News and Match Reports

26th November 2022 - Cawkwell solo goal gives Sharpness points at Patchway Town

Mark Simpson

results

Today's games in the Marcliff Gloucestershire County League saw the first points dropped this season for Bromley Heath United with a 2-2 home draw with Frampton United and for the first time more than one goal conceded allowing Gala Wilton back to the top. The struggle at the bottom of the League for Patchway Town and Quedgeley Wanderers is surprisingly becoming deeper as the season progresses.

Starting at Scott Park where Patchway Town took on Sharpness for the second week on the trot and with the same outcome - a one goal defeat. Not much to shout about but the difference between them was on thirty five minutes Rory Cawkwell made an amazing run beating three Patchway defenders on his way into the box and sliding his shot into the bottom right hand corner. The home side had few chances the best a volley from distance just wide from Kane Bartholomew on 65 . The Sharks best was five minutes from time when Sam Strickland was put through by Tom Frankham only to shoot wide with just the keeper to beat. Patchway huffed and puffed but didn’t really look like troubling the Sharks who held on for 1-0.

At The Lawns Cribbs Reserves kept up the pressure on the top two with a comfortable 4-0 victory against a youthful Quedgeley Wanderers. Aaron Coleman put the hosts ahead from close range on 31 minutes when he turned in a Tom Headford cross from the left. Cribbs doubled their lead around the hour mark when a cross from Dan Monk was headed home by central defender Harry Hambly giving Stephen Sparrow no chance. Further goals from sub Jack Guthrie and a second from the dangerous Coleman, both created by Keiran Clayton, put the seal on a convincing win for Cribbs.

Broadwell Amateurs downturn in league form continued with a 4-1 reversal at Hillside Gardens where Rockleaze Rangers George James bagged a third hattrick of the season. It was a cold autumnal day with both teams keeping the ball down on the 4G surface. On 18 minutes Jordan Dunning in the home goal tipped over an audacious lob from Ben Fishwick which looked all the way a goal. A few minutes later at the other end Jack Watkins turned a rasping shot from Brandon Boontam round the post. On the half hour Sam Bailey ran through only to hit the crossbar with a delicate lob over Watkins. He didn’t have to wait long for another chance which he took this time following a superb through ball from Boomtam dinked the ball over Watkins and watched it slowly roll over the line. Rangers took control in the second period and on 53 minutes Josh Grotzke’s cross was headed into an empty net by James who didn’t have to wait long for his second when just a minute later he slotted past Watkins after a delicious through ball from the energetic Bailey. James completed his hattrick on 78 when a ball over the top by Pete Ireland found him running through and made no mistake with a clinical finish. Broadwell kept going and got a deserved consolation on 80 minutes when Jack Morton raced through and finished from a tight angle.

Cheltenham Civil Service had a trip up to the Forest to take on Ruardean Hill Rangers and came away with a decent point. An even first 10 minutes and it was Hill with the first chance Alex Stephens breaking clear his shot well saved by Brad Pittaway. Service produced a one two between Jamie Lewis and Kieran Taylor leading to a corner which was cleared to Lewis Driscoll who shot over. Hill took the lead on 40 through Shaun Tingle who headed home after good work by Stephens. The second half had Service playing with the wind in testing conditions. They equalised on 55 minutes from a short corner which was worked to the edge of the box, the resulting shot parried by Underwood but Brett Blake was on hand to knock in the rebound. On seventy minutes Hills Stephens forced Pittaway into a smart stop. Both teams pushed for a winner but had to settle for a fair 1-1 draw.

Gala Wilton’s return to the top came at the expense of in form Wick at Oldbury Lane. Both teams were quick out of the blocks with chances at both ends but it was Gala who opened their account first on only six minutes when Jordan Molyneux cracked a superb 25 yard curling drive past the outstretched Ashton Trott. Wick levelled a few minutes later when a terrific through ball set Joe Beardwell through to make no mistake. Gala had a fifteenth minute chance to re-take the lead but blasted a penalty high and wide. Wick took the lead on 21 when Beardwell took a great cross field ball and centred for Lewis Wade to smash home. Gala had a chance to level when Trott failed to hold a shot but recovered to brilliantly block at point blank. Gala equalised six minutes after the restart when Wick failed to deal with a corner allowing Dan Gayner to stab home for 2-2. Wick thought they’d re-taken the lead after 55 minutes when the ball was thought to have crossed the line but who knows! On the hour Gala had a great chance for a goal but the shot was wide. It was Wick next to miss a gilt edged chance when Gala’s keeper brilliantly saved from Beardswell who was unable to connect with the rebound. Minutes later Jason Vile’s 20 yarder was just wide for the home side. Gala did take the lead on 72 when Gayner’s strike from the edge of the box found the net. Wick pressed hard for an equaliser but failed to undo a resolute Gala defence and in the 6th minute of added time Gayner got his hattrick with the last kick of the game for 4-2.

