16th November 2024 - Totterdown United into Les James Cup Semis - sponsored by Boca Teamwear
Mark Simpson
Only one game to report this week – the Les James League Cup Quarter Final tie between Totterdown United and Gala
Wilton. Most of the rest were in the third round of the County Cup with seven Clubs making it through to the next
round.
At Bristol Barbarians RFC Totterdown United took on Gala Wilton in the last of the League Cup Quarter-Final ties.
Gala started the brighter of the two sides retaining a lot of the possession. They had the first big chance when Jamie
Creed took advantage of a short back pass but his finish was well wide of the goal. Totterdown grew into the game
after the first 15 minutes and became the more threatening of the two sides hitting the post twice and having a goal
chalked off for offside and with Oscar Bignall making a couple of good saves. The second half was much of the same
with Totterdown looking threatening with every attack, and the most notable of the missed chances was Chaz Hemmings 5
yards out in the centre of the goal, scuffing his shot wide. It seemed like a case of when, and not if, Totterdown
would score when Gala anyway, gave them a generous helping hand with one player forgetting he was playing football and
turned to wrestling getting himself a red, and with another sin binned in the same passage of madness. Totterdown
capitalised and scored a well worked goal ending with Jack Millard slotting the ball into the back of the Galas net.
It was all Totterdown for the rest of the half with few more missed chances before Ollie Lovell finished the game off
from a Jack Moon pass sealing a 2-0 victory for Totterdown United joining Henbury & Rockleaze, Frampton United and
Quedgeley Wanderers in the semi-finals.
9th November 2024 - Chalford take points at Hanham
Mark Simpson
Almondsbury stay top, but there is a chasing pack not a million miles behind and one of those clubs is Chalford who
have made an impressive start following promotion from the GNSL, with Sharpness and Frampton United the closest of the
pack. At the bottom Cheltenham Civil Service’s recent form has made their position look a lot less hopeless.
Starting at the Hallett Construction Pavilion, Hanham Athletic took on Chalford and indeed it was Hanham who had the
lead on 5 minutes when a fantastic cross by Sam Archer was headed home by Mickey Golding. Chalford piled on the
pressure and deservedly equalised on twenty when George Parker volleyed in unmarked from a corner. Eight minutes later
with Hanham screaming for handball, Ben Minnican thundered the ball past Ashton Trott. It was 3-1 just before the
break, when Hanham’s defence was pulled apart for the umpteenth time and Travis Cooke finished well into the corner. A
huge mistake by Sam Neil in the Chalford goal let Hanham back in on the hour, letting a hopeful cross by Jordan
Rickman through his hands. Chalford would have made it 4-2 but for a great goal line clearance from Sheldon Saunders
and 3-2 to Chalford it remained.
To the Forest for the local derby, Ruardean Hill Rangers against Broadwell Amateurs, with Hill dominating early
possession, and on 17 minutes a shot from Ollie Mason was palmed out by Jack Watkins and Kane Sampson tapped in.
Broadwell began to build into the game and five minutes before half time Aaron Underwood spilled a Broadwell shot but
managed to recover the ball. Broadwell started the second period well, with a lot of positive passes going forward.
But, on 55 minutes Ruardean broke and earned a free kick 35 yards out which Steve Clark fired into the top right
corner for 2-0. On 58 both teams were reduced to ten, Harry Knight a straight red Fin Jones a second yellow. On the
hour Hill attacked down the left, Mason running past a defender and scoring with the outside of his boot from 7 yards.
Ten minutes from time Broadwell crossed in and Aidan Creighton hit the ball on the half volley for 3-1. Five minutes
later from a Broadwell corner the headed ball was just wide but in the end Hill took the points 3-1.
At Pen Park it was honours even in a one-sided affair between Filton Athletic and Henbury & Rockleaze. Filton were
out of the blocks from the off, an early Merrett cross out for a corner but Tom Fry was then caught offside. Moments
later Merrett was put in again by Fry but his cross was over the top. The pressure continued and Venables crossed for
Jack Cole to head straight at Jordan Dunning. A further Trey Merrett effort was blocked by Jordan Buckett. Still only
20 minutes gone when Kieran Cooper headed over Hillier’s cross. Five minutes before the break Merrett was through
again from Jack Cutler but the on-rushing Dunning foiled him. The second half continued in the same vein, Filton
having most of the ball and openings. Merrett shot just over, Fraser Venables’ shot well saved by Dunning, and Merrett
drew another Dunning save from the resulting corner, Fry then headed another corner straight at Dunning. And after all
that, the goal for the hosts came on 63 minutes as Merrett tapped in after Venables shot was well saved by Dunning. On
67 a rare H&R break saw Nick Jones cross go over. And after all the virtually continuous Filton pressure the
inevitable happened when keeper Barry Phillips dwelt on the ball too long and allowed Joe Hodson to poke in the
equaliser. And there it is! After virtually total domination Filton had to settle for a point at 1-1.
