Stroud & District League

Presidents Cup 2nd Round

Monday 3rd January 2022

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59

Minety 3 Rodborough Old Boys 1, attendance 29

12’ 1-0

48’ 1-1

49’ 2-1

82’ 3-1

@ Badminton Memorial Hall

Haye’s Lane

Badminton

GL9 1DD

No Admission or Programme.

I had a few new ground options today, but this was the safer bet, as I had three other all first team matches in this league, as well as one in the Somerset County League, so I had enough back ups in case of weather or late Covid-19 call offs. Minety tweeted early on that their match was going ahead and that the pitch ‘would take a stud’, so it was all systems go. They are playing this season in the village of Badminton (more famous for it’s horse trials, than it’s football) due to the poor condition of their own pitch back in Minety, some 17 miles to the east of here. The ground is where Badminton Picksons played in the Hellenic League for six seasons, up until 1987, although it may have been a different pitch back then. It was also home to cricket, but that is no longer played here, but the old scoreboard and pavilion remain, if a little worse for wear.

The match was second in Division 2 versus top of Division 1. Minety took an early lead, heading in with the visitors ‘keeper lay on the floor, claiming he had been fouled when trying to punch the initial cross clear, but the Referee was having none of it. The game was end to end and the visitors pushed hard for an equaliser. It didn’t come until three minutes into the second half, but they were only level for a minute, a shot from the edge of the 18 yard box seeing Minety regain the lead to go 2-1 up. The game was in the balance until the hosts added a third goal with eight minutes left to make the game safe.