Sam’s Section: Teams to watch review as two sit top and others fight for promotion
It’s been a while, so I feel it’s time to take a look at how my teams to watch have fared in the second half of their respective seasons.
At the beginning of the 2024/25 season, I listed of some teams to watch across all the non-league of Gloucestershire football.
So without further or do, let’s get started!
Hartpury University
As predicted at the beginning of the season, Hartpury University have taken the Hellenic League Premier by storm.
Hartpury sit five points clear at the top of the Hellenic Premier, still having four games in hand, meaning they could all but seal a second successive title if they were to win them all.
Martin Longworth’s side have suffered just two defeats in the league this season and, in recent form, have suffered one defeat in their last 11 games.
But it’s not just been success in the league as Hartpury have enjoyed an historic FA Vase run, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time and prepare to face Erith & Belvedere in March.
Stonehouse Town
Stonehouse Town have completely kicked on this season in the Hellenic Div One and look in a great position to fight for promotion to the Hellenic Premier.
The Magpies currently sit seventh just five points off the play-off spots with 10 league games left of the season.
And current form has been impressive from the Magpies as they are enjoying an eight-game unbeaten streak and won all of their last three, including a 6-1 thrashing of Carterton FC.
Sharpness
Sharpness are another team performing how I expected having battled at the top of the Gloucestershire County League all season.
On Saturday, Sharpness went top of the league defeating, then summit occupants, Almondsbury 5-3 to make it five matches unbeaten.
With 12 games to go, Sharpness lead the chasing pack by just a point as they hunt for their long awaited return to the Hellenic Leagues.
Dursley Town
Times look exciting at Dursley Town with success, titles and promotions filtering all through their four teams from the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League down to the low Stroud & District Leagues.
For the first team at Dursley, it looks as if they will be playing in the GNSL Div One again next season with Tewkesbury Town and Whaddon United running away at the top.
Dursley currently occupy third in the league, eight points above fourth but sit 16 points off second place sitters, Whaddon.
It has been a mixed bag of results for Dursley recently winning just two of their last six, drawing one whilst losing the rest.
Painswick
I highlighted Painswick as a team to watch following their promotion out of the Stroud Division One to the GNSL Div Two, feeling that they could cause the league problems.
And problems they’ve caused as they sit fifth, six points off the promotion places and their form has been one for the records having lost just one game since October.
Painswick have also been clinical in front of goal netting 70 goals so far with 29 of those coming from lethal weapon, Dave Creed.
Tetbury Town
And last but not least, Tetbury Town who currently involved in one of the most highly contested Stroud League Div One’s in recent years.
Tetbury sit fifth currently, 11 points off the top, which looks an unlikely position for them now but battling in the top four will be a definite outcome for Tetbury.
The sides only recent defeats however have come against teams above them in the table (Wickwar Wanderers & Taveners) but have had one of the most resilient defences in the league conceding just 22 goals in 18 games.
As we head into the final few months of the season, I will revisit these sides closer to end whilst doing an overall review when this enthralling season reaches it unwanted climax.
Follow Sam Yapp on Twitter (X) @SJY_Journo for more
READ MORE: Check out the list of fixtures in and around Gloucestershire this Saturday right here
