Taking Stock.

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Intro

Last season Stockwood Wanderers finished 5th; just inside the potential promotion places. As it was, only Mendip Broadwalk were promoted from the Somerset County League for this campaign. Presumably Wanderers did not apply for promotion due to ground regulations. Either way it was a strong season for them. I saw Wanderers play away at Fry Club back in 2019 when they were on the wrong end of a 6-1 scoreline.

Weston-Super-Mare-based Uphill Castle will look to improve on their 11th placed finish in their first season at the top level of County football. They continue to play their home matches at the 3G pitch outside of the main Woodspring Stadium, home of Weston-Super-Mare AFC – perhaps a result of ground grading restrictions in the Premier Division.

When these sides met last season, Stockwood won 0-2 away in Weston-Super-Mare, while the reverse fixture ended in a 2-2 draw.

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The Ground

Wanderers’ ground at Stockwood Lane forms part of the ‘Stockwood Triangle’; where 3 separate football grounds – those of Bristol Telephones (1), Cutters Friday (2) and Stockwood Wanderers (3) – are found in very close proximity to one another.Today is the day I complete two-thirds of this mini-challenge after having visited Bristol Telephones last season for their game against Middlezoy Rovers.

Stockwood Wanderers nearly share an entrance with Bristol Telephones, but the driveways diverge from each other once through the respective gates. Wanderers have a decent-sized car park and a clubhouse with bar and changing facilities, as well as a small outdoor seating area. The pitch is surrounded by a sturdy metal perimeter fence, and there is a concrete under foot around the majority of the circumference.

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The Match

With music blaring from Telephones’ PA system next door – it seemed they would be kicking off their game against Bradford Town a few minutes later than this game – the new Somerset County League season got underway.

The visitors had the first effort on goal as some good wing play from Castle led to an effort from Adam Bulman who forced a save from Matt Lewis in the Wands’ goal. 5 minutes later Stockwood took the lead; a super strike from Jamie Woolland looped over Lewis’ opposite number Callum Plaistow. Woolland was at it just 4 minutes later, turning away from his man and unleashing a powerful shot from the corner of the box to double the hosts’ lead. 25 minutes in, Uphill Castle’s right back Mason Osborne read a cross-field ball well and cut it out, allowing Aidan McKenna to take the ball and run before letting fly with a vicious shot which Lewis managed to beat away. Down the other end Oakley Rawlings found himself in a promising position. Perhaps he should have run with it but instead shot early, forcing a good stop from Plaistow. The consequent corner was headed just wide by centre back Nathan Tilley. 4 minutes from the break Osborne inexplicably handled a Stockwood cross, conceding a penalty. Referee Rob Taylor decided the spot kick was sufficient punishment and saw fit to just give the full back a talking to. Jamie Woolland stepped up and dispatched the penalty to secure an impressive first half hat trick. There was still time for Woolland to contribute further before the break; the ball was worked across the away penalty box – Rawlings found Woolland who unselfishly passed to Corran Vile and the midfielder curled a low shot past Plaistow to make it 4-0.

The first talking point of the second half was a negative one as Wanderers’ captain Conrad Britton fell awkwardly. The physio was called for straight away and Britton hobbled off to be replaced by Callum Francomb. It quickly became apparent that the hosts would be content to protect their lead and see the game out. On the hour mark the visitors attacked well down the right, but the final ball was well cut out for a corner. 7 minutes later, hardworking home right back Charlie Perkins received a superb ball to go one-on-one with Plaistow, but the keeper made a brilliant save with his feet. And that was it as far as significant events go. Uphill Castle had a better second half but never really looked like scoring past a well-drilled Stockwood defence.

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The Photos

The full gallery of match photos is also available HERE

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The Line-Ups