WEST COUNTRY FOOTBALL

Brute Force.

– Saturday 4th May 2024
– 14:00 Kick Off
– Attendance: ~20
– Distance Travelled: 40 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– Yeovil & District League – Division One
– Jubilee Park, Bruton
– Weather: Sunny, mild
– Admission: Free
– Programme: N/A

Intro

The Yeovil & District League Division One consists of 11 teams. Bruton United are currently in 7th and I presume safe from relegation. All the same it doesn’t appear to have been a particularly memorable campaign for United with a poor goal difference in the league, and not much success in any cup competition. 5 of their 7 league wins have actually come since the turn of the year; 2 consecutive victories in September were the only 3 point hauls they could manage between August and December of last year.

Team Gryphon Reserves have had a better time of it and find themselves in 3rd place, but (I’m not sure how many teams will be promoted) I don’t think they’ll make promotion this time around. Their recent form has been a bit patchy with them holding league champions Templecombe Rovers to a 1-1 draw, but also losing to bottom side Pen Mill Athletic.

The reverse of this fixture, back in October, ended in a 4-1 win for Team Gryphon.

Worlewind.

– Saturday 27th April 2024
– 14:00 Kick Off
– Attendance: ~35
– Distance Travelled: 102 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– Somerset County League – Premier Division
– Worle Recreation Ground, Worle
– Weather: Overcast
– Admission: Free
– Programme: N/A

Intro

Worle FC have 5 games to save their season. Currently in 14th position out of 16 (the 3rd relegation spot), they have started to show signs of turning things around in recent weeks. Two away wins in the last two games; against already demoted Clutton, and then Somerton Town who themselves are in the relegation scrap, has put Worle within a point of Ilminster Town in 13th. Things got off to an auspicious start as the Weston-Super-Mare side earned 7 points from 9 in the opening 3 games. To say things dropped off after that would be an understatement, as they bagged a meagre 2 points from the next 11 games; not winning another league match in 2023.

Nailsea United are mid-table – out of the running for promotion, and not yet mathematically safe from relegation; they will be looking for a win today to take another step towards securing Premier Division football for another season. Like today’s opponents United have also won both of their previous 2 matches – at home to Keynsham Town Reserves, and Chard Town. United haven’t met Worle yet in the league this season (they meet at the Grove Sports Club in a week’s time), however the Red Arrows came out on top in the league cup; winning 3-0 in Nailsea.

Just 8 miles separate these two, and with plenty to play for today we are hopefully in for an exciting contest!

Chill Out.

– Saturday 20th April 2024
– 13:00 Kick Off
– Attendance: ~35
– Distance Travelled: 29 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– Mid-Somerset League – Division Two
– Chilcompton Sports Ground, Chilcompton
– Weather: Sunny, Cold
– Admission: Free
– Programme: N/A

Intro

Just 8 teams are competing in the Mid-Somerset League Division Two this season, but it seems like game time for these teams has been boosted by a number of cup competitions. Of those 8 teams, 6 are either a Reserve or A Team.

3 sides have completed their league season already, while today represents the last league match of the season for Pensford. They are yet to lose a game in the league this season, and in fact have only failed to win on one occasion; that draw – a 2-2 tie – came at the end of September against now 2nd bottom Westfield FC A. There have been cup defeats along the way, including a potentially morale-destroying 7-1 home defeat to Shepton Mallet Reserves who are currently storming the next league up.

Chilcompton Sports A have had a bit of a mixed season so far – recently having lost twice to bottom side and village rivals Chilcompton United (once in the league and once in the Wilmott Cup), but defeating 2nd place Coleford Athletic Reserves 6-1 in Coleford. They are yet to draw this season, so goals seem guaranteed today! In December Pensford and Chilcompton Sports A faced off at Pensford Recreation Ground; a game that finished 5-2 to the Viaducts.

Victoria’s Secret.

– Tuesday 16th April 2024
– 19:45 Kick Off
– Attendance: 286
– Distance Travelled: 48 miles

– Hellenic League – Division One Play-Off Semi Final
– The Flying Monk Ground, Malmesbury
– Weather: Sunny, becoming cold
– Admission: £5
– Programme: ?

