MANGOTSFIELD United’s home game against basement side Wantage Town started with a minute’s applause in memory of Scott Hendy, who made 395 appearances for the club.
Coming less than a week after the former defender’s death had been announced (news, pages 1 & 3), perhaps the game reflected the sombre mood of the occasion: it was a drab affair, with few chances at either end, and the events on the pitch won’t stay in the memory for long.
The match on March 9 followed another mixed bag of results for the Mangos, beginning with a very disappointing 1-0 defeat at lowly Thornbury Town, where they conceded the winning goal on 88 minutes.
It was one of those games where Mangotsfield never really settled into the game at all, right from the off.
Things proved to be very different in the next game, as the team went goal-crazy in a Gloucestershire FA Trophy tie up at Slimbridge.
Mangos blew their hosts away by half time, at which stage they led 5-0.
Kyrese Hasani Morrison started the scoring in the first minute, with Henry Ikeiji adding the second goal in the fourth minute and Jack Nunn getting the third in the 16th, before Morrison scored again in the 33rd. Archie Morris added the fifth goal in the 39th minute.
In the second half Nunn scored again (67), with Jaydn Crosbie (80) completing the rout. Slimbridge’s consolation goal came from Ben Hands, as the game finished with an incredible 7-1 scoreline.
Next up was a goalless draw at home to promotion-chasing Royal Wootton Bassett Town. This was still a good point for the Mangos, in a game of few chances against determined opposition, who gave little away at the back.
February ended with another cup tie, this time a 3-2 win over Brimscombe & Thrupp in the Marsh Challenge Cup.
A tough game saw the Mangos a goal up at half time before roaring into a 3-0 lead early in the second half, with the goals coming from Kyrese Hasani Morrison (19), Luke Bence (49) and Jaydn Crosbie (50).
The visitors rallied late on, with goals from Jack Hughes and a penalty by Ollie Pitt, but the Mangos held on to confirm a place in the competition’s semi-final.
What should have been a quick return to Slimbridge was one of two Hellenic league fixtures not to go ahead in early March.
The Gloucestershire side’s pitch succumbed to all the heavy rain we’ve all had in recent weeks.
And the Mangos’ midweek home game against Highworth Town on March 12 also fell victim to the weather, after yet another constantly wet day across our fair city left the pitch waterlogged.
Dave Smale
Remaining fixtures
March 26: Tytherington Rocks (GFA Trophy – home)
April 2: Cinderford Town (away)
April 6: Worcester City (A)
April 10: Slimbridge (A)
To be arranged: Highworth Town (H); Marsh Challenge Cup semi-final