3rd December 2022 - Patchway Town take points against Quedgeley to climb off the bottom
Mark Simpson
Mixed bag today in the Marcliff Gloucestershire County League, four league matches and the Les James League Cup quarter finals. In a ‘six pointer' at the bottom of
the league Patchway Town took the three points against Quedgeley Wanderers to swap places. In the cup another win for
Little Stoke, can they take the trophy for a third consecutive time – who knows.
Scott Park for the six pointer between Patchway Town and Quedgeley Wanderers is where we start. Pretty well an incident free first half with a couple of Patchway
chances, on four minutes a great cross by Jay Moore missed the defenders and fell to Joe Weare and with only
Derbyshire to beat put his first time shot wide. Late in the half Matteo Pali’s cross found Moore whose shot was
blocked by Jack Bright and fell to Kane Bartholomew whose effort was superbly saved. Into the second period and
Quedgeley woke up a bit with a good 15 minute spell nervously dealt with by Patchway and on the hour Oliver Curtis was
put through by Callum McLean but Sam Burgess was out quickly to save the shot. The only goal came five minutes later
when Tate Shaw was put through by Sam Finn who pushed it past Derbyshire but was brought down. Bartholomew’s powerful
spot kick found the net via Derbyshire’s hand. 1-0 to Patchway lifts them off the bottom and unfortunately replaced by
Quedgeley.
On a cold day at Hillside Gardens two in form teams met and it was Rockleaze Rangers who lifted themselves up to
fourth in the table with a fifth win in a row this time over Frampton United. A cagey first half well officiated by
Callum Newman was pretty dull with both goalkeepers mere bystanders despite the best efforts of Frampton’s Harvey
Cowley who seemed to be on a loan mission. A better second period and that man Cowley should have done better in the
fiftieth minute when he raced through only to fire wide of Dunnings goal. Only a minute later Mike Perham had an
effort from a corner cleared off the line and last weeks hattrick man George James had a header into the side netting.
The game had really opened up now and Jonathan Willets was next to go close for the visitors firing wide from 12
yards. The only goal came on 66 minutes when a corner swung in by Henry Jones was met with a towering Perham header.
Frampton came closest in the closing minutes when a cross from Fin Blythe struck the top of the crossbar and Rockleaze
weathered the storm for a 1-0 win.
At the Stoke Gifford Stadium the home side thumped Cheltenham Civil Service 6-1 flying out of the traps for a first
minute lead, Devanti McInerney firing home from 18 yards. The lead was doubled on 15 minutes with good work by Paul
Cronin leading to Kray Foster rifling home from 20 yards. It was 3-0 on the half hour, Cronin finding McInerney with a
lovely chip the young winger beating his man again and smashed home emphatically. Civil Service had a few chances
themselves but Jefferies wasn’t overly stretched. Mike Barry thought he’d won a penalty on 32 minutes, but he thought
wrong. Brad Probert added the fourth on 38 minutes when his tireless pressing led to a deflected finish. Service
pulled one back on 40 when Kieran Taylor had a free header from 12 yards. Gifford thought they’d extended their lead
two minutes into the second half but Tom Hodge’s close range effort was disallowed. The fifth came on the hour when a
lovely chipped cross from Josh Starowski was headed home by the hard working Mike Barry. The icing on the cake came
when a clever free kick from Tauren Williams picked out McInerney who slotted home for his hattrick.
At Oldbury Lane both Wick and Henbury need points to improve their positions and Wick were on the front foot early on
enjoying good possession and creating an early header, the opportunity wide. It was Joe Beardmore for Wick with the
opening goal after 15 minutes pouncing onto a loose ball in the Henbury box and stabbing home. Wick continued to
create opportunities with Beardwell and Jack Creaney coming close. But it was Henbury who nearly equalised on 40
minutes when Ashton Trott adjusted his footing well to save a 25 yard swerver and was on hand to keep out a flicked
header from the resulting corner. Henbury started the second half with purpose going close within minutes of the
restart and again another 25 yard effort just cleared the bar. Wick came back with two half chances and on seventy
five Chlopecki in the visitors goal saved well following a scramble in the six yard. Wick gave themselves breathing
space on eighty when a cross from the ever lively Beardwell was met by the head of Jay Vile finishing powerfully.
Henbury refused to lie down and Wick were thankful to Trott for stopping a rifling drive high to his left and the
visitors were further denied by a goal line clearance. 2-0 to Wick.
Images from this game are available Here from Wick's Matt Davis
Les James League Cup - Sponsored by Boca Teamwear
Now to the cup and we start in the Forest where firstly Broadwell Amateurs moved into the semis against a hard
working Hardwicke team and Ruardean Hill Rangers lost out on spot kicks to Sharpness. At the Hawthorns it was
Hardwicke who took the lead 10 minutes in when young Skidmore gave away a penalty which Will Matthews tucked away.
