Defender Bradley Middleton has walked out on Blue Square South side Weston Super Mare for apparently not been picked to play against Maidenhead.

The former Cardiff City defender missed out to Cedric Abraham for a place on the bench in his first game after signing but was included in the squad at Dorchester.

However, after not being included in the squad to face Maidenhead the Taunton based youngster is understood to have quit the club only four games after he signed.

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Newport County captain Ian Hillier faces a battle to be fit again this season after suffering an horrific injury yesterday.

Hillier, County’s player of the year two seasons ago and a key figure throughout his time with the Exiles, has been hospitalised after injuring himself at work yesterday morning.

It is understood Hillier was involved in an accident while doing casual work, assisting in cutting down trees.

He was rushed by ambulance to Morriston Hospital and it is understood he underwent surgery yesterday.

At the time of going to press, none of the hierarchy at Newport County were 100% certain on the extent of Hillier’s injuries, but the Argus understands he has broken his tibia, fibula and ankle.

Chairman Chris Blight, manager Dean Holdsworth and physio Tommy Cosh will all visit Hillier in hospital today, the club having a good record of standing by injured players, as they did with Paul Cochlin.

However, the immediate concern for Exiles supporters, as well as Hillier’s well being, is that this horrific injury further exposes County’s frailties in defence.

Physio Tommy Cosh believes Hillier is strong enough to come back from the injury, but admits the prognosis is for at least several months on the sidelines.

“Until I see the report from the surgeon later today, I can’t comment on the extent of the injury,” he said.

“I only know what I have been told by the chairman and the manager and it seems like very bad news, as apparently the leg is broken in three separate places.

“But it is too early to make any kind of judgements on when he will be fit to return. It’s going to be a long old road back.”

Chairman Chris Blight said: “This news has come as a shock to us all and is obviously upsetting. As soon as we are in a position to comment officially on the injury we will do so.”

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Chelmsford City manager Jeff King has lambasted referees for not giving players better protection after seeing his midfielder Chris Moore rushed to hospital with a badly cut eye on Tuesday.

King wants to see players punished for dangerous play after the former Dagenham & Redbridge player was on the receiving end of a high kick in the face after 20 minutes of City's 2-2 Blue Square South game at Bromley.

With blood pouring from his face, Moore was taken to hospital where he needed stitches to his eyelid though it was later confirmed he had a broken nose.

But King yesterday (Wednesday) slammed match officials for not giving players better protection, adding: "It was nonsense – Chris headed the ball out on the edge of our area at head height and he didn't duck down to do it either.

"The home player came in high and kicked him in the face and gets away without even a booking.

"Chris is badly injured and his nose was so swollen at first they couldn't x-ray it but it's turned out to be broken so he will be out for a while.

"When I spoke to the referee he said Chris had lost his bearing and running into the other player which is nonsense. Players need better protection.

"We then have a player booked for a far minor offence in comparison.

"I think all the officials on Tuesday had poor performances but you just have to get on with it.

"Later on Ricky Holmes is scythed down on his way to goal and the defender is just given a booking – there's no consistency.''

City pulled back a two-goal first half deficit to gain a draw and earn a point, and King felt they had been the better side and should have won.

"We gave away an early sloppy goal and then conceded another right on half-time but we still had enough chances to have won it," he said. "I thought we should have killed off the game in the second half – we were well in control."

City take on Bognor Regis Town in the league at Melbourne Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) before entertaining rivals AFC Wimbledon in the Setanta Shield on Monday (kick-off 7.30pm), with extra-time and a penalty shoot out needed to settle the tie on the night.

"Chris Moore will obviously be out but hopefully Chris Duffy will be fit for the weekend – he was having a run out with the reserves last night – and Jeff Minton says he's fit but we'll see," said King.
King also confirmed that striker Danny Webb, signed during the close season from AFC Wimbledon but yet to make his City debut, has been released by the club.

"I told him two weeks ago to find another club as he didn't fit into our plans but I believe he's injured at the moment," added King.

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Hampton & Richmond coach Dudley Gardner reckons the side is struggling to come to terms with being Blue Square South contenders having shed their under-dog status.

The Beavers, who are tenth in the league table after Tuesday’s 3-3 draw at Thurrock, reached the play-off final last season - 12 months since claiming the Ryman League Premier Division title.

Goals for Graham Harper, John Scarborough and Lawrence Yaku secured a share of the spoilts as Hampton came from 3-1 down to avoid a third defeat in a row.

