WEST COUNTRY FOOTBALL

Tag: December

  • Jingle Mells.

    Jingle Mells.

    The Intro
    The Ground
    The Match
    The Photos

    – Date: Saturday 13th December 2025
    – Kick Off: 14:00
    – Attendance: ~30
    – Distance Travelled: 24 miles
    – Full Photo Gallery

    – Competition: Somerset Junior Cup – 3rd Round
    – Venue: Mells Recreation Ground | BA11 1PZ
    – Weather: Cold
    – Admission: Free
    – Programme: N/A

    The Intro

    Frome Town United currently play in the Premier Division of the Mid-Somerset League, which has 9 teams competing in it this season. United sit in 4th place after a 3-2 home win over Wells City A last weekend. Today’s game is a County Cup game; in the previous round United beat Bristol and District League side Bristol United, while before that they saw off league rivals Chilcompton Sports Reserves with an impressive 3-2 away win.

    Misterton FC travel up from the southern extremes of the county for this fixture. They are members of the Perry Street and District League Premier Division, and are sitting pretty in 2nd place at the time of writing. So far in the County Cup they have defeated Weston Celtic of the Weston-Super-Mare and District League, and Yeovil-based Wagtail Athletic. Last weekend, in the League, they suffered a disappointing home loss to Combe St. Nicholas Reserves.

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  • Ashes to Ashes.

    Ashes to Ashes.

    The Intro
    The Ground
    The Match
    The Photos

    – Thursday 26th December 2024
    – 11:00 Kick Off
    – Attendance: 407
    – Distance Travelled: 9 miles
    – Full Photo Gallery

    – Western League – Premier Division
    – Kimberley Stadium, Saltash
    – Weather: Cold, foggy
    – Admission: £7
    – Programme: N/A

    Intro

    Saltash United were promoted from the South West Peninsula League after performing well during the pandemic-affected 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. They finished as runners-up in their 2nd season in their new surroundings, narrowly missing out on promotion to the Southern League after losing to Bristol Manor Farm in the inter-step play-off. They’ve struggled to replicate that form in the subsequent season-and-a-half, finishing 13th last season, and currently finding themselves in 16th position. This season started slowly for the Ashes and they didn’t secure 3 points until early September when they beat fellow bottom half teams Oldland Abbotonians and Ilfracombe Town in consecutive matches. Form has been patchy since then, although last Saturday they pushed league-leaders Portishead Town all the way – only losing out to a late goal which condemned United to a 4-3 defeat.

    This is Torpoint’s 3rd Western League campaign since their promotion from the South West Peninsula League. So far they have managed 12th and 10th placed finishes, but this season find themselves only kept off bottom spot by the winless Welton Rovers. After kicking off the season with a 2-0 win over Oldland Abbotonians, Athletic then lost the next 10 league games, as well as crashing out of the FA Cup away at Falmouth Town. They did manage a win in the FA Vase, over Honiton Town, only to lose in the next round at home to Thornbury Town. Last Saturday they secured an invaluable 3 points away at Wellington; their victory in the league since early October.

    Today sees the meeting of two teams struggling for form and looking to move away from the danger of relegation back to the South West Peninsula League. This, coupled with today’s encounter being a local derby, should make for interesting viewing.

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  • Twin Towns.

    Twin Towns.

    The Intro
    The Ground
    The Match
    The Photos

    – Saturday 9th December 2023
    – 13:30 Kick Off
    – Attendance: ~30
    – Distance Travelled: 52 miles
    – Full Photo Gallery

    – Wiltshire Junior Cup – 3rd Round
    – Elcot Lane, Marlborough
    – Weather: Cold, Windy
    – Admission: Free
    – Programme: N/A

    Intro

    By my reckoning there is a couple of league’s difference between these 2 sides. Marlborough currently play in Division One of the Wiltshire Senior League – 2 leagues below the National League System. Their visitors today are a couple of divisions below that, in the Stroud & District League Division Two.

    Marlborough are 8th out of 15 in their league, but with several games in hand over many of their rivals, there is potential for them to move up the division if results go their way. They don’t seem to have played a game since November 25th when they defeated Trowbridge Tigers in the previous round of this competition. That was a convincing 5-0 win over another team from a couple of levels below them. Prior to that you have to go back a whole for another Marlborough Town game – this time a 2-4 home defeat to Pewsey Vale. Marlborough have been involved in lots of high-scoring matches so far this season, including a 4-4 draw with Devizes Town Reserves, and a 4-3 win over Lambourn Sports.

    Sherston Town are flying high in their league currently. They are in 2nd position; 3 points behind leaders Stroud United but with 2 games in hand. Their last game, at the end of November, was a resounding 8-1 victory over Charfield Reserves. In the last round of this cup they beat Holt FC of the Trowbridge & District League 4-0. Much like today’s opponents, Sherston have been involved in some really goal-heavy matches including a remarkable 16-0 thrashing of Quedgeley Wanderers Reserves. Hopefully, with this in mind, there should be plenty of goals to enjoy today.

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  • The Royal Treatment.

    The Royal Treatment.