It took only five minutes for the home side to level, Ethan Wilkins jinked his way past the visitors defence and his
shot was deflected in. Both sides enjoyed long spells of possession for the rest of the half with Locke hitting the
bar for Broadwell and the visitors Furniss seeing his shot well saved by Watkins. The second half opened up
bizarrely with Hall slipping when attempting to pick the ball up and with the goal at his mercy Taylor Blaby also
slipped allowing a clearance to be made. The home side upped the pace of the game and Davies saw his header cleared
off the line and Hall pushing Blaby’s shot wide. On 65 Dan Hudson found Wilkins unmarked in the box and his header
flew in to the top corner 2-1. Hardwicke started to push to get back on terms and were duly rewarded with an
exceptional goal with James Ratcliffe attacking down the right flank and squeezing the ball past the advancing
Watkins and inside the post for 2-2. With the game looking to drift to penalties substitute Kieran James with some
outstanding footwork changed the course of things, boxed in near the corner flag he flicked the ball up hit a
perfect delivery into the six yard box for Wilkins to head home.. Hardwicke pushed for an equaliser and a failed
attempt from a corner saw a Broadwell counter and a long pass into the area found Skidmore pushed over for a penalty
which was duly dispatched by Jordan Locke for 4-2.
To Ruardean Hill where there was plenty of action at both ends and early on Shaun Tingle‘s 10 yard shot was
charged down. On fifteen a good run by Alex Stephens set up Tingle who drove home from the edge of the area to put
Hill in front. A few minutes later Hill’s Aaron Underwood was called into action tipping over from Will Tainton.
Just before the half hour both teams were reduced to ten. Just after this Underwood was in action again with a point
blank save from an Alex Higgs header. On thirty seven Underwood again saved from Higgs. A minute before the break
came the Sharks equaliser from the spot Tom Frankham slotting home following a handball. Into the second half and a
Higgs shot was deflected over. Five minutes in and Underwood saves after Morgan lost the ball. On 55 a great header
from Brad Gibbs rattles the Hill crossbar following a corner. Ollie Mason’s free kick was well saved by Truan Taylor
in the Sharks goal. Sharpness continued to press and Higgs headed wide at the back post. A couple of good saves by
Taylor followed first from Ollie Taylor from distance and then from a Max Telling header. Two minutes from time a
great save by Underwood took the game to penalties and the unfortunate John Sladen missed the only one to give it to
the Sharks 5-4 after the 1-1 draw.
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue) - Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Gala Wilton
(Yellow/Black)
v Little Stoke
(Blue), Images courtesy Peter Langley
Click on Image for larger version
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An interesting tie at Pomphrey Hill where Bromley Heath United took on Cribbs Reserves with the first half seeing
some attractive football from both sides. Despite good spell of possession there were few clear chances with
defences on top. Both Guthrie and Coleman in Cribbs midfield were showing good form as were Withey and Edwards for
Bromley. On 40 minutes a good ball In by Sam Edwards was put narrowly wide by the advancing Alvin Nurse. Then right
on half time a jinking run past defenders from Antonio Nurse was blocked by Harry Bridgeman only for Alvin to finish
for 1-0. Bromley started the second period well and five minutes in it was two when Alvin’s cross was well
controlled by Antonio coolly slotting past Bridgeman. The two goal margin was short lived when just five minutes
later Jack Guthrie hit a fierce shot deceiving the keeper and into the net. The final half hour was competitive and
close but no further goals and Bromley just edged it 2-1.
Finally to Gala Wilton’s Fourmile Gardens where a decent crowd of 85 saw an eventful feisty affair between the
current league leaders and the cup holders Little Stoke. The game started fast and the hosts struck first. A long
throw from Ben Sluman was headed on and Connor Walters fired a low volley in. Little Stoke replied on seven minutes
when good work down the right from Jordan Yeo who engineered a cross headed by Luke Meacham, Todd Holder making a
great save only for the ball to fall back to the No.9 who poked in. Gala retook the lead on 24 minutes when a
meandering run from Sluman who picked out Alex Gayner beating his man and firing in at the near post. Little Stoke
came back for 2-2 on thirty six minutes when the lively Yeo beat the full back smashed a low cross in for Meacham to
grab his brace. The game somewhat turned five minutes before the break when Dan Gayner thought he’d got a penalty
only to be waved away and the ball cleared away for a strong challenge between Kieran Mace and Alex Hill resulted in
a red for Mace and the home side down to 10. Gala worked tirelessly in the second half and created good chances with
Jordan Molyneux crashing a header off the bar. Gala pressed to snatch a winner but a long ball up by Little Stoke
resulted in a free kick and Yeo delivered a dangerous ball in, Todd Holder parried and Luke Allen poked home for
3-2. Gala were awarded a very late penalty when Elliot Martin was fouled and up stepped Martin Smith to send the
game to penalties but Connolly Jarrett made an outstanding save to send Little Stoke into the semis. It didn’t end
there as celebrations in the box led to yellow cards to Little Stoke players .
