well. They also enable the Club to finance all the things that make our Club special. It's has been noticeable that we have not collected as much money as we would expect, given the numbers of players we have witnessed at training.

I would NOT want to discourage players from training with us but if you bring a friend please make them aware that there is a Ł2 fee for training and that should they continue to attend, they will be expected to become a member of the Club and pay the Ł10 annual membership fee. (Membership subscription, training fees and match fees are half price to students, unemployed and oaps).

MEMBERSHIP FEES ARE NOW DUE. PLEASE BRING YOUR MONEY THIS WEDNESDAY.

I hope I haven't put you all off and that I'll see you all on Wednesday.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sat 17/09/2005

NORTHIAM '75 II 0 - 6 BBFC

!!!!! WE'RE TOP !!!!

Another blessed afternoon today has taken BBFC to the top of League Division 4 having played 1 less game than other teams.

A hat-trick from Tom Frere-Smith, a brace from Bryn Frere-Smith and a debut goal from substitute Luke Graham gave us a comfortable win...and a consecutive clean sheet was the icing on the cake to a fabulous allround performance.

Other results in the Division went in our favour. Old Centmodians went down very unexpectedly 3-2 to Travaux, who had previously lost both their opening games 7-1.
St.Helens went down 3-1 at Hastings Rangers, leaving BBFC as the only side in the Division with a 100% record. With a goal difference of +13 this will take us to the top spot.

For more results, go to www.ESFL.org.uk

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Thur 15/09/2005

OCTOBER FIXTURES

1ST OCT - RED LION (A) - DIV 4
8TH OCT - ORINGTON (A) - HASTINGS FA JUNIOR CUP
15TH OCT - HAWKHURST II (H) - DIV 4
22ND OCT - WADHURST III (H) - HASTINGS FA LOWER DIVISIONS CUP
29TH OCT - HASTINGS RANGERS (H) - DIV 4

If you are not available for any of these games you must let me know asap.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Wed 14/09/2005

TEAM TO PLAY NORTHIAM II - Sat 17th Sept. - Away

Meet at Zion Chapel at 1:40pm prompt.
Alternatively, tell me if you would prefer to go straight to Northiam so that we are not waiting for you. You will need to be at Northiam Recreational Ground no later than 2pm.

KEEPER:Sean Tottman,
DEFENCE:Owen Davies, Gary Williams, Pete Cooper, Darrell Hartley
MIDFIELD:Dave Mills, Andy Mills, Pat Mammone, Loksan Harley
ATTACK:Tom Frere-Smith, Bryn Frere-Smith
SUBS: Paul Ford, Chris Mammone, Dom Fowler, Luke Graham, Gary Wenham.

Those of us at Battle Baptist FC who used to play for Claverham have clear memories of previous tussles with our old adversaries Northiam '75 who always seem to have a team in the same Division.
Northiam's first team are in Div 2 so it's very difficult to predict the kind of team we'll play. We have to approach this game thinking that we are playing a strong team. Remember last October when we went to Northiam thinking we would win easily and we were beaten 3-0 in front of a huge crowd.

I've picked a squad of players that I believe are equipped for a physical contest. The return of Gary Williams is a great boost in defence and I've chosen Pete to plug the single gap beside him. This releases Darrell to play his familiar left back role, pushing out the unfortunate Paul Ford who has played admirably there recently. It also releases Dave to fill his usual position at right midfield. Pat and Andy remain in central midfield and can expect a much more demanding challenge this week, while Loksan, who is looking more impressive each time he plays, keeps his place at left midfield, giving the extra width to the team.

I can't remember such a goodlooking set of subs - and I don't mean handsome! These 5 players have worked hard to get into the team and may yet do so in the weeks to come.

I'm so sorry if you find that you are not in the playing squad this week. With 20 strong players available, the side is benefitting from healthy competition at the moment, and I would hope and pray that players not selected will persevere and support the team as best they can. Your presence on match day will be a great help to the team and will help to develop the strong team spirit that we have in the Club.

This week is the last game that our students will play before returning to University. They are great players and I have decided to include them in each game so far to get the best out of them and to give us a good start to the season. This has certainly worked so far - we all pray that they do a similar job for the Club this Saturday!

20 points in the season is normally sufficient to avoid relegation and this is always the first target to aim for. Both Bodiam and Northiam spent most of last season below us in the table and so I see these teams as relegation contenders. That makes these two games all the more important.

Another (secondary) reason for using the students is that it rests other players and ensures that we don't suffer injuries to those players who we need later. Even before the season kicked off, we lost Gary Walsh (thigh), Adrian Gaylon (calf) and Simon Cutler (knee) to injury.

We are also having to develop players into positions they are unfamiliar with. Pete Cooper may have walked into the side having missed the pre-season build up due to work abroad. But I'm asking him to play in defence rather than in his favoured midfield role.

As the season goes on and the need arises, it's certain that other players will be asked to play out of position for the sake of the team. I want each player to be capable of playing at least two positions comfortably.

I suppose many may be asking the question 'Who will replace the Frere-Smiths next week. At training tonight I began to think that Dominic and Luke would make a great partnership. Both players have a hunger for goals, a vital quality if we are to score the 60-70 goals (minimum) that is needed to sustain a promotion push. Dom has wonderful pace and changes direction like the Wild Mouse (have you ever been to Blackpool Pleasure Beach?). Luke has superb ball control and can beat defenders with the ball at his feet. If one of these two can also prove to be a 'target man' to hold and shield the ball and bring the midfield into play, I can foresee few appearances for the ageing Walshy. And let's not forget the potential of Iain Henning whose performances this year have shown great maturity.

