Match Reports
27th January 2007 - D.R.G. come back stuns Thornbury
Thornbury Town took a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes and looked well on top against visitors D.R.G. Stapleton only to throw away the advantge in two minutes of madness midway through the first half. Thornbury opened the scoring in the 3rd minute when a free kick was pushed away by Fletcher but Lee Jasper back heeled the ball back across goal for Alex Moss to fire home. James Pilling made it 2-0 after 15 minutes when Jasper played him through on goal to beat Fletcher from 12 yards. The visitors worked hard and got themselves back in the game in the 24th minute when centre back Steve Leonard headed home from a free kick. A minute later D.R.G. Stapleton drew level and it was Leonard again who saw his shot creep over the line in a goalmouth scramble. Thornbury started the second half with the same vigor as the first and forced several corners, but D.R.G. soaked up the pressure and gradually began to run the game at their pace. Chris Johnson missed two golden opportunities to give the visitors the lead and at the other end the Thonbury skipper Mark Viner missed from six yards. Sage struck a good shot that just went over the visitors bar, but from a Thornbury attack D.R.G broke away and Tony Wimpenny netted to give them the lead. Thornbury’s play became ragged and D.R.G. made it 4-2 when Johnson netted after being sent through by Wimpenny.
Taverners move to the top of the table with a slender 1-0 win at Totterdown P.O.B. In a very ordinary game with the only goal coming in the 70th minute a cross from the right was met by Mark Harsant to slide the ball home.
Patchway Town move into second place with a 4-1 win at Pucklechurch Sports. Adam Searle opened the scoring after 2 minutes with a shot from just inside the box. Then Keith William was brought down in the box and got up to net the second from the penalty spot. Mark Palmer made 3-0 in the 70th minute when he out jumped the keeper trying to punch clear. The fourth goal was a mix up in the Sports defence which resulted in an own goal. With just 5 minutes left Sports were awarded a penalty with Jon Wiltshire netting from the spot.
Highridge United were held to a 1-1 draw away to Berkeley Town. 0-0 at the break Berkeley took the lead through Tim Beames in the 68th minute, with Highridge salvaging a point from a Dean Maggs penalty ten minutes from the end.
Axa came away from Henbury with a point after Shane Parker equalised well into stoppage time. Earlier Andy Sledge gave Axa the lead in the 25th minute and it took Hebury until the 65th minute to get on level terms when a long ball up field put Nathan Baird clear to score. With just 2 minutes to go Henbury thought they had won the game when Baird netted from the penalty spot but up popped Parker to save the day for Axa.
Roman Glass St George are kicking themselves after going down 2-1 at home to Ellwood. Missed chances were the order of the day for the Saints. Gary Wildin had put the visitors 1-0 up after 5 minutes but those missed chances cost the saints dearly. Chris Astley leveled right on half time but a Matt Foxwell goal in the 70th minute gave the visitors a very welcomed three points.
Sea Mills Park and Wotton Rovers saved all their efforts\to the last 12 minutes when all six goals were scored. On Target fior the Millers was Moss Baderin (2) Dave Harris and Richard Nelmes with replies from Wotton through Luke Prince and John Gull.
Hanham Athletic put four goals into the Kings Stanley net without reply. On target for Hanham were Simon Warren, Spencer Thomas, Nick Wilson and a Mark Pocock penalty.
Hardwicke’s form is still on the up after a good 2-1 win at Yate Town Reserves. Two goals from Dave Evans in 15th minute and the 33rd minute gave the visitors the lead the second a glorious chip over the keeper after Sam Ellis had set the move up. Yate pulled a goal back in the 44th minute when Paul Metheringham netted a Karl Reese cross. No goals in the second period but a tireless effort from Hardwicke gained them 3 very valuable points.
25th January 2007 - League Tables Book
The league secretary has been advised of a new book that contains all the tables of the county league since it was created in 1968. If you'd like a copy they are available from Mr Blakeman on 01902 843687 at £9.95.
