Southern League Division One South
New Cuthbury, Wimborne Minster
Admission: £12.00
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 848
After a long day out hopping yesterday, it was to be more of the same today, again travelling just over 100 miles each way as the crow flies but today I travelled westwards to Dorset for this Step 4 game, with a fair amount left for both clubs to play for, particularly the home side.
The New Cuthbury is not the easiest nor quickest ground to get to on public transport. Having arrived at Bournemouth train station, I then caught a bus for a 40 minute ride northwards to the outskirts of Wimborne Minster, with the ground about a twenty minute walk from the nearest bus stop. After walking down a new-build residential lane, and then through a car park, the entrance to the ground is through a walkway in between two brick buildings - the clubhouse to the right and to changing rooms to the left, although tickets must be bought at a ticket office window adjacent to the entrance, for those who had not purchased online. Once inside, the ground boasts excellent facilities, but is rather functional and "modern". Perhaps unsurprisingly, as the ground was opened as recently as late 2020. Along the entrance length, there are two modern metallic all seater stands, one either side of the half way line, with players coming from the changing rooms buildings behind one of the stands though a walkway between the stands. A large brick clubhouse building is located towards a corner flag, is very spacious inside, and has a patio area with picnic tables to the front. Hot food can be obtained from an exterior window to the bottom loft of the clubhouse. Behind both ends there are stands covering standing areas, one end has flat standing, while the other has a few steps. Along the remaining length, there is just hard standing.
Following relegation from the Premier Division South after a bottom placed finish last season, Wimborne are right in the mix to make an immediate return. With four games remaining, they are in fourth place, following 16 wins and eight draws from 34 league games. The one automatic promotion berth is out of sight, but they have a seven point cushion inside the play-off places. They have a nine point gap to third place and a home play-off semi final, but they will play third placed Hamworthy United on Monday. After being promoted as champions from the Hellenic League Premier Division last season, Bishop's Cleeve have settled back into Step 4 football quite comfortably. They were in 13th place in the 20 club division, following 13 wins and four draws from their 33 league games. A play off spot is probably out of reach, with a nine point gap to the relegation berths, and five games left to play, but they do have their best ever finish to play for (11th place), and they are just three points adrift of eighth place, and six points adrift of sixth, in what is a very congested mid table. When today's clubs met in the reverse fixture back in November, Wimborne won 3-6.
On a gloriously sunny and mild afternoon, it looked like this would be a comfortable afternoon’s work for the home side, as they raced into a two goal lead inside the first ten minutes. First, the ball was fed out to Oakley Hanger on the right wing, he crossed the ball perfectly for Lewis Beale to volley home from six yards out. And they doubled their lead virtually straight from the restart, when the ball was quickly won ball and played forward for Daniel Bartlett to run onto, before coolly slotting past the keeper. But the visitors responded well, staying in the game and creating a couple of presentable chances, although so did the home side to pretty much put the game to bed, but as half time arrived, Wimborne retained their two goal cushion, but with the visitors still very much in the game.
Bishop’s Cleeve came close to pulling a goal back on 48 minutes when a goalbound shot was acrobatically cleared off the line by Connal Morrison. But once again, both sides were creating chances to suggest the outcome remained in the balance. And in the 73rd minute, the visitors were awarded a penalty when Harrison Reeves was bundled over from behind by Connor Cocklin after sprinting into the box, earning Cocklin a second yellow card, and then a red. Ross Langworthy converted emphatically into the right side of the net, sending the keeper the wrong way. All of a sudden, the impetus seemed to be with the visitors, but they could not find the goal to secure a point, and so Wimborne secured an important three points which keeps them comfortably inside the play-off places.
Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here
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