Hardwicke welcomed Little Stoke to Green Lane and a frantic start saw both sides out of the blocks at 100mph which set up an intense encounter. There were two relatively early sin bins reducing each side to 10 but little was created and the first period was pretty uneventful. Just into the second half John Pugsley had two decent shots in succession for Little Stoke both blocked by Nathan Barnett and in the 50th minute he broke through and after Ollie Hall made an initial save the ball rebounded to him who twisted two defenders and slotted home with Hall stranded. Five minutes later Barnett made a last ditch challenge attempting to keep the ball out of the goal but was deemed to have handled when the ball came off his thigh onto his hand and yes a penalty but also a red card. 2-0 to the visitors. Hardwicke then started to play some decent football and Jason Dowdeswell was close on seventy minutes heading onto the bar. Hardwicke looked like they might get a goal but any chance of this was ended when a reckless challenge by Japhet Humphries led to a straight red. With two minutes left Alex Fox sealed it for Little Stoke and 3-0.

A dominant performance for Stoke Gifford United who eased to a 4-0 victory over Henbury in sometimes blustery conditions. Gifford started slowly and Henbury threatened from some early set pieces. After 20 minutes Gifford had grown into ascendancy and Mike Barry earned them the lead with a back post tap in after good work by Paul Cronin and Kray Foster. On 37 minutes the lead doubled when Cronin beat his man after cutting in from the left to fire home. The second half followed much the same pattern and Foster extended the lead with a fine finish to a Marcus Thatcher through ball. The fourth was always coming and it fell to the deserving Brad Probert after a lovely move involving most of the team and Ashley Knight providing a delightful back heeled assist.

Finally to Pomphrey Hill where League leaders Bromley Heath United were pegged back by Frampton United and for the first time this season dropped points and conceded more than one goal. Bromley started the better in difficult windy conditions. They also had the best chance in difficult windy conditions when after just 5 minutes a long range shot by Alvin Nurse was well saved. Frampton gradually gained more possession and were rewarded on 25 minutes when Manolo Espada scored a fine individual goal winning the ball from a Bromley defender and slotting home off the post. Shortly after the home side were close to levelling when a great shot by Ollie Hanham was parried and scrambled away. Bromley equalised five minutes into the second period when a free kick in a wide position was delivered for Sam Edwards to head back across the goal and over the keeper. The rest of the half was fairly even with a few half chances. On eighty five minutes Bromley thought they had won it when good work on the ball by Luke Bessell resulted in his cross being headed back across goal for Antonio Nurse to head in. Frampton, however, had other ideas and in injury time substitute Stuart Maule hit an unstoppable long range volley for 2-2 and a fair reflection of things. Bromley slip to second place in the League on goal difference but have two games in hand over Gala Wilton.

19th November 2022 - Ruardean Hill Rangers late show at Henbury

Mark Simpson

results

A shortened fixture list this week with four matches, the rest of the teams involved in the County Cup. Interestingly it seems that most teams needed a result for one reason or another.

Starting at Arnall Drive where the result ended up with 10 man Henbury losing to two late goals for a 2-1 victory for Ruardean Hill Rangers. The first half was an even affair with plenty of effort and not much to show for it. The game came alive briefly in the twenty seventh minute when Henbury’s Danny Seymour was shown a red card. Both sides started the second period with more purpose and Ruardeans Josh Sladen shot just past the post. A 55th minute change for Henbury proved a shrewd move when on the hour Toby Vosper made a surging run out of defence passed to Baldwin whose cross found sustitute Paul Coles to sweep home. Ten minutes later a superb cross from Ethan Roberts found Coles who headed over. With Aaron Underwood’s outstanding performance in goal for the visitors a second goal was proving difficult to come by for the ten men. Sladen was always a threat for the visitors as they probed the equaliser. Five minutes from time substitute Fabian Pereira made a run down the left flank and crossed for Sean Heal whose strong effort was superbly pushed away by Underwood. With three minutes to go a Ruardean corner was not cleared allowing Alex Stephens to poke the ball home, and with only injury time left Stephens broke clear of the Henbury defence and squared to Ollie Mason to score Ruardean’s winner which was tough on the ten men and if only they had taken their chances - who knows.
Images from this game are available Here from Dale James Photography / Sports Shots

