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Match Reports

25th October 2008 - Axa break down Berkeley to continue unbeated start

Axa who are still undefeated this season move into third place in the table after a 3-1 victory over Berkeley Town. Although there were no goals in the first 45 minutes both teams created goalscoring chances. Berkeley’s Richard Langford should have opened the scoring on 14 minutes but was thwarted by a diving save from Axa’s keeper Jim Pearce and the loose ball was cleared. It was Pearce to the rescue again when he just managed to reach the ball as Paul Brooks bore down on goal. Then the keeper was on hand again to push away a free kick for a corner. Axa’s first real attack came in the form of a good break by Nathan Lumber down the left sending over a cross that saw Steve Watts lunging forward to try and make contact with his head but just failed. Then Lumber miscued his shot from the edge of the box and the ball ran wide. Berkeley’s Richard Reece came to the rescue in the 42nd minute when he cleared a Steve Watts shot off the line. Then just before the half time break Berkeley’s Richard Langford saw his goal bound shot pushed around the post by Pearce.


Action from Axa V Berkeley
Action from AXA V Berkeley
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney

Berkeley had the first chance to open the scoring on the restart as Richard Langford rounded the keeper only to have the ball nipped off his toe by Danny Thorpe. At the other end Stevenson came to the rescue when he blocked a goal bound shot from Andy Sledge. Axa took the lead on 50 minutes when Tim O’Loughlin fired the ball past Stevenson from just inside the box. The home side went 2-0 up in the 59th minute when Thorpe’s pass split the Berkeley defence and Ryan McKillop’s cross was neatly flicked home by Steve Watts. Andy sledge then missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 shooting wide of the goal with just Stevenson to beat. Axa made it 3-0 after 74 minutes when a break down the left saw Ryan McKillop set up Tim O’Loughlin to drive the ball well clear of Stevenson into the far corner of the net. Berkeley pulled a goal back through Scott Northover after Jim Pearce fumbled the ball giving the Berkeley substitute an easy chance to slide the ball home. Berkeley went away empty handed but did enough in the first half to have taken something from the game, but those missed chances cost them dearly.

Kings Stanley are two points clear at the top of the table with a 2-1 victory at Tuffley Rovers. Tuffley were much the better side in the first half and took the lead on 10 minutes when Pat Boyd netted from the edge of the box. Rovers were unlucky to have what they though was a penalty turned down just before the break. Kings Stanley who were defending their unbeaten start to the season levelled the score on 79 minutes when Jon Panton headed home from a free kick. The winner came in the 90th minute when Nick Reiger netted from the penalty spot to move Stanley back to top spot.


Action from Axa V Berkeley
Action from AXA V Berkeley
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney

Thornbury Town who had much the better of the first 45 minutes at B & W Avonside took the lead after 12 minutes with a Pete Fowler header but failed to capitalise and went into the break with just the 1-0 lead. It was a different story in the second half after Andy Watts levelled the score on 55 minutes with a thirty yard curling shot that beat all the defenders and the keeper on its way into the net. Seven minutes later the home side were in front when Richard Perry making his return to the club netted with a simple tap in. Kye Simpson then netted a third for B & W in the 68th minute after a dreadful mix up in the Thornbury defence.

Ellwood and Slimbridge shred a point each in a game that was controlled by a very strong wind. Ellwood took the lead on 10 minutes with a goal from Daryl Addis and held on to that lead until the 80th minute when Marvyn Roberts levelled the score.


Action from Axa V Berkeley
Action from AXA V Berkeley
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney

Taverners topsy turvey season continues as they went down 2-0 to Hanham Athletic They fell behind after 40 minutes when Mark Pocock curled a 30 yard drive into the top corner. Hanham sealed the points in the 75th minute when Darren Burt side footed home from close in.

