Cheltenham League

Junior Charity Cup Semi Final

Friday 14th May 2021

Kick Off 18.30. On Time !

Hanley Swan 0 New Dales Vale 3, attendance 93

25’ 0-1

64’ 0-2

90’+ 2, 0-3

@ Bishop’s Cleeve F.C., Pitch 2

Kayte Lane

Bishop’s Cleeve

GL52 3PD

No Admission or Programme.

The Cheltenham League were playing both their Junior Charity Cup Semi Final matches at Bishop’s Cleeve F.C. tonight. In the other tie, played on the main ground and kicking off fifteen minutes later than our match, Whaddon United beat Shurdington Rovers 2-1.The attraction for us was that it was a rare chance to do a match on Pitch 2, which is beyond the far goal and running the opposite way to the main ground.

As we approached the pitch it was a surprise to see the groundsman forking the pitch and sweeping away standing water. It was nice and sunny and apparently there had been no rain today! In the end there were too many puddles to deal with, so they just got on with it. If it wasn’t for the fact that the season has been so badly affected by COVID-19, this probably wouldn’t have been played. In the end it wasn’t a problem and maybe even added to the entertainment. The other thing that we noticed, rather disappointingly, was that the once enclosed pitch is no longer railed off and the old dugouts have also gone, with just the concrete bases remaining.

Both teams play in Division 1 North of the league and were well matched. The only goal of the first half came following a poor clearance, punished with a first time shot from just outside the centre circle that sailed into the net. The all important second goal came just after the hour mark, shooting in from 16 yards and from there it was just too much for Hanley Swan to come back from and it was a break away goal in stoppage time that rounded off the scoring.