Uphill Castle 1 Wrington Redhill 6

With the end of the season looming and still four points needed from three games to gain promotion to the Premier Division of the Somerset County League,Wrington Redhill were visitors to the 3G facility at Weston Football Club, the home venue of newly crowned Division 1 Champions, Uphill Castle. In the reverse fixture back in October Wrington Redhill were on the end of a resounding defeat with, remarkably, the same score so the reverse in fortunes was well timed at this late stage of the season.

It was good to see Ollie Clements back in the line up having been niggled with injury for a lengthy period and alongside Ayrton Phillips and Sam Harvey in midfield got an early grip on the game and could well have taken the lead through efforts from Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi , Ethan Johnson,and Jack Hutchings. It was all out attack and Uphill were on the back foot struggling to cope with the pace and movement of the front three of Joe Creese, Jack Hutchings and Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi.

From one rapid attack Creese was unceremoniouslybrought down in the box and Hutchings made no mistake of the resultant penalty striking the ball fiercely past Ryan Scott in the twentieth minute. At the other end Matt Hill dealt comfortably with anything that came his way

The tireless work rate of Harvey and Phillips with full backs Josh Pitt and Jordon Bonner getting forward from their full back positions added to the pressure and it was surprising the lead was not increased until shortly before half time. The second goal was of real quality as Hutchings cut in from the left and from an acute angle superbly chipped over Scott into the top corner of the net.

Soon after the restart Harvey got onto the score sheet. Ferguson-Obamwonyi from wide out on the right fired over a cross beyond the far post and was met by Harvey’s half volley for 3-0. Whilst as expected the hosts sought to impose their own play, their front duo of Jack Askins and Sam Beresford, with over fifty goals between them this season, were well shackled by Johnson and Ferguson.

Within the space of ten minutes Hutchings, now on fire, added two more goals and late into the game George Fake replacing Creese got in on the act to make it 6-0 before James Hodgkinson struck a late consolation goal for the Champions.

After the game, the Wrington Redhill players and management team stayed on the pitch to congratulatetheir opposite numbers as they picked up the League Champions Trophy from League representative Roy Penny, very well deserved having only lost once all season prior to today’s defeat.

There was a brief moment of celebration when the League website posted the result saying Somerton had lost 2-0 to Burnham which would have secured promotion for Wrington Redhill. This was short lived when the result was amended to them having won 4-0 hence the need to gain a further point from two games in the final week of the season.

Next game up is against Yatton and Cleeve at the Hangstones Ground on Wednesday night with a 6.30pm kick off. It would be fantastic if as many supporters as possible could make their way to the game and cheer on this terrific squad of players.

Player of the Match was awarded to Jack Hutchings

Team:
Goalkeeper: ​Matt Hill
Defence:      ​Josh Pitt, Dan Ferguson, Ethan Johnson, Jordon Bonner
Midfield:​Ayrton Phillips, Sam Harvey, Ollie Clements
Forwards:    ​Joe Creese, Jack Hutchings, Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi  

Substitutes:​George Fake (for Joe Creese), Ryan Pugh (for Ollie Clements), Chris Bradley (for Dan Ferguson), Kyran Garrett (unused)