30th March 2025 - Points on the board or games in hand?
Mark Simpson
Much the same at the top, a few Clubs can overhaul Almondsbury with their games in hand, a few Clubs can come close with their games in hand, but Almondsbury have the points. Much the same at the bottom with games running out for Gala Wilton and Cheltenham Civil Service.
A local derby between Almondsbury and Filton Athletic, with both teams pushing hard to finish at the top of the pack at the end of the season and with over 200 spectators again at the Field, interest and tensions were high. Filton controlled the first half-hour with their best chance coming on 14 minutes with Fraser Venables played through but Jack Burgess made a last-ditch challenge to deny him. Almonds got their game together and on 26 minutes Craig Lancastle played in Hill but Tom Bradley made a great save. On 37 minutes Trey Merrett was through from a flick on, Sam Burgess made a great save with Jack Burgess making a clearance off the line. A high energy second half brought little in clear-cut chances for either team. Midway through the half Mannings had an effort from distance which Bradley spilled but Pali was unable to direct his follow up on target and 0-0 it ended up.
Sharpness and Bromley Heath United played out a tight affair at Hamfields and it was the Sharks who were in the lead after a couple of minutes when a Tainton cross was flicked on by Bennett and found Walker who acrobatically hit a volley into the far corner. Sharpness had opportunities to double their lead but couldn’t find that finishing touch. Both James Tainton and Bennett were put through one-on-one but Tainton missed the target and Bennett’s heavy touch allowed Ferguson to come and gather the ball. Tainton had a shot from distance but was comfortably straight at Ferguson. Bromley had more of the ball in the second half putting the Sharks defence under pressure and they had a chance to level things when Bessell’s free kick found Noble at the back post, but unusually, he couldn’t find the target. Bromley nearly claimed a point late on when Bessell’s free kick was destined for the top corner but James Holder pulled off a great save, securing a much needed three points for Sharpness 1-0.
Chalford entertained Cheltenham Civil Service at Highfield Road and the hosts were straight out of the blocks a superb cross landing nicely for Ryan Harry for an overhead kick which went in top bins. Service then settled and both teams played some nice football but it was Chalford who got a second with a free kick routine straight from the training ground a short kick enabling Minnican to get a mint cross for Harry to lash home his second. Chalford were straight out of the blocks for the second half and within five minutes had their third goal with Outram finding himself one-on-one with Jon Dix who he megged with his shot to nestle in the far corner. Both teams played well on the day but it was Chalford who took their chances for a 3-0 win.
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Sharpness (Red) v Bromley Heath United (Yellow/Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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Wick faced Hanham Athletic in a local derby at the Nest and it was the home side who started strongest and were in the lead inside two minutes when Cory Langdon closed down Carson Aineer-West, won the ball and tapped into an empty net for 1-0. Wick doubled their lead on ten minutes when Fred Taylor-Fox’s corner was cleverly dummied by Langdon and Callum Ball reacted to poke home. Three minutes later the Owls had three when Liam McCracken skipped through the defence and slotted home. The home side weren’t done there and on 20 minutes it was four, terrific work by Langdon winning the ball back on the edge of Hanham’s area and dinked the stranded keeper for 4-0. Hanham had a couple of chances of their own from Mikey Golding but Kai Wilson pulled off a neat double save, but on 26 minutes some brilliant work from Louis Short down the right made him one-on-one and he squeezed his shot in from a tight angle for Wick’s fifth. Ten minutes from the break it was six, a great ball over the top from Kyle Russell split the defence and forced an own goal. Hanham made changes at half-time and reacted better in the second period. Karim Rendall went close on the hour with only the post denying him and a minute from time Rendall forced a good save from Wilson but Golding was there to smash home Hanham’s consolation. So, Wick’s promotion charge continues at a pace with a 6-1 victory.