Chipping Sodbury Town fell behind to a Micky Adams goal after 15 minutes and Highridge United increased their lead on 40 minutes through Craig Liddell. A minute later the home side pulled a goal back through Paul Harris. A third goal from Nick Pratten saw Highridge go away with a 3-1 victory.

Bottom club D.R.G. Stapleton failed to score as they went down 4-0 at home to Patchway Town. The visitors opened the scoring on 13 minutes when Adam Searle drifted past several defenders before hammering the ball home. The home side were then reduced to ten men after Conrad Mignott was dismissed. Right on half time Marlon Francis gave Patchway a 2-0 lead. Five minutes into the second half Blaine Mitchell put Patchway 3-0 up and a penalty in the 65th minute by Matt Fowler completed a bad day all-round for the home side.

18th October 2008 - Slimbridge hit seven past Bishops Cleeve

Slimbridge go back to the top of the table after hammering seven goals into the Bishops Cleeve Reserves net without reply. Fran King opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a 25 yard pile driver. Then sixteen minutes later Steven Badham net a second. Lewis Wilton set up Marvyn Roberts to make it 3-0 in then 33rd minute and just three minutes later Carl Brown netted the fourth. Just before the break Bishops Cleeve conceded an own goal to send the home side in leading 5-0. Carl Brown made it six in the 82nd minute and four minutes later Brown set up Lewis Wilton to side foot home the seventh.

Thornbury Town went down 1-0 at home to Taverners who took the lead in the 22th minute from the penalty spot. Jordan Long’s foul gave Russell Chamberlain the opportunity from the penalty spot, which he duly dispatched past Farr.

Patchway Town almost shot themselves in the foot when they were reduced to ten men on the hour when Clayton Clark was dismissed for two bookable offences. Visitors Axa had take a ten minute lead from a Nick Jones penalty, but 18 minutes later Patchway were level when they were awarded a penalty with Matt Fowler making no mistake from the spot. Three minutes into the second half Patchway took the lead again Matt Fowler netting from the penalty spot. Axa should have been on level terms after 52 minutes but Andy Sledge missed the easiest of chance from just 3 yards out. The visitors drew level after 71 minutes when Dominic Holver scored and with the game heading for a draw Patchway’s Matt Fowler missed a golden opportunity for the home side to have snatched the points when he shot wide from point blank range.

Highridge United and Yate Town Reserves met for the second week running and this time the result ended in a 2-2 draw. The home side took the lead after 7 minutes when the Yate keeper fumbled the ball and Mitchell Kavanagh netted from 15 yards. Midway through the second half Yate drew level when Carl Lakey netted from just inside the box. With in a minute United were back in front when Hopkins set up Nick Pratton to score, but the best goal of the afternoon came in the 87th minute when Carl Lakey hit a superb drive from 35 yards that simply flew into the top corner of the Highridge net.

17thOctober 2008 - Les James League Cup - 2nd Round draw

Taverners who defeated Highridge Uniteed in the first round have been disqualified from the competition for fielding a player who was ineligible under competition rules. Highridge United have also been disqualified for the same reason.

The draw for the Les James League Cup 2nd Round is as follows.

Patchway Town V Bishops Cleeve Reserves - To be played on Saturday 8th November Kick-off 2.00pm

Thornbury Town V Yate Town Reserves – To be played on Saturday 29th November Kick-off 2.00pm

B & W Avonside V Kings Stanley – To be played on Saturday 20th December Kick-off 1.45pm

Henbury – have a bye to the next round.

11th October 2008 - Axa snatch late winner at Hanham

With both the top two teams out of action today it was a chance for the rest of the clubs to play catch up.

Axa snatch the three points away from Hanham Athletic with an 89th minute goal. Hanham who had played the whole of the second half with ten men after Craig Sperring had been given his marching orders near the close of the first 45 minutes must feel aggrieved at conceding such a late goal after containing the away side for most of the second half.

