Patchway’s drop fears deepen after Hardwicke defeat

remain deep in relegation trouble after a 4-1 defeat by fellow strugglers Hardwicke at Scott Park.

On six minutes, Patchway took the lead when Joe Dalby fired into the roof of the net. However, the visitors equalised on 14 minutes when Adam Mace rode four challenges to shoot into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, a speculative shot from Brad Bevan was spilled by goalkeeper Steve Higgins into the net. A minute before the break, Hardwicke scored again with Brad Bevan put through and lobbed the advancing Higgins. On 75 minutes, Fred Humphries made it four when he tucked in the rebound after his header from a corner had b een saved.

Towards the top, it would appear Bromley Heath United are probably the best-placed challenger to overhaul Cribbs Reserves after a 1-0 win at Broadwell Amateurs moved them within nine points of the leaders with two games in hand.

After 13 minutes, the only goal of the afternoon came when a cross into the goalmouth saw Olly Hanham rise above the home defence to head across to the unmarked Sam Edwards, who headed home.

Rockleaze Rangers again conceded at the death to lose points, this time at Wick, which seems to be a problem that has seriously dented their chances at the top.

Wick opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Scott Hatcher found the net after Rockleaze failed to clear their lines.

Rockleaze drew level when Jenson Beard scored with a header from a corner.

Both sides came close to scoring again in an entertaining second half, and it was Wick who grabbed a late winner through Jacob Saunders.

At Hamfields, Little Stoke crashed 4-0 to a Sharpness side they had beaten 2-0 just a few days earlier.

The hosts started brightly and went ahead 15 minutes in when Will Lacey latched on to goalkeeper Truan Taylor’s kick and stroked the ball into the net.

One soon became two when a free-kick wasn’t cleared from the danger zone and James Litten fired the ball into the far corner of the net.

Sharpness increased their lead five minutes from the break when Marley Thomas blocked goalkeeper James Russell’s clearance and rounded him and slotted home for 3-0. Little Stoke came out with renewed vigour in the second half but couldn’t find the finishing touch. Callum Dummelow added a fourth goal for Sharpness.