Boss Alan Devonshire has had a host of injuries to contend with in the opening six games, as well as having to bed in new faces such as Scaborough, Robbie Kember, Stephen Cooke, Ben Wright and Nana Badu.

He watched his side slip-up 1-0 at Newport County at the weekend, but Gardner believes Hampton’s mixed fortunes is as much down to the success of the last two years as it is disruptions to personnel.

“We haven’t played particularly well so far but maybe that is becuase players are still getting to know each other,” he said.

“We’ve lost two main players in Alan Inns and Elliott Godfrey, as well as suffer a few injuries, and as a result I don’t think you can really judge our start until the end of September.

“Because of last year we are there to be shot at. Teams know our danger men and are being a little more cautious against us.

“Teams are starting to give us a bit of respect. We’ve noticed it means a lot more to opposition teams to beat us.

“The players are stuggling a bit to adapt to that and they need to be on their game 100 per cent of the time.”

Scarborough netted his second goal for the club on Tuesday following a summer switch from Sutton United, but it was a bitter-sweet evening as Hampton conceded three at the other end.

“John has settled in well, but there is plenty more to come from him and he knows that,” added Gardner.

“He adds an extra dimension with his goals, but he has come in from a team where he was part of a zonal defence and he needs time to adapt to the man-marking system we use.”

Striker Nana Badu, who signed from Walton Casuals earlier this year, is closing in on a starting slot and appeared on the bench for the first time this season during the week.

And Gardner is keen to see him regain full-fitness sooner rather than later, adding: “He scored 22-goals in a lower league last term. He knows where the net is and will add a physical presence.”

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Whatever Johnson ‘Drax’ Hippolyte is putting in the water at York Road seems to be paying dividends.

After last season’s strife, supporters are scratching their heads as to how Maidenhead United are sitting second in the Conference South after seven games. However, Drax knows exactly why - he has assembled the perfect squad with the right work ethic.

“It’s no secret,” revealed the Magpies boss. “We’ve signed some good players with a good pedigree and good ability who want to listen, learn and work hard. We’ve got a young squad who are hungry for success.

“At the end of last season we had a long look at myself and the management team and tweaked it a bit. We haven’t changed a lot - all the philosophies are the same and we’ve always had a good work ethic.”

Drax has always been very much  a hands-on manager, donning his tracksuit and getting among his players on the training ground and he believes it is paying off this season.

“Some people disagree with the way I manage but it’s the way I am. It’s the way I want to manage.

“But it’s really down to the players. They’ve come in and worked and hard and learnt.

“I take my hat off to them.”

A repeat of last term’s struggle for survival was out of the question this time around. Drax made a promise to directors Peter Griffin and Una Loughrey that he would deliver the goods this year and it seems that the Magpies are almost halfway to reaching the relative safety of the 40 point mark.

“I said the directors the we would have a good season this year,” said Drax.

“My target was to finish higher than last season and we’re already halfway there.”

Saturday’s draw with Weston-Super-Mare thrust United up to third spot before victory against Fisher Athletic put them top of the Conference South for the first time ever. However, AFC Wimbledon’s 1-0 win over Braintree Town on Tuesday knocked Maidenhead into second.

“It was absolutely fantastic to go top,” said Drax. “The phone hasn’t stopped ringing with well-wishers. We knew it’d probably be for only 24 hours but it was still fantastic.”

Next weekend (Saturday, September 13), Maidenhead travel to Wimbledon in a game which could see Hippolyte’s side gain an early advantage at the top.

Drax predicted: “If we can get a win against Newport County, then we can go to Wimbledon and try to get ahead of them. It will be a great game and I’m looking forward to it.”

Lee Newman is currently doubtful for tomorrow’s home game with Newport, but Drax believes his squad is so strong that he can cope with injuries without much disruption to the team.

“Against Fisher, I changed four players,” he commented. “With the squad we’ve got I feel we can do that.

“All four who came in were excellent and it gives me a major problem for Friday.”

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Dorchester Town chairman Eddie Mitchell has fired another warning to the local community that they must start embracing the club or they could see it suffer a dramatic fall from grace.

A VAT bill of just under £25,000 has hit the Magpies hard and the property developer has insisted that crowds must improve if their status in the Blue Square South is to be sustained.

Mitchell said: "We have got a VAT bill of just under £25,000 that has to be paid and we have agreed terms with the VAT office to pay it in instalments which is very helpful.

