| Gadeside Rangers celebrated promotion to the Watford Sunday Premier Division with another strong performance to see off Mill End Sports. Sunday's final fixture against Wets Herts now becomes a title showdown and Gadeside know they will need a repeat of last weeks victory to clinch the title. |
| Gadeside went into the game without the unavailable Jason Brownhill meaning a change to the back five for the first time since early February, a run of 12 games. In came 16 year-old Kieran Marks at left back and he was to have a fine game throughout. Tom Mitchell was late arriving at the ground so Tariq Khan partnered Adam Hills in attack. Like their previous few games, Gadeside started well and put the hosts under a huge amount of early pressure. Gadeside's all round passing and their movement off the ball was top notch and it was no surprise when they took an early lead. Khan held the ball well and fed Hills in the left hand channel. Hills’s low cross found the onrushing Dave Nelmes whose initial effort was blocked on the line but the midfield man composed himself to score with the rebound. Mill End had no answer to the tempo that Gadeside played at in the first half and rarely made any impact in the Gadeside half. |
| The second goal arrived midway through the first half and it was that man Dave Nelmes again who was to play a big part. Collecting the ball in midfield he drove forward dancing his way past several challenges before firing in a low drive which beat keeper Horwood but came back off the post. James Bryon was first to react and while his first effort lacked conviction, his follow up was powerfully struck through a crowd of player and into the back of the net. Tempers frayed from the home side and referee Smith was forced to issue a couple of cautions. More delightful interplay across the midfield nearly resulted in Popplewell playing in Hills while Khan saw a snapshot from the edge of the box go just the wrong side of the far post. With half-time approaching, Gadeside made it three when Matt Evans scored his first of the season with a looping back post header after Hills' dangerous corner had been cleared off the line. O'Malley then fired harmlessly wide from 20 yards right on half-time, the first effort of any kind of the Gadeside goal. |
| With the memory of their poor second half display against Wellington Arms recently firmly in their minds, Gadeside came out focused for the second half and whilst the hosts showed a little more invention and battle, they still rarely attacked Gadeside. James Bryon limped off with a groin strain on the hour and was replaced by Tom Mitchell, whose first touch was an audacious volley from 25 yards that was just over. Russ Popplewell went close with a powerful drive from the edge of the area after he had run onto a Hills flick on and then the same two combined well for a low cross that was turned just wide by Mitchell at the far post. To their credit, Mill End kept going to the final whistle and began to create a few half chances with sub Terry Hall pulling the strings in midfield along with the tireless running of Craig Horwood. But Gadeside's defence have conceded just 4 goals in 10 league games and they were not about to surrender another clean sheet and Tom Oliver was not forced to make a save of note during the whole 90 minutes. |
| With the game entering its final minutes, Gadeside wrapped up a comprehensive victory when Adam Hills outpaced the home defence chasing Tom Mitchell's flick on before rounding the keeper and finishing into the empty net. So the season comes down to the final game where Gadeside know they must win against West Herts to secure the division one title. A point should be enough to secure second place with only Inter able to catch them but no-one ever remembers second place!!! |
| Tom Oliver, Ian Freeman, Kieran Marks, Matt Evans (Ben Higginson), Jay Evans, Daniel Brooks, James Bryon (Tom Mitchell), Dave Nelmes, Adam Hills, Tariq Khanl, Russ Popplewell |