League Tables book
20th January 2007 - Highridge back in action
Highridge United, out of action for six weeks due to the bad weather, shot to the top of the table with a 2-1 win over Thornbury Town. Although Town are next to bottom in the league table their performance today should have earned them at least a point from this game. Thornbury’s Mark Viner struck the upright with Richard Jenkins well beaten and then from the rebound shot wide of the target. Thornbury took the lead in the 11th minute when James Pilling struck a superb shot from just inside the box that had Jenkins beaten all the way. Highridge drew level in the 32nd minute when a free kick was hoisted into the Thornbury goal area and keeper Scott Kendall completely misjudged the flight of the ball trying to punch clear and Tom Windows had the easiest of jobs to hit the ball into the net. Highridge took the lead early in the second half when Tyrone McNeely’s cross was neatly headed past Kendall by Mike Berry. Thornbury had a great chance to level from a corner but Richard Sage headed just wide. Highridge struck the upright near the end but as the whistle blew for full-time the players were delighted to have taken the 3 points which moved them to the top of the table.
Basement club Wotton Rovers scored their three goals in the last 13 minutes of the game to record only their second win of the season. On target were Andrew Perrett after 77 minutes Danny Thorpe 2 minutes later and Jon Lang on 81 minutes.
Kings Stanley went a goal down at home to Totterdown P.O.B with a Craig Hobbs strike after 20 minutes. Then Stanley hit back with three goals in the space of 10 minutes. Steve Potter levelled on 35 minutes, Danny Stephens gave them the lead on 40 minutes and Scott Cumberlin made it three right on half time. Craig Hobbs got his second after 65 minutes but Stanley defended their lead to take the points.
With neither Axa nor Hardwicke being able to find the back of the net both teams settled for a point apiece in a game that produced very few chances and was played in very windy conditions.
The Challenge Trophy game between Almondsbury F.C. and Henbury was switched to Henbury because the Almondsbury pitch was unfit. Henbury go through to the semi-final after winning 3-2 in Extra Time. The winning goal came from Adam Rosser in the 112th minute. Henbury had opened the scoring in the 40th minute with an Ian Milne strike, but a goal from Almondsbury’s Martin Paul in the 55th minute levelled the score. Henbury then went 2-1 down when Neil Simons put through his own goal. A needless tackle by an Almondsbury defender in the penalty area gave Henbury a life line and Nathan Baird scored from the spot. 2-2 after normal time it was Rosser who had come on as a substitute for Henbury in the second half who clinched them a place in the Semi-final.
13th January 2007 - Hardwicke win at last
Surprise of the day was Henbury's 2-0 home defeat by Hardwicke. Leaders Henbury were well and truly beaten by a team who had not won since 23rd September and had lost 9 games on the bounce. Hardwicke had made a few new signings during the week and this certainly showed in their attitude and performance. They should have taken the lead in the 17th minute when Eddie Rimmer was put clear by Sam Ellis but he pulled his shot wide from 14 yards. Rimmer made up for that miss 2 minutes later when a long ball from the back was picked up by Rimmer to run through and score with the Henbury defence appealing for offside. A shot from Rob Hine was deflected out for a corner to Hardwicke and from that corner Rimmers header just went over the bar. Henbury failed to get passed the consistent Hardwicke defence well marshalled by Powell. The second half continued in the same vein as the first with Hardwicke always pushing on looking for a second goal. Paul Carter?s shot struck the upright and rebounded into the arms of the Henbury keeper Hodges and then the same player hit the crossbar from a curling free kick 35 yards out with Hodges well beaten. Rimmer was put clear on goal but his shot took a deflection of the foot of Hodges and out for a corner and then Hardwicke had a header by the same player cleared of the line. A second goal always looked on the cards and it came in the 76th minute when Adam Dunsford?s shot was pushed away by Hodges, Sam Ellis pulled the ball back across goal and Rob Hine ran the ball into the net. Henbury had not troubled the Hardwicke keeper throughout the match and their first attempt on target came in the 78th minute from a header that was dealt with comfortably by the keeper.
Yate Town Res ran out 3-0 winners over Totterdown P.O.B. but a catalogue of missed chances by the home side in the first half could have had the game sewn up by half time. Martin Boyle gave Yate the lead after 10 minutes but then had to wit until the 80th minute before netting the second when new signing Lee Blackwell set up Paul Metheringham to score. The third came in the 88th minute when Sam Vile chipped the visitors keeper from 20 yards.
Pucklechurch Sports drew 1-1 with visitors Sea Mills Park but scored both goals. Sports Jordan Hume sliced the ball into his own net 10 minutes before the break to give the Millers the lead, but Sports levelled within 5 minutes of the restart when Jon Wiltshire netted from the penalty spot.
Axa did themselves a favour with a convincing 5-2 win over visitors Berkeley Town. 4-0 up after 30 minutes with a brace from Andy Sledge a header from Shane Parker and one from Tom Blythe they then sat back and allowed Pete Lavis to pull a goal back just before the break. Berkeley?s James Firth then made it 4-2 in the first minute of the second half, but an injury time penalty by Tom Blythe sealed the points for the home side.
