The drive through the Cotswolds to Tetbury on Wednesday evening, through the picturesque villages of Bibury and Barnsley, took me back to the Spring and early Summer days of 2021 when BotP spent a very enjoyable couple of months covering the post-lockdown Cricklade Cup competition. This evening's fare was a top of the table Stroud & District Division One game between current leaders Tetbury Town and fourth placed Wickwar Wanderers. It was a first visit to Tetbury and the first time I had seen them play. However, Wickwar was one of the grounds I visited in the Cricklade Cup when I saw their semi-final game with Malmesbury Vics Dev. A thoroughly entertaining game that went all the way to a penalty shootout (The End Of The War).
At the start of play this evening the hosts sat on top of the table, two pints clear of Painswick, Taverners and Wickwar. However, both Painswick and Taverners had games in hand on Tetbury. For Wickwar, this was their last game of the season. Tetbury's title aspirations had taken a hit at the weekend when they went down 4-1 at home to relegation-threatened Old Richians. Wickwar had earned a very good three points with a 1-0 win at title-chasing Taverners. The reverse fixture, way back in September, ended with a 3-1 away win for Tetbury with goals from Oscar Purnell, George Kent and top-scorer Tom Blackah. War top-scorer Will Lacey replying for the hosts.
A big thank you to referee Rob Gaffney who kindly took time to get the team sheets for me to photograph before kick-off.
At the start of play this evening the hosts sat on top of the table, two pints clear of Painswick, Taverners and Wickwar. However, both Painswick and Taverners had games in hand on Tetbury. For Wickwar, this was their last game of the season. Tetbury's title aspirations had taken a hit at the weekend when they went down 4-1 at home to relegation-threatened Old Richians. Wickwar had earned a very good three points with a 1-0 win at title-chasing Taverners. The reverse fixture, way back in September, ended with a 3-1 away win for Tetbury with goals from Oscar Purnell, George Kent and top-scorer Tom Blackah. War top-scorer Will Lacey replying for the hosts.
A big thank you to referee Rob Gaffney who kindly took time to get the team sheets for me to photograph before kick-off.
A rare War foray in the 1st half The home side, in their orange and black kit, were defending the car park end in the first half. However, they started off on the front foot and defending appeared to be the last thing on their minds. As early as the third minute they signalled their intent when Billy Montague tried his luck from well outside the box. It went well wide, but it was clear that Tetbury were looking to put right Saturday's home defeat. At this point Wickwar were not causing any threat to the home defence and 12 minutes in Tetbury went very close when Ant Robinson burst through on the right before firing narrowly wide of Lee Bindon's right-hand post. It felt as if a goal was coming for Tetbury.
Just past the halfway point Robinson turned provider, feeding Oscar Purnell only for Bindon to make an excellent save with his feet. At this stage home goalkeeper Chris Goodwin had not had to make a save at all. However, on 24 minutes, he was called into action. Wanderers leading scorer Will Lacey got a sight of goal and let fly with his left foot. The ball appeared to be arrowing towards the top corner before Goodwin threw himself across the goal to make a superb save, diverting the strike for a corner. This was the first attempt on target for Wickwar, but it was a warning for the home side that their visitors knew where the goal was. Sure enough, despite Tetbury once again having the lion's share of possession, they were undone by a Wickwar break on 35 minutes. Attacking up the left but having an overload on their right, Wickwar quickly switched the ball inside to Rob Haines who, in turn, found an unmarked Will Lacey on the right-hand edge of the penalty. One touch to steady himself and then a low drive just inside Goodwin's near post and it was 0-1 to the visitors. No doubt against the run of play but a lesson for Tetbury. Lacey at this point had managed to sights at goal, drawn a very good save from Goodwin from the first and scored with the second.
Tetbury headsd didn't drop though. They tried to hit back before the break, their best chance coming from an Owen Johnson free-kick that clipped the side netting of Bindon's goal before going out for a goal-kick.
HT Tetbury Town 0 Wickwar Wanderers 1. Tetbury had far more of the ball than Wickwar but the visitors go in to the break a goal up thanks to a clinical finish from their top-scorer.
Just past the halfway point Robinson turned provider, feeding Oscar Purnell only for Bindon to make an excellent save with his feet. At this stage home goalkeeper Chris Goodwin had not had to make a save at all. However, on 24 minutes, he was called into action. Wanderers leading scorer Will Lacey got a sight of goal and let fly with his left foot. The ball appeared to be arrowing towards the top corner before Goodwin threw himself across the goal to make a superb save, diverting the strike for a corner. This was the first attempt on target for Wickwar, but it was a warning for the home side that their visitors knew where the goal was. Sure enough, despite Tetbury once again having the lion's share of possession, they were undone by a Wickwar break on 35 minutes. Attacking up the left but having an overload on their right, Wickwar quickly switched the ball inside to Rob Haines who, in turn, found an unmarked Will Lacey on the right-hand edge of the penalty. One touch to steady himself and then a low drive just inside Goodwin's near post and it was 0-1 to the visitors. No doubt against the run of play but a lesson for Tetbury. Lacey at this point had managed to sights at goal, drawn a very good save from Goodwin from the first and scored with the second.
