Page 9 - Almondsbury FC v Quedgeley Wanderers 200324

League Review

Avonmouth march on
Mark Simpson
Avonmouth continue their relentless pursuit of the title, Hanham
Athletic manage to play a home game, Gala Wilton were battered
at Rockleaze Rangers and will have to somehow turn it around for
their league cup semi final next week if they are to have any hope
of meeting Stoke Gifford United in the final.
Starting at Avonmouth who took on struggling Cheltenham
Civil Service at KGV. A good crowd of 85 were delighted that the
game was on after recent heavy rain which made the surface
slippery but totally playable. It was Service who had the better of
the opening fifteen minutes with Declan Chick firing over on 7
minutes after good work by Ollie Wilkes. It wasn’t until nearly the
20 minute that Avonmouth threatened with a great move down
th
the left and a deflected shot forcing Harvey Need into a good save.
Just a minute later a corner by Matty Groves found Charlie Aldom
at the back post and his header sneaked under a defender’s legs
for 1-0. Unfortunately, Aldom was soon injured and replaced.
Service had a good chance on 38 when a corner bounced around
the box but was cleared. With a minute of the half remaining Kyle
O’Donovan doubled the score with a well-placed shot from the
edge of the box. Service started the second half on top and Brett
Blake scored a minute in to reduce the arrears and nearly
equalised a minute later with Lewis O’Driscoll’s shot forcing Tom
Bradley to tip over. However, on the hour a pass over the defence
by Avonmouth’s George Brown found Josh Pearce who calmly
slotted home to restore a two-goal lead. It was then Groves turn
to find Pearce to fire past Need for 4-1. The home side now in
control, Mark Williams striding forward and firing just over, but
Service kept at it and Bradley was busy confidently plucking
several crosses out of the air. In the final minutes arguably the
best goal of the game was from Service’s Blake who fired an
unstoppable shot into the top corner but 4-2 to Avonmouth it was.
Ruardean Hill Rangers met Little Stoke in the Forest with Hill
in good form. Hill looked for an early goal but a third minute
header from Tom Landon crashed off the bar. A few minutes later
a Hill free kick in their own half found Max Telling who flicked a
header towards goal but Little Stoke cleared off the line. On 22
minutes Hill opened the scoring, Kane Fellows slamming the ball
home from 20 yards. Little Stoke finished the half with a series of
corners with one resulting in Lewis Hughes heading wide from six
yards. On the hour with Stoke still pressing they almost created
an equaliser, but superb defending kept them at bay. With 70
minutes gone and both teams searching for a goal it was Hill who