Intro

A decent improvement on last season – when they finished in 8th position – has seen Malmesbury Victoria comfortably qualify for the play offs this time around. Despite finishing 9 points behind champions Hartpury University, Vics inflicted one of the Gloucestershire side’s 2 defeats back in August. Their run-in has been good, with only 2 league defeats this calendar year – against 2 sides who themselves narrowly missed out on play-off spots this season – FC Bristol and FC Stratford. The season got off to a great start as they won 8 of their 9 opening league matches, although they did lose in the opening round of the FA Vase to Tuffley Rovers from the league above.

Promoted from the Wiltshire County League last season, Devizes Town are looking to make it back-to-back promotions as they battle for a place in the Hellenic Premier Division. It would be no mean feat, but if they do manage it it would be in no small part thanks to the experience of player-manager Chris Allen. They snuck into the play-off places level on points with FC Bristol, but with a better goal difference. Some strong performances of late – including a 0-0 draw at home to the league winners – secured 5th place for Town. It looked at one point like they might have blown it, as they went down 0-1 at home to FC Bristol, but inconsistency from Bristol allowed Devizes to keep above them.

Nil by Mouth.

– Tuesday 9th April 2024
– 19:45 Kick Off
– Attendance: 157
– Distance Travelled: 10 miles

– Southern League – Division One South
– Meadow Lane, Westbury
– Weather: Windy
– Admission: Free (name on the gate)
– Programme: £2

Intro

The postponement of United’s game at Larkhall Athletic on April Fool’s Day has left them with just the 6 games to play this month (Although presumably the rearranged Larkhall face-off will bump that number back up to 7). That means they play today after drawing away at Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3 days ago, and then travel to Bashley on Thursday, before hosting play-off hopefuls Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday. This is The White Horse Men’s second season in the Southern League, after finishing a reasonably comfortable 10th position last season. Things have been trickier this season and they find themselves hovering precariously above the sole relegation spot (made so by the resignation of Hamworthy United in October due to ground troubles). They are 6 points better off than Paulton Rovers, and have a couple of games in hand over the Somerset side, but will be extremely keen to take points off an Exmouth Town side who until recently looked doomed for relegation themselves.

Town’s change in fortunes seemed to begin away at Evesham United just before Christmas when they secured an impressive 4-2 win. Since then they have racked up victories over the likes of Bashley, Larkhall and Willand Rovers. On Saturday they faced league leaders Frome Town and earned a very respectable nil-nil draw to frustrate The Robins. Exmouth’s run in is fewer in number, but those games – after tonight – come against 3rd place Cribbs, and the aforementioned Paulton Rovers. The reverse of this fixture, back in November, was a 1-1 draw; a repeat of which wouldn’t do either side a particular favour.

Lake Placid.

– Saturday 30th March 2024
– 15:00 Kick Off
– Attendance: 20
– Distance Travelled: 5 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– Devon Football League
– Parkway Sports Club, Plymouth
– Weather: Sunny spells, windy
– Admission: Free
– Programme: N/A

Intro

Lakeside Athletic lost 5-1 to 2nd place Appledore last weekend, a result which saw them remain in 9th position in the Devon Football League. They are on a bit of a bad run and haven’t won yet in 2024. This run of games did include 2 matches against league leaders University of Exeter, and a brace of games against the aforementioned Appledore, but also a disappointing loss at home to 14th place Plymstock United. When they travelled east to Beer in December they managed a 2-2 draw, so will be aiming for something a bit more like that today.

Beer Albion are sitting pretty in 3rd position, although the title is probably out of their reach – the University of Exeter are currently 20 points clear of Albion as I type this. They started the season well – winning 5 out of 6 of their first games, and they will be buoyed by good showings against the table-toppers including a 0-0 draw earlier this month. Last weekend they comfortably beat Elmore; a good recovery from the defeat by lowly Ipplepen Athletic the Saturday before.

Bucket Lisk.

– Saturday 30th March 2024
– 11:30 Kick Off
– Attendance: 508
– Distance Travelled: 36 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– South West Peninsula League – West Division
– Lux Park, Liskeard
– Weather: Rain showers, sunny spells
– Admission: £6
– Programme: £2

Intro

Promotion-chasing Liskeard Athletic host the first Saturday game of the Easter Groundhop today. Currently in 2nd place – 5 points behind 1st position, but with 3 games in hand over AFC St Austell, The Blues have lost just once so far in the league this season. That loss came at the end of January and was a heavy defeat to St Austell. Since then Athletic have played just once – a routine 3-0 win over Wadebridge Town. Subsequent games have been hampered by the awful weather that 2024 has brought with it thus far. Liskeard’s league campaign got off to an incredible start as they won all 9 of their opening matches – one sour point was losing to Bridgwater United in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup, quickly followed by a loss to Crediton United in the FA Vase. They didn’t let these blips dent their league form, however, as they continued winning the majority of their matches – often emphatically.

