4th October 2026 - Quedgeley Wanderers win again to keep ahead of the pack
Mark Simpson
Quedgeley Wanderers, Bishops Cleeve Development, University of Bristol, and Broadwell Amateurs still going strong at the top whilst Totterdown United remain at the bottom despite a vastly improved performance against Bishops Cleeve Development this week.
Quedgeley Wanderers secured a hard fought 1-0 win over Chalford at Waterwells in a closely contested game. Chalford started brightly and were close to taking the lead in the opening minutes striking the crossbar. Quedgeley grew into the game and gained the lead in the 26th minute with Alfie Pledger’s beautifully struck shot. Quedgeley created more opportunities with Fin Jenner and Riley Stokes both seeing their efforts saved by Henry Owen. Chalford came out strongly after the break putting the hosts under pressure with Travis Cooke testing the QW defence and keeper Steve Sparrow. Quedgeley had their own chances with Harry Furniss seeing two shots well saved and Luca Horrocks came close with a shot off the post. The standout moment of the second half came during a frantic spell in the Quedgeley area with Sparrow producing a superb double save to keep Chalford out, before another shot struck the post as Quedgeley somehow survived, and despite the late Chalford pressure Quedgeley held out for a valuable win.
Up at Ruardean Rec. Stoke Gifford SGS United were the visitors to play Ruardean Hill Rangers and the first chance went to Hill when a perfect through ball from Clark to Stephens saw him shoot and Ferguson did well to tip wide. Gifford had a lot more of the ball in the next 15 minutes but it was Hill with the next chance with Clark’s free kick which was well held by Ferguson. On 33 minutes Hill were in front as the ball popped to debutant Toskov who poked home. On 39 minutes Hill doubled their lead as Max Telling gambled on a ball whipped in by Clark and with the defence flat footed, he took the ball past Ferguson and rolled it into an empty net. Just into the second half Oscar Cox had a point-blank header brilliantly saved by Underwood. On 55 minutes it was 3-0, a deep free kick from Barrett saw Alex Stephens arrive at the back post to head across Ferguson and into the back of the net. Two minutes later a brilliant curling free kick from Clark almost made it four but an equally great save from Ferguson kept it out. On the hour Gifford were awarded a penalty but Tom Manley smashed it against the bar and then put the rebound over. Three minutes later Gifford did pull one back as a deep cross was met by Cox and despite Underwood’s best attempt, he couldn’t keep it out, and on 70 Hill got their fourth as Clark’s corner was not dealt with and Telling smashed his second in. On 80 Gifford got their second as Louis Ward’s strike wrong footed Underwood and right at the end Underwood made a great save from his own player to preserve the two-goal advantage with a 4-2 win.
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Quedgeley Wanderes (Red) v Chalford (Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Click on Image for larger version
University of Bristol welcomed close neighbours Henbury & Rockleaze to Coombe Dingle as both teams looked to maintain positive starts to the season. The hosts had the majority of possession early on, but H&R were looking threatening in their purple kit, and it was they who took the lead midway through the half with the students failing to clear their lines, Abdul Bangoura finished from a cutback. The second half was a different story with the students stepping their energy levels up a notch and were rewarded with an equaliser as Seb Tolosa capitalised on a spilled shot from Harry Trett. Trett did, however, keep H&R in the game with a number of fantastic saves, but there was nothing he could do with Toby Smith’s volley after a lovely lofted pass from Edgar Van Parys. The hosts made it 3-1 from the spot after Ethan Earnshaw was dragged down at a corner, with Tolosa making no mistake firing into the top corner. H&R pulled another back with 10 minutes to go which led to a tense finish but, the students held on to claim the three points with a 3-2 win.
At the Barbarians RFC Totterdown United met Bishops Cleeve Development and the game had a fast start with Totterdown going a goal up from an excellent Charlie Latham corner with Alex Silvester crashing the ball home at the back post. Cleeve drew level 10 minutes later when Will Hawes shot from 30 yards, after cutting in from the left, managed to bounce past Taylor in the Totts goal. Totterdown hit back when a Godfrey clearance was missed by the Cleeve defence and Jack Waldron latched on to it for 2-1. Cleeve responded when a great cross delivered from the right, which Totterdown made a right mess, of allowing New to tap home for 2-2. Totterdown again took the lead on 35 minutes when some good play down the left saw Matt Baker beat his man and then get pulled down for a penalty which Lovell buried. Two minutes before the break a ball was played through to New in an offside position, but the linesman missed it as members of the home crowd were talking to him!! and the resulting situation saw New taken down for a penalty which Davis tucked home for 3-3. The second half was, again closely contested, with not much going on in the opening 15 minutes outside of Waldron’s shot well saved by Parry. On the hour Cleeve went down to 10 for a second yellow but, this seemed to spur Cleeve on as Totterdown didn’t rise to the man advantage. Another ball into the box saw Totts struggle to deal with it and it ended up with New finishing well at the back post. Totterdown huffed and puffed with a shot spilled by Parry to Waldron who saw his effort cleared off the line by a recovering defender. Shortly after Waldron was brought down in the box which led to huge appeals from players and supporters …. not given! The game finished 4-3 to Cleeve which was an improved Totterdown performance despite a large injury/unavailable list.
