Sam’s Section: Stroud Div One top four face off as battle at the top starts to heat up
Another Sam’s Section and this week it’s time to revisit the tightly contested Stroud & District Football Division One.
I last visited the league back in November when the top four teams were all separated by just three points.
Fast forward to know and the top four teams are separated by seven points but with games in hand to be played, it’s still not over yet.
And what makes me say that is that the top four all face off with one another this weekend meaning breathing space at the top could be built.
Leaders Taverners host third placed Old Richian whilst second placed Wickwar Wanderers welcome Dursley Town Reserves this Saturday.
Taverners v Old Richians (Snakey Lane, Saturday January 25th, kick off 2pm)
So, we’ll start with leaders Taverners who sit six points clear on 40 points, ahead of Wickwar and Old Richians who are level on 34 points.
A win could potentially see Taverners go nine clear at the top if results elsewhere go their way but will take confidence at boasting the best defence in the league giving up just 15 goals in 16 games.
Taverners are currently enjoying an eight-match unbeaten streak after beating Dursley’s Reserves last weekend but their last defeat came against Old Richians in the Junior Cup where Richians ran away 6-1 winners in October.
Old Richians would be looking to close the gap at the top to three points and jumped to second with a win, if Wickwar were to fall to defeat.
It’s been a slight dip in form for Richians winning one of their last three games but incredibly have lost just one of their last 13 games.
But records aside, this is definitely a fixture in Gloucestershire to keep an eye on with entertainment guaranteed.
Wickwar Wanderers v Dursley Town Reserves (King George V Playing Fields, Saturday January 25th, kick off 2pm)
Second placed Wickwar remain the only team in the division yet to taste defeat after 14 games and do have two games in hand on the leaders, Taverners.
The sides one and only defeat of the season came last Saturday in their Junior Cup exit at the hands of Fintan.
But in the league, Wickwar last tasted defeat 10 months ago (March 2024) creating a 16-game unbeaten streak in the league and will be hoping to keep that run going against Dursley knowing a win could see the gap to the top closed to three points.
Dursley head into this game off the back off a 2-1 defeat to leaders Taverners last Saturday but before that were on a brilliant six-game unbeaten streak.
Dursley have played the most games out of all of the top four sides (18), but a win could see them jump from fourth to second in Old Richians fail to win.
The two sides have met twice already this season, once in the Junior Cup and the league, with Wickwar coming out on top in both winning 5-0 and 2-1.
As before, this is a game that should have eyes on it as the battle for promotion and the Stroud Div One title really heats up.
Follow Sam Yapp on Twitter (X) @SJY_Journo for more
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in around Gloucestershire on Saturday right here
