ROSS Juniors men’s team returned to action and winning ways with a 5-0 home demolition of Broadwell Amateurs A on Saturday.

With North Gloucestershire 1 leaders Lydbrook 2nds beating promotion rivals Lydney Town A 4-2 at home, Juniors leapfrogged the latter to go second thanks to braces from Kieran Young and Jay Richmond and a goal from Jonas Dobson.

Lydbrook have a 12-point lead at the top, but have played five games more than their two nearest rivals.

Newent Town had to settle for a point in their Hellenic League 1 basement battle at home to Southam United, drawing 1-1 after trailing at the break.

A long ball over the top was fired home by the visitors after just 10 minutes, before the Daffs had several chances, their centre-forward heading just over and the visiting keeper spilling a fierce shot before saving the second effort. 

Southam also fired just over before the break, but Newent were level within five minutes of the restart, Dan Noke heading home from Brad Phillips’ excellent free-kick.

The Daffs pushed for the winner, Tyler Weir firing just wide, but the visitors also hit the side netting as neither side could break the deadlock, the draw leaving the hosts second to bottom five points from safety, albeit with four games in hand. 

The Daffs Development team were cheering though, 5-2 winners away to Gloucester City Dev on Friday night, thanks to a Solomon Osinuga brace and goals from Ryan Michael Hunt, Jack Jeremiah and Taylor Unett, which lifts them to fifth in Hellenic 2 West.

A Steve Clarke penalty on 37 minutes helped Ruardean Hill Rangers hold high-flying Rockleaze to a 1-1 home draw in the Gloucestershire County League, the visitors having gone in front mid-way through the first half.

And goals from Mike Donaldson and Jason Heaphy saw mid-table Lydbrook 1sts win 2-0 at home to Gloucestershire Northern 2 bottom side Chesterton.

North Gloucestershire Premier leaders Howle Hill splipped to a third straight league defeat though, to loosen what was once an iron grip on top spot, Chris Baverstock firing a consolation in a 2-1 loss to Bream Amateurs at Weston playing fields.

The result saw the visitors rise to third, five points behind Hill with two games in hand, with Milkwall - 1-0 winners at Ellwood - second three points off top spot with one game in hand. 

Huntley also won 2-1 at Westbury United to leapfrog the Severnsiders and go fourth just a point back on Bream. 

Richard May hit a hat-trick as Longhope lashed hosts Mushet & Coalway 2nds 6-1 to stay top of NG2, Patrick Cuthbert, Oliver Vardy and Tom Walmsley also on target.

But mid-table Ruardean United lost 4-2 at home to Sling in the same division, Gavin Kyte and Josh Street their scorers.

And Lydbrook A also missed out 3-1 away to Harrow Hill A in NG3, leaving them seventh.

Fixtures this Saturday (February 3) include – Viney St Swithins 2nds v Ross Juniors, Newent Town v Moreton Rangers, Tuffley Rovers Dev v Newent Town Dev, Sharpness v Ruardean Hill Rangers, King’s Stanley v Lydbrook Athletic, Bream Amts v Huntley, Ellwood v Mitcheldean, Newnham Utd v Howle Hill, Ruardean Hill Rangers 2nds v Harrow Hill 2nds, Longhope v Yorkley, Mitcheldean 2nds v Ellwood 2nds, Ruardean Utd v Soudley 2nds