On Saturday Howle Hill played Lydbrook at Weston playing field. After a few weeks off, the manager Andy Stacey made only one change to the starting 11, Ryan Stacey in for Walters in defence. The pitch was very soft after the recent snow and made playing passing football very difficult but Hill settled into the game attacking at will and coming close through Hatch, Shotton, Edwards, O'Brien and Parsons In the opening 20 mins the keeper only watched each effort go wide. The home defence of McAfee, Davies, Williams, Stacey and keeper Cooke had little to do at the other end but Hill did take the lead on 39 minutes when O'Brien played the ball to Shotton, who controlled the ball and turned the defender before hitting a unstoppable shot into the corner. Just before half time good work from Francis and Edwards almost doubled the lead but the final shot from Hatch was poor. Half time was 1-0 to the Hill. After the break Hill did go 2 up as Parsons found himself unmarked in the box to rifle the ball home. Hill continued to play attacking football and again had chances to score through Francis and McAfee but the keeper made 2 good saves. Hill brought on Walters, McLarty and young Ali and the Hill went 3 up through another good finish from Parsons following up from his blocked shot. The Hill defence soaked up any attacking threat to see the game out with the final score Howle Hill 3 Lydbrook 0 to keep Hill 4th in the league. Next week it's Ross Cup Semi Final for Hill away at Fownhope, the boys will hope that the keeper will have another clean sheet and Man of the Match Phin Parsons keeps up his goal scoring record.

For more stories in full please see this week's Ross Gazette.