19th January 2025 - Ruardean hit Wick for Six
Mark Simpson
On Friday night Almondsbury set a challenge for the other title contenders with three points at Quedgeley. On Saturday, Frampton and Sharpness took up the challenge but Wick faltered where many teams have done so in the past – the Forest football graveyard at Ruardean Hill.
On Friday night a decent crowd at Waterwells saw leaders Almondsbury at Quedgeley Wanderers, and it was QW who had the stronger start and three minutes in Sean Lawson put Fin Jenner through but the ball bobbled as he hit it and it fell kindly for Sam Burgess. It was still fairly even when half way through the half Almonds Omar Alwari was just wide from outside the box, and on 28 QW broke down the right, Jenner had a shot cleared off the line and Harry Furniss tapped in for 1-0. Almonds upped things and Webb set up Alwari who again couldn’t find the target. QW had an early chance in the second half with Rio Spencer feeding Furniss but his shot was into the side netting. Almonds then began to control things and Nicholls played Hill down the line who crossed into the box for Alwari to finally find the net for 1-1. Twelve minutes on and on the hour, Alwari was there again with a half volley into the net. Two minutes later Nicholls was played through, knocked it round Nathan Charnock but was unable to find the net. In the 72nd minutes Jack Burgess picked up a second yellow but it didn’t stop Almonds sealing the win five minutes from time when Hill fed Craig Lancastle one-on-one with Charnock and he tapped the ball over him for a 3-1 win for Almondsbury.
To the Forest and Ruardean Hill Rangers encounter with title challengers Wick, and it was Hill on the front foot with an early goal, Tom Landon scoring from Steve Clark’s cross. The Hill continued to dominate and fifteen minutes in grabbed a second from leading scorer Clark after a mazy run from Oli Mason. Wick weren’t really in it and on forty minutes Fin Jones intercepted a misplaced pass from the Wick defence to place a lovely shot past Kai Wilson into the top corner. Two minutes from the break a rare Wick foray into the Hill half saw good work by Cory Langdon allowing Jay Rudge to pull a goal back from close range. The second half started fairly evenly with both sides creating chances, but Hill grabbed their fourth when Clark’s corner was only half cleared to centre half Max Telling, on the edge of the box, who decided on an overhead bicycle kick which flew into the back of the net. Wick were continuing to press but were leaving themselves rather exposed at the back leaving Kane Fellows free 25 yards from goal and whose shot deceived Wilson for 5-1. Five became six after a long clearance by the Hill defence was expertly brought down by Clark who rounded Wilson for the final goal of the afternoon, and 6-1 to Hill leaving Wick with a lot to think about.
To Bristol Barbarians RFC where Totterdown United met title challengers Sharpness with both sides in good form. But it was Sharpness who controlled the first period and dominated every first and second ball, and indeed broke the deadlock twenty minutes in after Totterdown defender Frazer Clarke was caught on the ball from a poor pass out by keeper Ashley Martin, which Will Tainton capitalised on. Kier Bennett then made it 2-0 from a corner which the home side failed to clear. Totterdown played some nice football in spells but never really threatened the Sharks goal. The second half turning point came when the hosts Dan Harrison getting a sin-binning from which Sharpness took advantage scoring their third goal with a nice one-on-one finish from Bennett. Totterdown had a couple of chances chasing the game in the final fifteen but never troubled Holder and Sharpness deservedly took the points with a comprehensive 3-0 victory.
At the Bell Field, it was a cagey affair between title chasers Frampton United and outsiders Stoke Gifford SGS United where two decent teams tended to cancel each other out with few clear-cut chances being created. Frampton’s Fin Blythe had his effort from a free kick tipped over, and the only goal of the game came on 42 minutes when from a corner Jacob Geddes beat Evan Healing to the ball and his header crept over the line. Gifford’s Dan Twomey was unfortunate not to equalise when his shot took a slight deflection and came back off the post, then a cross into the box found Arthur Furness whose shot was well saved by Tom Kaye. In the dying moments with SGS pushing forward Frampton had a couple of chances on the break with Healan denying both Fin Blythe and Tom Mangan and a 1-0 win for Frampton to boost their title hopes.
