Stroud & District League

Division 1

Tuesday 3rd September 2024

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.30

Horsley United 1 Tetbury Town 2, attendance 28

66’ 0-1

75’ 1-1

80’ 1-2

@ Horsley Village Hall

Priory Fields

Horsley

GL6 0PT

No Admission or Programme.

Around six o’clock the all too common question at this level was asked…”anyone seen the Ref?”….met with the usual response. That is…no response whatsoever and after much deliberation, the match finally got underway fifteen minutes late (resulting in 2 x 40 minute halves being played), with the home official who’d been dealing with the team sheets taking on the job. Tetbury were certainly not impressed and it looked at one point that we wouldn’t be getting a game at all. To be fair, apart from the first five minutes or so, the stand in did an excellent job, helped by the fact that the players seemed to have forgotten about it and just settled in to playing the game by then!

The two teams were evenly matched and as well as no Referee, it looked like there would be no goals either. Tetbury finally broke the deadlock with fourteen minutes left, but the real drama was still to come. With five minutes left Horsley had a corner. As it was about to be taken, a home player and the away ‘keeper ended up in the net, with punches flying in both directions. Once separated, both were sent off and from the corner the ball was headed in at the near post for the equaliser. Then, in the final minute, a cross from the right was headed high into the air and a Tetbury player managed to out jump the ‘keeper as it came back down, nodding in from close range to win the game.

Horsley play at the Village Hall (doubles as a shop), which is where they change and walk through to the pitch, entering behind the goal. The right hand side has grass banking running along it’s entirety, which offers a good view and even has a small section of cover perched at the top.

Above photo courtesy of Bob Lilliman.