Hickey's Day Out
With photographer Hickey filling the void left by coach Harris’ who preferred to stay at home and take delivery of a kitchen unit or two instead of braving a trip to South Wales and the inevitable rain filled day. The boys seemed happy with the new coach and sang his name for most of the journey. Big Harris was just a distant memory. Wixey however, for the first time ever missed his usual partner as Afan Nedd was reached. Hickey completely failed to navigate the final 200 metres effectively and managed to ask a person for directions who did not even know that the ground was actually behind his house, sending us up the hill to a non-existent field. Big Harris does have his uses after all.
The fist half was a scrappy affair with Afan Nedd playing most of any of the good football on show as they were quicker and stronger in the challenges than their counterparts. There were very few scoring opportunities created by either side but Balkwill in the Gloucester goal needed to be alert to save with his feet and then grab the ball as it pinballed around the goal mouth.
The visitors were much brighter during the second half and pressurised the home side’s goal for the majority of the thirty minutes led by the energetic and skillful play of Young and supported by the combative Badham. Young created a couple of half chances for himself and another for Ball, all of which were saved by the ‘keeper. The keeper then saved well from Fogg’s free-kick before he was finally beaten by Ball. Balkwill rolled the ball to Ball, who on the half turn clipped a superb strike into the top corner of the net from outside the box. Harris and Moroney thwarted the Welsh side’s attacks while Ball continued to lead the line with some driving runs. Butcher sat in at the base of midfield well while Fogg, Balkwill and latterly Burr did well out wide. With the visitors seemingly in control a second goal looked more likely only for Afan Nedd to break-away and score an equaliser with just four minutes left on the clock. The competitive Anglo-Welsh Conference game ending in a 1-1 draw.
Tom Butcher was so impressed by the home side’s hospitality that he decided to plough their field for them and running a Glos supporters club team building event at the same time. Getting his van stuck in the mud, he got everyone to push him out while he sat comfortably in the cab. He left two deep ruts across the field and a mud trail all the way back to Gloucester just in-case anybody wanted to know who did it.
The curses rain-dance from earlier in the season held up again as three games against Welsh opposition have been dry since.
Gloucester; G Balkwill, Harris, Moroney, D Balkwill, Burr, Young, Badham, Fogg, Butcher. Ball (Evans ill)
The fist half was a scrappy affair with Afan Nedd playing most of any of the good football on show as they were quicker and stronger in the challenges than their counterparts. There were very few scoring opportunities created by either side but Balkwill in the Gloucester goal needed to be alert to save with his feet and then grab the ball as it pinballed around the goal mouth.
The visitors were much brighter during the second half and pressurised the home side’s goal for the majority of the thirty minutes led by the energetic and skillful play of Young and supported by the combative Badham. Young created a couple of half chances for himself and another for Ball, all of which were saved by the ‘keeper. The keeper then saved well from Fogg’s free-kick before he was finally beaten by Ball. Balkwill rolled the ball to Ball, who on the half turn clipped a superb strike into the top corner of the net from outside the box. Harris and Moroney thwarted the Welsh side’s attacks while Ball continued to lead the line with some driving runs. Butcher sat in at the base of midfield well while Fogg, Balkwill and latterly Burr did well out wide. With the visitors seemingly in control a second goal looked more likely only for Afan Nedd to break-away and score an equaliser with just four minutes left on the clock. The competitive Anglo-Welsh Conference game ending in a 1-1 draw.
Tom Butcher was so impressed by the home side’s hospitality that he decided to plough their field for them and running a Glos supporters club team building event at the same time. Getting his van stuck in the mud, he got everyone to push him out while he sat comfortably in the cab. He left two deep ruts across the field and a mud trail all the way back to Gloucester just in-case anybody wanted to know who did it.
The curses rain-dance from earlier in the season held up again as three games against Welsh opposition have been dry since.
Gloucester; G Balkwill, Harris, Moroney, D Balkwill, Burr, Young, Badham, Fogg, Butcher. Ball (Evans ill)
