Countries in the Northern Hemisphere that experience proper winters all the time play their football season during the summer months.  True, that might still mean that, if the season was starting now, it would, still have been delayed because there is snow everywhere but, in general terms, it would mean that the majority of the campaign would be played out on days dappled with sunshine and on pitches that have more give in them than they do at the moment and which had a healthy covering of grass rather than a propensity to cut up as soon as they are stepped on.  Midweek games could start at 7.30 pm throughout most of the campaign and could be played almost all season.  Holidays might play a part but, then again, we lose players to skiing every year and far too many people choose to take their “Summer” holiday during the month of September these days.  Worth a thought, isn’t it.

 It would also mean that there would appear to be rather more point in producing a preview of the forthcoming weekend fixtures, because, each week, there would be a pretty good chance that the games would actually be played.  It took hours – days, possibly – to produce the diligently researched piece that laid out the prospects for last weekend’s matches and then what happened?  Three postponements, as part of a complete white-out of both the Northern Senior League and the Cheltenham League, that’s what.  So it is with a somewhat heavy heart, as he gazes out over fields that are covered in snow and slush, that your correspondent, once again, turns his attentions to the club’s fixtures scheduled for this coming weekend.

The first team are due to travel to Gloucester – Tuffley Park, to be precise – to take on Ramblers.  Ramblers are, currently, just one place off the bottom of NSL Division One with 10 points from 11 matches but one of those points came from the 2-2 draw that they gained at Cheltenham Road in October.  This compared favourably to the 2-2 draw that they had earned on the opening day of the season, at Longlevens, and against the Firsts, Ramblers will probably have been encouraged by the fact that they took a two goal lead before being hauled back to level terms thanks to goals from Jon Marchant and Frank Ashworth.  Since then, consistency has been a problem with only one win, 1-0 at home to Lydbrook, being gained whilst matches have been lost 6-0 at Kingswood and 4-0 at home to Sharpness.  However, that excellent single-goal success over Lydbrook is the only game that Ramblers have played since the turn of the year, with 5 of their last 6 games being lost to the weather.  In fact, they are unbeaten in the League since November but have only played 3 times since, with the draw against Dursley two days after Christmas and a Senior Amateur Cup defeat against Brockworth Albion at the beginning of December being the only other games that they have played.  Their home record is better than their away form, however, with both of their wins having been gained at Winget Tuffley Park and only 11 goals having been conceded, as compared to the 20 that they have let in on their travels.  The first team will be, pretty much, at full strength for this one and champing at the bit, you would imagine, with both of the Bermingham brothers available and only Shaun Gluyas missing from the usual squad.

The Reserves make the journey round Seven Bends Road to wend their way to Bredon to take on a Bredon Reserves side that has seen something of a resurgence of form since it took a fearful 10-1 battering from Whaddon United Reserves at the end of November.  This followed a week after a 5-0 reverse against Apperley & Tewkesbury Dynamos and, in the fullness of time, this couple of results has come to represent the season’s nadir for a team that, at the time, seemed to have been dragged into a relegation dog fight.  6 games have been played since Whaddon hit 10 and, of these games, only one, against Winchcombe Town Reserves, has been lost.  Two games have been drawn, both away by 2-2 against Cheltenham Civil Service and, very creditably, Northway, whilst the side has gained three victories, against Brockworth Albion, Cheltenham Saracens and Gala Wilton.  All of these victories have been recorded at home and the win against Gala, three weeks ago, was courtesy of a very impressive 5-2 scoreline.  Purely coincidentally, Bredon’s first team has played only three times during the same period, although it has to be said that they were in action, gaining themselves an equally impressive 1-0 away win at Barnwood United, when Gala Wilton were dispatched 5-2.    Overall, the net effect has been to now leave Bredon in a very comfortable mid table position, with an extremely noteworthy home record:  indeed, 5 wins and two draws from their eight home matches, with the only defeat being at the hands of A&TD three months ago, have contributed all but 3 of their points, with the team’s lamentable form on the road making sure that the side aren’t placed even higher.   The Reserves, then, will also be glad to be at full strength, with Ben Norman making a welcome return to a squad that also includes Jordan Kontarines and Sam Bastow, who is now fully recovered from his stubbed toe.

The Thirds are the only team scheduled to be at home this coming weekend and hope to welcome Cleevonians to Cheltenham Road.  With the pitch covered in snow as this preview is written, it is difficult to know what the prospects are for Saturday and they probably won’t be known until a proper thaw sets in.  The forecast for later in the week is reasonably good, however, and in the knowledge that, given enough time, the pitches at Bishops Cleeve Playing Fields do drain relatively well, we can allow ourselves to be quietly optimistic about actually playing at home this coming Saturday.  If we do, the third team will be up against a Cleevonians’ side that is currently lying in third place, just one place and one point behind the third team, having played one game more.  The first game between the two sides was played at Swindon Village in October and, having taken the lead through Martin Reid, we found ourselves a goal behind until Matt Hall secured a 2-2 draw.  This was draw number three of the five consecutive deadlocks that threatened, at that stage, to undermine the third team’s season but, having now redressed the balance and climbed into a promotion spot, the side will be desperate to gain all three points against one of their main rivals.  Cleevonians’ current form is relatively good, with three wins and three defeats in their last six games stretching back to the end of November.  The wins have come against Apperley & Tewkesbury Dynamos, 2-1, and Belmore United Reserves, 4-3, both at home, and Charlton Rovers III, 5-0 away, whilst the defeats have all been against Falcons Reserves and all by 3-2 – two in the League and one in the Minor Charity Cup.  The Thirds, meanwhile, have won every game they have played since mid November except the ice hockey match against C & G and the Minor Cup loss to A&TD3 on penalties in December and are able to call on the services of Stefano Pucello, Guy Tyrell and Graham Withers for this match.  Stuart Hurring is also available to a squad that will facilitate the return of Matt Hall to the pitch following yet another stint between the sticks for the Reserves.