THE riches of a Cotswold sporting autumn more than compensate for having to wait six months before I ask the umpire for ‘middle and leg’.

The Paddy Power meeting this weekend is my favourite Cheltenham programme. Fine racing, less crush than the Festival in March and I have always been lucky with the weather. As long as Mrs Light does not bet on every grey on the card it should be another joyous occasion.

The FA Cup tie at Cheltenham on Saturday proved me totally wrong. I never imagined they would score five goals against Swindon. Well done. The sole consolation for Swindon is they can now concentrate on the league.

As can Forest Green. Two wicked deflections gave Scunthorpe two goals on Sunday and try hard as they undoubtedly did Rovers could not score against a more streetwise side.

It was yet another example of Rovers falling victim to the curse of the cameras. BBC TV came to Nailsworth as did Radio 5 Live as part of the innovative coverage the corporation are giving to the best of footballing competitions. Rovers were not just camera shy, but shot shy as well.

An astonishing thing happened just before kick-off. BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s man Bob Hunt was ejected from the ground. I have never seen more insensitive stewarding! He was quickly back, however.

I am becoming increasingly worried about shooting, not the aiming at target type but what is now little more than the slaughter of thousands of hand-reared semi-tame pheasants.

Vast numbers of these birds are released into the woods on Cotswold estates and a vast amount of money is paid to estate owners by rich city workers anxious to kill as many birds as possible.

This is not sport. It is slaughter. Shooting a wild Cotswold pheasant flying high over a valley is a totally different matter. The blasting out of the sky of so many low-flying, vulnerable birds in no way compares to anything that could be described as sporting.

‘Hands off shooting’, says many car stickers. I am beginning to disagree. It is not the sport it used to be.

Visits to the Whiteway to watch Cirencester play rugby will remain interesting this season. Competition at the top of the Gloucester Premier is tough with our town team vying for supremacy with local rivals Stroud. Cheltenham Saracens are not far behind. Cirencester have already beaten Stroud once, a result that could be crucial at the season’s end.

If you are an armchair rugby fan there was one glorious moment at the weekend. Jonny May’s try against the All Blacks had all local rugby fans out of their seats cheering. The Kingsholm winger is often accused of running sideways. He did not on Saturday, providing us all with a moment of true genius. More please, Jonny.

More please, from CHQ United. Yet again they look like being a force in the local Cirencester League, but are also flying the flag for this area in the County Cup competition. I have ignored their considerable feats for too long and when FGR fixtures allow I shall find my way to their attractive Hatherop ground.

I recall once seeing (early 1950s) a game between RTC and CHQ. It took place in the Cirencester League and the six initials represent Cotswold villages and should not be too difficult to decipher, so I will leave it to you to do so.

RTC have not existed for many years so the chance of a fixture where teams are known just by initials is unlikely to occur again.

Soccer news from Tetbury is that the town team are struggling in the Stroud League while neighbours Avonvale are doing well in the Glos Northern Senior League.

As its name suggests this is the more senior competition. With Avonvale being the current ‘top dogs’ some are waiting for the balance of power to shift. I take a different view.

Tetbury can surely support two good sides. Both teams should be meeting each other again and in the County League, not the local one.

People tell me this column is sometimes sent far afield. Last week it went to Lincoln because of the FGR football match. I learned by chance it went to someone who is married to the prettiest girl I was at school with. She had memorable violet eyes. I never made my feelings known, so I hope this column heads to East Anglia. Best wishes, Anne.