To Sharpness where bottom Club Patchway Town could be considered unlucky to go down 3-2. But it was the Sharks who got off to an electric start scoring after 15 seconds. Straight from the kick off the ball was played quickly and Will Tainton slipped Dan Turner in to slot home. Alex Higgs had a chance for the second but Burgess made a good save. Patchway settled and levelled on ten when a ball over the top caused confusion in the home defence allowing Joe Weare to nip round Taylor and with good composure finished from a tight angle. Both sides had opportunities during the half when Higgs headed narrowly wide for the Sharks and a Bartholomew free kick was narrowly wide for the visitors. Sharpness retook the lead 10 minutes into the second period when sub Will Lacey’s cross found Higgs to make no mistake from six yards. Patchway nearly levelled when Priday almost turned the ball into his own net and was relieved to see it come off the outside of the post. Patchway restored parity ten minutes from time when a misplaced pass from Priday went behind his own defence and James Higgs was unable to deal with things and fouled Matteo Pali allowing Jay Moore to slot home the spot kick. The Sharks rallied and retook the lead on eighty five minutes when Dummelow picked up in midfield and played wide to Priday and his great cross found Lacey to finish excellently from a tight angle for 3-2 and three points.

7-0 last week and 6-0 this, Wick seem to have turned their sticky start around, this time at Waterwells Sports Centre against struggling Quedgeley Wanderers. It was however Wanderers who had the first chance when Sean Lawson’s 4th minute shot was narrowly wide. Karim Rendall had the Owls first chance when his shot hit the bar. A Quedgeley free kick on 21 minutes was blocked by the Wick wall. The first goal came for the visitors on 41 minutes when Rendall found the net and two minutes later the lead was doubled when Lewis Wade tapped in following a goalmouth scramble. However Wanderers made a good start to the second half with two decent chances one narrowly wide of the top right and another saved by Ashton Trott. Things then started to go downhill for the home side when in the 55th minute Lewis Wade finished well from a central position and seven minutes later Rendall got his second from a six yard header for 4-0 . Quedgeley rallied for a time when Ryan Hunt’s powerful half volley was saved by Trott. But the Owls fifth came twenty minutes from time, a long ball over the top left Jack Creaney to chip over Kieran Derbyshire. Sean Lawson’s efforts for the home side forced an error in Wick’s defence but the ball was poked narrowly wide. However Wick weren’t finished and Rendall got his hat trick in the 85th for 6-0.

Stoke Gifford were the visitors to Little Stoke park for todays drawn affair. The home side started very quickly and were nearly ahead on two minutes when a superb cross field pass from Lewis Hughes found Jordan Yeo who fizzed the ball into the box producing a fine save only for John Pugsley to pick the ball up and be denied by another good save. The game continued at a good pace with both sides trying to attack and it was the visitors who took the lead just after the half hour when a corner was whipped in and a stretching Lewis Hughes could only divert into his own net. Little Stoke pressed for an equaliser but were denied by some resilient defending. The pace of the game continued into the second half and the home side scored a leveller just after the hour when Yeo converted a spot kick given for a push. Little Stoke were now having the better of the possession but it was Gifford who nearly retook the lead from a breakaway but with the goal gaping the attack came to nothing Connolly Jarret easily saving. Good defending by Gifford denied Little Stoke on a couple of occasions with Mike Hardiman and Luke Meacham both coming close. The visitors had a great chance from the spot following a trip but Jarret produced a superb save. Little Stoke pressed for a winner but could not break Stoke Gifford’s determined defence 1-1.

12th November 2022 - Bromley Heath United take over at the top

Mark Simpson

results

The sun was shining on the county and we have a new leader in Bromley Heath United clear top for the first time this season and with a 100% record, claiming the points this week against Gala Wilton who went into the match as league leaders.

