15th March 2026 - Ruardean edge out Stoke Gifford
Mark Simpson
Sharpness regained top spot from Tewkesbury Town and with Filton not playing until midweek there was no other change at the top. Hanham remain rock bottom after defeat at Sharpness and in the League Cup Tytherington Rocks surprised everyone by defeating Quedgeley to reach the final.
At the Ruardean Rec. Stoke Gifford SGS United were the visitors to play Ruardean Hill Rangers and it was a good start by Hill moving Stoke Gifford around but the first chance was for Gifford when Stella Lopez forced a good save by Underwood from a free kick. On 20 minutes a great run by Ollie Mason was brought to an end after he was upended in the box but, Steve Clark’s penalty drew a great save from Taylor Smith to keep the scores level. A few minutes later Brown fed Alex Stephens free on the wing and his ball across the six-yard box was skied over the bar by Bobby Walding. On 25 minutes Gifford took the lead when Hill failed to defend their lines and Patryk Kosciolek fired home. On 34 minutes it was 2-0, Stella Lopez trying his luck produced a great save from Underwood and from the resulting corner Gifford re-cycled the ball for Stella Lopez to lob Underwood. Five minutes before the break Brown fed Mason who in turn found Clark to produce a lovely turn and fired in to the net. Hill were looking to level before half-time and Clark forced a good save by Smith. Hill started the second half pushing for an equaliser and on the hour a floated free kick from Charlie Mason found Brown at the back post but his header went agonisingly wide. Hill were still pushing when Ollie Mason’s effort was pushed over by Smith. Soon after Hill got their equaliser as a quick one-two with Stephens saw Brown break through and he made no mistake, and a little while later a deep free kick from Charlie Mason was met by Tom Landon but Smith made another great save. Soon after Gifford’s defence misjudged trying to run the ball out leaving Clark a shot which struck the post. On 75 minutes Hill took the lead after a through ball from Clark saw Brown bear down on goal and a desperate challenge broke Brown’s way to slot in to and empty net. Luke Brown was looking for his hat-trick but Smith held well and Gifford struggled to clear a Landon header off the line as Hill held on well to a well deserved 3-2 win.
At Northway Rec. Tewkesbury Town hosted Broadwell Amateurs in bright weather which unfortunately led to a rather flat home performance throughout. The first half was a dull affair which lacked both quality and goal mouth action. Broadwell took the lead on the stroke of half-time when a simple throw in down the line was not dealt with and the ball into the box pinballed around before Dan Brain put it into an empty net. If half time was to serve as a wake-up call for Town then all concerned were left disappointed as Broadwell should have doubled their lead from the spot after a ball over the top led to a coming together leaving the Referee no alternative but to point to the spot but Joe Poole stood tall and made a great save. Town huffed and puffed but never really tested Jack Watkins but with ten minutes to go all caution was thrown to the wind in an attempt to level and the goal duly came when Scott Nicholls flicked the ball through to Jamie Goodwin to slot past Watkins. There was more drama to come when a back pass was picked up by Watkins and the resulting free kick directly into the net was disallowed. But, a frustrating day for Tewkesbury and a fully deserved point for Broadwell.
At Hamfields Sharpness started brightly against Hanham Athletic and were in the lead in the opening five minutes with Marley Thomas delivering a low cross from the right-hand side and Bennett steering home from six yards. The Sharks doubled their lead on twenty minutes Woodman in space on the corner of the box lobbed the ball over Trott into the far corner. Hanham grew into the game and pulled a goal back on the half-hour when a low Stryjewski cross was mis-handled by Dykes and Hall slotted home from the edge of the box. Hanham nearly scored again when a free kick from the half-way line skimmed off the head of defender Gibbs but Dykes was on hand to push the ball away. Sharpness restored their two-goal lead right on half time when Morgan’s deep corner was headed back across goal by Priday and Hemmings was quickest to react to head past Trott. Ten minutes into the second half Sharpness grabbed their fourth when a brilliant through ball from Woodman found Thomas who showed great composure to slot past Trott. Hanham scored their second when Hall hit a ferocious free kick from 35 yards past Dykes. Sharpness finished off the scoring with 5 minutes left when James Tainton’s cross eluded everyone, and with Jones and a defender falling over attempting to meet the ball, it went to Mears on the far side of the box and he smashed the ball back in and it fortunately hit Jones on the floor and diverted into the net. 5-2 to Sharpness and back to the top.
