National League fixtures: Eastbourne Borough and Worthing discover itinerary

Eastbourne Borough’s new season will pick up where the last one ended – with an away trip to Oxford City on Saturday, August 6.

And Worthing, in their first season at step two following their Isthmian premier title win last term, will start at home to Dover.

See the full lists at the end of this article

This season’s National South programme is busier by six matches, because the division has increased to 24 clubs. New arrivals in National South are Dover Athletic and Weymouth – both relegated from the National League – and promoted clubs Worthing, Cheshunt, Taunton Town and Farnborough.

Nine months of action conclude on April 29 – though not for those who make the play-offs.

After Borough's opener at Oxford, seven days later on Saturday, August 13, Borough will step out for their first home fixture when they welcome Bath City to Priory Lane – followed swiftly by the visit of Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday 16. Those two dates bring Worthing's first two away trips, to Welling and Weymouth.

And the six fixtures in a packed first month are completed with games against Hungerford away, Dulwich Hamlet at home – and on August Bank Holiday, an intriguing short trip along the coast to Adam Hinshelwood’s freshly-promoted Worthing - with the Rebels making the return trip to Eastbourne on January 14

The increased numbers meant Tuesday night football is back with a bang. There are nine midweek fixtures scheduled for Borough – almost all against relatively near neighbours such as Welling United, Tonbridge Angels and Hampton and Richmond Borough.

The longest of Borough’s long hauls is done and dusted by Saturday 10 September, when Bloor’s boys must trundle 208 miles to Somerset to face newcomers Taunton Town. One week later, on 17 September, the Sports will enter the FA Cup at the 2nd Qualifying Round stage. FA Trophy action begins for Borough on 19 November.

At Worthing, bosses are delighted to be starting their new adventure in front of their large home support, where last year’s Isthmian League title-winning run had its foundations. They follow the opener at home to Dover with two away trips – to Welling on Saturday 13 and Weymouth, another side to have come down from the premier, on Tuesday 16.

Chippenham and Eastbourne Borough visit Woodside before the month is out – the latter for a bank holiday Monday Sussex derby on August 29.

Christmas and the New Year brings a double header against Hampton & Richmond – at home on Boxing Day and away on January 1.

April brings the regular league season to an end with six matches – Concord, Braintree and Hemel Hempstead at home (the Hemel game being the final fixture) and Farnborough, Cheshunt and Taunton away.

As usually seems to be the case with Worthing, there’s plenty of Tuesday night road trips ahead. They travel for midweek action to Concord in September, Dulwich in October and Ebbsfleet in March.

Worthing are hopeful of having huge support – both home and away – for their first stab at National League success. They regularly welcomed more than 1,000 at home last season and 458 watched Tuesday’s friendly with Three Bridges..

Worthing back in the old routine to beat Three Bridges.

Borough snap up QPR defender..

Worthing fixtures in full

August 2022

Sat Aug 6 Dover Athletic H

Sat Aug 13 Welling United A

Tue Aug 16 Weymouth A

Sat Aug 20 Chippenham Town H

Sat Aug 27 Dartford A

Mon Aug 29 Eastbourne Borough H

September 2022

Sat Sep 3 St. Albans City A

Sat Sep 10 Tonbridge Angels H

Tue Sep 13 Cheshunt H

Sat Sep 17 (Date of Emirates FA Cup 2Q)

Sat Sep 24 Hemel Hempstead Town A

Tue Sep 27 Concord Rangers A

October 2022

Sat Oct 1 (Date of Emirates FA Cup 3Q)

Sat Oct 8 Farnborough H

Sat Oct 15 Braintree Town A – (or Date of Emirates FA Cup 4Q)

Sat Oct 22 Taunton Town H

Tue Oct 25 Dulwich Hamlet A

Sat Oct 29 Slough Town H

November 2022

Sat Nov 5 Hungerford Town A

Tue Nov 8 Oxford City H

Sat Nov 12 Bath City A

Sat Nov 19 (Date of Isuzu FA Trophy 2)