Frampton United are probably the closest to Almondsbury at the top and they took on Totterdown United at the Bell
Field in their first County League meeting. And, it didn’t take long for Frampton to open their account Myron Turner’s
first minute shot from the edge creeping in off the post. Eight minutes later Joe Wilton’s cross beating the defence
and George Driver-Dickerson was on hand at the back post to fire past Ashley Martin for two-nil. Totterdown’s Alex
Silvester came close heading just wide from a corner. In the 55th minute Zak Tyers beat a couple of defenders, played
the ball through to Tom Mangan who slotted past Martin for 3-0. Totterdown came close again, Chaz Hemmings heading on
a cross which Jack Moon latched onto but his lob was just too high. Henry Driver-Dickerson was on the score sheet when
his shot went through a crowd of players for 4-0. George Saunders was unlucky for the visitors when Tom Kaye pulled
off a great save to deny him, and Totterdown finally got their reward when Mike Rimmer pulled a goal back. Frampton
finished the scoring in the last minute when Manolo Espada’s shot deceived the keeper for 5-1 to Frampton.
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Frampton United
(Blue/White)
v Totterdown United
(Red/Black), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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A “six-pointer” at Tewkesbury Road between Cheltenham Civil Service and Quedgeley Wanderers and it was the visitors
on the front foot with lots of set pieces and high press. But, it was Service who took the lead, breaking down the
left and Cam Blacker with a nice finish, slotting past Nathan Charnock. Service started the second half with better
football, creating lots of chances and indeed, Blacker scored his second from some good work in the box, a back heel
by Riley Greenwood assisting a comfortable finish. Quedgeley attacked for the final twenty minutes but were unable to
break down the home defence and a valuable 2-0 win for Service and a huge amount of work left for Quedgeley.
At Hamwells, Sharpness picked up back-to-back victories (this one against Gala Wilton) and another clean sheet.
Sharpness scored all three goals in the first half, the first an own-goal when a James Tainton cross was inadvertently
headed in! The Sharks doubled their lead when a goalmouth scramble ensued from a corner and Brad Gibbs was on hand to
stroke the ball home. The third came when James Priday played a ball over the top of the Gala defence and Alfie Jones
raced through and poked the ball past the advancing Oscar Bignall. Gala did come close to pulling a goal back after a
well worked free kick sent Brad Loveridge through one-on-one with Holder who pulled off a smart save to deny him. The
second half was a bit of a damp squib, all the damage done in the first half and a 3-0 Sharks win to keep their title
challenge alive.
On a dull and grey Saturday afternoon at the Stoke Gifford Stadium a feisty battle ensued between Stoke Gifford SGS
United and Wick. Early exchanges were pretty even, but it was only 12 minutes before the deadlock was broken Rudy
Hill’s shot was saved by Kai Wilson and Maidment was first to react to score from close range. The rest of the half
remained even, with both sides failing to put away some decent chances and second half remained much the same, both
sides working hard for a goal. On the hour, Cory Langdon was left free at the back post to tap in the equaliser for
Wick. SGS’s Hill had a looping header cleared off the line by Kyle Russell, and in the 72nd minute that man Cory
Langdon was on hand again to run on to a through ball and smash home his and Wick’s second goal. SGS responded, and
threw everything at Wick, but Wilson was defiant. Two minutes in to time added on Harvey Moran was through for SGS but
Wilson made a great save to keep Wick’s 2-1 advantage intact.
Finally, it was the turn of leaders Almondsbury to visit Pomphrey Hill to take on Bromley Heath United and with them
four points clear at the top it looked as though it was going to be another routine win as they were ahead just eight
minutes in when a speculative ball into the box was won in the air by Zac Morgan under challenge, and his looping
header dropped into the net. Bromley reacted to this setback and created a few half chances themselves making sure
Burgess was kept on his toes. The remainder of the half was pretty even with Almonds just edging possession but
Bromley creating more. Bromley started the second half the stronger and from an early attacking corner had Burgess
beaten but was narrowly over. Within minutes Alex Hill’s long range shot for Almonds was just over. The rest of the
half saw both sides cancel each other out but, as in many games between two competitive sides one goal is often enough
to decide things and this was no exception and three points to Almondsbury 1-0.
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