East Gwent Senior League round-up

SEVERN Tunnel FC will apply for promotion to the Gwent County League, according to the Rogiet club’s general manager Ron Atkins.

Tunnel are looking a good bet to be in the right place at the end of the season after seeing one of their rivals falter at the weekend and can make a massive stride forward on Saturday when they travel to another of their opponents hoping for the mythical six-pointer.

“Last season I told the boys if they were second by Christmas we would apply to the county league but they weren’t so we didn’t,” Ron said.

“But this year, with a new manager in place, I promised we would apply no matter what position we were in.

“I don’t know if this has inspired them but it seems to have driven them on.”

The Tunnel are currently second behind Mathern Reserves who are unable to be promoted because their first team plays in the county league.

And after Mathern won 2-0 at Thornwell Red & White – another promotion hopeful – the Tunnel are a point behind Mathern, three points ahead of Thornwell and five ahead of Underwood whose match at Chepstow Athletic fell victim to the wet weather.

Although Underwood have a game in hand on the leading clubs, they will not want to lose any more ground on the clubs above them so Saturday’s match against the Tunnel – who won 9-1 at Caldicot Town at the weekend – will take on extra importance.

Having recently marked out a second pitch on Rogiet Sportsfield, the club is gradually improving their facilities and know that as long as they are the top eligible club at the end of the season, the dream of county league football will be a step nearer.

“We are applying in November then the league will come and check the facilities and tell us what we need to do to comply," Atkins added.

Meanwhile, Mathern Reserves manager Lee Baker declared himself “well pleased” with the win at Thornwell while opposite number Terry Woodward said he had no complaints over the result.

“We defended well and worked hard off the ball and Thornwell couldn’t break us down,” Baker said.

Thornwell were without influential centre-back Neil Brown and striker Kenny Vidler and never recovered from two early goals by the visitors.

“Wayne Duffield scored the first with a free kick which went in off a post after five minutes and then Jack Stewart hit a 25-yard rocket 10 minutes later,” Woodward said.

“I thought we pressed well in the second half and maybe deserved to pull one back but we weren’t quite on it on the day. I enjoyed playing in another competitive game though,”

Other results in the league were Severn Bridge 6 Caldicot Castle A 2, Tintern Abbey 5 Undy Athletic 0

In Division Two, Portskewett and Sudbrook beat Sudbrook CC 8-1, Chepstow Town 3 Mathern Reserves B 1, Severn Tunnel B 5 Caldicot Castle B 0, Underwood SC B 8 Thornwell R&W B 1.