23rd March 2025 - Almondsbury extend lead at top
Mark Simpson
Almondsbury with a win keep top spot by some way, only Filton’s games in hand can overhaul the and they play each other each other next weekend, whilst Wick and Frampton United can still catch them. Sharpness and Filton dropped points and at the bottom Gala Wilton are in big trouble and Cheltenham Civil Service are now two wins from safety with only one game in hand.
First to Tewkesbury Road where Cheltenham Civil Service took on Almondsbury and it was rather a cagey start by both teams, who were solid in defence which led to very little being created in the first half but a penalty, claimed to be controversial by Service, allowed Craig Lancastle to give Almonds a first half lead. Service came out in the second half the better of the two teams with Adonis Georgiu’s header inches wide and an Alin Neamtu effort cleared off the line. However, Almonds increased their lead from a corner with unmarked Jayden Holver heading home. Service were reduced to 10 players for 10 minutes but effectively the game was over with a comfortable 2-0 Almonds win.
At Pen Park Filton Athletic looked to continue their long unbeaten league run against struggling Quedgeley Wanderers, and it was Filton off to a dream start when Tom Fry’s left-wing cross sailed over Nathan Charnock’s head for a third minute lead. Not long after it was almost two for the hosts with Trey Merrett shooting just past the post. On 13 minutes QW equalised with Sean Lawson firing a 35-yard volley past Tom Bradley. On 18 minutes Kieran Cooper’s header from Venables corner was cleared off the line and a few minutes later Quedgeley’s Finlay Jenner latched onto a ball over the top, breezes past the Filton defence but lobs the ball just over. On 36 minutes QW were awarded a penalty for a high foot from Kyle Thomas and Bradley was sent the wrong way for 2-1. A relatively quiet second half but on 58 minutes Fraser Venables shot from distance saved by Charnock and Cooper’s follow up went wide. Eight minutes from time QW almost got a third when Jenner found himself some space but shot over. On 85 Fabian Pereira missed an open net from Merrett’s pass. In time added on Filton threw everyone forward for a corner which Pereira headed home for 2-2 to break QW’s hearts, but nevertheless I’m sure they would have taken a point if offered it at the start.
At the Hallet Construction Pavilion Hanham Athletic received title chasers Sharpness who started the match the stronger of the two and they took a deserved lead on 10 minutes, a cross from the left caused panic in the Hanham defence allowing Jamie Walker to finish at the far post. A dominant Sharks almost made it two on 24 minutes but young keeper Carson Ainger-West pulled off a fine reaction save from a point-blank George Thomas header, and he continued to keep Hanham in it coming brilliantly out of his box to deny Walker his second. However, Walker did get his second on 39 minutes finishing superbly into the top corner. Hanham did get back into it when Kafi Ibrahim was brought down in the box, and got up to finish cooly from the spot. The hosts should have equalised soon after but Shah Bhakherd shot over when through on goal. Sub. Lewis Wade went close for Hanham but his shot was well saved by Liam May. Hanham eventually and deservedly equalised on 80 minutes when an absolute thunderbolt from Jamie Fry following Jordan Rickman’s set up flew into the top corner and 2-2 it finished.
At the Bell Field, Frampton United hosted Henbury and Rockleaze in a hard-fought game which belied H&R’s league position. Frampton got off to a quick start and scored after only six minutes when a long cross to the back post was met by Manolo Espada who headed past Harry Trett for what, as it turned out to be, the game’s only goal. The remainder of the game ebbed and flowed with few clear-cut chances for either team. H&R’s Drew Sawdon was unlucky when his snap shot from the edge of the box which came back off the post, and Frampton’s best chances all came from free kicks and on 21 minutes a free kick delivered into the box was sliced by a defender, came back off the crossbar but Lewis Vye shot wide. In the 65th minute Craig Mills headed back across the box but again Vye’s shot was wide. The final effort came from another Espada free kick, Jacob Geddes rose highest but headed wide and there it ended a valuable three points for Frampton United.
