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Match Reports

26th January 2008 - Taverners edge out AXA

Taverners took full advantage of the fact that leaders Hardwicke were playing in the cup today with hard fought and very close game with close rivals Axa. Taverners probably shaded the game overall and were rewarded in the 80th minute when Stewart Lawrence fired home a Jamie Bish cross to take the points.

Kings Stanley continued their recent good form with a 3-0 win over Tuffley Rovers. Mitch Grenfell-Williams opened the scoring for Stanley on 20 minutes and it remained that way until the 85th minute when a cross from Nick Reiger was turned in by Mark Wallington. The third came in time added on from a Danny Stephens free kick that bounced before the keeper who was completely deceived by the bounce and the ball went straight in.

Ellwood went 2-0 down at home to Highridge United but fought back to gain a point. Craig Liddell gave Highridge the lead on 10 minutes with Tom Windows making it 2-0 on 52 minutes. Ellwood hit back through Matt Foxwell on 70 minutes and five minutes later leveled the score through Byron Ranford.

Patchway Town ran out 2-1 winners at home to Thornbury Town on target for Patchway was Mark Palmer and Adam Searle, with Thornbury’s goal coming from Chris Johnston.

Pucklechurch Sports recorded their best win of the season with the 4-0 defeat of bottom club Wotton Rovers. Rees Morgan opened the scoring for Sports on 2 minutes and Ben Gardiner raced on to a long ball to net the second after quarter of an hour. Five minutes into the second half Rees Morgan netted his second and with ten minutes left Jon Wiltshire netted the fourth.

Henbury went down 3-0 to visitors Hanham Athletic. Mark Pocock opened the scoring on 33 minutes but then had to wait until the 77th minute before Shane Hobbs fired the second. With just 2 minutes to go Terry Baker netted Hanham’s third.

D.R.G. Stapleton postponed fixture with Yate Town Res a few weeks ago was hurriedly rearranged as they were without a game as their opponents Hardwicke were in the cup. The result was disappointing as they went down 2-0. The first 45 minutes failed to produce a goal but both keepers were called upon to make vital saves. Yate opened the scoring through Justin Cattle but the home side should have leveled but Ben Trace missed a glorious chance. Missed chances cost matches so the saying goes and Dominic Holver made sure of the points for Yate when he broke down the right and riffled the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-0.

Match report - GFA Trophy - Hardwicke shatter Roman Glass

Hardwicke are the only Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League side left in the GFA Challenge Trophy after they defeated Roman Glass St George 1-0 in extra time.

Hardwicke had much the better of the game throughout and looked as though they wanted it more than the home side. Ferguson in the home goal was kept a lot busier than his counter part Evans in the Hardwicke goal. Mark Pritchett struck the crossbar for Hardwicke in the first half and Ferguson made a brilliant one handed save to keep the score all square.

The home side had a really good chance in the first couple of minutes of the second half but Grinter's header struck the crossbar. Late in the second period substitute Ian Power had a great chance but his shot lacked any substance and ran easily to the keeper. Hardwicke had Rimmer sent off for a foul on Ferguson and played most of the second half with ten men but you would not have known it as they continued to push forward for that elusive goal.

With neither team being able to find the back of the net throughout the 90 minutes the game went into extra time and Grinter should have scored for the home side after 93 minutes but failed miserably. At the end of the first period Hardwicke’s Rob Hine got himself into a goalscoring position but he directed his header wide of the upright. The home side then had Garland sent off for two bookable offences which levelled the numbers up for both sides. Hardwicke got their break in time added on in the second period of extra time when substitute Michael Noakes got past the home defence and hammered the ball past Ferguson.

The home side finished the game with nine players after they had a second player dismissed for striking a Hardwicke player.

19th January 2008 - Kings Stanley beat the weather

With the appalling weather we are now experiencing it was a miracle that we managed just one game this week.

It was a local derby in the north of the county between Kings Stanley and Taverners. It turned out to be a very close game with Stanley snatching the points right at the end when Ross Casey’ free kick from the edge of the box took a slight deflection off the wall and flew into the top corner of the Taverners net well out of the reach of Barnfield. Earlier in the game Stanley had several good chances to have opened the scoring with both Steve Potter and Sam Prior testing Barnfield. A Sam Prior cross was met by Adam Smith who effort was headed of the line. Taverners might have scored on a couple of occasions but some desperate defending and a couple of timely interceptions by Tony Francis prevented the visitors from getting on the score sheet. A spokesman for Stanley said that on chances created a fair result would have been a draw, but he was delighted his side had snatched the three points.

Lets hope for some better weather next week.

12th January 2008 - Henbury finally record first league win of season.

Bottom of the table Henbury who had been looking for that elusive win in the league all season finally got of the mark with a resounding 5-1 win over Wotton Rovers.

There were early chances for both Henbury and Wotton, Clark and Bamford having shots blocked by Wotton defenders and Fraser Robertson for the visitors struck the crossbar after Marcus Taylor set him up. The home side took the lead on 22 minutes when a cross from the right by Ashley Bruno was rammed home at the far post by Aaron Rosser. Wotton hit back immediately when Marcus Taylor had his shirt pulled in the box the referee awarding a penalty. Fraser Robertson was given the task and placed his spot kick well out of the reach of the diving Winkler. Within a couple of minutes Henbury were back in front with a rather fortuitous goal, Pat Mathison pulled his shot across the goal, it was missed by Scott Bamford but Ashley Bruno following in behind crashed the ball home. Henbury were much the better side finding their players with pinpoint accuracy against a very young Wotton team. The home team went further ahead on 42 minutes when a cross from Ashley Bruno cleared the Wotton defence and Pat Mathison fired the ball back across the keeper from just inside the box.