"But it is putting the club under financial pressure and at the moment we are playing two leagues above what our gates allow us to play.

"If we do not get those gates up then this level of football will not be maintained, and I mean getting them up by Christmas."

Mitchell has also revealed that he is currently pumping in £5,000-£6,000 a week into the club to keep it going, which is a situation he admits cannot go on.

He said: "The club is only playing football today because of me and I am not prepared to financially support it indefinitely.

"So if people want it to remain how it is they need to really get together and help in whatever way they can.

"The club has some fantastic support with people who do a lot of hard work for free but at the moment the gates we are getting simply do not match the level of football that is expected to come out of the stadium."

Mitchell would like to see more community-led events at the stadium, particularly ones involving youngsters, but he is not getting the feedback from the town he is after.

He said: "There is so much at the club that can happen if Dorchester wanted it but there seems to be no energy there. It is all laid back. Even the old board did not have any energy and that is why it gave up because they could not keep up with me.

"I love the club but for it to continue at its current level it needs the community to embrace it."

Mitchell has made massive investment in the team this season, drafting in quality players such as Nick Crittenden, Kevin Hill and Gareth Stewart.

He said: "Those players are not going to stay with the crowds we are getting at the moment because we are not going to be able to support them.

"We have some outstanding lads of a very good standard and I know our position in the league is not fantastic at the moment but we have still only lost twice in seven games and after last season that is a definite improvement.

"We are also still a relatively young squad and in two years' time with the side we have got we could win that league but only if the crowds start coming in to sustain it."

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Teambath head coach Andy Tillson paid tribute to the character of his side after they fought back at Dorchester to stave off the prospect of a second defeat in four days.

The University of Bath outfit travelled south on Tuesday night with the wake-up call of last Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Braintree still fresh in their memories, but trailed at the break to goals from Ryan Moss and Jamie Mudge.

Marc Canham's penalty just before the hour gave them hope, however, and they were rewarded for an improved second-half display when captain Gary Warren headed home his third goal of the season from a corner with nine minutes to go.

Tillson said: "I was really, really pleased with the lads.

"The thing they've been magnificent at is coming back from a bad result, like the one we had at Braintree.

"They're only young, but have learned that you can't dwell on it. If you do, it becomes two defeats on the trot and then three.

"We didn't start great and conceded two sloppy goals, but to show the character we did to totally dominate the second half was fantastic.

"Gary got us level from a set-piece and after that we were just concerned with taking what we had earned from the game - we certainly didn't want to lose it after the effort we put in to come back from 2-0 down."

Shaun Lamb made his first start of the season in defence in place of Sami El-Abd and will hope to stay in the side for Saturday's home date with St Albans City.

The Hertfordshire side were haunted by relegation for most of last season, but have made a better start this time around.

Tillson said: "I'm looking forward to it. St Albans will be a decent team, although I don't know a lot about them.

"They went to Eastleigh and won convincingly recently and that was a result that made you sit up and think.

"We'll concentrate on our own game and the one thing we've got to do is start better than we have in the last two matches."

TeamBath will go in search of their first win over Twerton Park landlords Bath City on Tuesday night when they are at 'home' in a Setanta Shield southern section first-round clash.

City boss John Relish plans to use the fixture to give some of his fringe players a game and also re-introduce those who have been on the treatment table back into the fray.

But Tillson insists TeamBath are serious about progressing and does not plan too many changes for the tie.

He said: "We'll treat it with respect. The Setanta Shield is a big thing for us, coming from where we have.

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AFC Wimbledon hitman Jon Main has won the Blue Square Player of the Month award for August.

Main has hit 8 goals this campaign including two hat-tricks already and looks set to continue his red hot form.

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Bognor Regis have announced the signing of two experienced Pompey players.

Keeper Chris Tardif and midfielder Carl Pettefer have both joined the club after extensive experience in the professional game.

Tardif will help solve the keeper crisis, which was made worse on Saturday after James Lester suffered concussion. He also has a suspension starting a week today (Monday).

The 27-year-old played for Basingstoke last season, and while on Pompey's books he was on loan at Bournemouth, Havant and Waterlooville and Newport IoW.

Midfielder Pettefer, joins after parting company with Bournemouth.

The 27-year-old, who can play wide on either side of midfield, has played about 140 games for Portsmouth, Southend, Exeter City, Oxford United, and Bournemouth.

Both seem likely to make their debuts against Welling on Tuesday night at Welling.