And it’s at Pomphrey Hill where we start with a very competitive and close fought affair. Gala started the better with the greater share of possession and looking dangerous at times. Their reward came on twenty minutes when Connor Walters made a positive run down the left coming inside the full back to score a fine individual goal. A few minutes later Bromley had a chance to level when Sam Edwards fierce shot from an Ollie Hanham cross just cleared the bar. The equaliser came just before the break with the same two players combining and Edwards knocking the ball over the line after his first shot came off the keeper. The second half continued as an even affair with Gala creating two good chances in quick succession one from Dan Gayner and the other from Craig Howell producing good saves from Ferguson. Bromley came close themselves with Jack Withey’s unstoppable shot clearing the bar and long rangers from Luke Bessell and Ben Ackerman narrowly wide. The game was decided on eighty minutes when Edwards slid in from close range from Hanham’s cross for 2-1 to Bromley.

Occupying third and fourth places were Cribbs Reserves and Sharpness with the home side coming from behind to win 2-1. Sharks took the lead in the 14th minute when Cribbs keeper Harry Bridgeman was dispossessed in his area allowing Alex Higgs in to score. Cribbs levelled in the 27th when a long ball forward from James Pellowe was poorly defended leaving Jack Guthrie to bring the ball down and drive past Truan Taylor in the away goal. The winning goal came on the hour when good work on the right of the Sharpness box by the lively Guthrie gave chance to Keiran Clayton to lash past Taylor from 8 yards. Cribbs should have scored more but poor finishing and good goalkeeping meant an anxious ending against willing opponents.

Hardwicke entertained Broadwell Amateurs at Green Lane in a match where neither side made any impact in the first twenty five. Broadwell came close when Ethan Wilkins struck from twenty yards, Ollie Hall parrying away. A minute later Jordan Dowdeswell’s free kick from just outside the box beat Jack Watkins but not the crossbar. After a bit of toing and froing between the midfields Broadwell almost took the lead on forty when Nathan Davies raced down the left and cut inside, his powerful attempt saved by Hall. Just before the break Hardwicke scored when William Mathews flicked the ball on for Nathan Barnett to bundle home. Broadwell raised their game in the second period and Keiran James 25 yard free kick crashed off the bar. The away side levelled on the hour after Jack Knight swept the ball across from the right for Taylor Blaby to head home. With Well dominating, Dan Brain’s free kick struck the bar and then he had another effort saved by Hall. In the 88th minute they almost won it when a ferocious free kick was pushed onto the bar by the impressive Hall. However after hitting the crossbar three times during the match they must have known it wasn’t going to be their day and Hardwicke ensured their misery was compounded when in the last minute Pat Vernall headed home Dowdeswell’s corner for 2-1.

Rockleaze Rangers are having a fair season and stepped up a gear at Hillside Gardens for only their second home win, 5-0 over struggling Quedgeley Wanderers. Rangers started well and on six Josh Grotzke’s low drive was superbly tipped round the post by Sparrow. Two minutes on however they did take the lead when Sam Bailey tapped home from six yards after good work by Williams and Grotzke. Wanderers didn’t have too many chances but had plenty of the ball and got a number of crosses in without troubling Dunning in the home goal. But it was Rockleaze who came closest on 34 when Henry Jones struck the bar. The second home goal came four minutes later when some neat footwork in the Quedgeley area by George James found the bottom corner. To rub salt into the wounds a long ball over the top saw Dan Webb race away and hit the ball first time into the bottom corner with Sparrow not moving 3-0. The second half started end to end with Dunning saving well from Reynolds and Lowman, however Sparrow was the busier of the keepers making a brilliant reaction save from Sam Bailey on seventy. The fourth goal came 10 minutes from time with Collins through one on one rolling past Sparrow giving credit to Bailey’s great through ball. 83 minutes sub Jensen Beard slotted the fifth past Sparrow. This was not the end of the action with Lowman for Wanderers and Beard for Rangers both striking the woodwork in injury time. 5-0 to Rockleaze and a miserable afternoon for Quedgeley.

