Page 10 - Almondsbury FC v Wick 071023

League Review

Gala Wilton and Cheltenham Civil Service

share the spoils
BY Mark Simpson
Avonmouth’s sprint at the top continues, now five points clear after six games and in the
chasing pack Stoke Gifford United remain unbeaten and Frampton United have rather crept
up into second place.
Cheltenham Civil Service’s shortest trip of the season took them to Gala Wilton’s
Fairmile Gardens and in a keenly contested game both sides were looking to win and start
to climb the table. Service were on the offensive early on and drew a good save from Adam
Clark. As the half went on there were few clear chances until the 41st minute when a free
kick from Gala’s Jacob Eakers was parried by Harvey Need and Jorell Sanniola hammered
the rebound in for 1-0. The second half remained a tight affair with the majority of play
between the boxes and defences on top when called upon. As the game wore on Service
began to have greater possession, with Gala relying on the break, and with five minutes
remaining Service had a shot off the crossbar, and Ollie Whelan headed the rebound in for
a deserved equaliser, 1-1.
To Green Lane, Hardwicke where Rockleaze Rangers were the visitors, and it was an
open end to end start to the game but with few chances. The first real chance came on 26
when home keeper Prosser somehow gave the ball to Dan Webb whose shot struck the
crossbar. On 39 minutes Hardwicke opened their account when Harvey Mustoe picked the
ball up on halfway, dribbled forward and hit a 25-yard screamer into the top corner. The
lead only lasted three minutes Drew Sawdon equalising with a lovely header. The second
half wasn’t very eventful, Hardwicke’s Vernall having a big penalty appeal turned down, and
when Rockleaze were turning the screw Prosser pulled off a fantastic save to keep it level.
With fifteen minutes to go Sawdon saw red but both teams seemed happy with a point
each at 1-1.
To the chasing pack, and to the Bell Field where Frampton United took on
unbeaten Bromley Heath United and it was a great start for Heath, one-nil up after two
minutes Jack Withey heading home from a corner and a couple of minutes later it could
have been two, Withey this time heading just wide. Frampton gradually got into the game
and came close to equalising when a free kick was played into Hawes who turned his
defender and skimmed the bar. He was at it again in the 25 minute when he was brought
th
down in the box and Manola Espada converted for 1-1. Frampton took the lead when a
cross fizzed across the box and Espada calmly finished at the back post. Both teams
continued to go at each other in a fast-paced affair and Bromley were close when Aiden
Noble could only poke his effort wide. With five minutes left Will Hawes put the game out
of Bromley’s reach heading in from a corner, and although Frampton keeper Tom Kaye
pulled off a great fingertip save in the last minute to deny Cameron Ford Frampton ran out
3-1 winners.
An unbeaten and youthful Stoke Gifford United visited Wick and it was visiting keeper
Ash Eyles who almost gifted Wick an early goal spilling the ball but luckily it evaded any
attackers. But it was Gifford who took a twelfth minute lead, when McInerney found Spike
Weaver who turned his marker and slotted in. It took a cracking save from Ashton Trott to
deny Stoke Gifford a second saving low to his right. Wick’s afternoon got tougher on 34
minutes when debutant Adam Madhi’s rash tackle earned him a straight red. A minute later
Gifford struck the post, but the reprieve was short lived as they continued to attack and a
cross found Rudy Hill at the far post to slot home. In first half stoppage Wick’s Liam Towler
was upended in the box and he stepped up to pull one back for Wick. The ten men of Wick
started the second half brightly and brought a smart 51 minute save from Eyles and two
st
minutes on missed a golden opportunity. They eventually drew level fifteen minutes from
time when Towler buried his free kick in from outside the box. However, it was more great
work from McInerney who found space for Weaver to convert his second and put Gifford