2022–23 Wessex Football League

Wessex Football League
Season2022–23

The 2022–23 Wessex Football League season was the 37th in the history of the Wessex Football League since its establishment in 1986. The league consists of two divisions: the Premier Division and Division One.

The constitution was announced on 12 May 2022.[1]

Premier Division

The Premier Division was reduced from 21 clubs to 20, after Bashley and Hamworthy United were promoted to the Southern League South Division; Alton were transferred to the Combined Counties League, and Amesbury Town were relegated to Division One.

Three new teams joined the division:

  • The club finishing the season in second position was initially required to play in an inter-step playoff with a team from step 4. Due to ground grading failures higher up the pyramid, three step 4 clubs were reprieved, and the three step 5 runners-up with the highest PPG (points per game) were automatically promoted. Bemerton Heath Harlequins were one of those three.

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Horndean (C, P) 38 32 2 4 126 21 +105 98 Promoted to the Isthmian League
2 Bemerton Heath Harlequins (P) 38 30 5 3 123 33 +90 95 Promoted to the Southern League
3 AFC Stoneham 38 31 2 5 111 37 +74 95
4 AFC Portchester 38 30 4 4 115 49 +66 94
5 Moneyfields 38 19 8 11 76 47 +29 65
6 Hamble Club 38 20 5 13 88 65 +23 65
7 Baffins Milton Rovers 38 19 6 13 68 52 +16 63
8 Laverstock & Ford 38 17 4 17 66 67 −1 55
9 Fareham Town 38 14 7 17 64 71 −7 49
10 Christchurch 38 15 3 20 62 77 −15 48
11 Portland United 38 13 8 17 64 76 −12 47
12 Hythe & Dibden 38 13 8 17 63 76 −13 47
13 Shaftesbury 38 14 4 20 73 80 −7 46
14 Brockenhurst 38 11 5 22 54 91 −37 38
15 Blackfield & Langley 38 11 5 22 53 90 −37 38
16 Cowes Sports 38 10 7 21 42 83 −41 37
17 Bournemouth 38 11 4 23 48 97 −49 37
18 United Services Portsmouth 38 10 5 23 61 90 −29 35
19 Pagham 38 10 4 24 51 93 −42 34 Reprieved and transferred to the Southern Combination
20 Alresford Town (R) 38 1 2 35 25 138 −113 5 Relegated to Division One
Source: Wessex League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Stadia and locations

Location of the clubs in the 2022–23 Wessex Football League Premier Division (Dorset)
Club Location Stadium Capacity
A.F.C. Portchester Fareham Wicor Recreation Ground
A.F.C. Stoneham Eastleigh Stoneham Lane Football Complex 1,000
Alresford Town New Alresford Arlebury Park 1,000
Baffins Milton Rovers Portsmouth PMC Stadium
Bemerton Heath Harlequins Bemerton Moon Park 2,100
Blackfield & Langley Fawley Gang Warily Recreation Centre 2,500
Bournemouth Bournemouth Victoria Park 3,000
Brockenhurst Brockenhurst Grigg Lane 2,000
Christchurch Hurn Hurn Bridge Sports Club 2,000
Cowes Sports Cowes Westwood Park 2,000
Fareham Town Fareham Cams Alder Stadium 5,500
Hamble Club Hamble-le-Rice Hamble Community Facility
Horndean Horndean Five Heads Park 2,000
Hythe & Dibden Dibden Clayfields Sport Centre 1,000
Laverstock & Ford Laverstock Church Road
Moneyfields Portsmouth John Jenkins Stadium 1,180
Pagham Pagham Nyetimber Lane 1,500
Portland United Portland Camp and Satherley Stadium 2,000
Shaftesbury Shaftesbury Cockrams 1,000
United Services Portsmouth Portsmouth Victory Stadium 1,000

Division One

Division One remained at 20 clubs after Bemerton Heath Harlequins and Laverstock & Ford were promoted to the Premier Division, and Infinity resigned from the league during last season.

Three new teams joined the division:

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Andover New Street (C, P) 38 29 6 3 104 39 +65 93 Promoted to the Premier Division
2 Newport (IOW) 38 27 5 6 97 38 +59 86 Qualification for the play-offs
3 New Milton Town 38 27 3 8 116 50 +66 84
4 Hamworthy Recreation 38 27 3 8 101 46 +55 84
5 Petersfield Town (O, P) 38 23 7 8 86 36 +50 76
6 Downton 38 22 6 10 103 49 +54 72
7 Andover Town 38 18 5 15 90 74 +16 59
8 Fleetlands 38 18 5 15 58 62 −4 59
9 Totton & Eling 38 15 10 13 56 57 −1 55
10 Millbrook 38 16 6 16 90 99 −9 54
11 Folland Sports 38 15 8 15 68 65 +3 53
12 Romsey Town 38 13 8 17 67 77 −10 47
13 Fawley 38 13 6 19 62 71 −9 45
14 Verwood Town 38 13 5 20 68 75 −7 44
15 East Cowes Victoria Athletic 38 9 12 17 38 74 −36 39
16 Whitchurch United 38 11 3 24 61 85 −24 36
17 Ringwood Town 38 9 4 25 60 97 −37 31
18 Ash United 38 6 10 22 56 106 −50 28 Reprieved from relegation
19 Amesbury Town (R) 38 6 8 24 42 117 −75 26 Relegated to the Wiltshire League
20 Fleet Spurs (R) 38 3 0 35 26 132 −106 9 Relegated to the Hampshire Premier League
Source: Wessex Leagues
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Promotion playoffs

Semi-finals Final
      
2 Newport (IOW) 0 (8)
5 Petersfield Town (pens) 0 (9)
3 New Milton Town 1 (1)
5 Petersfield Town (pens) 1 (4)
3 New Milton Town (pens) 0 (3)
4 Hamworthy Recreation 0 (1)

Stadia and locations

Club Location Stadium Capacity
Amesbury Town Amesbury Bonnymead Park 1,000
Andover New Street Charlton Foxcotte Park 1,000
Andover Town Andover Portway Stadium 3,000
Ash United Ash Shawfield Road 2,500
Downton Downton Brian Whitehead Sports Ground 2,000
East Cowes Victoria East Cowes Beatrice Avenue 1,000
Fawley Holbury Waterside Sports & Social Club 1,000
Fleet Spurs Fleet Kennels Lane 1,000
Fleetlands Gosport DARA Fleetlands 1,000
Folland Sports Hamble-le-Rice Folland Park 1,000
Hamworthy Recreation Wimborne Magna Road 1,500
Millbrook Southampton Test Park 1,000
New Milton Town New Milton Fawcetts Field 3,000
Newport (IOW) Newport Beatrice Avenue (groundshare with East Cowes Victoria) 1,000
Petersfield Town Petersfield The Southdown Builders Stadium 3,000
Ringwood Town Ringwood Long Lane 1,000
Romsey Town Romsey Southampton Road
Totton & Eling Southampton Little Testwood Farm 1,500
Verwood Town Verwood Potterne Park 1,000
Whitchurch United Whitchurch Longmeadow 1,000

References

  1. ^ "The FA provides update on National League System club allocations at Steps 3–6". The FA. 12 May 2022.