Two teams needing points met at Oldbury Lane but it was the less desperate of the sides, Wick Owls who crushed Patchway Town leaving them rooted at the bottom. The first 15 was devoid of any goalmouth action as both sides sought to create. It was the Owls who broke the deadlock however when Mickey Golding’s cross from the right found Jack Britton steaming in to fire the opener and two minutes later Joe Beardwell was on the end of Jamie Johnsons’s corner for two. The next ten minutes was one way traffic as Wick endeavoured to increase their tally but Patchway hung on. Beardwell went close for his second but his headed flick saw Sam Burgess equal to it. Patchway had a good spell towards half time but never troubled Ashton Trott. So, two up at the break Wick came bursting out of the blocks for the start of the second and within a minute were three up Beardwell’s shot parried by Burgess and Golding firing home. Golding got his second on 55 when he latched onto the ball following a goalmouth scramble to bag Wick’s fourth. Wick continued to press and look dangerous, Beardwell proving too strong for the away defence struck his shot into the far corner for 5-0. Golding got his hattrick on 85 finishing off a cross from the left for the sixth. Beardwell completed the scoring with his hattrick and Wick’s seventh a minute later leaving Patchway with a lot of work to do.

Cheltenham Civil Service on an indifferent run met a Henbury side also in need of points at Tewkesbury Road. Service flew out of the blocks and were one up on two minutes, a through pass by Jamie Lewis found Chisom Obi whose cross to Carl Griffiths was defected in for an own goal. Service had hold of the game but were resolutely denied by Henbury. Thirty two minutes in and it was almost two when Adam Loveridge’s effort was saved by Chlopecki in the Henbury goal. This was followed by an effort from Lewis again saved by the busy visitor’s keeper. Henbury almost exploited overplay by Service when they countered at pace resulting in Jacob Iley making a smart stop. Service responded by doubling their lead when Teejay Hosking’s through ball found Obi who in turn found Lewis for a sublime finish for 2-0. The second half was less frantic, both teams trying to find a shape with the first chance falling to Service with good link up work by Jones and Letori found Obi to chest down to Lewis whose thunderous effort was well stopped by Chlopecki. However Service contrived an opening for Henbury with a misplaced pass out and Fabian Pereira was on hand to beat Iley. Service restored their two goal advantage when Obi fed Lewis from the left and a smart dummy was followed with a smart finish. Griffiths had another attempt well saved before a speculative effort by Bobby Greenwood went wide. Further efforts by Jones and Lewis were thwarted by Chlopecki. With 10 minutes left Henbury had a penalty and Rhys Iles stepped up and squeezed past Iley 3-2. Service had a good reaction to the setback, following a Henbury corner Service broke out and Brett Blake timed a through ball for Jones who finished well. A few skirmishes at the end led to both teams being reduced to 10 but useful points for the home side 4-2.

A good three points for Stoke Gifford United over hard working Frampton United. From the first minute Gifford controlled possession and were threatening with balls to the front men and down the channels. Paul Cronin 22 mins and Kerem Karakus 26 mins both fired wide from distance. Frampton almost caught the home side out on the half hour but Lewis Jefferies produced a fine double save. The second period begun with the same pattern, Gifford with the ball but found Frampton well organised. Mike Barry and Bradley Probert were introduced and they both looked to score when clean through but were denied by Frazer Wilson’s feet. Wilson was in action again denying Ethan Crossley and Cronin. On 85 minutes Probert was through clear again but only forced a corner. Frampton’s rearguard was broken at the death when Karakus was brought down allowing Tauren Williams to convert for 1-0 and to take three points back to the village.

Ruardean Hill Rangers inconsistencies came to light with defeat to mid table Little Stoke. Little Stoke had the lion’s share of possession in the opening 10 but the first chance fell to Rangers with Alex Stephens firing wide. John Pugsley had a chance for the visitors on 23 but shot tamely at Underwood. On the half hour Stephens beat three defenders only to shoot wide. Little Stoke were close to opening their account but Alex Hill’s free kick came off the bar. A minute before the break Pugsley had a free header and should have done better. However he made amends in injury time reacting quickest to hit a good left foot shot leaving Underwood helpless. Just into the second half Hill’s Stephens just cleared the bar from outside the area. On the hour Underwood made a fantastic save from Hardiman who found himself in space in the box. Underwood saved Hill again after a short Mason back pass allowed Simmons one on one but the keeper expertly saved. On 80 it became an uphill struggle for Hill when Walding was dismissed for two yellows. The visitors made the man advantage count two minutes later as Hardiman struck first for two-nil and a few minutes on Little Stoke made the three points safe when Meacham headed home wrong footing Underwood. A fourth almost came as Hardiman hit the bar with a great strike from outside the area. 3-0 to the visitors.