In the first minute of the second half Scott Bamford should have scored after Ken Malala’s header had given him the chance from six yards, but he mistimed his kick and the danger was cleared. Three minutes later Bamford made up for that miss when he hammered home an Ashley Bruno cross from the edge of the box. Wotton were struggling to get into the Henbury box as the home teams passing became better as the game went on, but a chance went begging for the visitors when Robertson broke into the box evaded Winkler and was watching the ball roll towards the empty net when a defender with a last ditch clearance took the chance away. At the other end Bamford had the chance to score his second when Mathison sent him clear down the left but the final shot went wide of the target, but a few minutes later he netted his second of the game with a shot from close range. Wotton’s Marcus Taylor squandered a good chance after making space for a shot which he fired over the top. With just 2 minutes left Pat Mathison should have netted number six for Henbury but hit his shot high over the bar. The win was very well deserved and moves Henbury off the bottom of the table, Wotton Rovers taking their place.

In the other game played today Kings Stanley ran out 3-1 winners over Ellwood. It was Ellwood who took a 28th minute lead when a defensive error allowed Julian Addis in to score. Within two minutes Stanley were level when Matt Casey netted after good work between Casey and Steve Potter in the build up. A minute before the break Stanley took the lead with a strike from Mike Beckingham. The home side created numerous chances in the second half and finally wrapped the game up when Beckingham netted a second on 80 minutes to give Stanley three well deserved points.

5th January 2008 - Patchway edge out Henbury

Another defeat for bottom club Henbury going down 4-3 away to Patchway Town. The first 45 minutes was played in very heavy rain and although Town were the better side it took them until the 18th minute when Francis’s pass to Webb was cleverly flicked through the Henbury defence for Keith William to draw the keeper and slot the ball home. Three minutes later a terrific shot from Paul Francis from a narrow angle caught Winkler by surprise, he got his hands to the shot but could not prevent the ball going in.

In the second half the sun came out and Town should have scored again when Clayton Clark headed wide from six yards. Henbury had a great chance to reduce the arrears when Gary Clark sent over a superb cross to the far post where Scott Bamford missed the easiest of header from 4 yards out. At the other end Winkler was called upon to push a Mark Palmer free kick over the bar after Williams had been brought down on the edge of the box. Patchway brought on Bradley Harris who made an immediate impact when he bundled a Mark Palmer cross into the Henbury net for a 3-0 lead on 70 minutes. A minute later Henbury’s new signing Ken Malala was brought down on the edge of the Patchway box and from the resulting free kick Pat Mathison’s shot bounced awkwardly for Alford and the ball flew into the Patchway net. This lifted Henbury and pushed forward for a second goal and it came in the 80th minute when Mathison’s cross was neatly flicked into the town net by Gary Clark. Two minutes later Patchway made it 4-2 when Mark Palmer sent in a low cross that Danny Cockram drove into the net through the legs of keeper Winkler. Henbury rallied and as Mathison broke into the Patchway box he was tripped the referee had no doubt about awarding the penalty. Mathison the player fouled hit a strong shot to Alford’s left the keeper guessed right but could only push the ball onto the post as it then nestled in the back of the net. Patchway were not finished and the Henbury keeper was dispossessed by Williams almost on the touch line and headed for the empty goal, but Henbury’s defenders got back and as Williams shot it was deflected away for a corner but the referee called time before the corner could be taken.

Hanham Athletic pulled of an excellent 4-1 win at home to Taverners. Dave Langridge opened the scoring after 3 minutes with Simon Dew getting a second four minutes later. Richard Sperring made it 3-0 a minute into the second half and with 75 minutes on the clock Shane Hobbs netted a fourth. Mark Harsant netted a consolation goal for the visitors three minutes from the end.

Wotton Rovers took another heavy beating going down 7-0 at home to leaders Hardwicke. Rob Hine led the goalscorers with a hattrick on 11, 20 and 85 minutes with a further two coming from Luke Kavanagh 42 and 62 minutes and a goal apiece for Eddie Rimmer and Paul Carter.

Tuffley Rovers move back into second spot with a 2-1 success at Thornbury Town. Thornbury took the lead on 10 minutes from a Pete Fowler header but Mark Wallington leveled on 20 minutes. The winner came from the penalty spot in the 70th minute after Paul Taylor who had just come on as a sub committed a foul in the area and Ben Surman netted from the spot to give Rovers the points.

Axa were held to a 1-1 draw at Cribbs Causeway by visitors Berkeley Town. Town were much the better side in the first half and took the lead after 5 minutes when Richard Langford headed home a rebound of the keeper. Axa improved considerably in the second period and drew level on 55 minutes when a cross from Danny Thorpe was well dummied by Tom Blythe and Andy Sledge finished from 12 yards.

D.R.G. Stapleton gained their second win of the season with a resounding 5-2 victory over Ellwood. A Matt Price hattrick on 35, 53 and 78 minutes and a double from Dave Healey on 16 and 30 minutes knocked the stuffing out of the visitors who replied through Julian Addis on 18 and 65 minutes.

Pucklechurch Sports pulled of a great result when they held Highridge United to a goalless draw at the creek. But Highridge are ruing the numerous chances they created in the first 45 minutes with Mike Berry Craig Liddell and Mikey Adams all missing chances that would have sewn the game up. All the same the sports keeper Kevin Sibley was always in the thick of it and made some superb saves to keep a clean sheet for the second week running.

Yate Town Res v Kings Stanley postponed. (Waterlogged pitch).