Somerset County League
Division 2
Saturday 13th May 2023
Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.05
Cutters Friday 3 Chew Magna 1, attendance 62
17’ 0-1
55’ 1-1 (pen)
84’ 2-1 (pen)
90’ + 2, 3-1
@ Cutters Ground
Stockwood Lane
Bristol
BS14 0QE
No Admission or Programme.
Today saw a visit to Stockwood, in South East Bristol and a visit that would complete all four divisions of the Somerset County League grounds for the first time. There are two pitches here. The nearest one to the changing rooms is fully railed, but the camber is extreme, to say the least, with blind spots in the corners. The other pitch, which is the main one, runs parallel, but is only railed on three sides. It was the last of what must be three of the closest grounds you’ll find anywhere. No more than a few yards between the three! I had seen Bristol Telephones play a Western League match (February 2019) on the ground that runs end on to today’s pitch, separated by a fence, whilst on the other side of the trees that run along the far side, I have seen Stockwood Wanderers play a Somerset County League Premier Division match (August 2017).
It was even better that the game had something riding on it, at both ends of the league table, with 5th hosting 11th. We were down to the last game of the season for all involved, with the final promotion place between Peasedown Miners Welfare (47 pts, +10 GD), Imperial (45 pts, +17 GD) and Cutters Friday (45 pts, +10 GD). Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, it would be either Bishops Lydeard Reserves (21 pts, -25 GD) or Chew Magna (22 pts, -19 GD) that would finish third bottom and be relegated. Cutters knew they had to win, whatever happened, then hope other results went their way. Chew Magna only needed to match what Bishops Lydeard Reserves did and were certainly helped by the fact that they were hosting Peasedown MW.
Chew Magna got off to a great start, going ahead after seventeen minutes through a 25 yard free kick into the top corner. Cutters Friday were very poor and created very little. The game never really flowed, not helped by a two minute water break midway through the half (same thing in the second half) despite it only being around 18 or 19 degrees! According to the Referee ‘a few have been requesting it’.
Anyway, a penalty, awarded for a foul, saw Cutters draw level ten minutes into the second half and another spot kick, this time for a handball, saw them go 2-1 up with six minutes left. The visitors had a man sin binned at this point and that ended their chance of getting anything from the game. Cutters added a third goal in injury time to round off the scoring.
In the end the victory wasn’t enough for Cutters, as Peasedown MW won 4-2 at Bishops Lydeard Reserves, to take the final promotion place. However, this result meant Chew Magna stayed up, so at least they could take something from the day, despite suffering a defeat.
Above : Note the stand and floodlights of Bristol Telephones F.C. behind the fence. Meanwhile, Stockwood Wanderers play the other side of the trees!
