9^th November 2019 - Sharpness hit Patchway for six

Ron Holpin

For the third Saturday running the weather conditions affected the fixture programme. Very heavy rain caused the postponement of the three fixtures in the South of the County whilst the four in the North of the County all went ahead.

Sharpness moved into second place in the table after hammering basement Club Patchway Town 6-0. The home side took three-minute lead when James Higgs pumped a long ball up to Will Lacey to run clear and drive the ball past the Town keeper. It went to 2-0 on twenty-two minutes from a corner that was headed away by the Patchway defence but Tom Freeman picked up the loose ball and sent it back in for Sam Strickland to hammer into the net. On thirty minutes Patchway’s Jack Byran’s shot from outside the box took a slight deflection and ended up hitting the crossbar. Three minutes into the second half the home side went 3-0 up when Ryan Ponting headed in from a corner. It went to 4-0 on fifty-five minutes when Brad Hewer sent Sam Strickland away to score his second of the afternoon. On seventy minutes Will Lacey got his second running from midfield to cheekily dink the ball over the on-rushing keeper. Dan Hobbs saved well from Patchway’s Kyle Ford with fifteen minutes to go. Sharpness wrapped up the scoring in the eightieth minutes when Brad Hewer broke from the halfway line to fire the ball past the visitor’s keeper. Patchway kept plugging away and a tremendous long-range effort from Ollie Bacon stuck the crossbar with just a couple of minutes left.

Frampton United were back in action today making the short trip to Quedgeley Wanderers and came away with an excellent 5-2 win. It was the home sides Nathan Payne who tested the Frampton keeper after six minutes but a minute later United were in front through Fraser Wilson. United went further ahead in the sixteenth minute from a Manolo Espada strike. In the twenty-sixth-minute home keeper Nathan Charnock brought off a good save to deny Frampton going three up. Then at the other end Nathan Payne went close for the home side. Five minutes before the break it was 3-0 to United Fin Blythe getting on the score sheet. Frampton could have extended their lead in the fifty fifth minute from the penalty spot but keeper Nathan Charnock brought off a great save. The home side pulled a goal back on the hour mark with a strike from Jordan Rouse to make it 3-1, but within five minutes Frampton’s Ethan Dunbar extended the lead to 4-1. With fifteen minutes to go Craig Mills scored a fifth Frampton goal, then in the eighty fifth minute Wanderers Jordan Rouse scored his second to make the final score 5-2.

Hardwicke continue to climb the table and moved up slightly today with an excellent 4-1 win over Ruardean Hill Rangers. On a slippery pitch they went ahead after fifteen minutes Will Higgins stabbing the ball in from Jordan Dowdeswell cross. Just minutes later Underwood saved well from another effort from Higgins pushing the ball well clear. James Ratcliffe used his pace down the wing before cutting in and unleashing a shot that Underwood tipped over the bar. Rangers scored a deserved equaliser on thirty-two minutes from a thirty-five-yard cross from Bobby Walding that was headed in by Shaun Tingle. Ratcliffe’s pace was giving the visitors a few problems as he raced into a scoring position again on forty minutes only to see his shot pushed over the bar again by Underwood. Rangers were reduced to ten men right on half time when Dan Matthews was sent off for a second yellow card offence. Two minutes into the second half the home side went into a two-one lead and it was Ratcliffe again slipping down the flank and crossing in for Will Higgins to score from ten yards. The home side made it three – one on seventy-five minutes when Toby Webb broke down the flank cut in and drove a fierce shot past Underwood. A couple of minutes later Ratcliffe saw his shot ricochet of the post and then Richard Mansell’s thirty-yard shot was well saved by Underwood. With just a couple of minutes left in the game Will Higgins sent in a cross for Will Matthews to finish off for a really good win.

Broadwell Amateurs are going through a bad time at present and were well beaten 4-0 by today’s visitors Little Stoke. Stoke took the lead on sixteen minutes when Luke Sperring headed in from a corner. Broadwell’s Liam Thomas’s long-range shot was well saved by the visitor’s keeper. Unfortunately, the home side made a dreadful mistake on thirty-nine minutes and Ethan Moore latched onto a very poor back pass to make it 2-0. There was little goalmouth action from either side in the second half until the eightieth minute when Broadwell had a good chance to score but Liam Thomas’s shot was well saved again by the Stoke keeper. In the eighty second minute Broadwell’s Alex Brown handled on the line and was sent off with Little Stoke having the chance to increase their lead from the penalty spot. Up stepped Khalil Lamir to fire the spot kick home. Then four minutes later the home side conceded a second penalty and Lamir netted from the spot for a second time.

4^th November 2019 - Henbury Manager wants players to relax

Simon Parkinson

HENBURY co-boss Trevor Richards believes relaxation is the key to more consistent success for his team.

