Weekend Preview
Bath based
23rd-24th April 2016
The end of the winter sports season is almost upon us but there are still some cracking games for our local teams coming up. There is also plenty of sports starting up again and sports for you to get involved with!
To Play:
Dodgeball – Bath Spartan Dodgeball Club have one more Saturday morning session coming up on Saturday 23rd before their big tournament on the 30th. They train and play matches at Hayesfield Girls School in Oldfield Park and training starts at 11am-12.30 on Saturday. Next weekend will be the biggest event the Spartans will have put on with a whole afternoon of dodgeball on offer; from 2pm.
Parkrun – There has been a lot of publicity surrounding Stoke Gifford council and their decision to start to charge the organisers to use the park. Currently Parkrun is free up and down the UK and Bath is no exception with runners doing the Skyline run. So get registered and try and beat your time each week on this 5k run.
To Watch:
Football – Larkhall Athletic host Southern League South and West Champions Cinderford Town on Saturday 23rd in a 3pm ko. Cinderford have already won the league but will be looking to end their season on a high with a win. The Larks currently sit in 12th spot in the league, a win would see them climb to 11th if Bishops Cleeve fail to gain all 3 points in their game against 18th placed Slimbridge.
AFC Odd Down are also at home as their entertain 13th placed Sherborne Town in the Western Premier League. Odd Down are top of the league at the moment with a game in hand over second placed Barnstaple Town with four games left to play. Ray Johnson will be mindful that his side need to increase their 3 point gap at the top with a tricky game against a strong Bristol Manor Farm to come.
Keynsham Town Ladies host Larkhall Athletic Ladies in a game where a draw would be no good for either side, on Sunday 24th in a 2pm ko. Both teams are on 35 points in the South West Division One Women’s Premier League, in joint 3rd place behind Chichester Ladies on 38 points and Swindon Town Ladies who are top with 41 points.
Rugby – Bath Rugby play Sale Sharks at the Rec in a 3.15pm ko. There are still tickets available for this game as Bath look to finish the season with some much needed wins.
Keynsham Rugby host Burnham-on-sea, ko 3pm on Sat 23rd, in what should be a close game in the Western Counties North. Keynsham beat Burnham 12-10 away earlier in the season but they will need to beat them by a much bigger scoreline to try and overtake Matson at the top of the league. Their title chance was all but over following a last gasp Matson penalty last weekend to secure the league leaders with a vital win 36-31.
Away fixures:
Bath City travel to Hayes & Yeading in another must win game for Gary Owers Romans on Saturday. There are just a few spaces left on the supporters coach so make sure you phone asap to reserve one. The Romans sit in 17th place just 4 points above the relegation places and their opponents. Havant & Waterlooville could also over take City in midweek if they win their game in hand and City lose to Hayes & Yeading. Whilst these stats and figures will be swirling around supporters heads Owers will be instructing his players to concentrate on the 90 minutes in front of them.
Avon Rugby play their last game of the season that many fans would want to forget. Wellington are the hosts for Clive Book’s team as Avon look for only their 9th win of the season. Avon did start their Western Counties North season against Wellington and managed a convincing 26-13 win against them back in September 2015.
Saltford FC are away to Pensford in the Somerset County League Div 2 East. Currently in 10th place Saltford are having a good season as they are through to a cup final coming up in May. The club have started to get match reports written for them by teenage sports writer Henry Fairbank-Stallard so look out for more output from this ambitious club in the near future.