LEBEQ UNITED (Oaklands Park)

WESTERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, LEBEQ UNITED 2-2 ODD DOWN (BATH), ATTENDANCE: 25 (OFFICIAL)

Tonight I headed down the M5 for some Friday night football under the floodlights. The unusually monikered Lebeq United (named after Lebeqs Tavern in Bristol) are competing in the Western League after gaining promotion in 2019 but, because of the Covid pandemic and subsequent voiding of all leagues, have never actually completed a full season thus far.

The club was founded in 2008 when it was decided that Lebeq, who were an established Sunday league club, needed the move into Saturday football. The club joined the Bristol and Suburban League where their rise was rapid.

Four promotions in the space of six years took them to the top division before they joined the Gloucester County League in 2016. They won that league in 2019 (even with a six point deduction) and were promoted to step 6 of the pyramid system. An amazing achievement in just over a decade.

The club play their home games at Oaklands Park, which is the headquarters of the Gloucestershire FA in Almondsbury. Roman Glass St George of the Hellenic League also play their homes games here as well, so by default I completed the Premier Division of that league tonight. Bonus!

This game had everything. Great goals, terrible misses, red cards. It was the final few minutes of the game that were most interesting to say the least!

The visitors from Bath were leading 2-1 up with a couple of minutes to go then it all kicked off on touchline. I haven't a clue what sparked it off but it took about 5 minutes to calm things down (I thought I was in line for an abandonment it took that long). After producing 3 red cards for Lebeq's Zack Young and Chris Dacosta and Odd Down's Ashley Robinson, the referee restarted the game and with seconds remaining the 9 man Lebeq levelled thanks to a cool finish from Sacha Young.

Omar Simpson (14) and Raphael Waugh (61) had put Odd Down two up before Jennison Williams (72) halved the deficit with a stunning free kick. Then the fireworks came! On balance of overall play a draw seemed a fair result.

BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP (Meadow Park)

FA VASE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND, BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP 3-0 SHRIVENHAM, ATTENDANCE: 63

I flouted my own FA Vase rule of not watching teams from the same league play each other by opting for an all Hellenic Premier clash as Brimscombe & Thrupp went face to face with Shrivenham. The reason was simply to go and admire the old stand at The Lilywhites' bucolic Meadow Park before it joins the ever growing list of bulldozed football stands. 

Many of my fellow ground hoppers had previously advised me to visit before it is replaced by a more "modern" stand. Planning permission has been approved by the parish council and the existing stand is due to be flattened by the end of October 2013, so I would advise anyone to heed the advice like I did and visit as soon as possible. As Muse sung, time is running out!

The soon to be demolished stand at Meadow Park

Brimscombe and Thrupp are two adjoining villages in the district of Stroud, Gloucestershire. Stroud is the nearest train station to the ground and this is where I alighted, allowing plenty of time to visit sample some local ales in the town's public houses. The best one I ventured into was the Crown and Sceptre, where 3 Uley Ales were on offer. 

In a neat link to our day out, the pub sponsors Brimscombe and a framed shirt was hanging on the wall. There was also stacks of other memorabilia on the wall such as film and music posters, but there was also Everton pictures around the bar as it turned out the landlord was a massive Evertonian. It was centred around this pub that I was on the receiving end of two welcome acts of kindness.

I dropped my train tickets in the taxi that took me to the pub and the taxi driver brought them back to me and then, when it was time to head to the match, the landlord gave us a lift. It restored my faith in human nature a wee bit.

The club as it is today were formed by a merger in the late 1970's, though Brimscombe FC have been around since 1886 and were founded members of the Gloucestershire Senior League in 1968.

Brimscombe & Thrupp continued their rise up the pyramid this year by clinching their 3rd promotion in four seasons, from the Gloucester Senior League to the Hellenic Division One West to the Hellenic Premier. Both sides are currently 13th and 14th in the current  table and they played out a 4-4 draw just 7 days ago. Was it too much to ask for more of the same?

The homesters ran out 3-0 winners but the scoreline didn't reflect the overall game as there was nothing between the sides, the big difference was The Lilywhites took their chances.

Adam Price gave Brimscombe the lead after 14 minutes, when he smashed home a shot from the edge of the box. Ben Prictor scored from a free kick to make it 2-0 after 30 minutes. Shrivenham had their moments but it was the hosts who went in leading at the break.

Both sides had chances after the interval but as the visitors chased the game it became more open. The tie was finally settled in the 78th minute when Ashley Caldwell headed home to book Brimscombe and Thrupp's place in the first round proper, where the will host Ashton and Backwell United on 19th October. An enjoyable afternoon at a most friendly and welcoming club.