It really is crunch time now. After 8 months of hard graft and endeavour, the fates of all three of our teams will
be settled within the next 10 days. And what a 10 days it promises to be
Only the First team and the Third team will be in action this coming Saturday, as the second team only have one game left
and this will be on the 26th. However, both of these teams also play on Thursday 17th April and the thirds also have
their final League game on Tuesday 22nd! Needless to say, everyone could really do with winning every game - it has
been that sort of season.
For the first team, the next few days will bring a local derby flash flood! On Thursday, there is the visit to Newton
Heath at The Newlands, just next door and then, on Saturday, Bishop's Cleeve Reserves come round the corner as we play hosts
to the team that is likely to finish the season as runners-up in Northern Senior League Division One. The game against
Newton Heath will be the return of the farce in the hurricane that was played out a couple of weeks ago and that our opponents
won through a goal in the fifth minute. It is to be hoped that, on Thursday, the elements will be kind and that the
first team fair better on the Newlands pitch than the third team did in the Minor Cup Semi Final just over a fortnight ago.
When Bishop's Cleeve arrive on Saturday, it will be with the knowledge that they cannot, now, catch Slimbridge at the top
of the table. They do, however, still need some points to be absolutely certain of second place so there will still
be everything to play for. When the two sides met in midweek in September, Bishop's Cleeve romped to a 7-0 victory,
just days after putting 8 past Bourton Rovers, but they have not really matched these scoring feats since then and their recent
form has been rather more pedestrian. Our recent form has been rather more disconcerting, as we have lost each of our
last three games since beating Brockworth Albion in mid March but the fact that this has dragged us back into the relegation
battle should only serve to further strengthen the resolve to reverse this recent trend. Both Shaun Gluyas and Jordan
Kontarines return to bolster defence and midfield, as does Rick Redfearn following his injury problems.
The Third team have three massive games in 5 days, starting with the rematch on Thursday of the 0-0 draw that was played
out, at home, against C & G last Saturday. Since then, C & G have played, and lost, at home to FC Barometrics,
a result that did them few favours but which would have given a real boost to their opponents' hopes of grabbing second place.
This is followed, on Saturday, by a trip to the bed of the river avon that is currently being referred to as The Vineyards
to play Tewkesbury Town Reserves. The two sides drew 2-2 in the home match in September but the thirds prevailed 2-0
in the Minor Charity Cup Quarter Final at the beginning of February. Since then, Tewesbury Town have won themselves
a place in the GFA Primary Cup Final and have now pushed up to fourth in the League, their highest position for some time
this season. Their remaining promotion hopes depend on gleaning 3 points on Saturday, so the thirds will be glad of the continuing
services of last weekend's MOM, Mike Thompson, and the return to action of Neil Bond.
Next Tuesday, April 22nd, the thirds finish their season with a visit to FC Barometrics Reserves at the Newlands.
We really are due a win against the Baras this season, having played them 5 times in Div 2, Div 5, Senior Charity Cup and
Minor Charity Cup and having lost every game. Next Tuesday, which could, once again, become a winner-takes-all encounter,
would be a perfect time to buck the trend!!
