MANGOTSFIELD United’s form took a nosedive ahead of the play-offs, with a heavy home defeat and a cup exit.
Although still second in the table as the Voice went to print, nine points behind champions-elect Hartpury University, several sides chasing the Mangos had games in hand. It means the runners-up spot is not guaranteed, even if the play-offs are.
A mass of home games played on the all-weather pitch across the winter means Mangotsfield now have just one fixture left, away at Malmesbury Victoria on April 5, before the play-offs later in the month.
The two recent defeats brought to an end a good run of form that had seen the Mangos win five games in a row, starting with a 4-1 home win over Brimscombe & Thrupp.
The match was probably won by half-time, thanks to early goals from James White (2) and Lewis Powell (13), before James White made it 3-0 on 23 minutes.
The visitors rallied in the second half and got one back, before Olly Sully finished the scoring on 63 minutes.
Next up was a 1-0 home win against local rivals Thornbury Town in the Wiseman Cup, on another bitterly cold winter’s night. The only goal in a close match came on 57 minutes, through Kumih Barimah.
A good crowd of 345 then turned up at Cossham Street to watch the 3-0 win over Malmesbury Victoria. Goals either side of half time from Archie Morris (42) and Mircea Llea (50) put the Mangos in the driving seat and although Malmesbury went close on several occasions, an 84th-minute Lewis Powell goal settled it.
The Mangos started March with a 5-0 win over lowly Lydney Town.
The visitors put in a spirited performance, especially while only 1-0 down, but the Mangos ran out convincing winners after a strong second-half performance.
Some well-worked and taken late goals followed the Lydney keeper going off injured and being replaced by an outfield team-mate. The goals came from Lewis Powell (6), Olly Sully (73 & 86), Mercea Llea (77) and George Neill (81).
Next up was another Wiseman Cup tie, against Worcester Raiders. Joe Porton netted Mangotsfield’s two goals, on 47 & 62 minutes, as the game ended 2-2 and the Mangos won the penalty shoot-out 4-1, to progress to the semi-finals.
The final home league match of a strange season came on March 15, against Pershore Town. It was a bad day all-round, with the club succumbing to a disastrous 5-2 home defeat.
Kyrese Morrison and Mercea Llea scored the Mangos’ goals in one of those games where everyone was out of touch collectively.
Hopes of further success in the Wiseman Cup ended three days later, with a 2-1 defeat at Westfields, in Hereford.
Joe Porton put the Mangos ahead inside the first minute, but the hosts equalised just four minutes later and scored the winner on 32 minutes.
All at the club will now hope that, even if the team wins at Malmesbury, the spell of inactivity as they wait for other sides to finish their fixtures won’t seriously hamper their chances of promotion back to the Southern League.
Dave Smale