Tetbury headsd didn't drop though. They tried to hit back before the break, their best chance coming from an Owen Johnson free-kick that clipped the side netting of Bindon's goal before going out for a goal-kick.
HT Tetbury Town 0 Wickwar Wanderers 1. Tetbury had far more of the ball than Wickwar but the visitors go in to the break a goal up thanks to a clinical finish from their top-scorer.
Tetbury corner With neither team going back to the changing rooms at half-time, the second half restarted pretty swiftly. Just as well because, with the low cloud, the light was fading fast. The second half settled into a similar pattern to the first. Although, it has to be said that Wickwar were now getting a little more of the ball than they did in the first half.
The home side, however, were first to show and a right-wing cross from substitute Lucas Slowik almost caused some embarrassment for Bindon in the War goal as the slightly mis-hit effort looked to be dipping in under the bar before the keeper, under no pressure, rose to catch it. However, a slight fumble saw the ball break free inside the 6-yard box. The goalkeeper made amends for the error by reacting swiftly to drop on the loose ball before strike Oscar Purnell could react. If the striker had been two paces closer or the ball had slipped just that little further from Bindon's grasp, it could easily have been a different outcome. That was the way the game was going for Tetbury. Despite their advantage in terms of possession, they still hadn't really managed to test Bindon too much. This was demonstrated again just before the hour mark when Glenn Freeman strode up from the back before unleashing a drive from way out that, again, didn't have Bindon worried at all.
Then on 66 minutes Wickwar delivered the second lesson of the day. Ellis Cox fed Jake Turpin who spun sharply before firing low past Goodwin to make it 0-2.
Once more Tetbury tried to respond. Another cross from the right found Oscar Purnell inside the 6-yard box but the ball was slightly behind him. He adjusted well to get a strike off but Bindon again reacted well to make the block. Another occasion when, if the ball in had been a few inches in front of Purnell, he would probably have had a simple tap-in. A few minutes later Purnell was almost in again when a through ball nearly set him free. However, good covering from the visitor's defence meant that the striker was forced off balance before putting his strike wide of the mark. A few minutes after that home top-scorer Tommy Blackah, who had largely been kept quiet by the mean in blue, managed to get away a snapshot but could only find the midriff of Bindon. It clearly wasn't going to be the home team's night.
FT Tetbury Town 0 Wickwar Wanderers 2. Tetbury probably had at least 70% possession but could not find a way to break down a very well organised Wanderers defence. When Wickwar did get opportunities they made the most of them, scoring twice with only a handful of shots on target.
The result combined with wins for both Painswick and Taverners, drops Tetbury to fourth with Wickwar in third. Painswick now lead the way with Taverners behind on goal difference. Only one point separates the top four and net Wednesday sees Taverners take on Painswick.
Finally, huge credit to the Tetbury locals and travelling Wickwar support. A crowd of upwards of 50 on a damp and chilly Wednesday evening watching a Step 10 football match. This is why I love grassroots football, and why the English non-league system is the best in the world.
Tetbury Town: 1.Goodwin, 2.Freeman, 3.Brown, 4.Hillman, 16.H.Purnell, 7.Johnson, 8.Robinson, 9.Blackah, 10.Jones(c), 11.O.Purnell, 6.Montague. Subs: 12.Berkow, 5.Staples, 14.O'Keefe, 15.Slowik, 17.Wyer
Wickwar Wanderers: 1.Bindon(c), 3.J.McGrellis, 5.Holt, 2.Isaac, 14.J.Thompson, 7.Cox, 8.Sands, 4.Turpin, 11.Lacey, 10.Haines, 9.Morgan. Subs: 12.Cranwell, 15.Lingham, 17.H.Thompson
The home side, however, were first to show and a right-wing cross from substitute Lucas Slowik almost caused some embarrassment for Bindon in the War goal as the slightly mis-hit effort looked to be dipping in under the bar before the keeper, under no pressure, rose to catch it. However, a slight fumble saw the ball break free inside the 6-yard box. The goalkeeper made amends for the error by reacting swiftly to drop on the loose ball before strike Oscar Purnell could react. If the striker had been two paces closer or the ball had slipped just that little further from Bindon's grasp, it could easily have been a different outcome. That was the way the game was going for Tetbury. Despite their advantage in terms of possession, they still hadn't really managed to test Bindon too much. This was demonstrated again just before the hour mark when Glenn Freeman strode up from the back before unleashing a drive from way out that, again, didn't have Bindon worried at all.
