AFTER having their cup match called off in the warm-up the previous week, Ross Juniors Men returned to action with a 3-1 derby home win over high-flying Lydbrook 2nds on Saturday.

Ross (pictured right) knew they were going to be in for a tough game in North Gloucestershire One, but took a surprising early 2-0 lead when Ben Scotford and Florin Crainic found the net.

Both sides created chances after that, but it stayed 2-0 at half-time.

After the break, Lydbrook kept playing long to their strikers and eventually won a corner from which they scored to get back in the game 2-1.

Ross didn’t panic and kept doing the right things, then came their reward when they got their third through Crainic to seal the game 3-1.

In attendance were the Ross-on-Wye branch of the Royal British Legion to join the club in showing their respect, with both teams laying wreaths, the Last Post played by Des Auld and a minute’s silence.

The win for Juniors closes the gap on Lydbrook in third to one point, and two points to Staunton & Corse in second with games in hand.

Newent Town’s Hellenic League One clash with SC Inksberrow fell victim to a waterlogged Wildsmith Meadow pitch.

But Ruardean Hill Rangers won the basement Gloucestershire County clash at home to Quedgeley Wanderers 3-1 to climb above them and out of the bottom two.

Hill should have been in front in the first minute as a ball whipped in by Charlie Mason was headed wide by Tom Landon.

But it was Quedgeley who took a 10th-minute lead when Harry Reynolds left a defender on his backside with a neat turn before slotting past Aaron Underwood.

Hill went near on 25 minutes when Ollie Mason’s long range effort was taken in his stride by Steve Clark but Nathan Charnock smothered the shot.

Both Sean Lawson who fired against the post and Rio Spencer who broke the line and brought a save from Underwood were close to increasing the visitors’ lead.

But Hill levelled five minutes into the second half, as Clark peeled off the back of the defence, leaving Charnock on the deck, before curling into an empty net.

They were up against it on the hour though, as Luke Johnson saw red, reducing them to ten.

Yet on 73 minutes Clark nipped onto a throw in, saw Charnock off his line and audaciously found the net from 45 yards to put Hill 2-1 up.

And 10 minutes from time, Clark broke the offside trap and squared to Ollie Mason who smashed in to seal a morale-boosting 3-1 win.

But Lydbrook’s 1st XI fell to a 1-0 defeat away to Frampton 2nds in Gloucestershire Northern Two, who leapfrogged the visitors into sixth.

Two goals from Daniel Hall and one from Fenn Odurny fired Huntley to a 3-1 mid-table win over hosts Elwood in the North Gloucestershire Premier Division.

And Mitcheldean won a 4-3 thriller at home to basement boys Ruardean Hill 2nds, with Adam Beaumont, Sam Dowle and Damian Jones on target for the winners, and Tyler Adams, Aaron Barnett and Michael Harrison scoring consolations.

Longhope leapfrogged Sling into fourth in NG Two by beating them 3-1, Josh Goulding hitting a second-half brace after a first-half strike from Joseph Heron.

And Mitcheldean 2nds moved six points clear of the dropzone with a 4-3 away win over basement boys Milkwall 2nds. But Lydbrook A lost a tight Primary North Cup match 2-1 at home to Horsley United 3rds.

Newent Town were due to host Cinderford last night (Tuesday, November 14) in a tasty GFA Challenge Cup Forest derby, after The Gazette went to print.

They aren’t playing at the weekend, but then host Moreton Rangers on Tuesday, November 21, in the Marsh Supplementary Cup.

Fixtures this Saturday (November 18) in a limited programme include – Ruardean Hill Rangers v FC Lakeside, Newent Town Dev v Longlevens 2nds, Dursley Town 3rds v Longhope.