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League Review

secured when Jack Williams volleyed in for 3-1 to Avonmouth.
Two teams who were well up the league last season, Stoke Gifford United and
Rockleaze Rangers, met at Gifford and it was Rockleaze on the offensive early on
with Nick Jones having a good chance on five minutes. A few minutes later Marcus
Thatcher’s free kick for Gifford was tipped round the post. Midway through the half
Dan Webb had a front post tap in for 1-0 to Rockleaze. But it was a transformed
Stoke Gifford who took control of the second half and they were awarded a penalty
for handball, Spike Weaver tucking away the resultant kick on 65. Five minutes
later Mike Barry was brought down, after another dazzling run, for yet another spot
kick which was again dispatched by Weaver for 2-1, following which Gifford shut
up shop to seal the points.

At Oldbury Lane, Wick, on a fantastic pitch but with indifferent weather, the
seasons opener was underway with Frampton United creating two half chances in
as many minutes. As the game settled it was Wick who came closest when Tom
Kaye in the Frampton goal brought off a smart save from a Sam Roberts drive. On
23 minutes a slip by a Frampton defender allowed Wick to whip the ball across and
an unfortunate defender found the net with an attempted clearance. A minute later
it was almost two but Kaye made a great save. On the half hour Ashton Trott kept
the lead intact with a great one on one save, and a few minutes later it was the
crossbar to the rescue from a great Frampton flowing move. Two minutes later
Kaye pulled off an incredible one handed save to deny the hosts. Five minutes
before the break a Wick 30-yard free kick just cleared the bar. As the half drew to
a close it was Frampton who levelled when the lively Romaine Dejuan Campbell
whipped in a cross for Freddie Fisher to crash home. It could have been worse for
Wick, the post to their rescue, with the last kick of the half. Wick were slow off the
mark for the second half and were dispossessed in midfield allowing Frampton
through and although Trott made a great save the danger wasn’t cleared and Steve
Jackson smashed the ball home for 2-1 to the visitors. That spurred Wick into life
but they were unable to breakdown a resolute Frampton defence. The woodwork
again saved Wick on 80 minutes but it was a defensive mix up in time added on
that gifted Frampton a penalty dispatched by Manolo Espada giving Frampton a 3-1
away win.
Little Stoke welcomed Quedgeley Wanderers to Little Stoke Park and the first 20
minutes was a rather cagey affair with both sides trying to adapt to the windy
conditions. And the first goal did not come until five minutes before the break when
Jaiden Holvers weighted through ball set Aaron West free who found the net with
a composed finish to give Little Stoke a 1-0 lead. It was a slender half time lead
and the game was still in the balance, but unfortunately for Quedgeley it was not
long into the second period when the hosts doubled their lead West once again on
hand. More goals followed for Little Stoke with Mike Hardiman grabbing the third,
Sam Archer heading home a fourth and Hardiman sealing off a super opening day
performance and a 5-0 win for Little Stoke and is it going to be another season of
struggles for Quedgeley Wanderers.