Match Reports
30th December 2006 - Roman Glass beat Axa and the weather.
Another bad Saturday with only one game being completed and one game abandoned after 45 minutes.
Axa once again were the only club to complete a fixture in the Gloucestershire County League when they entertained Roman Glass St George. A howling wind blowing from goal to goal made the conditions even harder on a very heavy pitch that got increasingly worse as the game progressed. Axa had the wind to their backs in the first half but failed to break down a very well organised and controlled defensive display from the visitors. With the wind in their favour in the second half the Saints were looking to take full advantage, but found themselves a goal down after 10 minutes when Steve Beazers pass split the Saints defence and Steve Rice nipped in the put Axa ahead. With the visitors on top in the second half a slice of luck and some quick thinking by Saints forward Ian Power gave them the lead in the 70th minute, a cross into the box was headed over the keeper by Kevin Williams, the ball stuck in the mud and Power moved forward to tap the ball into the Axa net. With 2 minutes to go Simon Mansfield who had come on as a substitute for the Saints crossed into the box and the same duo of Williams and Power and almost an identical situation as the previous goal allowed Power in for his second goal and a valuable three points for the visitors.
Hanham Athletic v Henbury survived the terrible conditions for 45 minutes before the pitch became waterlogged and the referee had to call the game off. The first 45 minutes had produced two goals one for each side. Joe Mogg had put Hanham in front on 40 minutes when the Henbury keeper misjudged the ball and Mogg banged the ball into the net, but Henbury were level 2 minutes later when a cross into the box was met by Ashley Lock to side foot the ball into the Hanham net.
23rd December 2006 - Yate Town Reserves stun leaders
Shock of the day was Yate Town Reserves 5-2 victory over league leaders Henbury. The home side took the lead after 20 minutes through Andy Finch only for Paul Metheringham to level five minutes later. Yate then took a 2-1 lead when Metheringham scored his second before the break. Martin Boyle netted to make it 3-1 and Paul Lucas gave Yate a 4-1 lead before Nathan Baird scored a second for Henbury. With 5 minutes left on the clock Jack Smyth rounded off the scoring to give Yate a very good victory.
Pucklechurch Sports eased their relegation worries with a 2-1 victory over Hardwicke. Sports took the lead in the 3rd minute through Andy Grainger, but Hardwicke hit back minutes later when Paul Carter netted. Sports grabbed the three points when Ben Gardiner broke free in the 80th minute and chipped the visitor?s keeper in a one on one situation.
Patchway Town got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Hanham Athletic, a goal on 10 minutes from Marlon Francis gave the home side the lead until the hour mark when Richard Sperring equalised for Hanham. The winning goal for town came with 3 minutes to spare when Adam Searles 25 yard shot flew into the Hanham net.
Keith William in action for Patchway Town against Hanham Athletic
Image courtesy Pete Tiley/UNiCOM
Berkeley Town entertained local rivals Wotton Rovers and the game ended all square 2-2. Wotton?s Lee Zabek's header after 3 minutes gave them the lead, but Berkeley?s Tom Waldron levelled 3 minutes later. Peter Lavis put the home side back in front from the penalty spot after 65 minutes, but Wotton?s Ricky Walker was on hand to level the score once more.
Thornbury Town defeated Sea Mills Park 3-1 exactly the same score as the last time they met a couple of weeks previous in the GFA Cup, but this time there were valuable points at stake. Thonbury took the lead in the 35th minute through Alex Moss and a minute later they were 2-0 up when Mark Greenland netted. A penalty by Richard Nelmes on the hour mark gave the Millers some hope, but then they had two players dismissed and the final goal from Thornbury?s Mark Greenland was a bit special when he deceived the Millers goalkeeper with a terrific shot from the half-way line.
Highridge United back in league action after a lay off of three weeks gained three valuable points with a 2-0 win over Ellwood. Tyrone McNeeley gave them a first half lead with Mike Berry netting a second midway through the second half.
D.R.G.Stapleton performance against Roman Glass St George probably should have earned them all three points, but they had to settle on a 2-2 draw. Mark Cozens gave the home side the lead on 20 minutes before Chris Astley levelled for the Saints. Andrew Marshall gave D.R.G. the lead again on 75 minutes only for Nathan Churchill to level once again.