Then on 66 minutes Wickwar delivered the second lesson of the day. Ellis Cox fed Jake Turpin who spun sharply before firing low past Goodwin to make it 0-2.
Once more Tetbury tried to respond. Another cross from the right found Oscar Purnell inside the 6-yard box but the ball was slightly behind him. He adjusted well to get a strike off but Bindon again reacted well to make the block. Another occasion when, if the ball in had been a few inches in front of Purnell, he would probably have had a simple tap-in. A few minutes later Purnell was almost in again when a through ball nearly set him free. However, good covering from the visitor's defence meant that the striker was forced off balance before putting his strike wide of the mark. A few minutes after that home top-scorer Tommy Blackah, who had largely been kept quiet by the mean in blue, managed to get away a snapshot but could only find the midriff of Bindon. It clearly wasn't going to be the home team's night.
FT Tetbury Town 0 Wickwar Wanderers 2. Tetbury probably had at least 70% possession but could not find a way to break down a very well organised Wanderers defence. When Wickwar did get opportunities they made the most of them, scoring twice with only a handful of shots on target.
The result combined with wins for both Painswick and Taverners, drops Tetbury to fourth with Wickwar in third. Painswick now lead the way with Taverners behind on goal difference. Only one point separates the top four and net Wednesday sees Taverners take on Painswick.
Finally, huge credit to the Tetbury locals and travelling Wickwar support. A crowd of upwards of 50 on a damp and chilly Wednesday evening watching a Step 10 football match. This is why I love grassroots football, and why the English non-league system is the best in the world.
Tetbury Town: 1.Goodwin, 2.Freeman, 3.Brown, 4.Hillman, 16.H.Purnell, 7.Johnson, 8.Robinson, 9.Blackah, 10.Jones(c), 11.O.Purnell, 6.Montague. Subs: 12.Berkow, 5.Staples, 14.O'Keefe, 15.Slowik, 17.Wyer
Wickwar Wanderers: 1.Bindon(c), 3.J.McGrellis, 5.Holt, 2.Isaac, 14.J.Thompson, 7.Cox, 8.Sands, 4.Turpin, 11.Lacey, 10.Haines, 9.Morgan. Subs: 12.Cranwell, 15.Lingham, 17.H.Thompson
Tetbury pressing in the gloom The Ground
Tetbury play their home games at Preston Park just to the North-Eat of Tetbury town centre. Aside from being located in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, Tetbury has another claim to fame. For a number of years it was home to the drummer of the greatest band to grace our airwaves. I am, of course, referring to the the one and only (and now sadly late) Brian John Duffy, better known as Jet Black, drummer and founder member of The Stranglers. Where's the blue plaque? (Yeah, I know the king has a place nearby too, but I'm talking music royalty here).
The entrance to the club, off Cirencester Road, is identified by a large sign next to the gated entrance. This leades onto a large car park that runs behind one of the goals and the facilities building. The players and officials changing block also has the spectator toilet facilities. Just to the side of this building, diagonally on to the pitch, is a fairly large wooden structure that acts as the tea/snack bar. There's no spectator cover around the ground. There are dugouts either of the halfway line on the right-hand side of the pitch as you look from the car park end. There's a metal rail fence surrounding the playing surface, The opposite end to the car park looks out over rolling Cotswolds countryside. Sadly, on this Wednesday, it was a dull, overcast, misty and damp evening. I'm sure that on a clear day this is a lovely place to watch football (it's not all that bad on a cold wet evening, to be fair).
Ground Number: 404
Attendance:
Entrance: N/A
Programe: N/A
Tetbury play their home games at Preston Park just to the North-Eat of Tetbury town centre. Aside from being located in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, Tetbury has another claim to fame. For a number of years it was home to the drummer of the greatest band to grace our airwaves. I am, of course, referring to the the one and only (and now sadly late) Brian John Duffy, better known as Jet Black, drummer and founder member of The Stranglers. Where's the blue plaque? (Yeah, I know the king has a place nearby too, but I'm talking music royalty here).
The entrance to the club, off Cirencester Road, is identified by a large sign next to the gated entrance. This leades onto a large car park that runs behind one of the goals and the facilities building. The players and officials changing block also has the spectator toilet facilities. Just to the side of this building, diagonally on to the pitch, is a fairly large wooden structure that acts as the tea/snack bar. There's no spectator cover around the ground. There are dugouts either of the halfway line on the right-hand side of the pitch as you look from the car park end. There's a metal rail fence surrounding the playing surface, The opposite end to the car park looks out over rolling Cotswolds countryside. Sadly, on this Wednesday, it was a dull, overcast, misty and damp evening. I'm sure that on a clear day this is a lovely place to watch football (it's not all that bad on a cold wet evening, to be fair).
Ground Number: 404
Attendance:
Entrance: N/A
Programe: N/A
Preston Park
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