On a bright breezy afternoon Stoke Gifford SGS United hosted bottom club Gala Wilton with both teams desperate for three points. The home side started the better and found themselves one up on seventeen minutes when Jake Abraham nodded home from close range. Gifford had a flurry of efforts not long after and should have been further in front, but both Ollie Stevenson and Abraham were unable to fully test Oscar Bignall. These chances were rued on 28 minutes when Gala equalised, good hold up play by Oran Reid allowed Harry Francis to burst clear and fire home at the near post. SGS responded well and Abraham perhaps should have scored when through on goal but was denied by Bignall’s feet. Both Stevenson and Patryk Kosciolek tested Bignall as Gifford turned up the heat. They final got their second on 40 minutes when Kosciolek tucked away after a period of sustained pressure. The second half was even more dominant from Gifford, but Gala didn’t help themselves defensively. A high, innocuous cross to the back-post was somehow kept alive by Abraham and his knock down was flapped at by Bignall allowing Stevenson to poke home. The Gifford number 9 was unlucky not to have had his second 5 minutes later when teed up 12 yards out but crashing a fierce effort off the post, Rudy Hill the let fly from 20 yards and was denied by the crossbar. Stevenson did get his second on 73, Aaron Sweete releasing him in on goal and he finished confidently. A few minutes later Sweete scored himself, through on goal and rounding Bignall for 5-1. Gifford put the cherry on top in the 88th and 90th minutes when full back Rudy Hill grabbed a brace. Firstly, he nodded home Joe Taylor’s corner and the linked well with Sweete and Jacob Gough to fire home from the edge of the area. A comfortable 7-1 win for Gifford leaving Gala looking doomed at the bottom.
A healthy crowd on Henbury & Rockleaze’s annual ‘reunion’ day saw the home team dispose of Ruardean Hill Rangers 2-0 to continue their good run and it should have been a lot more if it were not for the heroics of Hill keeper Aaron Underwood. The game started at a terrific pace with H&R running at Hill’s back line with pace and purpose. The first chance fell to Kacper Kalkowski on 16 minutes after some neat play between Marcus Williams and Drew Sawdon put Kalkowski one-on-one with Underwood who saved superbly with his legs to start what would become a familiar story. Two minutes later Harvey Moran delivered a superb cross into the six-yard box where Sawdon smashed his diving header at goal only for Underwood’s outstretched right arm to tip the ball onto the crossbar to make a save as good as anything you will see at this level of football. On 27 minutes Goulden saw another effort saved by Underwood and at this point apart from the odd corner or set piece it was all one-way traffic. H&R deservedly took the lead on 35 minutes when James Goulden found himself free on the right and Kalkowski smashed the ball home. After such a frenetic and quick first period the second took time to get going, however, the familiar story of Underwood saving shots at will recommences on 66 minutes when Williams flick header from a corner was turned around the post. On 71 minutes he made another great save from Sawdon whose shot through a number of bodies following a goalmouth scramble. On 72 minutes Kalkowski should have doubled H&R’s lead but his attempt was rather weak. Two minutes later Underwood made two fine saves from Goulden and Harrison, with those in attendance wondering if this was to become a classic ‘smash and grab’ game. The home team were becoming frustrated and the visitors growing in confidence. However, H&R put the game to bed in the 87th minute when Rhys Iles found himself one-on-one with Underwood and his left foot found the net to wild cheers from the home faithful. H&R deserving the three points with a 2-0 victory but most of the plaudits taken by that man Aaron Underwood.
Broadwell Amateurs hosted Totterdown United at the Hawthorns on a chilly overcast afternoon. The visitors made the brighter start, launching probing runs into the home defence. This early pressure culminated with a free kick on the edge, and Isaac Sulyman’s shot rebounded to safety off the bottom of the post. Broadwell settled and a left-wing cross found Nath Davis who bundled the ball into the net but was adjudged offside. The match remained evenly balanced, but in the 25th minute a swift Broadwell attacking move through the middle, found Creed in the box and his sharp turn and clinical finish put the hosts in front. Totterdown emerged after the interval determined to find an equaliser but Broadwell nearly extended their lead when Jamie Belfitt’s shot was turned round the post by Ashley Martin. On the hour a long throw-in by Jack Knight fell to Belfitt who fired home his and Broadwell’s second. The match then exploded into an action-packed ten-minute spell of end to end attacking. In the 62nd minute a wayward Totts pass was pounced on by Creed who rounded Taylor and slotted in for 3-0, and in the 65th minute a left-wing cross found Chaz Hemmings unmarked to fire past Jack Watkins to reduce the deficit. Broadwell quickly restored their dominance and a slick seven-man passing move ended with Belfitt making it 4-1. Just two minutes later another well-worked move saw Creed slot home his hat-trick goal to give Broadwell a 5-1 victory.
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