Gloucestershire Northern Senior League
Division 2
Wednesday 27th April 2022
Kick Off 18.30 On Time !
Falcons 3 Bibury 2, attendance 30
13’ 1-0
18’ 1-1
41’ 1-2
75’ 2-2
88’ 3-2 (pen)
@ The Beeches
Sappercombe Lane
off Little Herbert’s Road
Charlton Kings
GL53 8LY
No Admission or Programme.
Falcons have been rumoured to be moving from The Beeches for a number of seasons now. It is not surprising, as it is an awful venue, with a very poor quality pitch. It doesn’t help that it is a good 200 yards from the changing rooms, although when you are actually pitch side, it feels more enclosed than it first appears when looking across from the car park.
The match was 4th versus 8th in the league table, with Falcons in a four way fight for one of the three promotion places and still in with a chance of taking the title, if they win their remaining games. They went ahead early, with a deflected shot that wrong footed the ’keeper, but Bibury scrambled in an equaliser five minutes later. It was very competitive, which was full credit to Bibury, as they were safe in mid table, so had little to play for. The visitors edged 1-2 in front just before halftime, with a cracking 25 yarder that the ’keeper got a hand to, but was unable to keep out.
The second half was spent mostly in the Bibury half of the pitch, as Falcons pushed hard for an equaliser. It came fifteen minutes from time, the striker wriggling free from a challenge, before smashing in left footed from just inside the box. With six minutes to go, Bibury were reduced to 10 men, a defender being red carded for a foul when he was ’last man’. Two minutes from time Falcons were awarded a penalty, for a handball, which they duly put away to make it 3-2, with Bibury having a player sin binned for arguing the decision, so playing out the remainder of the game with nine men.
It is all to play for at the top. Leaders Stonehouse Town Reserves are on 60 points, with two games left, whilst the three chasers all have a game in hand. Smiths Barometrics have 59 points, F.C. Lakeside 57 and Falcons 56.