It was a sunny day at the Hawthorns with a good crowd watching Broadwell Amateurs against Frampton United. Broadwell started the brighter and should have taken the lead early on but Liam Brain’s was strike was straight at Moroney. Against the run of play Frampton took the lead following missed chances to clear Kieran Marks bundled the ball in. The goal spurred Frampton on and they took control of the possession for the next 10 minutes, before Jamie Creed’s quick throw to Kian Skidmore whose pinpoint out swinging cross was met by Jamie Belfitt who nodded down into the corner for 1-1. Shortly after Broadwell won the ball deep in their own half and broke at pace with a slide rule pass by Harry Malcolm in behind for Jamie Belfitt to race away and lift the ball over a committed Moroney for 2-1. Just before the break there was time for a third following good work in closing Frampton down deep in their own half, a low cross by Belfitt was not dealt with and the ball fell to Creed 8 yards out who powered his low first time shot into the corner. Into the second half Frampton were out of the blocks with a quickfire goal with a free kick deep in their own half, hit long and flicked on and allowing the runner to finish for 3-2. Broadwell restored their two-goal cushion quickly, Belfitt picking the ball up in the centre circle played Creed into the channel, who took it to the by-line and cut back to the edge for the arriving Malcolm to make it 4-2. The fifth came for Liam Brain following a driving run down the wing and cutting inside, letting a low drive go from 20 yards which slipped through Moroney’s hands. The final goal for Well followed a good run by Connor Smith who was felled in the area and dusted himself off to take the spot kick and straight down the middle for a comprehensive 6-2 victory.
Wick welcomed Filton Athletic to the nest, with both teams needing to kick start their season. Unfortunately for Wick it wasn't the start they wanted, after Filton strike immediately following their kick off, with a ball down the left, which is crossed into the Wick box, which they fail to effectively clear, and the ball falls to Taylor Anderson to skip inside the Wick defence, and bury his shot into the corner, after only 30 seconds on the clock. Wick regroup and press Filton for the next 15 minutes with their neat passing football, without creating anything of note. On 20 mins, Wick concede a cheap foul wide on the right. The Filton free kick is whipped dangerously into the Wick box and finds a Filton head, which goes over the Wick bar. after a half hour Wick lose possession in midfield, gifting Filton an opportunity to shoot, which Gigov in the Wick goal saves well. On 35 mins Wick's Ellis Clark lays the ball off for Bailey Rudge to shoot, but his effort curls just wide. With the game mainly being fought in midfield, goalmouth action was few and far between, with only a snap shot by Filton on 40 mins, which is wide of the Wick goal, worthy of a note. So the half finishes with Filton a goal to the good, and Wick edging the possession without looking dangerous in front of goal. The second half begins much the same as the first half ended, with little goalmouth action. Ten minutes in a Wick cross is fizzed across the Filton box, narrowly missing a Wick touch. On the hour a great delivery from wide right finds a Wick head, which smashes against the Filton crossbar, before being safely claimed by the Filton keeper. Five minutes later Filton knock a ball over the Wick defence, which Filton latch onto, but their effort is well saved by Gigov who is quickly off his line. On 75 mins Wick are penalised for another cheap foul, and the resulting Filton free kick, is pumped into the Wick box, which isn't cleared , and the ball falls to Trey Merritt who finds the bottom corner of the Wick net to increase Filtons lead. Wick push in an attempt to salvage something from the game, with Rudge finding the Filton side netting on 85 mins, and a minute later Ty Fudgell finds Rudge in the Filton box with a superb cross, which Rudge heads into the far corner to claw one goal back. Into added time and a Wick free kick is headed just over the Filton bar, and a minute later a Wick flicked shot flashes just wide of the Filton upright. The game finished with Filton taking home three points, and with Wick disappointed not to take anything from the game.
More Here