5th November 2022 - Gala Wilton and Bromley Heath United open gap at the top

Mark Simpson

results

Start of November and a gap at the top starting to open a little bit with Gala Wilton keeping the pace but with Bromley Heath United hot on their heels with a 100% record and only two goals against. The bottom of the league is quite tight but anything can change quickly with three points for a win.

We start in midweek at The Lawns with Cribbs Reserves against struggling Wick and perhaps surprisingly the points were shared in blustery conditions. With a strong wind at their back the Owls were on the front foot for the opening half hour winning a succession of corners which Cribbs dealt with well. However it was the home side who took the lead in the 27th minute when a lofted ball from Aaron Coleman sent striker Jack Guthrie through to drive past Ashton Trott. The advantage was doubled on 36 when the lively Coleman skipped past his marker and drove home from the edge of the box. Wick gained a lifeline just before the break when a poorly dealt with corner allowed Dave Patterson to slam home from close range 2-1. The Owls equalised on the hour when Karim Rendall had too much time and space and shot past Aaron Greatbanks with the aid of a slight deflection. Cribbs regained the lead with around 20 minutes to go when a good move down the left created a chance for Dan Monk who struck low and hard to be denied by Trott whose parry fell to Guthrie to get his second. Moments later Wick grabbed a deserved point when a vicious ball from the left by the impressive Rendall was headed in by Jay Vile at the back post for 3-3.

To Saturday and Bromley Heath United kept their run going with a close 2-1 victory at Quedgeley Wanderers. Bromley started well when Olly Hanham had a third minute shot from the edge well blocked by Jack Bright, and in the twelfth Ben Ackerman had a shot from the edge. Wanderers first chance fell to Ryan Hunt but Will Ferguson held firm. The action continued with a number of efforts from both sides unsuccessful. Bromley Heath eventually took the lead when Sam Edwards spun and shot into the bottom corner. More chances came for the home side with Hunt and Kory Taylor going close. Just before the end of the half Steve Sparrow in the home goal saved from Luke Bessell. The second period saw chances for Bromley with Hanham and Ackerman close, but it was Wanderers who equalised in the 78th minute with Hunt scoring spectacularly from outside the box. However Bromley got the winner not long after from Trai Elliston-Sackett.

Gala Wilton are still at the top and despite a wet and windy Saturday afternoon at Fairmile Gardens a good crowd of 85 were there for the local derby against Hardwicke. Gala started quickly and had their first effort on goal, a close range Alex Gayner header dealt with by Long. Shortly after the visitors Harry Furniss dragged wide. Gala were forced into an early change Kieron Mace replacing Brad Loveridge on twelve. The first goal of the game came on twenty minutes, Connor Walters delivery from the right was headed back across goal by Martin Smith for Gayner to crash his header past a helpless Long. Gala continued to dominate and were rewarded on forty minutes with their second when good work by Gayner down the right whose cross was met by Smith’s diving header. The wind played havoc for both sides in the second half and few chances were created. The visitors threw their big men up top and it came to fruition on eighty minutes when a Will Matthews header was met by Fred Humphries who fired his shot through a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner. Hardwicke pushed for leveller but the home defence stood strong with captain Dan McNally orchestrating things to close the door and get three points for the home side 2-1.

Sharpness kept up their challenge on the fringes with a cracking 6-3 win over Henbury at Hamfields. The first goal of the afternoon came when Alex Higgs closed down Cameron Tarr’s clearance which saw the ball rebound and bounce over keeper Damian Chlopecki’s head. Henbury should have equalised, Pereira missing with the goal at his mercy. The Sharks lead was doubled on twenty when good link up in midfield from Gibbs, Dummelow, and Frankham playing in Dan Turner who lifted the ball over the advancing Chlopecki and into the net. Henbury did reduce the deficit on the half hour when a well worked free kick on the edge of the box led to Will Baldwin striking and a big deflection wrong footing Taylor in goal. Sharpness restored their two goal advantage five minutes before half time when a partially cleared corner was met by Frankham with a great volley into the bottom corner. 3-1 at half time soon became 4-1 within five minutes of the restart when a ball in behind the visitor’s defence found Turner who rounded Chlopecki and rolled home. On the hour it was 5-1, sub Will Lacey cut in from the left and stroked home with his right foot. At this point the game seemed dead and buried but Henbury had other ideas and hit back with two quick goals, the first from Tarr heading in Baldwin’s corner the second an absolute cracker, Toby Vosper advancing unopposed from the halfway and when 30 yards out unleashed a thunderous drive into the top corner and Taylor no chance. The Sharks wrapped thing up five minutes from time, Lacey drove down the line cut back to Will Tainton who unleashed a fierce strike for 6-3.

