by Matthew Williams
USW play host to Bristol Men’s 5 in the Western 4 Tier 4 league, in a clash with great significance at this stage of the season.
With just two games remaining of the league season, USW 4’ths currently sit bottom of the table, despite some positive performances throughout the year.
USW are still yet to register a win this season, and victory over an ever improving Bristol 5’ths side could trigger a promising end to the campaign for the hosts. USW will know that they’re destiny is not in their hands, as just one draw from Hartpury’s one remaining game will ensure a bottom placed finish for USW.
However, if USW can pick up two wins in their next two games over Bristol Men’s 5th, they can overtake Hartpury. Hartpury will need to lose their remaining game for that to happen, but USW will know anything is possible this late in the season.
USW come into the game on 3 points, with three draws from eight games. However, USW have come out unlucky in a few games this season, which they can only try to take positives from. Travelling Bristol enter the tie as slight favourites after a relatively mixed campaign which still very much hangs in the balance. The visitors come into the game on 12 points, with four wins and four draws this season.
With 6 points still up for grabs for Bristol, they know they are still in with a chance of the title this season. They sit 5 points off USW Men’s 3, who currently occupy top spot. Cardiff Men’s 4 sit in second with 16 points, who have just one game remaining this season. Bristol will know they need both sides in front of them to slip up in order for them to win the title race. Unlikely, but possible.
For USW, they will be hoping to end the visitors’ title ambitions, with a first win in their final home game of the season, with anything possible for them going into next season.
(04/03/2020)