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Newport County manager Dean Holdsworth is promising more new signings after the Exiles finally got back to winning ways on Saturday.

The Exiles, inspired by new recruit Ashley Vickers, recorded a 1-0 win over Hampton and Richmond thanks to Craig Hughes’ second-half effort.

However, striker Jemal Easter has been released by the club, and as a result the boss now has the resources to pursue another target, believed to be a defender with a Football League club.

Holdsworth explained: “Jemal leaving frees up a bit more money and I hope we can get another signing completed this week.

“Jemal did well, but Chris Hartland has done well and deserves a chance.”

The Exiles have a busy schedule in this international week, Havant the visitors Wednesday at Spytty Park before a Friday trip to Maidenhead (both 7.45pm kick-off).

However, after the match on Saturday Holdsworth understandably preferred to celebrate victory than look ahead, the win County’s first in six Blue Square South games.

“I thought the boys were magnificent, it could’ve been two or three, but we had a bit of a fear factor to overcome.

“We could’ve won the game earlier, but held out and the clean sheet is important.

“It gives us a good platform to build on now, they performed under pressure and long may that continue.”

Holdsworth was happy to pick out some of the key performances from the win.

“I thought Ashley Vickers (left) was magnificent, he’s a leader and he made a big impact.

“Steve Jenkins came in for the first time this season and played very well, Kevin Stephens had a great game in the centre and this is why we have a big squad.

“And finally I have to mention Nicky Church. He came on under difficult circumstances and did very well.”

Goalkeeper Glyn Thompson is a doubt for the two games this week, Holdsworth revealing he is “sore”, following a slight groin strain.

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Bishop's Stortford secured back to back wins for the first time this season following a spirited display against strugglers Bognor.

Goals in either half from Tom Champion and Luke Webster was enough to earn a first away victory of the season.

The south coast hosts were the better side in the first half but Blues went ahead in the eighth minute when Champion knocked home from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

And the visitors were firmly in control after the break as soon as Webster doubled the lead in the 55th minute when he turned in a Danny Harris cross.

Stortford boss Martin Hayes was pleased with the performance of his troops, particularly in the second half.

Hayes said: “It was a fairly good performance, except for the last 20 or so minutes of the first half, when we got pushed back and lost a bit of shape.

“But the second half we looked a lot more solid. Although we didn't create as many chances as I would have liked, we controlled things and didn't look like we would lose it.”

He added: “It was important we went to try and get something from the game after winning against Thurrock. We needed to build the players up, especially against the teams in and around us.

“Now winning against Thurrock and Bognor has given everybody that little lift. With the exception of the Bath game, the effort has been good.

"We've just lacked that little bit of confidence and know-how going forward.”

Hayes has certainly moved to rectify that issue by re-signing Roy Essandoh.

The 32-year-old striker - who made his 100th appearance for the club towards the end of last season - left the club in the summer but returned to Woodside Park last week after a brief spell at Cambridge City.

His return will no doubt add a phsyical presence and experience to the frontline, boosting the firepower available to Hayes.

“In the summer there were some people we couldn't afford to keep but not all found places they wanted to go,” said Hayes, who gave Essandoh a second half run-out against Bognor.

“When I spoke to Roy and found he was available and willing to come back with whats on offer here, I was happy to take him on as it will give us another option and make the squad that much stronger.

“Going forward, in the first three games certainly, we perhaps lacked a little bit of maturity. But Roy is experienced and can give us more in the final third.”

The club meanwhile, have released forward Kyri Kyprianou.

Stortford are due to play at St Albans City on Tuesday evening.

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Ian Baird blamed "a sloppy warm-up and a sloppy start" for Eastleigh's calamitous 5-0 defeat at St Albans City in the Blue Square South.

While the Spitfires boss maintains that the previous week's 5-1 collapse at Bromley was a "freak result", he made no excuses for his players after a dire performance at Clarence Park had handed the lowly Saints their first win of the season.

Eastleigh were so sluggish out of the starting blocks that they were 2-0 down in ten minutes - Simon Martin scoring acrobatically on six minutes before Paul Hakim raced clear of the Spitfires' defence and coolly lobbed keeper Jason Matthews.

Any hope of an Eastleigh comeback was sunk when Ben Martin headed in a 42nd-minute corner.

It lurched from bad to worse in the second half as Hassan Sulamain and sub Gary Cohen piled on the agony for Baird's men, who face another tough trip to Weston tonight (7.45).

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