PLAY-OFFS | SEMI-FINAL REVIEW

Dramatic evening across all four of our divisions

What a dramatic night it has been with the play-off semi-finals across all four of our divisions.

In the Pitching In Southern League Premier South both games served up a real treat. At AFC Totton, the home side went two goals down in the opening 20 minutes at the hands of Dorchester Town as Luke Pardoe and then Luke Roberts found the net. A last minute penalty from Scott Rendell gave the hosts hope and then all of a sudden stoppage time burst into life when two quickfire goals from Tony Lee in the 97th and 100th minute put the home side in front. The visitors refused to give up as Jack Dickson made it 3-3 20 minutes into added on time! It sent the game into extra-time where Charlie Austin grabbed the winner towards the end to send AFC Totton through to the final.

Also racing into an early two-goal lead were Walton & Hersham as Dawid Rogalski and Bobby Taylor put them in command against Gloucester City within the opening 12 minutes. A goal from Joe Hanks just past the 20-minute mark thrust the visitors back into it as Ed Williams levelled matters with 71 minutes on the clock. The game went into extra-time and when that also failed to separate the two sides, it went down to a penalty shoot-out where Gloucester City prospered 5-3 to set up a trip to AFC Totton in the final on Monday afternoon.

There was more come from behind glory in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central as Halesowen Town went ahead at AFC Telford United through Kieren Donnelly midway through the first half. The hosts hit back with two goals in quick succession just before the break from Dylan Allen-Hadley and defender, Orrin Pendley. With 15 minutes to go, Charlie Wragg restored parity for the visitors before Matty Stenson stepped up and grabbed what proved to be the winner just a few minutes later in front of a crowd of over 3,200.

Goals were in short supply in the other semi-final as 120 minutes of football failed to separate Kettering Town and Harborough Town. In what was a tense and edgy occasion it went all the way to a penalty shoot-out where the hosts held their nerve to grab a 4-3 victory to set up a head-to-head with AFC Telford United in the final on Bank Holiday Monday.

Over in the Pitching In Southern League Division One South, Evesham United held home advantage against Exmouth Town but fell behind right on the stroke of half-time when Ben Griffith was able to snatch the lead after the Devon outfit had defended well to keep their hosts at bay. The breakthrough finally came for the home team just before the hour when Levi Steele equalised and it wasn’t long before Lewis Middleton turned the scoreline on its head. With Evesham now firing on all cylinders, Andre Wright weighed in with a third goal before Middleton rounded the scoring off with a fourth at the death.

The game between Bishops Cleeve and Malvern Town certainly ebbed-and-flowed. Sam Clark gave the visitors the lead just past the quarter-hour mark, but Ross Langworthy was able to level matters within ten minutes. A Jay Malshankskyj goal ten minutes from the end of the opening period put the hosts in front and they held the lead until 20 minutes from time when Jack Watts restored parity against his former club. With the scores level at the end of 90 minutes, the game went into extra-time where Charlie Johnson won it for Malvern Town to set up an all Worcestershire final at Evesham United on Monday afternoon.

Finally, in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central, Berkhamsted had to be patient to make the breakthrough against a determined Hadley, but once Connor Tomlinson opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark, the floodgates opened. Luke Andrews and Ryan Kinnane added further goals before the interval and then Bernard Christie make it 4-0 at the start of the second half. A late Louie Collier strike added further gloss to the scoreline.

The other semi-final saw Flackwell Heath take an early lead against Barton Rovers as Wiktor Makowski added to his impressive tally with just four minutes gone. There was no further addition to the scores until stoppage time at the end when Makowski made sure with his second of the evening to confirm a final showdown at Berkhamsted on Bank Holiday Monday.

What a night! Congratulations to the winners and commiserations to those who have seen their season come to an end. Let’s get ready for more drama on Monday afternoon…

PLAY-OFF FINALS | 05.05.2025
Premier South | AFC Totton v Gloucester City
Premier Central | Kettering Town v AFC Telford United
Division One South | Evesham United v Malvern Town
Division One Central | Berkhamsted v Flackwell Heath

IMAGE: Peter Short