16th March 2025 - Henbury & Rockleaze and Frampton United to meet in League Cup Final
Mark Simpson
Almondsbury, despite losing to in form Bromley Heath, still have points in the bag, with the chasing pack having games in hand, in some cases sufficient to overhaul Almonds if they win them all, and as I’ve said before watch out for Filton Athletic hanging around on the outskirts. At the bottom things are looking bleak for Gala Wilton. In the Les James league Cup semi-finals two one sided games will see Frampton United and Henbury & Rockleaze in the final.
First to the Bristol Barbarians RFC where Totterdown United took on Henbury & Rockleaze in a semi final match of the League Cup. Totterdown started slowly but grew into the game and had a couple of half-chances in the first half-hour. H&R scored their first goal from a corner against the run of play, Matt Harrison scoring which took the wind out of Totts sails. Just before half-time H&R got their second Marcus Williams again from a corner. Totterdown started the second half the better of the two teams, but it was H&R who put the game to bed with Drew Sawdon scoring from yet another corner. Totts were the reduced to ten with Toby Carter getting a second yellow and H&R took advantage and controlled the remainder of the game scoring another two goals one from Jordan Buckett and the other an own-goal the like of which you see in a football bloopers montage, anyhow it’s Henbury and Rockleaze through to the final.
In the other semi, Frampton United took on Quedgeley Wanderers at the Bell Field and Frampton got off to a good start on seven minutes when a Manolo Espada corner found Dom Brown, whose header was saved by Nathan Charnock only for Henry Driver-Dickerson to tap home the rebound. A few efforts from both sides saw out the first half, but it was Frampton who added to their tally on 57 minutes, good build up saw the ball played to Lewis Vye on the edge of the box and he drilled the ball in. The hosts third goal came after Tom Mangan was played through beating Charnock to the ball and squaring for Henry D-D to score his second. QW had a few decent efforts on goal but couldn’t find a way past Tom Kaye and it was left to Zak Tyers to round off the scoring with a good finish from the edge of the box to give Frampton a 4-0 win and reaching their second cup final in a week.
Back to the League and at The Field Almondsbury took on Bromley Heath United and a cagey first half with both teams trying to hit areas with direct balls. On 15 minutes Lewis Hughes hit a free kick just wide and seven minutes on Liam Nicholls flicked a through ball to Zach Morgan who got his shot away but Will Ferguson turned the ball round for a corner. On 57 minutes Morgan beat the Bromley back line but pulled his shot wide. Ten minutes later Paolo Pali delivered a corner onto Holver’s head but could only direct his header straight to Ferguson. On 71 minutes Bromley took the lead with a set piece directed to the far post for Trai Elliston-Sackett with a nice finish. It was nearly two a few minutes later a shot heading for goal and somehow Sam Burgess pulls off an amazing save for a corner. Almonds pushed for the last 15 minutes with a number of free kicks into dangerous areas but they failed to find the net and 1-0 it ended for Bromley Heath.
Filton Athletic continued their impressive run with a composed win against Broadwell Amateurs at a dry and chilly Hawthorns. With Broadwell eager for points to move away from the lower end of the table, both teams approached the match cautiously testing each other without creating an awful lot. However, in the 21st minute Filton capitalised on a Broadwell error – a promising Broadwell move broke down allowing Kieran Cooper to sprint through on goal unchallenged and he cooly slotted the ball past Jack Watkins for 1-0. Filton doubled their advantage on 33, with a moment of brilliance from left back Tom Fry who unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the box giving Watkins no chance. With momentum on their side Filton continued to press Broadwell back. As the first half drew to a close Broadwell found some rhythm, playing with some urgency and Dan Brain forced a low save by Ryan Nixon. The second half was more even both teams nullifying each other, but Trey Merrett thought that he had extended Filton’s lead but was adjudged offside. The game ebbed and flowed but neither side could add to the scoreline, but in time added on Nixon made an error of judgement to give Broadwell an indirect free kick in the box which unfortunately came to nothing and Filton stay on the fringes with a 2-0 win.
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Chalford (Red) v Hanham Athletic (Black/White), Images courtesy Peter Langley
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To Highfield Road where Chalford took on Hanham Athletic, in a game that started off strongly with both teams trying to gain the upper hand. Within 10 minutes a pause in play allowed a physio to attend an injury and within five minutes of the restart a cheeky through ball on the Hanham wing put in Preston Webb to score. With Chalford pushing forward for the equaliser Hanham went down the other end and bagged a second through Tom Sawyers. Chalford resumed their press and only an outstanding save from Carson Aineer-West prevented a goal. Chalford came out of the blocks a bit quicker after the hairdryer treatment from the gaffer, and a break from Ben Minnican (still fuming after being left on the bench after his shocker last week) through on the Hanham goal and as the keeper came out Minnican dinked him from 20 yards to get Chalford back in the game. Chalford continued to press and a corner from 16-year-old Harley Mulraney cause a scramble in the box and Keylock poked home for 2-2. With Chalford keeping on pressing and a ball into the box saw Aineer-West take Minnican down for a penalty which was re-taken for infringement but still ended up in the back of the net. As the game wore on both teams were looking to score but it was Minnican again hitting his shot cleanly for 4-2. With a few minutes left Brandon Barnes pulled it back to 4-3 but it was too late and a great game ended with a Chalford win.
All the goal action took place in the first half between Gala Wilton and Sharpness at Fairmile Gardens. Sharpness took an early lead on 15 minutes when a simple ball over the top was finished with a neat lob by Kieran Bennett over Oscar Bignall. Gala hit back quickly when a string of passes in midfield found Ryan Dobbins who turned a Sharpness defender and hit the top corner from 15 yards. But the game soon fell the way of the Sharks when mistakes in the Gala defence led to two quick goals by Bennett and Tom Parker. A further Sharpness goal from a James Tainton header made it 4-1 just before half time. Gala didn’t lie down however and put in a spirited performance in the second half including hitting the woodwork, but Sharpness had the game won in the first half. There were no further goals so it was three points to Sharpness in a 4-1 win.
Second place faced third place at Oldbury Lane as Wick hosted Stoke Gifford SGS United. It was Gifford who started the game the strongest having large amounts of the ball and testing Wick keeper Kai Wilson early on. In the 20th minute SGS got their goal when Patryk Kosciolek pulled the ball back for Josh Rees to rifle into the top corner. Wick responded well and started to get a grip of things and on 36 minutes a powerful run by Tommy Lacey saw him fouled in the box, and up stepped Liam McCracken to send Evan Healey the wrong way for 1-1. A few injuries to both sides in the second half saw the pace of the game slow down, but it was SGS who controlled most of the ball. Wick had a good chance of their own five minutes from time but Freddie Mogg failed to find the target. SGS had a late flurry of corners but Wick dug deep and held out for a solid 1-1 draw.
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