5th January 2025 - Wick climb to third
Mark Simpson
Only three matches this weekend and one important game at the top where Wick somewhat dented Frampton United’s title hopes and at the bottom are Quedgeley Wanderers starting their seemingly annual late run to get out of trouble.
Starting at Oldbury Lane, Wick took on Frampton United and despite the frosty conditions the pitch was in great shape for two teams chasing top spot. Wick started lively and two minutes in a great through ball set Cory Langdon away on goal but his shot was well saved by Tom Kaye with his feet. Shortly after Wick were unable to get a finishing touch to a scramble in the Frampton 6-yard area. But, on ten minutes Frampton had a chance with a shot that flashed just wide. 15 minutes in and Frampton were enjoying a good spell of pressure on Wick’s goal with a number of shots ending up wide. The hosts rode the pressure well and had their own good chance but the ball fell kindly to Kaye. It was end to end up until half time with both sides moving the ball about well. Wick were on the front foot for the second half and Langdon was away again and Kaye, again, saving with his feet. Wick maintained the pressure with a good cross fizzing across the box and evading everyone. On 65 minutes great work by Liam McCracken making room to hit a powerful shot, which Kaye half stopped only for Langdon to open the scoring for Wick. Minutes later Kaye pulled off another great save to deny Wick a second, however, on seventy minutes another great through ball set Langdon away again and this time he found the net for his and Wick’s second. Ten minutes from time a Wick shot was blocked but Langdon was on hand for his hat-trick and 3-0. As the game entered its final stages Tom Mangan pulled one back for Frampton with a header into the top corner and two minutes into time added on Frampton increased the tension when Zac Tyres fired a shot into the bottom corner of the Wick net. With 8 minutes of added time Wick had to endure a final Frampton flourish to hold onto their lead for a 3-2 win and a game worthy of a top of the table clash.
At Waterwells Quedgeley Wanderers were looking to kick-start their season against Broadwell Amateurs and after only two minutes Sean Lawson was fouled in the box for a QW penalty which Jordan Rouse smashed into the top corner for 1-0, and soon after a great ball in by Rio Spencer left Lawson to miss a simple tap-in past Jack Watkins. Broadwell had their chances and a good delivery in was headed just wide, and on ten minutes Quedgeley’s Lawson put a good ball in and Alfie Pledger forced a good save from Watkins. QW were creating chances and another came when Harry Reynolds picked up the ball on the edge, beat two players only to try a chip that was just wide. But when chances are missed the inevitable happens and on 23 minutes a good Broadwell cross into the box left Nathan Davies to knock the ball past Nathan Charnock for 1-1. A period of both teams creating half chances followed and just before the break Spencer tried one from distance which was well caught by Watkins on the stretch. Broadwell had an early chance in the second half with Dan Brain involved down the left but the cross was well blocked for a corner. QW began to create, and a ball across the box by Harry Furniss was well cleared, and on 57 minutes QW won the ball high in the Broadwell half and worked it through the middle for Finlay Jenner to knock it home for 2-1. The game became a little scrappy before QW started to pressure without a final product. Ten minutes from time Broadwell had the ball in the box only for Aiden Creighton to knock the ball over and a few minutes later Charnock made a superb save to keep it at 2-1. Broadwell threw everything at QW but failed to break them down and a valuable three points for QW.
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderers (Red) v Broadwell Amateurs (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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Hanham Athletic arrived at Pomphrey Hill with a very strong team hoping to improve on a fairly poor run of recent results against a Bromley Heath United side on a fairly good run of recent results, and within ten minutes Ben Ackerman had them in front with a well-placed header from Aiden Noble’s cross. As the half progressed both sides looked dangerous going forward with Bromley creating plenty of chances but paid for not taking them, when Karim Rendall rattled Bromley’s crossbar from distance, and Jordan Rickman got on to the end of the rebound and his deflected shot hit the back of the net for 1-1. Bromley were not daunted by this and deservedly regained the lead on thirty-five minutes after Ackerman won the ball with a good tackle and from there unleashed an unstoppable 25 yard shot into the bottom corner. The second half was always about the next goal and after starting the half the better of the two teams it was Bromley who grabbed it. A good move down the left saw the hardworking Aiden Noble send a ball into the box for Mason Lewis to appear from nowhere to slot the ball home. Bromley continued to create chances but it was Hanham who thought they should have had a penalty only for an offside decision to go against them before the foul. Hanham battled hard until the end with their best chance falling to Jay Vile who rattled the Bromley crossbar and the game ended 3-1 to Bromley who were on balance good value for their win.
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