    The Intro
    The Ground
    The Match
    The Photos

    – Sunday 3rd December 2023
    – 14:00 Kick Off
    – Attendance: ~40
    – Distance Travelled: 66 miles
    – Full Photo Gallery

    – South West Regional Women’s League – Eastern Division
    – Gerard Buxton Sports Ground – Royal Wootton Bassett
    – Weather: Overcast
    – Admission: £4
    – Programme: £2

    Intro

    Unfortunately the ground I had planned to visit today – The Red House at Purton near Swindon – had its game called off just as I arrived. The Bath City Ladies team were deciding which pub to go to instead, as I was approaching the club house. I knew I would have relatively few choices for an alternative as of course there aren’t as many games most Sundays. I was originally tempted to venture across Swindon to see Swindon Town’s Women’s team take on Torquay United, but I had it in my head that parking might not be the easiest, particularly as I was in a hurry to miss as little of the game as possible. The only other option I could see was to revisit the Gerard Buxton Sports Ground in Royal Wootton Bassett. Bassett’s Ladies – 3rd in the league – were taking on rock-bottom Ridgeway FC Ladies. So off I went to the other side of the M4…

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  • Poisoned Ivy.

    Poisoned Ivy.

    IVYBRIDGE TOWN 0 – 1 ELBURTON VILLA

    The Intro
    The Ground
    The Match
    The Photos

    – Monday 26th December 2022
    – 11:30 Kick Off
    – Attendance: 105
    – Full Photo Gallery

    – Walter C Parsons Cup – Third Round
    – Erme Valley Playing Fields, Ivybridge
    – Weather: Sunny, Rain Showers, Mild
    – Admission: £5

    Intro

    In what looks like the final season in its current guise, these two South West Peninsula League sides come into this League Cup game at opposite ends of the table. If all goes to plan, next season will see the debut of a league which should combine the SWPL and the Western League in an attempt to reduce journey times in the latter. Elburton Villa will need to improve if they are to be sure of being involved in this new setup as they find themselves 2nd from bottom with only 3 wins to their name so far. That being said, they are on something of a good run of results including an away win at Honiton Town and a decent draw with high-flying Brixham. They have also only recently seen their FA Vase run come to the end at the hands of Western League Premier promotion hopefuls Bridgwater United. Before that game their Vase campaign saw Villa enjoy wins over Ashton & Backwell United, Torrington and Dobwalls.

    Today’s hosts, on the other hand, are riding high in 3rd spot and have scored 5 goals in both of their last two games. Their stand-out league result so far is probably the 3-0 away victory over current leaders Okehampton Argyle back in August. They followed that up with a 7-2 demolition of Torrington. An impressive away win over Western League Premier Millbrook in the Vase was not replicated in the next round as they found themselves losing on penalties to league rivals Bovey Tracey. Talking of the FA Vase, I saw Ivybridge win a 5-goal thriller against Longwell Green Sports back in 2017, though of course they’ll be hoping to wrap things up in normal time today.

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  • Nice as Pies

    Nice as Pies

    Semington Magpies 5 – 0 Heytesbury FC
    Trowbridge & District League – Division One
    Saturday 18th December 2021
    Little Marsh, Semington (view on map)

    Attendance: 5 (headcount)
    Admission: Free
    Weather: Cloudy

    View the full photo gallery HERE

    The Season So Far:

    With only ten teams competing in each Division of the Trowbridge and District League, the season is actually nearly over. In fact the Champions of Division Two have been confirmed already (Seend United). I believe after the League element of the season, the teams then compete in a Spring Cup. Semington Magpies are currently in 5th position, 6 points behind today’s opponents but with 3 games in hand. Last week’s game away at Staverton Rangers was called off due to the rain, and the week before that the Pies crashed out of the Wiltshire Junior Cup to Blunsdon FC of the Swindon and District League (SDFL). Prior to that, however, they managed two impressive away wins against mid-table Marshfield and 2nd place Hilperton United.

    Heytesbury FC have had a mixed time of it recently: Last week they beat Westbury United Reserves away 7-3, and before that also exited the Wiltshire Junior Cup to a SDFL team – KO Plastering. November was a mixed bag too with an 8-0 win over Warminster Town Reserves and a draw against bottom side Freshford. The last meeting between Semington and Heytesbury was another high scoring affair – the latter taking the points with a 6-4 win.

    Semington will therefore be out for revenge today, while the visitors will be looking to make 3rd place theirs.

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  • Rockin’ Robins

    Rockin’ Robins

    Frome Town 3 – 0 Willand Rovers
    Southern League – Division One South
    Saturday 11th December 2021
    Badgers Hill, Frome (view on map)

    Attendance: 377
    Admission: £10
    Weather: Drizzle

    View the full photo gallery HERE

    The Season So Far:

    My first Southern League game of the season sees me head 8 miles south and across the border into Somerset. Frome Town are sitting pretty at the top of Division One South, six points clear of AFC Totton, although Town have played one more game than their Hampshire rivals.