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Almondsbury (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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Stoke Gifford SGS United hosted Broadwell Amateurs on a mild spring afternoon. SGS fielded a side with an average age of 19, and they started on the front foot earning a few early set pieces. Joe Taylor found Rudy Hill on two occasions but he was unable to find the net. On 25 minutes Jake Abraham was clear down the left but Jack Watkins denied him with a smart save. Broadwell put together some good possession at times and their first effort on goal was when Kristian Burnard rose highest but his header was well saved by Evan Healan. Gifford’s Cosmo Browne found space but was off target and then Aaron Sweete found the opener five minutes before the break driving in from the left and rifling a 20-yard strike into the bottom corner. Broadwell managed the first chance into the second half, Jamie Belfitt’s shot bringing a good save by Healan, and Jordan Locke’s acrobatic rebound was just wide. Browne responded for SGS striking well from 20 yards but was denied by Watkins. SGS made changes and the subs linked up nicely to put the game to bed, good hold up play from Jacob Gough released Leo Hope who outpaced his marker and his delivery allowed Ben Chambers to slot in at the far post, and in the 90th minute Isaac Comerford turned in Hope’s cross for a 3-0 Gifford win.
At Bristol Barbarians RFC Totterdown United started very brightly against Ruardean Hill Rangers and were two up in the first 20 minutes. The first from George Saunders after a good run on the wing taking on his full back and slotting past Aaron Underwood, and the second followed good wing play by Saunders and his pass across the face of goal was expertly finished by player-manager Jack Thorley. Ruardean had a few chances with the most notable needing a goal-line clearance by Totts Jack Millard. In the second half Totterdown made a number of good chances and later in the game Saunders got his second, taking on the full back, cutting in and scoring. The chance of the game came to Totts Dale Ellis who was one-on-one with Underwood and hit his shot straight at him. So, 3-0 it finished and after the heavy cup defeat last week, the other side of Totterdown United was seen.
Chalford started very strongly at Bromley Heath Unitedlooking to take advantage of a very depleted Bromley team. And they deservedly went ahead after 20 mins albeit from a fortunate own goal. Bromley tried to hit back straight away at the other end but Trai Elliston-Sacketts fierce shot was saved well by the Chalford keeper. But within minutes Chalford took a 2-0 lead when a ball through the middle of Bromley's defence was taken on by Ryan Harry to slot home. The first 30 mins of the game belonged to the away side but then Bromley to their credit began to have more control and crafted some good chances, forcing one fingertip save from the Chalford keeper and putting a couple just wide. They were rewarded just before half time when Aiden Noble latched onto a defence splitting pass from Jacob Millward to hit a shot which was too hot for the keeper to keep out. The second half couldn't have started better for Bromley when their early pressure caused a defensive mixup for Noble to get the equaliser from close range. Things got even better for them when Bromley's Ben Ackerman in his first game back from a long term injury, came off the bench to be brought down in the box by the Chalford keeper. Noble converted the penalty to get his hat trick and make it 3-2 to Bromley with 20 mins to go. Chalford began to throw caution to the wind, pushing men forward to get the equaliser. But they didn't really look like scoring until with just a couple of minutes to go their centre half Will Benneyworth hit a speculative shot on the half volley into the ground to bounce high over the diving Bromley keeper and into the net. Then well into injury time Chalford were awarded a corner which resulted in Chalford defender Adam Day getting his head to the ball well beyond the far post and guiding it back across the goal to find the far top corner of the net.Two worldies to complete an astonishing comeback for Chalford but very cruel on a battling Bromley side who had comeback from two behind themselves
A young Gala Wilton side, with half of the lads U18 players, took on high flying Wick at Fairmile Gardens. And it was the young Gala side who took an early lead on 10 mins when Christian Oliver fired home from 10 yards. But Wick hit back to equalise on 35 with a venomous long range strike from Kyle Russell. However Gala retook the lead just before half-time when a Christian Oliver scored his second; running with the ball from his own half before dispatching it past the Wick keeper from 18 yards to give Gala a half-time lead their dominance deserved. However that first half was as good as it got for Gala. Wick equalised 5 minutes into the second half with a header from Ben Sayers from a corner. The scores remained even until 2 goals from Wick with about 20 mins to play, from Liam McCracken and Cory Langdon, took the game away from Gala. A late penalty from Liam McCracken put a gloss on a scoreline for Wick that didn’t look likely at half-time, to seal a 5-2 victory. So Wick took home the 3 points to continue their charge near the top of the table whilst Gala reflect on what they need to do to maintain the quality they show at times, but over a full 90 minutes.
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