Whilst keen for his players not to lose their competitive edge, the observant Arnall Drive supremo says over-anxiety has all too often crept into Henbury’s game this term, a characteristic he reckons is costing them precious points in the fight to climb into the higher reaches of the Marcliff Gloucestershire County League table.

Richards remarked: "I just feel we get too keyed up at times. The lads can try too hard and that prompts individual and collective mistakes.

"My fellow manager Jason Tarr feels the same and it is frustrating at times and that goes for all of us as a group.

"We’re predominantly a collection of local lads, all mates, who can shout and bawl at each other and no one takes offence. There’s a great rapport amongst them and the football maybe means more because of it.

"The lads know where they’re going wrong and they’re trying hard to rectify it. And it’s not to do with ability – the talent is there without a doubt - or the systems we ask them to play.

"They just need to relax and play the football we know they can play and stop getting all worked up when thing aren’t going to plan.

"If they can get the mental side right they’ll play to their potential more and have us climbing up that table.”

For all that, the former Southmead CS Athletic co-boss is encouraged by recent performances and the club’s set-up as a whole.

"We lost 2-0 at Sharpness recently but things contrived to go against us and a draw would have been a fairer outcome,” Richards maintained.

"In our last game, with an ever-strong Frampton team at their place, we’d battered them before taking a late lead through George Loud’s quality finish into the top corner with his less-favoured left peg.

"George had just missed a penalty too so it was disappointing then to concede an equaliser to another penalty so late in the day, although there were no complaints about the award from us as Lewis Jefferies, a very good goalie who had been filling in for Cam Tarr due to his broken ankle, came out to try and deal with a 50/50 situation.”

Richards admits the departure of forward Dawid Regula to Toolstation Premier Division strugglers Bristol Telephones has been a "big loss.”

"He’s a lovely kid who joined us from Roman Glass at the start of the season,” he explained. "Give him an opportunity and he seldom misses.

"The whole team is gutted that’s he’s left but we understand his reasons for wanting to better himself at that level and he knows there’s always a place for him back here.”

Henbury are due to take on Rockleaze Rangers tomorrow on their ambitious opponents’ Hillside Gardens’ 3G.

Richards acknowledged: "They’re a lovely well-run club with a smashing chairman in Andy Myland and I always look forward to playing them and the banter.

"We played them on their new 3G pitch last season (lost 2-0) and found it tricky and hard to judge the bounce of the ball and hard underfoot. Older players are often reluctant to play on 3G surfaces as they know they’ll suffer two days later.

"It’s an advantage for teams used to training on them but it does mean games are hardly ever cancelled.”

Other scheduled fixtures see Bromley Heath hoping to build on their two recent first wins of life in the league at home to Hardwicke, while Hanham Athletic bid to put a five-game winless run behind them against lowly Vicarage Road guests Broadwell Amateurs.

Little Stoke and Patchway Town entertain AEK Boco and Quedgeley Wanderers’ respectively.

Big game of the day involves leaders Wick’s visit to confront second-placed Gala Wilton.

All County League games now kick off at 2pm.

25^th September 2019 - Les James League Cup Second Round Draw

The second round draw for the Les James League Cup sponsored by Boca Teamwear is as below.

• Broadwell Amateurs v Gala Wilton
• Frampton United V Wick
• Sharpness V Ruardean Hill Rangers
• Patchway Town v AEK Boco

All games to be played on Saturday 21^st December with a 2 PM kick-off (TBC)

10^th August 2019 - Pens and Badges for Sale

The league has some 50^thAnniversary Pens and Badges for Sale

Pens at £3, Badges at £3 or £5 for a pair

To send the pens and badges by post it will cost £1.15 (Second Class) £1.35 (First Class)

Please make Cheques payable to Gloucestershire County Football League
Or Direct Bank Transfer
National Westminster Bank
Sort Code - 60-01-29
Account Number - 50003666

Please send to:
Ron Holpin
27, Brockley Close
Little Stoke
Bristol.
BS34 6HA.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

If you wish to contact me by email: sec.gloscountyleague@btinternet.com
Tel: 01454 612842 or 07816 947169

26^th July 2019 - Respect Table 2019/20

The introduction of sin bins is to decrease dissent throughout the game of football.

Just think what your players will say, if they have to play with 10 men or less for 10 minutes every time players use dissent towards match officials and end up in the sin bin for their trouble.

The league will be rewarding clubs for their efforts in reducing dissent in the following way:

The top 3 clubs who have the least number of points after every 10 matches will rewarded with a cash prize.

To receive that money, clubs will accumulate points in the following manner:

Dissent Only

1 point for every player sent to the sin bin. (Yellow Card)

3 points for every player sent to the sin bin on 2 occasions. (Yellow Card /Red Card)

5 points for every Red Card for Language.

Now is the time to Respect all those involved in Football.

Enjoy the 2019-2020 season.

Peter Langley (Chairman)