Fairford Town Reserves keep Hellenic Div Two West title hopes alive with win over Gloucester City Devs

Fairford Town Reserves kept their Hellenic League Division Two West title hopes alive, running out 4-0 winners against Gloucester City Development at the TigerTurf Stadium.

Matty Purcell’s first half effort had Dan Gough’s side ahead at the break, before Leighton Blacker’s stunning second gave the visitors complete control of the contest.

Centre back Ben Saunders added a third, before Zac Skinner’s whipped effort added gloss to the scoreline and kept Fairford five points clear at the top of the table.

Fairford have three games left this season and know that even if they win all of their matches, winning the title is out of their hands.

That is because Bishops Cleeve Development sit back in 3rd, eight points behind, but with three games in hand.

Fairford Reserves head to Bishops Cleeve on Friday 5 April, and they know defeat could all but end their ambitions.

The game itself saw Fairford dominate for the most part, with Tom Ballard having a free kick saved inside 3 minutes and Leighton Blacker failing to turn the ball home from close range on 11 minutes.

It felt like the goal was coming, though, and after a diagonal ball into the box from the left fell to Matty Purcell, the winger took a touch and rifled into the roof of the net.

John Watson went close to adding a second, before Purcell should have added a second just before the break, but saw his effort well stopped.

The visitors only had to wait seven minutes after the restart to get their second, with Leighton Blacker letting fly from just over 20 yards.

Blacker’s effort looped into the top corner and there was relief on the visiting bench.

Zac Skinner, who deserved a goal for a selfless striker performance, was provider first, as his corner was headed home by Ben Saunders on 75 minutes.

Skinner then cut back on the right hand side and whipped in a left footed effort that looped in at the far post, just three minutes later.

Gough’s side saw the rest of the game out and celebrated a good three points at full time.

Gloucester City Development: Singh, Garza, J Johnson, Graham, Worley, Sublet Veroneso, Anglamega, T Johnson, Marquez, Simmons, Cavazos

Subs: Chikwanha, Knight, Zozuila, Mukono, Reetz

Fairford Town Reserves: Sunter, Watson, Edwards, Steele, Saunders, Lever, Purcell, Ballard, Skinner, Lloyd, Blacker

Subs: Starr, Hopkins, Yousef, Rachael, Jones

C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Ben Saunders (Fairford Town Reserves)

READ MORE: Check out the full list of results in and around Gloucestershire from Saturday right here