Sat Nov 26 Chelmsford City H

December 2022

Sat Dec 3 Havant & Waterlooville A

Tue Dec 6 Ebbsfleet United H

Sat Dec 10 Dover Athletic A

Tue Dec 13 Weymouth H

Sat Dec 17 (Date of Isuzu FA Trophy 3)

Mon Dec 26 Hampton & Richmond Borough H

January 2023

Sun Jan 1 Hampton & Richmond Borough A

Sat Jan 7 Welling United H

Sat Jan 14 Eastbourne Borough A

Sat Jan 21 Chippenham Town A

Sat Jan 28 Dartford H

February 2023

Sat Feb 4 Tonbridge Angels A

Sat Feb 11 St. Albans City H

Sat Feb 18 Oxford City A

Tue Feb 21 Dulwich Hamlet H

Sat Feb 25 Hungerford Town H

March 2023

Sat Mar 4 Slough Town A

Tue Mar 7 Ebbsfleet United A

Sat Mar 11 Bath City H

Sat Mar 18 Chelmsford City A

Sat Mar 25 Havant & Waterlooville H

April 2023

Sat Apr 1 Farnborough A

Fri Apr 7 Concord Rangers H

Mon Apr 10 Cheshunt A

Sat Apr 15 Braintree Town H

Sat Apr 22 Taunton Town A

Sat Apr 29 Hemel Hempstead Town H

Eastbourne Borough fixtures in full

Sat Aug 6 Oxford City A

Sat Aug 13 Bath City H

Tue Aug 16 Ebbsfleet United H

Sat Aug 20 Hungerford Town A

Sat Aug 27 Dulwich Hamlet H

Mon Aug 29 Worthing A

Sat Sep 3 Dover Athletic H

Sat Sep 10 Taunton Town A

Tue Sep 13 Welling United H

Sat Sep 17 Emirates FA Cup 2Q

Sat Sep 24 Concord Rangers A

Tue Sep 27 Dartford A

Sat Oct 1 Emirates FA Cup 3Q

Sat Oct 8 Weymouth H

Sat Oct 15 Hemel Hempstead Town A Emirates FA Cup 4Q

Sat Oct 22 Braintree Town H

Tue Oct 25 Hampton & Richmond Borough H

Sat Oct 29 Chelmsford City A

Sat Nov 5 Cheshunt H Emirates FA Cup 1

Tue Nov 8 Farnborough A

Sat Nov 12 St. Albans City H

Sat Nov 19 Isuzu FA Trophy 2

Sat Nov 26 Slough Town A Emirates FA Cup 2

Sat Dec 3 Chippenham Town H

Tue Dec 6 Tonbridge Angels A

Sat Dec 10 Oxford City H

Tue Dec 13 Ebbsfleet United A

Sat Dec 17 Isuzu FA Trophy 3

Mon Dec 26 Havant & Waterlooville A

Sun Jan 1 Havant & Waterlooville H

Sat Jan 7 Bath City A Emirates FA Cup 3

Sat Jan 14 Worthing H Isuzu FA Trophy 4

Sat Jan 21 Hungerford Town H

Sat Jan 28 Dulwich Hamlet A Emirates FA Cup 4

Sat Feb 4 Taunton Town H

Sat Feb 11 Dover Athletic A Isuzu FA Trophy 5

Sat Feb 18 Farnborough H

Tue Feb 21 Hampton & Richmond Borough A

Sat Feb 25 Cheshunt A

Wed Mar 1 Emirates FA Cup 5

Sat Mar 4 Chelmsford City H Isuzu FA Trophy 6

Tue Mar 7 Tonbridge Angels H

Sat Mar 11 St. Albans City A

Sat Mar 18 Slough Town H Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final

Sat Mar 25 Chippenham Town A

Sat Apr 1 Weymouth A Isuzu FA Trophy Semi-Final

Fri Apr 7 Dartford H

Mon Apr 10 Welling United A

Sat Apr 15 Hemel Hempstead Town H

Sat Apr 22 Braintree Town A Emirates FA Cup Semi-Final

Sat Apr 29 Concord Rangers H

Sun May 21 Isuzu FA Trophy Final

Sat Jun 3 Emirates FA Cup Final