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Cheltenham Civil Service (Red/White) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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In their first game of 2025 Gala Wilton entertained a Filton Athletic side who have made an excellent start to life in the County league. In a goalless but competitive first 45 minutes, it was Filton who largely threatened more with Fraser Venables looking particularly dangerous, but Gala stood firm and held their own until half time. However, the greater experience of the Filton side made the difference in the second half, and they took the game away from Gala with two goals in a two-minute spell early in the half. Venables opened the scoring on 55 minutes when he converted a free kick from 20 yards, then followed this straight after with a second goal, a deflected shot again, from outside the box. Gala were unable to respond for the remainder of the game leaving Filton to take home a deserved three points.
Up to Chalford who took on Henbury & Rockleaze and a hectic start. After 5 minutes a free kick to Chalford just outside the box and Ben Minnican bent the ball low around the wall and into the bottom right-hand corner for 1-0. A minute later, from the restart, a long ball forward down the right was taken on the bounce by Harvey Moran who lobbed Duane Portlock for 1-1. On 26 minutes Chalford broke down the right with Parker and Minnican, Parker’s cross was blocked, and from Locke’s corner Maryon flicked it on for Bennyworth to bury, 2-1 to Chalford. A few minutes later Maryon shot from the edge but his daisy cutter was easily saved by Jordan Dunning. Chalford continued to press and Portlock went long, Minnican played a cross in but was just out of Martin’s reach. Just past the hour Keylock played a ball through from just inside the H&R half, Dunning came out a long way but Maryon was there first and slid the ball in for 3-1. Twenty minutes from time Maryon cleverly flicked the ball on to George Parker who superbly chipped the advancing Dunning for 4-1. H&R nearly pulled one back when Nick Jones was one-on-one with Portlock who pulled off a great save. Chalford were on the attack again with great play between Roberts and Cooke who broke into the box and shot low to Dunning’s left but he pulled off a good save. So, 4-1 it ended to Chalford with H&R still anxiously looking over their shoulders.
To Pomphrey Hill where Bromley Heath United continued their good form against Broadwell Amateurs. Bromley came flying out of the blocks and started with a number of quick incisive moves which Broadwell did well to defend. On ten minutes Bromley were ahead, Jake Millward controlled the ball on the run and hit a super fierce shot from the edge of the box and although Jack Watkins got both hands to it, he couldn’t keep it out. Five minutes later a quick passing sequence was finished off by Ben Ackerman for 2-0. Before twenty minutes were up Millward and Ackerman combined to set up Cam Ford who cleverly placed the ball over Watkins for 3-0. Broadwell understandably looked a little shell shocked, but continued to play good possession football but without creating anything. The second half started in similar fashion to the first and within five minutes leading scorer Aiden Noble headed in Bromley’s fourth from Liam O’Donaghue’s pin-point cross. Within minutes Noble bagged his second with Millward again making the decisive pass. Although any thoughts that Broadwell had of getting back into the game were long gone, they continued to match Bromley especially in the middle of the park with both sides passing the ball around positively and quickly. Bromley however, finished the game as they had started it when two substitutes Harry Cole and Ted Hill-Nelmes combined to score the sixth goal. Despite the scoreline there were a lot of positives for Broadwell but Bromley Heath are in good form at the moment as the 6-0 scoreline tends to show.
At Tewkesbury Road Cheltenham Civil Service welcomed their opponents from Bristol – Hanham Athletic. Hanham started the better with more possession and control, but it was Service who thought they had scored a well-crafted goal but were denied by an offside flag. But they did take the lead on 40 minutes Sam Jackson finding Leighton Blacker to score. Five minutes later Micky Holding equalised for the visitors scoring with a header from a cross. Hanham continued to control the game into the second half and took the lead on 75 minutes after some poor Service defending at the back post allowing Sims to score. Not long after Hanham scored again after catching Service short of numbers at the back, chasing an equaliser, the ball was cut back for Liam Jenkins to score. A 3-1 Hanham win but frustration for Service who had another goal chalked off for offside, sometimes thing don’t go your way when you are struggling.