D.R.G. Stapleton pulled of a very good 3-2 win at home to Hanham Athletic a goalless first half and with 25 minutes of the second half played Danny De-Gay opened the scoring for the home side. Within five minutes Hanham were level when Simon Dew netted. The visitors then took the lead through Mark Pocock before a dramatic last three minutes turned the game around. Chris Johnson who had come on as a sub for the home side volleyed the ball into the net with his very first touch to level the score and in the last minute Andy Lear netted after the ball had rebounded to him of the wall from a free kick.
In the Les James Cup 2nd round Taverners progress to the Semi-final with a 3-1 win at Roman Glass St George. Mark Harsant opened the scoring for Taverners in the 37th minute and then had to wait until the 65th minute before going 2-0 up when Craig Roberts netted. Kevin Williams pulled a goal back for the Saints but finally lost out when Roberts netted his second in the very last minute.
6th January 2007 - Hanham Athletic - A groundhopper visits
Hanham were visited by a groundhopper for the Fairford game on the 9th of December, who was impressed with the hospitality received and let the club know, an extract of his letter appears below.
Why I do what I do!
I do the same thing every week. It may be out to Norfolk or the West Midlands, down to Kent or Somerset, but somewhere on a Saturday there is a new ground to visit, a new programme to collect, and another 'tick' against a club name in the records when I get home.
In December, I visited two clubs with the same aspirations to progress to higher leagues, both as it happens playing in their County Cups, and both drawn against opposition from higher levels.
Wincanton Town have an amazing new set up, and a fine stand built by the side of the pitch and a smart dressing room complex that, thanks to the local sports association, is of the highest class. On the day, they were outclassed by visitors Portland, who stormed to a 4-0 win in the Dorset Senior Cup.
Seven days later, I was off to Hanham Athletic who proved that Santa really does exist gifting Fairford Town two own goals in the first 20 minutes before holding their own and only going down 2-1. The set up here, at present, is more modest but still a fine venue for a Saturday's entertainment.
But why do these two days out stick in the memory more than others.
Well, some Saturday's really are just a 'tick' in the records. I've been there, got a programme, seen the game and ... that's it.
At Wincanton, the welcome was great. They opened the lounge and put the TV on just for me, made sure I'd got a cup of tea, and gave me a tour of the facilities that would make many a more senior club jealous.
At Hanham, the welcome was just so friendly. More than one person asked if I got a programme and everyone in the bar was chatty, friendly, and welcoming.
The pedigree of both clubs showed itself in the respective clubhouses. I love to have a feeling for the past of clubs, and in both bars, photos adorned the walls showing the local heroes of days gone by, proud to be part of the history of each club (be it successfully or not!). Wincanton had easily set a new record for me with a team photo of 1901 in their bar. Within a week, that record had been broken at Hanham with a photo, if my memory serve me right, from 1896. You could sense the feeling for each of the clubs.
And, so every Saturday, I do the same. Yes, some Saturdays it is just a 'tick' against a club name when I get home. But on others, and Wincanton and Hanham join this list, these were real visits to clubs that have that something just a little more special!
Postponements
The recent run of wet weather has caused some clubs a problem with having to postpone their game.
The Management Committee of the Gloucestershire County League would like all clubs to implement the following procedure regarding any further postponements for the remainder of the season.
If the club believes that their pitch is unfit, then you should contact the appointed Match Official to come and inspect your pitch.
If the appointed Match Official is unable to inspect your pitch then you should contact a Gloucestershire County League Referee that lives within your locality to come and inspect your pitch.
If you are unable to get either of the above Referees, then you may contact a Level 5 Referee or above to inspect your pitch.
Once the Referee has inspected your pitch and it has been deemed unfit to play.
- Contact the Assistant Referees and the Match Official that has been appointed to your game if he did not do the inspection.
- Notify the General Secretary.
- Notify the Referees Secretary.
- Notify the Visiting Team.
- Notify the Fixture Secretary.
- Get the referee to write the explanation for the postponement of your game and then send it to the Registration Secretary within 4 days. The forms to be competed by the Match Official after inspecting your pitch if the match is postponed have been sent to all clubs and are available to download.
It is advisable to have the inspection completed by 11.00 am on the day of the game.
Referees will be entitled to claim travelling expenses at the agreed rate.