Football

Mendip Broadwalk v Stockwood Wanderers

Somerset County League

Premier Division

Tuesday 28th March 2023

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.32

Mendip Broadwalk 2 Stockwood Wanderers 3, attendance 76

29’ 0-1

59’ 1-1

73’ 2-1

85’ 2-2 (pen)

86’ 2-3

@ BBS Park

Filwood Playing Fields

Creswicke Road

Knowle West

Bristol

BS4 1UA

No Admission or Programme.

I had been to a game at Filwood Playing Fields before, when I saw Broad Plain House beat Totterdown P.O.B. 3-1 in a Gloucestershire County League match back on 13th April 1999. There were two railed pitches here, with that game played on the one that runs widthways in front of the car park. The other pitch, in the left hand corner, to the left of the clubhouse/changing room building, ran the opposite way and is where Mendip Broadwalk play their home games. It is now fully enclosed with wooden fencing and has also got newly installed floodlights as well, in readiness for their hopeful promotion up to the Western League at the end of the season.

Mendip Broadwalk came into this sitting third in the league table, nine points behind leaders Chilcompton Sports (no floodlights) having also played two games more. More crucially for them though, is the fact that they are five points behind second placed Middlezoy Rovers (also having had floodlights recently installed) with a game in hand, so tonight was a really vital game, especially with Middlezoy visiting here next week.

It was a very even match throughout. There was little between the sides during a very lively first half. The visitors opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, when a cracking 25 yarder seemed to deceive the ‘keeper as he attempted to tip it over the crossbar. The hosts levelled just before the hour, heading in from a corner on the right and with seventeen minutes left they went in front, with a cracking free kick into the far top corner from just outside the angle of the 18 yard box. Stockwood pushed for an equaliser and were rewarded when they scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-2 with five minutes left. Within a minute, they got what turned out to be the winner, when a diagonal free kick was met with a looping header that beat the ‘keeper from the edge of the box.

This now completes visits to all the top division grounds in this league and a good night was rounded off with no closures on the M4, M3 or M25 coming home!