Bishops Cleeve Development made the long journey to Pomphrey Hill to take on Bromley Heath United and started the game on the front foot and were in control of the midfield which provided a platform for them to create chances for their forward players with George Ellerton looking particularly dangerous. But it was midfielder George Cuzner who deservedly opened the scoring finishing off a well worked move down the left. They then went 2-0 up when a decisive move was finished off by the lively Ellerton with a delightful lob over the advancing Ferguson. Bromley did create some chances of their own with Mason Lewis heading just over and Ben O’Brien scoring a goal that was deemed to be offside. Neither team created too many chances in the second half and when they did both keepers were a match for the efforts. Bromley were not helped in their quest to pull back the lead when keeper Ferguson had to leave the field with an injury and Cleeve took advantage of this with Ellerton adding another goal on 75 minutes and 3-0 to Cleeve it ended.
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Green/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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At the Bellfield Frampton United took on Cribbs Reserves and the home side were off to a flying start after only two minutes when a deep cross found Manolo Marquez at the back post and he placed the ball past Jude Brown. Fifteen minutes later from a Marquez corner Matt Halsey who outjumped a defender to head in and a couple of minutes on it was three, Theo Browne outpaced the defence before neatly passing to Logan Weyman whose through ball was into the path of Will Hawes to score. Just before half time Halsey got his second when after a bit of a goalmouth scramble the ball fell to him to fire home. The second half was a completely different affair with Cribbs finding some composure and the game became a lot more even with chances few and far between. The only goal of this half was scored by Cribbs after a bit of a defensive mix-up James Capon broke through and calmly slotted past Tom Kaye. In the final minute a Marquez free kick went straight into the wall and his shot from the rebound was just wide, but a comfortable 4-1 win for Frampton.
In the Les James League Cup semi-final at Waterwells Quedgeley Wanderers suffered a frustrating defeat to Tytherington Rocks despite a strong performance for large periods of the game. The game started brightly for QW who were awarded a penalty in the 11th minute but Nathan Payne’s was well saved by Luke Baker. Quedgeley continued to press and nearly found the breakthrough in the 19th minute when Fin Jenner forced Baker into action with a shot from a tight angle. QW eventually scored in the 26th minute when Riley Stokes produced a superb through ball to release Fin Jenner who beat two defenders before calmly finishing past Baker for 1-0. Just before half time it was two, Nathan Payne delivered an excellent corner which was met by Alex Porter whose header found the net, and moments later QW awarded another penalty which was successfully converted by Henry Miles. Tytherington began their comeback in the 57th minute when a corner cause Quedgeley problems with Morgan capitalising to pull one back. The momentum shifted further in the 65th minute when Carr chipped the ball over Sparrow to reduce the deficit to 3-2. Just two minutes later Tytherington levelled the game when another corner caused further issues and Croot rose highest to head home for 3-3. Despite Quedgeley attempting to regain control Tytherington completed the turnaround in the 85th minute when another corner resulted in Waterman scoring the winner. The result ultimately was against the run of play with Quedgeley having controlled much of the game, but it is Tytherington Rocks who reach the final and meet Frampton United.
At Highfield Way Chalford took on Wick and under warm, sunny skies, it was an enjoyable match and a solid result for Chalford as they won 2-0. The first half saw two evenly matched teams battling for control, with both Chalford and Wick working hard across the pitch but neither side able to find a breakthrough before the break. Chalford came out stronger in the second half and gradually gained the edge, applying more pressure in the final third. Their efforts paid off when Maryon found the back of the net to give Chalford a deserved lead. Wick continued to fight and both teams battled hard throughout the remainder of the half. As the game approached its closing stages, Uriah Townsend sealed the win for Chalford with a second goal.
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