30th March 2019 - Lebeq United seal title
Ron Holpin
Friday saw the last home fixture of the season for Lebeq United who needed to win to try and retain their position at the top of the table and hopefully gain promotion against a Gala Wilton side fighting to avoid possible relegation.
Due to the fact that Lebeq United have a case pending where they could find themselves with a further points deduction the win was essential as Stonehouse Town were left with 4 fixtures to complete their season and if they won them all they could still match Lebeq United on points.
After today’s result at AEK Boco where Stonehouse Town were held to a 1-1 draw Lebeq United are now crowned Champions.
Back to Friday’s game a comfortable win for the home side 4-1. For the first 19 minutes Lebeq United were ruthless and a constant wave of attacks saw then thwarted from taking the lead by some outstanding goal keeping from Dan Brabham. He kept out Elan Plummer on 3 minutes then saved well from a Niekell Plummer shot on 16 minutes. Shah Bhakerd failed to beat him and Dan Payne cutting in from the left also saw his shot pushed away for a corner. A surprise for the home side on 22 minutes when Gala had the ball in the back of their net but luckily it was ruled out for offside. The home side continued to press and on 32 minted they were awarded a penalty and Niekell Plummer sent Brabham the wrong way. The Gala keeper blotted his copy book in the 42nd minute when Elan Plummer cut in from the left and Brabham some how let the shot beat him at the near post.
They had hardly started the second half when the home side made it 3-0 Kevin Camargo getting on the score sheet. Just 3 minutes later Gala hit back when Martin Smith found some space on the edge of the box hit a great shot that thundered against the crossbar and luckily rebound straight back and this time, he made no mistake. They went close again on 52 minutes from a free kick wide on the left pumped into the box and home keeper Amin Jones saw it late but flicked it away for a corner. Although the visitors were seeing a little more of the ball in this half the home side continued to pass the ball around trying to create an opening. Dan Payne made Brabham’s hands wring with a cracking shot om 75 minutes. Edward Bamfo came on in the last 15 minutes for the home side and he made it 4-1 on 83 minutes cutting in from the right hitting a low shot at Brabham’s goal the keeper got his hands to it but it still went in. Shah Bhakerd picked up a loose ball on the left just inside the Gala half cut in and unleashed a great shot, but Brabham was there again.
Stonehouse Town can still finish runners up if they can win their three remaining games and pass the two-goal advantage that Frampton United hold but have completed their fixtures for the season.
Frampton United rounded of their season with a 2-1 victory at Hanham Athletic. We had to wait until the 19th minute before we got our first attempt on goal and it came from the boot of Jack Fry but it was blocked by a Frampton defender and went away for a corner. United’s first shot on goal came from a Josh Beadle 30-yard free kick that was booted away by keeper Mason Hawkins. Frampton took the lead on 30 minutes from a Josh Beadle corner from the right that was met by Ryan Vincent who smashed the ball home. At the other end Emanuel Burnett had a clear shot on goal but hit it well wide. The home side had another chance to level on 41 minutes but Craig Sperring’s header went straight to keeper Steve Sparrow, then a minute later Sparrow just managed to punch an Ellis Kow header away.
The home side looked a little better at the start of the second half and Jamie Fry turned and shot at goal but there was not enough power on the shot. Hanham were having a lot more of possession but in the 78th minute Frampton broke away and Jonathan Lewis who had come on as a sub neatly chipped the ball over Hawkins to make it 2-0. The home side did manage a goal back in the 89th minute when Jack Baber headed in at the far post from a Tom Welling free kick.
A disaster for Southmead CS Athletic going down 7-1 at home to Ruardean Hill Rangers. The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead in the first 9 minutes. Shaun Tingle put Rangers ahead on 5 minutes then two minutes later the ball was played through the home defence and Luke Brown made it 2-0. Just a couple of minutes later an almost identical move allowed Brown in for his second and a 3-0 lead. In the 29th minute home keeper Bradley Silverthorne gave away a penalty and Shaun Tingle netted the spot kick. A ball that only reached the edge of the area from a clearance by the home side was picked up by Luke Brown to drive it into the net for his hattick. The home side got on the score sheet when Rob Sivers pulled a goal back in the 40th minute, but Rangers were rampant and made it 6-1 at the break when Shaun Tingle netted his hattrick at the far post. Just the one goal in the second period which came in the 70th minute Shaun Tingle rising above everyone to head home.
Broadwell Amateurs v Patchway Town was a game that saw both Clubs complete their fixtures for the season and Town took the three points with a 1-0 win. Broadwell’s Liam Thomas looked really lively at the start of the match but it was Harry Williams who should have given the home side the lead when he had a one-on-one situation but dithered to much and the Patchway keeper took the ball. A ball played into the box on 56 minutes was met by Dan Rees whose first shot was well saved by keeper Sadler but Rees was lucky the ball rebounded straight back and he fired it into the net. The home side had a good chance to level as Jacob English drifted past three Patchway defenders and then saw his goal bound shot finger tipped over the bar.
Stonehouse Towns visit to AEK Boco was crucial as they new they had to win to keep up their challenge. The home side started well and on 15 minutes they saw Jacob Saunders go down in the penalty area but it was deemed a fair challenge and the ball went away for a corner. Luke Soule had Town’s first effort on goal on 30 minutes when he turned on the edge of the box but his shot was well saved by home keeper Liam Jacques. A Stonehouse corner was then whipped into the near post and Casey Woodman did well to clear off the line. The home side went ahead on 79 minutes from a good cross into the box by Cash Vinall and Harrison Kyte’s spectacular overhead kick went into the bottom corner. Stonehouse got out of jail in the third minute of added time when Chris Earle broke from the halfway line down the flank crossed into the six-yard box where Luke Soule drove his shot into the ground but it finished up in the back of the Boco net.
Three goals for birthday boy Will Higgins as Hardwicke triumphed over todays visitors Henbury. The first came on 15 minutes after Tobie Webb broke down a Henbury attack sent the ball through to Higgins who raced past the keeper and slid the ball home. The home side almost got a second on 30 minutes from a Tobie Webb cross that was scissor kicked by Craig Beaton but went the wrong side of the post. Jacob Hobbs kept the score at 1-0 right on 45 minutes when he brought off a good save to deny Henbury’s George Loud. The home side made it 2-0 on 60 minutes from the penalty spot after Richard Mansell had been brought down and Higgins made no mistake from the spot. Higgins completed the scoring in the 75th minute with a strike that went zipping into the bottom corner.