Lakeside hit top spot as Division Two title fight goes to the wire

THE title battle in Division Two of the Northern Senior League is going to the wire with three sides in contention.

FC Lakeside lead by a point from Smiths Barometrics and Stonehouse Town Reserves - all three looking set for promotion to Division One.

Lakeside won 5-0 at Barnwood United last Thursday, Deqwon Ebanks 2, Joe Richards 2 (1 pen) and Elliot Roberts on target, while Lloyd Gardiner levelled for Stonehouse as they and Smiths drew 1-1 on Saturday, Declan Chick having put Baros in front.

Then, on Tuesday, Baros won 2-1 at Chesterton, who scored their goal through Karl White.

The fight to stay in the league looks to be between five sides, three of whom will go down.

Lydbrook are bottom, nine points from safety, and lost 4-1 to the side immediately above them on Saturday, Ryan Carden, Matt Fanstone, Finley Fowler and Josh Morton scoring for Stanley.

The previous midweek, Stanley lost 5-1 at Staunton and Corse, Fanstone again netting for Stanley, with Harry Barr, Liam James 2 and Ben Troughton 2 replying.

Broadwell Reserves are in the bottom three on goal difference behind Winchcombe Town, but have games in hand, although they lost 3-0 to Viney St Swithins last Wednesday, thanks to goals from Luke Brazil, Ricky Jones and Henry Mcallister, and on Saturday Broadwell drew 0-0 with Barnwood.

On Tuesday, Barnwood were 3-0 winners over fifth-from-bottom Frampton Reserves.

Other Division Two results on Saturday saw Reece Styles and Kieran Fabiani give Viney St Swithins a 2-1 win at Bibury, Owen Smart replying, while Dan Jones (two) and Bryan Savory saw Chesterton beat King’s Stanley 3-2, Brad Martin and Jeremy Stevenson replying.

Division One leaders Cheltenham Civil Service are seven points clear after Stu Midwinter, Gareth Jones, Joe Bermingham and Paul Holmes scored in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Whitecroft, and Holmes, Midwinter (two), TJ Hosking and Brett Blake saw Charlton Rovers 5-0 on Tuesday.

Chalford are second after Jack Hughes 2, Luke Brunsdon and Ben Minnican scored in their 4-2 win over Charfield, Archie Bennett and Sam Piper replying.

Last Thursday, Dursley Town lost 2-1 at home to Whitecroft, who netted through Joe Harrison and Kurtis Locke, but beat Harrow Hill 8-1 on Saturday (Chris Earle, Curtis Mills, Aaron Nash 2, Dan Beeston 2, Ryan Stevenson 2)

Other results: Wed April 13- Lydney Town Res 3 (Sam Wines 3) Andoversford 0; Saturday: Andoversford 4 (Victor Okeke, Ryan Cleal, Kurtis Borrows, Mikolaj Rewczuk) Woolaston 1 (Daniel Tyler); Bredon 4 (Jon Leary, Ben Turner, Mani Singh, Josh Szikora-warmington) Berkeley Town 2 (Toby Waterman, Tarji Jones); Brockworth Alb 3 (Jordan Alderman 2, Joel Grieve) Abbeymead Rov 1; Longlevens Res 1 (Fin Clift) Charlton Rov 0. Tuesday April 19: Berkeley Town 0 Whitecroft 2, Bredon 1 Abbeymead Rov 3, Harrow Hill 1 Charfield 2.