Stroud & District League

Division 2

Wednesday 30th April 2025

Kick Off 18.45 On Time!

Stratton United 3 Abbeymead Rovers 0, attendance 70

55’ 1-0

80’ 2-0

82’ 3-0 (pen)

@ Kingshill Playing Field

Kingshill Lane

Kings Hill

Cirencester

GL7 1SY

No Admission or Programme.

This was the last game of the season in this division. Abbeymead Rovers were already champions, with Stratton United, third, needing a point from this game to join them in the second promotion spot. There were even three appointed match officials, which I’m sure is not normally the case in this league. It certainly did Stratton a favour that the visitors had nothing to play for, bar pride, with the league already sewn up and a cup final still to come. They still made Stratton work for the win though, in a game that never really hit any great heights. The best chance of a goalless first half saw Abbeymead hit the crossbar, with Stratton rarely threatening.

Things changed in the second half though. In the opening five minutes Stratton hit the post with a header from a corner, quickly followed by a shot from the edge of the box well tipped round the post by the ‘keeper. They made the breakthrough ten minutes in, finishing with an angled shot under the ‘keeper, having been played through on the left hand side of the box. Ten minutes from the end they made the game safe, cutting in from the left, before curling in a shot off the inside of the far post and two minutes later they made it 3-0, scoring with a penalty.

Kingshill Playing Field is a very basic venue, over the hedge from the Corinium Stadium ground of Cirencester Town. F.C. There’s a decent sized car park, with a brick built changing room building. The pitch is round the back of the building and was roped along most of one side. Another trouble free journey in both directions, apart from a small diversion near Swindon due to a closure on the A419, but still a drive time of under two hours.