Frampton United also remain on the fringes taking the spoils with a 4-1 win over Ruardean Hill Rangers in an entertaining affair at The Bell Field. Ruardean started well with an early effort from Ben Ball just wide. It was the home side however who scored first in the 23rd minute after a good break by Harvey Long whose shot was tipped onto the post by Underwood the rebound falling to Manolo Espada who coolly finished. Ruardean levelled five minutes later when Ball latched on to a great through ball and slid his effort past keeper Kaye. Frampton retook the lead when Espada was denied by a last ditch tackle, but Jonathan Willets beat Underwood to the ball for 2-1. The third came from a free kick which was unfortunately sliced for an own goal. The final goal of the afternoon came from a great strike from Espada to make the final score of 4-1 to Frampton United.

Just above Frampton in the pecking order come Broadwell Amateurs who had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Stoke Gifford United. The fireworks started a little early with a scorcher of a goal from Gifford’s Kerem Karakus after just twelve minutes, collecting the ball some thirty yards out unchallenged he unleashed a thunderbolt in to the top of the net. On the slick surface both sides played quick open football Ben Fishwick coming closest for the home side his effort pushed wide by Jefferies on 20 minutes. It was the visiting keeper who was kept busy all afternoon with several first class saves. The second half saw Broadwell with a slight breeze at their backs putting the visitors under pressure. On 52 minutes Gifford gave away an unnecessary free kick and were punished when a perfect Dan Brain delivery saw Ethan Wilkins rise above the visitors defence to head home for 1-1. Broadwell enjoyed the next fifteen minutes of play the Stoke Gifford defence unable to cope with the pace of Liam Thomas. On sixty eight minutes however Stokes Paul Cronin stunned the home crowd into silence his half chance shot deceiving Watkins to end up in the back of the net. The visitors now kept the ball, slowing down the game frustrating both the home crowd and players. But on 85 minutes it was the home side with good interplay down the right saw the ball fall to Wilkins feet who fed Fishwick to fire high into the net for 2-2. Right at the death Brain was through on goal and with only the keeper to beat saw his effort agonisingly wide. A fair result on the day with both sides giving 100%, a credit to the County League.

Patchway Town’s luck is out at the moment and it appears they can’t buy a win. What could have been an 8-8 draw ended up 4-2 to Rockleaze Rangers at Scott Park. Patchway’s first attack on five minute saw Rockleaze keeper Jordan Dunning make four saves one after the other eventually holding the final shot. Danny Webb also had a chance for Rangers with Jed Mould making a point blank save to keep Patchway level. The first goal came on 23 minutes with a speculative lob over the top caught the home defence flat footed with Jordan Dent sprinting through and slot past Mould for the visitor’s first. The second came five minutes later following a good run down the left by Sam Bailey who crossed as he was falling down the ball ending up in the net, admitting it was meant as a cross but whatever it was 2-0 to the visitors. Patchway pulled one back on 34 with a good run down the left by Tate Shaw who crossed for Adam Porter to head in from five yards. Fifty four minutes and the home side equalised when a run into the box by Sam Finn saw him upended and Porter slotted the penalty away sending Dunning the wrong way. On 63 it was the turn of the visitors, a through ball which nearly everyone, except Danny Webb, thought was going out, chased it down and crossed for Marcus Williams slot home. It was four on 70 minutes , a ball over the top found Jenson on the left beating a couple of defenders and slotting past Mould to complete the scoring 4-2 to Rockleaze Rangers.

Finally to Little Stoke Park where Cheltenham Civil Service seem to have got their selves into a bit of a rut, coming away pointless. It was a one sided first half with Little Stoke taking the lead on four minutes when Jordan Yeo’s corner was tapped in by the unmarked Mike Hardiman. Just ten minutes later Hardiman returned the favour delivering a great ball for Yeo to tap home from a tight angle. Further chances went begging for Stoke notably Matty Simons through one on one well saved by the visitor’s keeper. The second half was pretty even, the miss of the half falling to Little Stoke’s Alex Hill who struck the bar from 12 yards for the score to stay 2-0 to Little Stoke.

3rd November 2022 - Electronic Programmes

Gala Wilton v Hardwicke

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