The game between Totterdown P.O.B. and Axa failed to produce a single goal in 90 minutes of football and finished 0-0
In the G.F.A. Trophy 2nd round match Kings Stanley were heavily beaten 7-1 by Hellenic Premier Side Slimbridge. Stanley were trailing 2-0 at the break but the second half produced no fewer than six goals. Five for Slimbridge and a Tony Francis penalty for the home side. On target for Slimbridge was Craig Cole (2), and one each for F Ward, T Haddock, R Colwell, C Johnson and M Grey. 165 spectators watched this match.
19th December 2006 - Average Attendances
At the recent league meeting, it was requested that attendance information the teams provide be made public. The average attendances at Home League matches as reported to the league up to December 9th are shown below. A more detailed breakdown will be provided at a later date
| Team | Average Attendance |
| Axa | 39 |
| Berkeley Town | 73 |
| D.R.G. Stapleton | 36 |
| Ellwood | 49 |
| Hanham Athletic | 99 |
| Hardwicke | 51 |
| Henbury | 53 |
| Highridge United | 30 |
| Kings Stanley | 49 |
| Patchway Town | 58 |
| Pucklechurch Sports | 49 |
| Roman Glass St George | 42 |
| Sea Mills Park | 44 |
| Taverners | 42 |
| Thornbury Town | 57 |
| Totterdown P.O.B. | 18 |
| Wotton Rovers | 81 |
| Yate Town Reserves | 49 |
16th December 2006 - Roman Glass overpower Thornbury
A game of two halves, how many times have you heard that expression used in soccer terms, well that is exactly what it was between Roman Glass St George and Thornbury Town. Thornbury had 90% of the play in the first half but failed to score and went into the break trailing 1-0 after Nathan Churchill had put the Saints ahead in the 30th minute against the run of play. What ever the manager said at half time to the Roman Glass St George team it certainly worked, because they dominated the second period against a Thornbury team who never appeared in the second half. Further goals from Nathan Churchill with a header that looped over the keeper, a brilliant individual goal from Chris Astley and a simple header for Simon Mansfield showed the Saints dominance. Scott Kendall in the Thornbury goal kept the score down with two brilliant saves and Town eventually got a consolation goal 2 minutes from the end when Peter Fowler headed home a free kick from the right. The outstanding player in the Roman Glass St George team was Ian Power who was involved in everything that was good about the home side and this fellow has been playing in their reserve side.
Henbury pulled of a great 3-0 win away at Patchway Town. They took the lead as early as the second minute when Martyn Alford failed to collect the ball and Eddie Howells was there to head home. 20 minutes later they were 2-0 up when Nathan Baird netted. Patchway were down to ten men in the second half when Marlon Francis got his marching orders and the visitors having a one man advantage scored again through Adam Rosser in the 75th minute.
Taverners kept up their challenge for the title with a slender 1-0 win at basement club Wotton Rovers. It took the visitors until the 81t minute to break through the home teams defence with Matt Blythe getting on the score sheet again.
Hardwicke took the game to visitors Totterdown P.O.B. in the first half but again failed to find the back of the net and paid dearly in the second half when Craig Hobbs netted after 47 minutes and Gary Booth four minutes later to give them a 2-0 victory
Pucklechurch Sports remain just above the drop zone after being beaten at home 2-0 by Hanham Athletic. Both goals came in the first 45 minutes with strikes from Mark Pocock and Simon Dew.
Ellwood recovered after going a goal down at home to Berkeley Town to win 3-2. Tom Waldron gave Berkeley the lead on 20 minutes and the home side had to wait until the 65th minute for Jon Bowdler?s leveller. Julian Addis put the home side in front ten minutes later, but Berkeley hit back to level through Peter Lavis. The winner came 2 minutes from the end when Jon Bowdler netted his second of the game.
Yate Town Reserves were held at home to a 1-1 draw against Kings Stanley. Yate had the better of the first half and took the lead in the 40th minute when Steve Windle netted. The second half belonged to the visitors who got a deserved equalising goal through Steve Potter in the 65th minute.
Sea Mills Park gained a good 4-2 victory over visitors Axa. The went into a 2-0 lead before the break with goals from Matt Stringer and Richard Nelmes, but Axa hit back to level when Noel O?Sullivan and then an own goal made it 2-2. Two further strikes from Dave Harris and a second goal from Richard Nelmes near the end sealed it for the Millers.
D.R.G. Stapleton?s game at home to Highridge United was called of due to the heavy over night rain that waterlogged the pitch at one end.
13th December 2006 - Les James Cup - Round 2
Yate Town Res progress to the Semi-finals with a convincing 4-1 victory in what was an away game on their own pitch, the match having been rearranged following a washout at Wotton in November. Yate led 2-0 at the break with a goal from Jack Smyth after 20 minutes cutting in from the left and driving the ball across the keeper into the net. Lee Bridson scored direct from a corner when his cross curled into the far side of the goal deceiving everybody. Yate were guilty of missing some glorious chances to increase the score and should have been at least 5-0 up at the break.
