MANGOTSFIELD United’s inconsistent league form continues to frustrate, with the team in mid-table position – but they have made progress in the GFA Trophy competition.
The two league fixtures before Christmas brought four points, the first from a 2-2 draw at home to Hereford Pegasus, with Jaydn Crosbie and Jack Nunn netting for the hosts, and the draw a fair result.
A week later, the Mangos were away at another Hereford side, Hereford Lads Club, and came away with a very well-earned 2-1 win.
Jaydn Crosbie gave the Mangos a 19th-minute lead, but the Lads Club battled back well & equalised on 63 minutes. However, Mangotsfield kept plugging away into added time, caused through stoppages and numerous yellow cards for the hosts, until up popped Jaydn Crosbie on 90+8 minutes to snatch three valuable points.
Boxing Day saw the Mangos make the tough trip to promotion-chasing Corsham Town.
A valiant performance, in which they matched their hosts all the way, ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat courtesy of a breakaway on 75 minutes by Corsham.
The final match of 2023 saw Cinderford Town win 3-1 at Cossham Street in what seemed to be just one game too many for the Mangos: the amount of football they’ve played in recent months seemed to take its toll.
The Foresters first goal on 19 minutes came via a penalty from Lewis Powell, a former prolific Mangos striker.
Although Kyrese Hasani Morrison levelled after the break, the visitors soon regained their lead and were deserved winners.
Just two days later, on New Year’s Day, the Mangos were comfortable 3-0 winners away to Worcester Raiders, who play at the Worcester Rugby Club Sixfields Stadium.
Goals from Kyrese Hasani Morrison (41), Jaydn Crosbie (58) & James White (81) sealed the win.
The following Saturday saw the eagerly-awaited visit of league leaders Worcester City, who have played at much higher levels of the non-league pyramid for many years and achieved fame back in 1959 when they knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup.
Watched by a bumper Cossham Street crowd of 389, they looked like a team on the up as they earned a 3-1 win against a battling Mangos side.
Leading 2-0 at the break, Worcester went 3-0 up just four minutes into the second half, with Jaydn Crosbie pulling one back almost immediately on 52 minutes but the visitors seeing out the win.
A hectic run of matches ended on a freezing Tuesday night at Cossham Street as the Mangos ran out 2-0 winners against FC Bristol (formerly Lebeq United) in a re-arranged GFA Trophy tie.
Jacob Spence headed home a corner at the far post on 28 minutes and Jeffrey Kwasi Kumih Barimah wrapped up the win on 77 minutes, as he evaded the challenges of two defenders and fired a low shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
Dave Smale
Upcoming fixtures:
January 27: Pershore Town (away)
January 30: Longlevens (A)
February 3: Brimscombe & Thrupp (A)
February 6: Cinderford Town (A)
February 10: Highworth Town (home)
February 17: Thornbury Town (A)
February 24: Royal Wotton Bassett Town (H)