Southern Cribbs and Manor Farm set for mouthwatering showdown
CRIBBS will host Bristol Manor Farm in the Southern League Division One South play-offs on Wednesday night.
Cribbs were already assured of third place prior to Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Larkhall Athletic, a result which knocked the Bath side out of the play-off places, while Manor Farm finished in fourth after Lee Lashenko’s side continued their impressive end to the regular season with a 3-3 draw at secondplaced Frome Town.
The other semi-final on Wednesday night will see Frome, pipped to the title by Wimborne Town, host Cornish side Mousehole.
Larkhall hopes of making the play-offs were boosted by a 15thminute strike by Eben MortimerTaylor at The Lawns, after Harvey Pritchard had won the ball on the right byline and cut it back.
However, Cribbs equalised in the 39th minute when Sonny HarnettBalkwill glanced a header into the corner of the net from a long throw, and desperate efforts from Larkhall for a winner proved fruitless.
At Badgers Hill, George Rigg’s free-kick from out wide eluded everyone and found the net to give Frome a fifth-minute lead.
Danny Dodimead equalised for Manor Farm in the 15th minute, tucking away the rebound after a free-kick had been saved.
Owen Brain, back at Manor Farm after a brief spell with Gloucester City, put Farm ahead on 47 minutes when an indirect free-kick, just inside the penalty area, was touched to him and he curled a shot into the top corner.
Dodimead added a superb third in the 72nd minute, finding the net with a 40-yard strike from near the left touchline, only for Frome to hit back with two goals in the final three minutes of normal time, as James Ollis poked home a shot and Reece Rusher’s effort went in off the underside of the crossbar.
Yate Town ended the season in eighth place and on the back of a six-game unbeaten run, all of which was a far cry from earlyseson struggles.
Darren Mullings’ side signed off with a 1-1 draw at weary Tavistock, with the Devon side playing a third home game in five days, having beaten Wimborne 3-2 on Tuesday and lost 2-0 to Manor Farm on Thursday.
Liam Prynn put Tavistock ahead in the 58th minute, but full-back James Taylor slotted home an 82nd-minute equaliser after good work from Oli Jenkins.
Paulton Rovers ended the season seven points adrift at the bottom despite ending their campaign with a 1-1 home draw against Evesham United.
Levi Steele gave the visitors a 19th-minute lead, but Ed Butcher equalised with a superb volley from outside the penalty area midway through the second half.