Monmouthshire Windows East Gwent League Round-up

DIVISION One’s top teams kept the title race on the boil with victories in potentially tricky away matches at the weekend and go into this Saturday’s clash against each other at Caldicot Castle with all to play for, writes Bob Cypher.

Caldicot Castle A notched up their 100th league goal of the season while winning 5-1 at Chepstow Town and Thornwell won 4-1 at Undy Athletic,

However, the destination for the league crown is still down to ifs and maybes because Castle have just one match to play while Thornwell will still have two more games to fit in.

They were due to visit Chepstow Town last night (after Free Press deadline) after last week’s match was postponed and their final league match, on April 28th, will be at Sudbrook CC.

Castle must win or draw to take the title while Thornwell must win all three matches to be champions.

Either way, the two teams will line up against each other in the last cup final of the season, on Friday, May 4th, when the Benevolent Cup will be the prize.

Having already lifted the Gill Cup, Castle boss Joe O’Brien is keen to win all three trophies while Thornwell are equally as determined to grab some silverware of their own to mark a great season.

Craig McCluskey, Paul Harris (2) and a Richard Lund hat-trick gave Castle a 6-1 win at Undy Athletic last Tuesday (April 10th) and goals from James Reid, Joe O’Brien, Rick Woodland and a Dan Chambers’ penalty helped to beat Chepstow Town.

Castle goalkeeper Dave Hayward produced his party trick – a long punt up-field which bounced in the opposition’s penalty area and, dazzled by the setting sun, Town’s keeper was unable to stop the ball crossing the line.

“We went behind at Undy and we took our time against Town but we deserved the two victories and now we are ready to face Thornwell,” O’Brien said later.

Thornwell’s strikers are also in good form but it was defender Andrew Skuse who put them ahead against Undy.

“He scored with a good header,” Red & White’s Terry Woodward said later.

“We should have scored a few more but Kenny Vidler added the second from the penalty spot, Steph Reynolds hit the third and Kenny scored the fourth, again from the spot.”

Saturday’s title decider is a 2.45pm kick-off.

In other matches, Tintern Abbey won 5-2 at Sudbrook CC while in Division 2 Severn Tunnel beat visitors Chepstow Athletic 5-1 and Thornwell Red & White B enjoyed a 7-0 home win over Castle B.

Darryl Reynolds, Steve Morgan, Tom Collins, Sam Gluning and Ben Mayo scored for Tintern while Joe Whitehouse netted both Sudbrook goals.

Thornwell manager Keith Tipper was pleased with the victory against another team at the wrong end of the table.

“Hopefully we can push on from this and win our last few games,” he said.

“We fought hard and everyone played well, from the keeper through to the striker and the win was well-deserved.”

Steve Jones, Chris Huggett, John Shorrock, Ben Corbett, Pete Moffatt and a brace from Ben Roberts did the damage.