Second half Wotton came more into the game and pulled goal back in the 51st minute when Jon Lang was given a free run on goal and placed the ball past the Yate keeper. Wotton had several good chances to get on level terms but failed to hit the target. Yate steady their game and a run by Ollie Clarke down the right saw the winger slip the ball through to Chris Gent who from six yards sliced the ball wide. The third Yate goal came down the left side with Jack Smyth breaking into the box and neatly chipped the ball over the Wotton keeper. Justin Cattle who had replaced the injured Gent was just wide of the post with a shot from just inside the box. Although Wotton performed much better in the second half Yate always looked dangerous on the break and Ollie Clark who had an outstanding second 45 minutes capped it off with a fourth goal in the 75th minute cutting into the box from the right and hammering his shot passed the Wotton keeper.
9th December 2006 - Taverners join top table
Taverners moved up to join Henbury at the top of the table with a comfortable but hard fought 2-0 win over Ellwood. Taverners had several early shots but failed to trouble the Ellwood keeper. Then Ellwood?s Gary Wildin hit a shot at Barnfield from 20 yards that the keeper took comfortably. The home side took the lead in the 20th minute when Mike Thornton hammered the ball into the net from just inside the box. Taverners striker Mark Harsant went close with a header midway through the half and the same player had a shot well saved by the visitors keeper minutes later. Just at the end of the half Wildin tested Barnfield with a good shot that the keeper was well positioned to collect. At the opening of the second half it was Taverners keeper who was called upon to make a diving save to prevent Ellwood levelling the score. Harsant missed a good chance to put the home side two up from a Matt Blythe cross and then at the other end Barnfield had to scramble the ball off the line after Paul Jennings almost knocked the ball into his own net. Taverners secured the points in the 74th minute when Richard Kerry?s cross was misjudged by the Ellwood keeper and Thornton stabbed the ball goalwards and it just managed to trickle over the line. They could have made it 3-0 with just minutes to go but Kerry who had got clear of his marker fired his shot straight at the Ellwood keeper.
Totterdown P.O.B. improved their position in the table with a 2-1 win over Pucklechurch Sports. 0-0 at the break the home side had to wait until the 70th minute to take the lead when full-back Craig Hobbs netted after a goalmouth scramble. The went further ahead seven minutes later Lee Selman fired home a Ryan McKillop cross. Sports did pull a goal back near the end when Rhys Morgan netted.
Berkeley Town failed to score for the second week running when they went down 2-0 at home to D.R.G. Stapleton. Paul Davis scored for the visitors a minute before the break and then netted a second five minutes into the second half to give D.R.G. Stapleton 3 well deserved points.
The game between Wotton Rovers and Patchway Town was called off due to an unfit pitch.
GFA Trophy Matches - Round Two
Goals galore at Lydney Town as last years County League Champions defeated last years runners-up Highridge United 5-4. On target for the home side was Pete Macklin with a hattrick and Marke Crabbe with a brace. Highridge?s reply came from Mike Berry (2) and Dean Maggs (2). A cracking game in which Highridge found themselves trailing 3-0 after 20 minutes but fought back to give the home side something to think about.
Henbury are through to the next round with a 1-0 win over Winterbourne United. Eddie Howells scored the winner after 60 minutes, but Henbury were guilty of missing several good chances and struck the upright on two occasions.
Almondsbury F.C. were fortunate to edge out a Yate Reserves side that had the better of the match but lacked a cutting edge up front. Yate made by far the brighter start and dominated the early exchanges, but were undone when Almondsbury controversially sprung the offside trap for Matt Fowler to fire home on 12 minutes. The game flared into life in the 22nd minute when an Almondsbury player and Marc Hughes of Yate were sent off following a wrestling match. Yate edged the rest of the first half but failed to create any clear chances. Almondsbury made a better start to the second half but again allowed Yate to get into the game, Yate managed to create a few half chances with Sam Vile crashing the ball into the crossbar. Almondsbury should have wrapped the game up when Stuart Jenkins was clear on an empty goal, however, he hesitated and Mark Winkler got across to save well. Almonds finally went two up from a Danny Cockram penalty on 80 minutes following a foul by Winkler. There was still time for Yate to pull a well deserved goal back from a Sam Vile header on 90 minutes, and they were still pressing when the whistle went.
