Stroud & District Div Four

Avonvale Utd 2 Abbeymead 1

AVONVALE Utd picked up their first points of the season against Abbeymead Rovers, who started the game in third place.

Vale started on the front foot and some route one football saw the hosts go ahead. Goalkeeper Chris Baker snatched an opportunity to put Jack Sprange through on goal and he dispatched the chance coolly.

Vale played well, limiting the visiting team's chances to a minimum but a freak incident involving the referee saw Abbeymead break quickly to level the game just before half-time.

The second half saw some good football with chances at both ends. Rich Wood narrowly missed with a close range header and some great last-ditch defending denied Abbeymead.

The game looked set for a stalemate until the 88th minute when Vale won a corner and Stuart Dryden scored with a bullet header to clinch all three points – and was promptly swamped by his team-mates.