27th April 2025 - Wick stay in the race for runnners up
Mark Simpson
Well, everything was cleared up in midweek. As I’ve said for a long time Almondsbury have the points in the bag, and
in the end nobody was able to catch them. On Thursday evening they played one of their challengers Wick at The Field,
a must win for Almonds and shortly after Wick drew level in the second half there appeared that there was only going
to be one winner and it wasn’t the home side. However, Almonds somehow did score for a 2-1 victory to give themselves
the title in front of 426 spectators. Almonds have led the way all season and it is appropriate they should win the
League having seen off all challengers. To the other end of the table on Friday evening Quedgeley Wanderers gained the
necessary point at Henbury and Rockleaze to keep their place in the League for next season and relegating Cheltenham
Civil Service.
After the disappointment of Thursday evening Wick faced Ruardean Hill Rangers at The Nest and it was the hosts who
started strongest playing some decent football and testing Aaron Underwood early on. The game still had a proper end
of season feel with both sides rather slow in and out of possession but on 33 minutes a neat flick from Wick’s Zac
Cheetham found Freddie Mogg who expertly finished in the bottom corner for 1-0. Six minutes later Cory Langdon was
fouled in the box, got himself up and sent Underwood the wrong way from the spot for 2-0. Into time added on, Tommy
Lacey tried his luck from 30 yards and his great strike found the bottom corner for 3-0. With 25 minutes to go a
clumsy tackle Frank Taylor-Fox gave Ruardean a penalty from which Charlie Mason sent Kai Wilson the wrong way to pull
one back. Three minutes later Ruardean’s Luke Brown picked the ball up on the halfway line and beat three players
before firing into the bottom corner for 3-2. All of a sudden, things got a little nervy for the home side but five
minutes from time Louis Short worked an angle well and finished smartly into the corner to give Wick a 4-2 win in a
competitive game.
Chalford welcomed Broadwell Amateurs and the visitors made a quick start which saw Jamie Creed fire over inside the opening minute, before forcing Sam Neale into palming onto the post on 10 minutes.
Jacob Rodgers flashed an effort across the face of goal for Chalford, who weren’t quite up to speed in the first half.
Dan Brain volleyed over from a long throw in, before Creed crashed a free kick against the bar,
Creed was denied from the edge of the box by Neale again, before the striker latched onto a flick on down the right and sent a dipping volley over Neale from wide on the right hand side.
The second half saw Jamie Lock float a free kick to the back post, but Ryan Harry’s header was straight at Jack Watkins.
Just after the hour mark, Neale produce a good save to keep out Jamie Belfitt – with the keeper sticking a right glove up to palm over the bar.
Creed then missed his final guilt edge chance of proceedings, dragging wide after getting into space on the right side of the box.
And with just under twenty minutes to go, Ryan Outram and Lewis Bainbridge combined well down the left hand side for Chalford, before the driven cross was swept home by Harry.
Chalford nearly took the lead moments later, but Adam Foster’s pinpoint cross was once again headed straight at Watkins.
Broadwell substitute, Liam Brain, had a great chance in the final five minutes, but after chesting down on the edge of the box – his volley was deflected just wide and with that the points were shared.
On a warm Friday evening Henbury & Rockleaze's penultimate home game ended in a 1-1 draw with Quedgeley Wanderers
which extended the home team’s unbeaten record and ensured Quedgeley maintained their Gloucestershire County League
status.
In a game of few chances the first fell to Dan Webb on 17 minutes after the Quedgeley goalkeeper Nathan Charnock miss
kicked a clearance to him, however Charnock recovered to gather the long-distance effort. Quedgeley deservedly took
the lead on 35 minutes when skipper Sean Lawson had a snap effort from the edge of the area where a slight deflection
wrong footed Harry Trett in the H&R goal to the delight of the away support. H&R huffed and puffed but didn’t create
much of interest until the 44th minute when a ball around the corner from Harvey Moran allowed Callum Winter to dink
the ball over Charnock to take the teams in level at the break.
On 75 minutes Dylan Venn should have done better from a Fin Jenner cross but could only guide his header against the
post which then rebounded safely back into the hands of Trett. On 81 minutes Trett made superb save tipping a goal
bound effort around the corner from Nathan Payne, however, H&R should have won it on 89 minutes when substitute Joe
Hodson did well to beat 2 defenders cut inside but his effort was 2-feet wide of the post when there were men free in
the box. Whilst this was a cagey game it was another decent advert for County League football.
Other results this weekend:
Bromley Heath United 0 Frampton United 1
Filton Athletic 2 Hanham Athletic 1
Sharpness 2 Cheltenham Civil Service 0
27th April 2025 - Almondsbury Crowned Champion
Nigel Meaney
Almondsbury hosted Wick at the Field on Thursday Evening with a crowd of 426 in attendance. With so much on the line
a cagey game ensued between two very good sides. Almonds took the lead on 16 minutes when Craig Lancastle fed the ball
to skipper Alex Hill down the left, his cross shot beat everyone and went in the top right corner.
Second half and on 58 minutes Wick deservedly drew level following a period of pressure a slick passing move left Wick
captain Frank Taylor-Fox with a tap in to level. Then on 81 minutes the decisive moment as Almondsbury's Paolo Pali
play's a lofted pass through the defence to find Liam Nicholls, whose first touch takes him past the goalkeeper and
the second rolls the ball into the empty net for 2-1 to seal the championship for Almondsbury.
A mention for Tim O'Loughlin who has now won the County League three times, this third time coming 21 years after the first with Almondsbury (2003/04) followed up a win with Cribbs Friends Life (2011/12)
Almondsbury's Alex Hill recieves the Championship Trophy from Rob Orchard of Marcliff with his team looking on, Image courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury's Alex Hill with Rob Orchard of Marcliff, Image courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Almondsbury
(Green/White)
v Wick
(Yellow), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Click on Image for larger version
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