Gloucestershire Northern Senior League 1

Marcliff Gloucestershire County League 5

Higher level quality shone through in the end as the Marcliff Gloucestershire County League ran out comfortable 5-1 winners in their first ever representative match against the Northern Senior League, writes Jon Palmer.

Paul Coles of Wick went on from the bench and scored a second-half hat-trick for a team managed by his club’s boss, Mike Strawford.

One division feeds the other, so the County League XI were fully expected to come out on top at Slimbridge’s Thornhill Park, but the first half was closely-contested throughout.

The strong wind was behind the Northern Senior side, who were joint managed by Chalford’s Ben Powell and Brockworth Albion’s Mark Mulraney.

It was nip and tuck, with Berkeley’s Sam Blackie forcing a save and then Andy Maryon hitting the bar in the 13th minute as the County League nearly found themselves behind.

But they opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Wick’s Max Barker finished well after a surging run from Henry Birkett of Quedgeley Wanderers.

That was the solitary goal of the first half, but with the elements now in the County League’s favour, the second period was far more one-sided.

Half-time substitute Coles made it 2-0 in the 47th minute with a long-range shot that looped beyond the reach of goalkeeper Rob Sims, with the weather conditions undoubtedly playing a part.

Luke Barstow cleared one off the line to prevent Alfie Clarke extending the County League’s advantage, but Coles nodded in number three after Clarke’s cross from the right in the 56th minute.

Barstow pulled one back a minute later, volleying home after a corner, but the impressive Birkett smashed in the goal of the night to make it 4-1 from more than 30 yards in the 63rd minute.

Coles completed his treble with nine minutes left to round off the scoring although Jordan Alderman was denied by County League goalkeeper Dan Hobbs in the final seconds.

Northern Senior league (3-4-1-2): R Sims (Chalford); S Payne (Brockworth Albion), L Barstow (Chalford), J Davis (Chalford); J Taylor (Brockworth Albion), A Roberts (Chalford), D Wilkinson (Brockworth Albion); S Blackie (Berkeley Town); A Maryon (Chalford), S Wines (Lydney Town). Subs: E Jordan (Kings Stanley), J Coakley (Charlton Rovers), S Jordan (Bredon), J Alderman (Brockworth Albion).

County League (4-3-3): D Hobbs (Sharpness); L Peyton (Quedgeley Wanderers), N Goodwin-Worrell (Wick), R Ponting (Sharpness), N Jones (Rockleaze Rangers); A Clarke (Wick), H Birkett (Quedgeley Wanderers), S Morris (Wick); M Barker (Wick), D Webb (Rockleaze Rangers), E Moore (Little Stoke). Subs: B Alexander (Wick) , P Coles (Wick), D Gayner (Sharpness), N Dennis (Frampton United).

Referee: A Shilston.

Attendance 89