AS the season begins to enter its climax, Mangotsfield United remain second in the Hellenic League Premier Division.
Leaders Hartpury University had a five-point lead and four matches in hand as the Voice went to print.
It means taking the single automatic promotion spot now looks a tall order for the Mangos, but a place in the play-offs is increasingly certain, despite the team only taking five points from their last four home matches.
Those games started with a 1-0 home win over Fairford Town.
The only goal came on 36 minutes through Kyrese Morrison, but it was never an easy win and Fairford were always in the game.
A late flare-up saw the visitors’ Jamal Lawrence red carded in added time, but the Mangos stood firm to clinch the win.
Next up came two home matches within five days against Highworth Town.
The first was a League Cup tie on a very cold night, which ended with a 2-1 win for the Mangos. Connor Mattimore put the visitors ahead on 7 minutes, but the lead didn’t last long, as Harrison Kyte levelled on 13 minutes.
The winning goal came from Ben Shepherd just after the hour mark, but Highworth kept battling away and the result was always in doubt until the final whistle. The win gave the Mangos a home tie against Thornbury Town in the next round.
Five days later Highworth returned to Cossham Street in the league, and this time earned a point in a 1-1 draw.
After a close first half, Luke Whelan gave the visitors the lead on 48 minutes, before James White equalised 10 minutes later.
Overall there was little between the sides and although a draw was a fair result, it meant two dropped points for the Mangos.
Worse was to come a week later, when Cirencester Town visited Cossham Street and took away all three points in a deserved 2-0 win.
The Mangos never really got going and rarely looked like scoring, having a general off-day all-round against a team who are often a bogey side.
The Mangos bounced back in brilliant style one week later, with a 5-1 home win over Corsham Town.
This was a good performance across the whole team, with striker Ollie Sully and winger Michael Barry in particular causing regular problems in the Corsham defence.
Sully put the Mangos ahead on 12 minutes, but although Corsham levelled, some good team goals netted by George Neill (31) and James White (42) gave the Mangos a commanding 3-1 interval lead.
Neill (55) and White (65) then added further goals to put the result beyond doubt.
Hoping to build on the Corsham win, a 2-2 draw against mid-table Tuffley Rovers proved to be disappointing, as well as another two points dropped in the promotion run-in.
Despite taking the lead twice, through Lewis Powell (5 minutes) and Aaron Parsons (50), two penalties earned the Gloucestershire side a point, with the Mangos unable to get the breakthrough for a late winner.
Dave Smale