My lips are wartering at the prospect of another great performance but remember, don't underestimate our opposition or think that it will be a breeze. Northiam will be all out to beat us.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sun 11/09/2005

BBFC Site Update

Just to let everyone know, the report and details of yesterday's game are now up. Also I have added a records section in the 'Club Info' area in light of our record win.

Look out for a mention of our victory in this weeks Battle Observer.

Posted by: Steve Mumford

Sun 11/09/2005

BBFC MEMBERSHIP - REMINDER

Before you check out the squad for next saturday's game (below), here's a little reminder about Membership.

Some people think that the Club makes it's way through the match subs paid on a Saturday and the training fees on Wednesday.
This indeed does help to pay for the running of the Club but without collecting Membership monies we would be in deficit.

If you have not yet paid the Ł10 Membership Fee, PLEASE BRING IT TO TRAINING THIS WEDNESDAY.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sun 11/09/2005

SQUAD TO PLAY NORTHIAM- Sat 17th Sept. - Away

Ian Nunn, Owen Davies, Chris Mammone, Paul Ford, Gary Wenham, Dave Mills, Andy Mills, Pat Mammone, Tom Frere-Smith, Bryn Frere-Smith, Pete Cooper, Loksan Harley, Richard Ahsam, Ollie Jeffs, Iain Henning, Dom Fowler, Darrell Hartley, Luke Graham, Gary Walsh, Gary Williams.

The final 16-man squad will be posted on Thursday night, following training on Wednesday.

It's great to have so many players to select from and the result last Saturday against Bodiam has left me with some selection headaches.
Though it's unlikely that Gary Walsh will be totally fit in time, Dominic, Darrell, and Gary Williams are all available.

Northiam are another Club with a 1st team who play in a higher division. This makes it very difficult to predict what kind of a team we'll be up against.
They lost their opening match 9-2 to Hastings Rangers but earned a creditable 1-1 draw this week away to Punnetts Town.

This is the last game for Tom, Bryn and Pat before they leave for University. This will create 3 positions to fill for the next match at home to Battle Rangers. I'm looking to convert a couple of goal hungry midfielders into matchwinning strikers.

The 7-0 win will take us into 3rd position in the Division when the Tables are published (www.esfl.org.uk) and will make other teams sit up and notice us. Another 3 points on Saturday will earn even more respect in this early season period when people try to work out which team are the strongest.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sat 10/09/2005

BBFC 7 -0 Bodiam II

3 goals from Bryn Frere-Smith, 2 from Tom Frere-Smith a scorcher from captain Andy Mills and a penalty from Owen Davies gave Battle Baptist a fantastic start to the new season.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Thur 08/09/2005

TEAM TO PLAY BODIAM - Sat 10th Sept. - Home

Meet at Battle Rec at 2pm prompt.

KEEPER:Ian Nunn,
DEFENCE:Owen Davies, Dave Mills, Pete Cooper, Paul Ford
MIDFIELD:Chris Mammone, Andy Mills, Pat Mammone, Loksan Harley
ATTACK:Tom Frere-Smith, Bryn Frere-Smith
SUBS: Gary Wenham, Steve Mumford, Matt Lee, Richard Ahsam, Ollie Jeffs, Iain Henning.

The reason I have named 6 subs is that all 6 are available and I want each one of these players to be involved in support of the team. The role of the sub extends more than merely playing. They have a large influence on the performance of the team.
Clearly, when only 5 subs can be named and only 3 can play, there will be disappointment on the day. I hope that everyone recognises this, and agrees that we want to encourage these players to be part of our Club Squad.

The first game of a new season is a very important game and we need good support. Bodiam will be tough opponents so be prepared for a physical challenge.

See you Saturday.

Posted by: bbfcmanager

Sun 04/09/2005

SQUAD TO PLAY BODIAM - Sat 10th Sept. - Home

Ian Nunn, Owen Davies, Chris Mammone, Paul Ford, Steve Mumford, Gary Wenham, Dave Mills, Andy Mills, Pat Mammone, Tom Frere-Smith, Bryn Frere-Smith, Pete Cooper, Loksan Harley, Adam Johnson, Matt Lee, Richard Ahsam, Ollie Jeffs, Iain Henning.

Co-incidentally, our first game of last season was also against Bodiam and the 3-1 win gave us a great start.
A similar result is the target this year and we know Bodiam will give us stiff opposition.
We all remember the 5 goals that Tom scored against Bodiam in the last League fixture of last year. You can be assured that the Bodiam team will tremble when they see Tom take to the field, especially when he's paired with his lightening fast brother Bryn, fresh from his Bolivian experiences.
The team is certain to include the return of the Mills brothers, with Andy likely to play a central midfield position together with the industrious Pat Mammone. Dave's starting position is less clear since we may need his height, strength and pace in defence for this game.
There are several new squad players and some are sure to be called upon for their League debut appearance.
Fitness, strength and stamina will be essential qualities for this game. Despite beating Bodiam in all 3 outings last year, this fact will only make the opposition even more determined to win. I'm looking for total commitment from every Battle Baptist player.
With such a large squad of available players and the prospect of losing several students in mid-September, there is plenty of competition for positions and opportunities to impress.

Posted by: bbfcmanager