Hanham had much the better of the first 20 minutes and took the lead in the 24th minute when left fullback Matt Walker was played in down the left and hit a low shot that struck the far post and finished up in the back of the Axa net. Axa hit back to level the score when Andy Sledge whipped in a superb cross behind the home defence and Steve Watts lifted the ball over Strawford. Watts then sent a good cross into the Hanham box that Sperring did well to deflect over the bar with Andy Sledge waiting to pounce. The visitors were now pushing the home side hard and a goalmouth scramble almost saw them take the lead but the ball went just wide. Then a break down the left by Hanham in the 35th minute saw them take the lead when Ryan Phillips took the ball to the by-line and squared it back for Terry Baker to stoop very low to head past Pearce. A minute later Axa were back on level terms when Nigel Ramana’s cross from the right was met by Andy Sledge 2-2. Just before the break there was a scuffle between Axa’s Pat Marsh and the home sides Terry Baker in which both players were booked and Baker ended up leaving the field for treatment and then being substituted. Just before the break Craig Sperring was sent off for a bad foul on Axa’s Matt Thomas.


Action from Hanham Athletic V Axa
Action from Hanham Athletic V AXA
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney

Axa opened the second half well and a cross from Ramana was met by Watts whose shot stuck the crossbar and was cleared off the line. Hanham were the better side for most of the second half even though they were a player down but they never seemed to threaten the well organised Axa defence. Their containment of the Axa forwards during the second period limited the visitors efforts on goal but in the very last minute of the game Axa stole the points. Sub Mark Greenland broke down the left sent in a fierce drive that struck the crossbar and central defender Pat Marsh was there to head the ball past Strawford.

Chipping Sodbury Town pulled off an amazing win at home to Ellwood by two goals to one. Town fell behind to a penalty converted by Ryan Pendry after 37 minutes. Then early in the second they had two players dismissed for second yellow card offences, but then hit back to win the game with goals from Lee Peacock on the hour mark and Rob Sarcozi who grabbed the winner in the 70th minute, giving them their second three point of the season.

Berkeley Town’s good start to the season came to a halt when they went down 3-1 at home to Tuffley Rovers. Tuffley opened the scoring after 12 minutes with a simple tap in by Chris Lee from close range, and then went further ahead when Stuart Griffith netted a second on 28 minutes. Just before the break Matt Bryant pulled a goal back for Berkeley, but a second from Stuart Griffith just three minutes into the second half to give the visitors a two goal cushion, which they defended well until the final whistle.

Thornbury Town showed no mercy to bottom club D.R.G. Stapleton when hammering four into their net without reply. Towns first came after 15 minutes from a Pete Fowler header and ten minutes later Chris Johnson fired in the first of his two goals of the afternoon. Troy Monks then made it 3-0 after 40 minutes with a superb strike after being set up by Alexander. Thornbury’s fourth and final goal came in the 80th minute when Chris Johnson cracked home a Jack Warren corner.


Action from Hanham Athletic V Axa
Action from Hanham Athletic V AXA
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney

B & W Avonside were brought back down to earth after they had completed the double over Slimbridge last week when they went down 3-2 at home to Henbury. Ian Burnell gave the home side a 20th minute lead but it was short lived as a poor back pass allowed Henbury striker Shane Hobbs into level. Hobbs gave Henbury the lead in the 58th minute and Gary Clark netted a third. The home side hit back with a late goal from Andy Watts.

Yate Town Reserves slipped to their fourth defeat of the season when they went down 2-0 at home to Highridge United. No goals in the first half but a strike from Steve French and a second from Adam Winstone gave the visitors 3 very welcome points.


Action from Hanham Athletic V Axa
Action from Hanham Athletic V AXA
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney

Patchway Town slip into the bottom two for the first time in many years after they were defeated 2-0 at home by Taverners. The visitors took the lead when Stuart Lawrence drove a 20 yard free kick hard and low at the Patchway goal and some how it managed to squeeze past the keeper into the corner of the net. Town had the chance to draw level in the 60th minute when Paul Jennings upended Bradley Harris in the box, but from the resulting spot kick Taverners keeper Duane Portlock guest right and brought of a tremendous save to prevent town the equaliser. Taverners sealed the three points in the 88th minute when Craig Mills making his debut netted a second.

