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 92ndwinner 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 1st 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 2nd 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 3rd 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 5th 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