The only two Gloucestershire County League teams to be drawn against each other were Thornbury Town and Sea Mills Park. Thornbury eased there way into the next round with a 3-1 win. Town took the lead with a tremendous shot from Mark Greenland and the same player getting a second when his shot bounced over the keepers arm and into the net. Lee Jasper made it 3-0 before Richard Nelmes scored for the Millers from the penalty spot 10 minutes from the end.
Hanham Athletic went out of the cup after losing 2-1 at home to Fairford Town. Fairford were 2-0 up at the break and according to a Hanham spokesman both were own goals. Hanham did bring a little hope when Simon Bryant scored, but although they scored all 3 goals they still lost the game.
2nd December 2006 - Henbury edge out Hanham
Henbury moved to the top of the table with a 3-1 win over close rivals Hanham Athletic. In a very tough and competitive game the spoils were even for most of the first half, both teams guilty of missing chances. Henbury?s Jermaine Wright was replaced by Ian Milne after 25 minute?s; Wright had picked up an injury. Hanham?s Joe Mogg was just wide with a shot from 20 yards while Nathan Baird?s free kick went straight to the Hanham keeper. The deadlock was broken in the 42nd minute when a break down the right by Henbury was crossed into the box; Gary Clark flicked it on to Milne to side foot into the visitors net. Right on half time Henbury struck again this time Eddie Howells heading home a cross from the right. Hanham made a double substitution at the start of the second half and pushed Henbury hard trying to pull a goal back. First they forced three corners on the trot then Richard Sperring shot just wide of the far post from the left side of the box. Then Gary Clark cleared off the line after Danny Hunts shot was blocked and then knocked goalwards by a Henbury defender. At the other end, Milne and Baird had shots deflected by Hanham defenders. A ray of light for Hanham after Hodges brought down Joe Allen in the box to concede a penalty which James Zabek duly dispatched past the keeper. The home side finally sealed the game in the 89th minute when Ian Milne was put clear to score his second.
Josh Dempsey plucks the ball from the air.
Image courtesy Gary Bray/UNiCOM
Wotton Rovers recorded their first win of the season with a convincing 4-1 win at home to D.R.G. Stapleton. Wotton went in front after 20 minutes through Gary Cripps but were held until the 53rd minute when Danny Thorpe netted. Goals form Mickey Adams 60 minutes and Jon Laing put the home side firmly in the driving seat before Paul Davis got a consolation goal for the visitors.
Patchway Town came away with the three points from Hardwicke even though they were down to ten men for the entire second half after Matt Webb was dismissed. Mike Bishop had given Town the lead in the 10th minute and Substitute Ben Purdie netted the second on 70 minutes. The win moves Patchway into second place.
Nick Wilson wins the ball for Hanham Athletic against Henbury.
Image courtesy Gary Bray/UNiCOM
Struggling sides Thornbury Town and Pucklechuch Sports had to be content with a point each in a 2-2 draw at the Mundy Playing Fields. Lee Jasper gave Town the lead after 7 minutes, but Sports hit back when Morgan Holmes scored from the penalty spot. 2 minutes before the break Richard Sage gave Thornbury the lead but it only lasted until the 48th minute when Andy Grainger levelled. Sports were the better side throughout the second half but could not find a winner.
Kings Stanley ran out 2-1 winners at home to Sea Mills Park. Lee Pritchard put the home side in front after 20 minutes with the Millers levelling through Dave Harris on the hour. Stanley?s Steve Potter netted the winner in the 80th minute. Berkeley Town failed to find the back of Taverners net on their way to a 3-0 home defeat. Mark Harsant gave Taverners the lead from the penalty spot in the 54th minute and further goals from Richard Carey 74 minutes and Mike Thornton 89 minutes saw the visitors home.
Henbury take a freekick against Hanham Athletic.
Image courtesy Gary Bray/UNiCOM
An added time goal by Mark Westwood saw Roman Glass St George back on the winning trail. Earlier Mark Brooker had given them a 20 minute lead before Tom Blythe equalised from the penalty spot for Axa on the hour.
Ellwood lead until the 70th minute in this home game with Totterdown P.O.B. through a Gary Wildin goal in the first half. It was Totterdown's Gary Booth who levelled before Shane Hobbs stole all the points in the very last minute of the game.
GFA Trophy - Match re-arrangement
The game between Kings Stanley and Slimbridge has had to be moved from December 9th to December 23rd due to Slimbridge's success in the FA Vase.
Kings Stanley's league match at Taverners due to be played on December 23rd will be arranged for a later date.