Gloucestershire County League

Viney Hill 1, Ellwood 1

IT has been a long, hard and trying season for Viney Hill and in desert- like conditions on their hilltop ground on Saturday they fought grimly but without success against neighbouring Ellwood.

At this stage of the season a share of the spoils was a point dropped rather than a point gained – and they will have to do it all over again in a return encounter at Ellwood next Wednesday.

The match will probably be make or break for Viney.

They had mustered all their resources and played really well to pick up maximum points at Whitminster in midweek while Ellwood – also under the cloud of relegation until only recently – proved themselves more than a half decent side by winning against Hardwicke.

Saturday's result means that unless Viney can pick themselves up by their bootlaces and see off their old rivals, there is likely to be only one Forest team in the County League next season.

"It would be a blow for local football if Viney did go down. They are not a bad side and gave us a good test," said Ellwood secretary Ian Edwards.

In the first half of Saturday's encounter they looked to have the edge on Ellwood and took the lead with a snap goal from Paul Bird - brother of emerging Cheltenham Town star David Bird.

A minute from the interval a Gary Wildin penalty put Ellwood on level terms and, apart from a close shave when Ellwood's Rich Haggar forced his own goalkeeper Rich Newman to make a sharp save from a misdirected header, their was little to separate the teams.

A high, swirling wind, a bone-hard pitch and competitive tackling dominated the game but with so much depending on the result it was always interesting.

The re-match promises to be even more so...