Author: Craig Davenport

It was a night to remember for Wantage Town FC, who pulled off a sensational comeback to defeat Redditch after going two goals down – booking their place in the final play-off and setting up a fiery local derby against Abingdon United.

In front of a buzzing crowd, Wantage showed grit, belief, and fighting spirit, turning the tie on its head with a relentless second-half display. Goals sealed a memorable turnaround, sending the away fans into raptures and confirming their place in the final.

The result not only marks a huge moment for Wantage Town, but also guarantees an all-Oxfordshire final clash, as they now face near-neighbours Abingdon United in what promises to be a high-stakes and hotly contested local derby. With pride, bragging rights, and a place in step 5 on the line, this is a fixture that will have the whole county watching.

Congratulations to the players, coaching staff, volunteers, and supporters of Wantage Town – your passion and perseverance continue to drive this club forward.

Next stop: the final. Let the derby begin!

In the UHL Premier Division on Saturday, I travelled toHartpury University to present them with the coveted UHL Premier Division Shield and of course their medals.  I sat through a fascinating match first, whereby Sporting Club Inkberrow were needing a win to secure home advantage in their play-off game v Mangotsfield United. They duly won a very tight game 1-0 and set up the play-off game on Wednesday evening. The play-off game v Mangotsfield United attracted a crowd of 300, of which I was in attendance for my first ever visit to Sporting Club Inkberrow. I was impressed with the ground and super impressed with the way the event had been organized. What a nice setting for a football club with exciting plans for the future. The game was as you would expect, quite a close affair. It was entertaining and very well officiated by the 3 men in black. Inkberrow took an early lead and then got 2 late goals to complete a 3-0 victory. In the other play-off game, Roman Glass St. George hosted Highworth Town at Oaklands Park. League Chairman Bill B was in attendance and joined the crowd watching of 210. This was an even tighter game and eventually settled by a 92^ndwinner from Josh Davis to seal the victory for Highworth Town. This now sets up the Play-off Final with the winners to join Hartpury University in being promoted to Step 4.  This game will be hosted at Sporting Club Inkberrow on Wednesday 23th April with a kick-off time of 19:45. 

In Division One, Brian and Angela K travelled to Droitwich Spa on Saturday to present them with the D1 trophy and medals. Droitwich Spa had a fantastic 1^st season with us and eventually won the Division by 11 clear points, with a goal difference of plus 74.  They turned on the style in their last game by beating Tytherington Rocks 5-0 played before a very healthy crowd of 542. No doubt the celebrations continued well into the evening. The battle for the play-off places went to the wire on Saturday with bothClanfield 85 and Abingdon United leap-frogging FC Stratford, who had been so long in the play-off places but ended up missing out. Clanfield 85 having beaten Droitwich Spa last weekend, beat already play-off boundRedditch Borough 3-1 away and Abingdon Unitedwinning 2-1 away at Bewdley Town. So, it was Clanfield 85 v Abingdon United in the first play-off last night andRedditch Borough v Wantage Town in the 2^nd play-off tonight. Last nights’ game was an extremely tight affair with no goals being scored in normal time. The game went to penalties with Abingdon United ultimately winning that 3-2 in front of a crowd of 469 which included Brian and Angela K. Abingdon United now await the winners of tonight’s game, after which a date and a venue for the play-off final will be announced.  At the bottom, Newent Town won their last game 1-0 at home v Kidlington Reserves to leave Carterton finishing the season in bottom place

We have now also finalised the Cup Final Teams.:

On Saturday 3^rd May, hosted at Cirencester Town, at 1230we will see the Marsh Supplementary Final between Stonehouse Town and Wantage Town. Following that at1630, we will see the Bateman Sports (Presidents) Challenge Cup Final between Gloucester City Development and Aston Clinton Sports.

On Monday 5^th May, hosted at Mangotsfield United, at 1230, we will see the Bateman Sports (Chairmans) Challenge Cup Final between Swindon Supermarine Development and University of Bristol. Following this at1630, we will see the Marsh Challenge Cup Final between Hartpury University v Worcester Raiders.

In D2 Central, it looks like it will be Headington Amateurs who will pick up the title, if they win their last game. In D2 East, Prestwood took the title last night with a 1-0 away win v Thame United.  In D2 West, Bishops Cleeve Development wrapped the title up last week.

In the Vets, I will wrap that up next week.

Ian Hamilton – League Secretary

The Step Five Premier Division has recorded an impressive total attendance of 44,860 across the 2024/25 season, showcasing the enduring passion for non-league football at the grassroots level. With competitive fixtures and fierce local rivalries, fans turned out in strong numbers week after week to back their teams.

Mangotsfield United led the way with a remarkable average home attendance of 242, drawing a total crowd of 4,600 over the season. Their consistent backing from the terraces highlights the strength of their local support and community engagement.

Close behind were Worcester Raiders, whose exciting brand of football attracted 3,139 spectators over the campaign, averaging 165 per match. The Raiders’ presence in the top three for attendances reflects their growing status within the division.

Roman Glass St George and Royal Wootton Bassett Town also posted strong numbers, both averaging above 130, contributing to their clubs’ solid home atmospheres and creating a tough environment for visiting sides.

At the other end, Hartpury University and Malmesbury Victoria recorded the lowest average attendances, with 74 and 89 respectively. However, even clubs with smaller followings saw spikes for local derbies and big match occasions, underlining the strength of community ties across the league.

The highest-attended single fixture appeared to come from Mangotsfield United vs Slimbridge, drawing in 367 fans, a testament to both clubs’ strong local pull and competitive edge.

With an overall division average of 118 per match, the Premier Division continues to provide a vital platform for local football, community engagement, and development at the semi-professional level. As the league looks ahead to its final fixtures and promotion play-offs, the support from the stands proves that non-league football is very much alive and kicking.

Data is based on that supplied via 60min forms, and is based on League games only.

John Mills Abingdon Utd are victorious is Play Off Semi Final.

Abingdon United booked their place in the play-off final after a fierce battle with local rivals Clanfield 85, clinching victory in a dramatic penalty shootout on Thursday night.

The match was a tense affair from the first whistle, with both sides battling hard in a high-stakes derby that saw chances at both ends but no breakthrough in regular time. It all came down to penalties — and it was Abingdon who held their nerve, delivering when it mattered most.

Clanfield 85, making their fourth consecutive play-off appearance, once again proved they have what it takes to compete at the sharp end of the league. But despite their consistency, they were denied once again on the night — this time by a determined Abingdon side hungry for promotion.

With the win, Abingdon United now advance to the final, just one game away from reaching Step Five. The stage is set — and confidence will be high after a performance full of grit, discipline, and composure under pressure.