    The Robins recently suffered their first League loss of the season – a surprise 1-0 defeat to Highworth Town. Other than that the League season so far has been fairly plain sailing – Frome have won all their other games apart from three draws. They have, however, been knocked out of the FA Cup and Trophy, albeit after decent runs in the earlier rounds: The FA Cup saw them defeated convincingly by National League South Bath City. Prior to this they did manage a very impressive victory over Oxford City, who compete 2 levels higher alongside the aforementioned Romans. Frome were knocked out of the FA Trophy on penalties by AFC Totton (and will be hoping that result does not foreshadow the end of the League season!), after having beaten Didcot Town from the equivalent Division One Central, and then Poole Town from one of the Leagues above – the Premier Division South.

    Visiting from Devon, Willand Rovers are currently in 12th position in the League and come into this game off the back of a 3-1 win over struggling Cinderford Town (Willand’s midweek game against Highworth Town was called off due to a waterlogged pitch). Like their opponents, Rovers have also been knocked out of both main Cup competitions: falling at the first hurdle away to Aylesbury Town in the FA Cup, and making it to the 1st Round proper of the Trophy before losing to Hartley Wintney. To get to that stage Willand beat Yate Town from the Southern Premier Division South.

    On paper this looks like another win for Frome, but both teams have shown this season that the unexpected can happen, and so I keep an open mind about the result and look forward to an entertaining game.

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  • … to the Brim

    … to the Brim

    Bradford Town 2 – 3 Brimscombe & Thrupp FC
    FA Vase – 2nd Round
    Saturday 5th December 2020
    Trowbridge Road, Bradford-on-Avon (view on map)
    Attendance: 161
    Admission: £6

    The Season So Far:

    It hardly needs saying, but this season has been a somewhat strange one. Currently 10th in the Western League Premier Division – although the tables are typically hard to read due to games in hand on account of Covid outbreaks within squads – Town’s last game was a 4-2 away win over Chipping Sodbury. This, though, is an FA Vase match. That last season’s final has yet to be played while we are already well into this season’s competition says it all about the state of non league football at the moment! The Bobcats were awarded a bye into this round of the Vase on thanks to an impressive performance in last season’s campaign when they reached the last 16. Their opponents make the trip down from picturesque Gloucestershire where they compete with Forest Green Rovers for support. Undefeated so far in the Hellenic League Premier Division after 5 games, The Lilywhites thrashed AFC Aldermaston in the 2nd Qualifying Round, and then beat Longwell Green Sports 4-2 in the 1st Round proper. Both sides should come into this fixture with a mix of confidence and uncertainty – home advantage for Bradford and an impressive start to the season for the visitors. However, with Lockdown 2 now behind us, and no competitive games for 4 weeks there will likely be a measure of tentativeness in both squads.

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  • Another Day, Another Derby

    Another Day, Another Derby

    Ashton & Backwell United 2 – 1 Portishead Town
    Western League – Division One
    Saturday 28th December 2019
    The Lancer Scott Stadium, Backwell
    Attendance: 103

    The Season So Far:

    Around 4 miles separates these two clubs as the crow flies. The home side just north of Bristol Airport lie in 8th place (with a -4 goal difference) in the table, with the visitors from the banks of the Severn estuary in 15th (and a +2 goal difference!). Neither side played on Boxing Day so should be fresh and ready for this meeting – the home Stags’ last game on the 7th December saw them beat high-flying Calne Town 3-2 at home. Portishead won by the same scoreline that weekend, against Lebeq United, but the week after that lost to Warminster. You have to go back to September to find their last win before the Lebeq tie. Ashton & Backwell ended last season in 4th and will certainly look to emulate that kind of finish this time round. Portishead will look to improve on last season’s 16th place finish. Both teams’ erratic form suggests that this game could go either way and it will hopefully be an entertaining match up.

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  • A Match Made In Devon

    A Match Made In Devon

    Plymouth Parkway 2 – 3 Tavistock AFC
    Western League – Premier Division
    Thursday 26th December 2019
    Bolitho Park, Plymouth
    Attendance: 564

    The Season So Far:

    Every year I hope for a Christmas miracle, and this year it looks to have happened; 2nd placed Plymouth Parkway at home to Devon rivals Tavistock on Boxing Day! Parkway find themselves 3 points behind Bradford Town with a game in hand and a superior goal difference. Behind them, Clevedon Town are just a point behind in 3rd, but have played 5 more matches. The home side have not played a match since the 7th December due to their last two games falling foul of the weather. An impressive season so far has seen Parkway lose only once in the league and rack up impressive wins including a 10-0 thumping of Odd Down. They also have an FA Vase 4th Round game to look forward to against Woodbridge Town of the Eastern Counties Premier.

    Today’s visitors joined the Western League at the beginning of the season from the South West Peninsula League. Currently in 10th place, but with a good few games in hand over almost everyone around them, they’ll feel confident of climbing up the league in the near future. Like the hosts, Tavvy’s last two games were rained off, and their last game on the 14th was a hard-fought 4-3 victory over bottom side Chipping Sodbury. They were knocked out of the Vase by another Devon club Buckland Athletic in the 3rd round, so will look to focus their attentions on improving their league position and possibly claiming promotion to the Southern League.

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