14th March 2020 - Patchway Town stun Little Stoke with derby win.
Ron Holpin
A very local derby Little Stoke v Patchway Town with just a mile between the two Clubs. On paper Little Stoke nestling in mid table were probably the favourites to win this game with Patchway Town propping up the table. But how wrong can you be as the visitors looked the much better side throughout the game and thoroughly deserved to go away with a 3-0 win and the three points. The first 30 minutes saw constant attack from Town and they took the lead on 14 minutes when the Little Stoke keeper dropped the ball and Joe Barnes was there to knock the ball in. They went further ahead on 31 minutes from a good break down the right and a cross to the far post that was neatly headed in by Jamie Packer. Just before the break Little Stoke had a couple of half chances the first was brilliantly saved by keeper Sam Burgess and the second was scrambled away.
Five minutes into the second half Patchway scored a third goal a brilliant shot from the edge of the box by Barnes that flew into the net. Little Stoke made several substitutions to try and get back in to the game but it was definitely not their day that belonged to Patchway Town.
An entertaining game at Broadwell Amateurs who played host to a Wick side looking to gain points on the leaders. It turned out to be an eventful game that saw the home side come back twice but then conceded a very late goal to lose 3-2. Wick had a great chance to take the lead in the first 20 second but Sam Thomas fired over from 10 yards. On 20 minutes a half chance for the home side was cleared off the line. Wick went ahead on 28 minutes when Alfie Clarke picked up a poor clearance and he fired the ball into the corner of the net. All in all, the home sides performance in the first half was way below par. Things looked a bit better on 52 minutes when Liam Thomas intercepted a pass and hit a first time shot past keeper Joe Pople to level the score. The home side performance was much better now and Ben Fishwick could have made it 2-1 but shot over the bar. Wick retook the lead from a quick free kick that caught the home defence napping with Mike Hardiman driving the ball past Watkins in the home goal. A couple of minutes later 17-year-old Watkins pulled off a great one handed save to keep his side in the game. Broadwell levelled again in the 86th minute Danny Latham turning in an Adam Fowler cross. But with just 2 minutes left to play up popped Hardiman to grab the winner and move his team into second place.
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Little Stoke (Black/White) v Patchway Town (Red), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Top of the table Frampton United versus second bottom Hanham Athletic looked like forgone conclusion on paper but the visitors surprised the leaders and went home with a point. Frampton were not at their best according to the report and had a lucky escape after 15 minutes when they managed to clear the ball off their line. The best they could offer in the first 45 minutes was long range shot from Craig Mills that sailed over the bar. Mills was at it again on 50 minutes with the same result the shot went wide. The home side did however, break the deadlock in the 73rd minutes when Jonathan Lewis squared the ball across goal for Ethan Dunbar to tuck it away. Just 3 minutes later Hanham forced a corner and the cross fell to Darius Davey whose shot was deflected into the Frampton net for an own goal. On 88 minutes Manolo Espada dragged his shot wide when in a scoring position and right at the death Dunbar’s shot was saved by the Hanham keeper.
Hardwicke one Gala Wilton one was the final score. The home side took the lead on 17 minutes from a 25-yard free kick taken by Marcus Foxwell. A minute later Steve Bick had a great chance to make it 2-0 but shot wide. On 27 minutes Gala keeper pulled off a good save to deny Bick getting a second for the home side. Gala drew level in the 63rd minute from a Craig Howell pass into Ryan Dobbins and he ran clear to score. Gala almost snatched the three point in the 80th minute but for a great tackle from Pat Vernall to deny Martin Smith.
Two teams in the top four had to make do with a point a piece in a 1-1 draw between Sharpness and Rockleaze Rangers at Hamfields Leisure Centre. The first chance fell to the home side a cross from Tom Freeman that found Alex Gayner but keeper Lewis Brodie saved well. 30 minutes into the game Fin Small set up Gayner but he missed the target. Sharpness took the lead in the 35th minute Tom Freeman rising high from a corner to head past Brodie. Rangers levelled the score just 3 minutes later Mark Hatfield put Dan Webb clear to fire past Hobbs in the home goal. Rangers had a great chance to take the lead on 48 minutes when a mistake in the home defence allowed Webb to round keeper Hobbs but then he shot wide. On 52 minutes Alex Gayner might have scored from Fin Small cross but Brodie denied him again. On 60 minutes Fin Small found himself in a one-on-one situation but failed to get the ball past Brodie. In the 62nd minute a collision between Webb of Rangers and sharpness keeper Hobbs resulted in the keeper having to leave the field injured. Alex Gayner took over in goal and was called up on to make two really good saves late in the game denying Rangers the three points.