4th October 2008 - Stanley continue perfect start to season

Kings Stanley move back into top spot after hammering five past the Berkeley Town defence without reply. McDermott should have opened the scoring for Stanley after 15 minutes but missed a simple chance when he headed wide. Ten minutes later Mike Beckingham opened the scoring with a strike from the edge of the box. Just before the break Ben Newman was brought down in the box and Nick Reiger made no mistake from the penalty spot. Martin McDermott made up for his earlier miss with a third for Stanley two minutes into the second half. Then they had to wait until the 88th minute when Ben Newman headed in the fourth, but the best goal of the afternoon came in time added on from Steve Potter whose shot screamed into the Berkeley net from the edge of the box.

B & W Avonside gained an excellent 1-0 win over Slimbridge. Only one really good chance in the first 45 minutes when Noel O’Sullivans shot hit the upright. Then Slimbridge were reduced to ten men in the second half Thomas Cole getting his marching orders for receiving two yellow cards. Even though they were down to ten men Slimbridge looked the better side, but fell behind in the 83rd minute when Kye Simpson was brought down in the box and Andy Watts netted from the spot. The home side were also reduced to ten men when Ian Burnell was dismissed.

Axa continued where they left off last week with a 3-2 home win over Patchway Town. But it was Town who took the lead in the 10th minute Ashley Brown slotting the ball home. Axa’s Danny Thorpe levelled on the half hour after some neat passing between Dominic Holver and Thorpe before he nipped past two defenders to slide the ball home. Patchway took the lead again in the second half when a mistake by Matt Thomas allowed Brad Harris to send over a cross to the unmarked Ben Purdie to slide the ball home. Axa levelled again in the 80th minute when Thorpe and Holver set up Steve Watts to drive the ball in from the edge of the box. The winner came in the 86th minute when Holver rounded several Patchway players to square the ball across for Watts to net his second of the afternoon.

Hanham Athletic were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Tuffley Rovers but their spokesman said they should have won this game with the amount of chances they created. Terry Baker gave Hanham the lead on 10 minutes but they failed to find the back of the net again and were devastated when Mark Wallington popped in the equalising goal ten minutes from the end from a goalmouth scramble.

D.R.G. Stapleton are off the mark scoring their first goals in the competition this season. Unfortunately the two they scored against Henbury were not enough to gain them any points as they let three in at the other end. Henbury took a 3-0 lead by the break with two goals from Shane Hobbs one a penalty after 27 minutes and Ashley Lock netting the third. The home side hit back in the second half with Conrad Mignott heading home from a free kick in the 53rd minute. They gave Henbury a scare when Kirk Waldron netted from the penalty spot on 80 minutes but they failed that elusive equalising goal.

Chipping Sodbury went down 3-1 at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves. James Verseci opened the scoring for the visitors a minute before the break. Five minutes into the second half James Hammond made it 2-0 and Veseci netted a second to put the visitors into a 3-0 lead. Sodbury’s only goal came in the 75th minute from Paul Harris.

Ellwood took a 3-0 lead at home to Yate Town Reserves. Jamie Addis opened the scoring after 10 minutes with Ryan Pendry netting the second from the penalty spot ten minutes later. Gary Wildin made it three when he had a simple tap in on 35 minutes. Yate hit back in the second half with Nuno Felix scrambling the ball home on the hour. Justin Cattle should have made it two from the penalty spot after 75 minutes but his spot kick was brilliantly saved by the Ellwood keeper. Jack Smyth netted a 35 yard shot in the 80th minute and it was just a case of the home side hanging on for the win until the end.

Last but not least was Taverners v Thornbury Town which ended in a goalless draw but a welcomed point for both teams.