Dobwalls make the three-and-a-half mile hop eastwards today in 6th position. Their form is currently slightly up and down having won their last 2 matches away against Newquay AFC and Truro City Reserves, but losing the 2 before that at home. They had a decent run in the FA Vase – beating two Western League Premier outfits in St Blazey and Millbrook, before losing narrowly to Longwell Green Sports in Bristol. The Dingos will be looking for an improvement on the reverse of this fixture – a 4-0 loss at Lantoom Park on Boxing Day.

Exe-Tra Time.

– Saturday 30th March 2024
– 15:00 Kick Off
– Attendance: 8,088
– Distance Travelled: 95 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– League 1
– St. James Park, Exeter
– Weather: Mostly sunny, some rain showers
– Admission: £27
– Programme: ?

Intro

Exeter City will be looking to avoid a repeat of the result when these two teams met in East London in October – Charlton romped to a 4-1 win that day, however the Grecians find themselves a place higher than the Addicks at the start of play today. City had a good run in the League Cup this season; a run which included a win over Premier League Luton Town before succumbing to Championship Middlesborough. Their last league outing was away at Burton Albion who are in something of a relegation battle; Exeter came away with a 1-0 win and all but secured their place in League One next season.

Charlton were boosted by the arrival of the experienced Kazenga Lua-Lua, and the former Newcastle forward made a cameo appearance in their last fixture – a 1-1 draw with struggling Fleetwood Town. This result made it 8 games undefeated for Nathan Jones’ side and they’ll look to extend that record further today. They did struggle a bit in the FA Cup this season; needing a replay to see off non-league Cray Valley Paper Mills in the 1st Round, before losing to League 2 Gillingham in Round 2.

Wandering Free.

– Sunday 24th March 2024
– 14:00 Kick Off
– Attendance: ~15
– Distance Travelled: 1.5 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– Wiltshire County Women’s League
– Lambrok Playing Fields, Trowbridge
– Weather: Sunny
– Admission: Free
– Programme: N/A

Intro

A bit of an underwhelming season for both of these sides so far, in a league which – as I’ve said before – feels a little unbalanced. Wanderers are currently 9th in a league of 12 teams with 3 wins to their name. They haven’t scored in their past 4 games although 2 of these were against 4th place Bemerton Heath Harlequins, and one was against runaway leaders Corsham Town. The reverse of today’s fixture came on the opening day of the season, and saw Wanderers win 5-2 in Swindon.

Kingsdown’s only league victory this season came as the result of a walkover against Bath Athena. There have been some heavy defeats along the way, but they must be commended for putting out a team just about every weekend. Last Sunday they went up against 2nd place Durrington and were defeated 5-1 – a morale-boosting goal scored by Charlotte Chandler, and indeed they have scored at least once in each of their last 4 matches. That includes a 4-4 draw against Calne Town in the League Cup which led to the Lions winning on penalties.

I reckon this will be a tight game between two sides looking to end the season on a high.

In Reserve.

– Wednesday 13th March 2024
– 19:30 Kick Off
– Attendance: 30
– Distance Travelled: 65 miles
– Full Photo Gallery

– Western League – Division One
– The Lawns, Bristol
– Weather: Cloudy, Windy
– Admission: £6
– Programme: Online only

Intro

Cribbs Reserves are enjoying a fruitful first season in the National League System after being promoted from the Gloucestershire County League last season. Currently they are just 6 points off top spot in 3rd position. Despite this lofty position it would appear they would not be eligible for promotion, presumably due to the First Team’s current standing in the NLS. At the weekend Cribbs actually suffered a rare home defeat – going down 4-0 to 7th place Wells City. The reverse of this fixture, back in August, finished in a 1-1 draw down in south east Bristol.

I saw AEK Boco get held to a 2-2 draw with Bradford Town at the end of February. Since then they have played just one match – a narrow 1-0 win over struggling Cheddar. They lie in 8th position, 6 points behind Brislington who occupy the final play-off place. Boco faced Cribbs Reserves in the Les Phillips Cup (the Western League’s cup competition) in November – a game which went to penalties and had Cribbs coming out on top 4-3.