Match Reports
29th September - Patchway keep unbeaten run going
Patchway Town are the only undefeated team in the league after their 6-1 win over Wotton Rovers. Town were much the better team throughout the first half and took the lead when Bradley Harris put Paul Francis clear to score the first of his three goals after 16 minutes. Five minutes later they had a two goal lead when Murphy’s header found Francis to hammer the ball home. Town were 3-0 up on 27 minutes when Wotton’s Alex Stocker stabbed the ball into his own net from a Harris cross. Wotton produced their best form for 15 minutes of the second half and was rewarded when Kier Cox was upended in the box and Gary Cripps netted from the spot. They should have made it 3-2 minutes later when Owen Clements contrived to head over the bar from six yards. Then disaster struck for Wotton when Jon White sent a ball towards his own goal and Mark Palmer latched on to it muscled his way past a defender and fired the ball past Fox. Trailing 4-1 was just to much for the visitors and they conceded again when Francis completed his hat-trick. Murphy was then brought down by Fox who was lucky to have only received a yellow card, but Jason Ford’s penalty was saved by Fox. Adam Searle wrapped it up for Town in the 82nd minute when he fired into the Wotton net from the edge of the box.
Patchway fire in a free kick against Wotton Rovers
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more pictures available on picasa
Tuffley Rovers move to the top of the table with a 5-0 win over D.R.G. Stapleton. Ollie Everitt opened the scoring on 15 minutes from the penalty spot after Adam hacker had been brought down. Then three goals from Hacker the first a shot after 33 minutes, then two in the second half the first on 52 minutes when he broke from the half way line with the D.R.G. defence appealing for offside and the second two minutes later with a firm left foot drive. Pat Boyd wrapped it up in the 70th minute.
Yate Town Reserves suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Highridge United. Yate took the lead on 20 minutes from a Luke Coles header, but Dean Maggs levelled on 35 minutes with a hotly disputed goal for Highridge. It was Craig Liddell who gave Highridge the lead on 80 minutes smashing a difficult bouncing ball into the net.
Taverners and Kings Stanley shared the points with a 1-1 draw but after a goalless first half in which Stanley were the better side they took the lead through Matt Davis on 72 minutes, but Paul Jennings salvaged a point for the home side heading home in the 81st minute.
Gary Cripps scoring with a Penalty for Wotton Rovers
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more pictures available on picasa
Ellwood also gained a point at home to Axa after taking the lead and then falling behind. Ellwood’s Mark Lee netted from the penalty spot after 6 minutes but Axa hit back when Noel O’Sullivan scored. Danny Thorpe gave Axa the lead on 75 minutes by Byron Ranford saved the day for Ellwood.
Hardwicke pulled of a very good 3-0 win at home to Hanham Athletic. New signing Carl brown opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a shot that flew through a crowd of players before nestling in the visitors net. Richard James made it 2-0 in the 58th minute from the penalty spot and another new signing Adrian Bristow made it 3-0 on 78 minutes.
Pucklechurch Sports are rueing the missed chances for their 2-1 defeat at home at the hands of fellow strugglers Berkeley Town. This was Town’s first win of the season. Richard Langley had given the visitors the lead after 10 minutes and it remained that way until Jon Wiltshire levelled in the second half. The same player should have given Sports the lead but missed a glaring chance. Sports did every thing but get the ball into the net and paid dearly in the 75th minute when Peter Booth grabbed the winner for Town.
The game between Henbury and Thornbury Town finished goalless neither side being able to break the deadlock, but both teams will be glad of a point.
26th September - National League Systems Cup - 1st Round
Somerset County League 2 - 2 Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League (AET)
Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League won 4-3 on penalties
Gloucestershire Goalscorers: Eddie Howells, Mark Palmer
Penalties scored by: Richard James, Mike Berry, Mark Palmer, Jon Berry
Gloucestershire Team : Kevin Sibley (Pucklechurch Sports), Ricki Lippiatt (Thornbury Town), Tom Windows (Highridge United), Alex Lang (Axa), Neil Blunden (Patchway Town), Mark Palmer (Patchway Town), Craig Liddell (Highridge United), Eddie Howells (Henbury, Captain), Justin Cattle (Yate Town Reserves), Craig Harris (Taverners), Mike Berry (Highridge United)
Subs: Jon Berry (Highridge United, for Lang), Richard James (Hardwicke, for Harris), Daryl Saunders (Highridge United, for Howells)
Manager: Tony Cornelius, Assistant Manager: Wayne Limbourne, Physio: Tony Clark
Gloucestershire should have been two up after 5 minutes with Justin Cattle hitting the crossbar and Somerset keeper Ben Fellows keeping out a Mark Palmer shot with a great save. Gloucestershire were denied again when Fellows brought off a great save to deny Mike Berry. Somerset gradually settled down and began to play some nice passing football and a great shot brought Kevin Sibley into the game diving full stretch to prevent Somerset taking the lead. It was Somerset who took the lead on 27 minutes when a break down the left by Mark Randal found Stuart Lee nipping in to flick the ball past Sibley. Somerset pushed the visitors back for the next ten minutes and Gloucestershire defended their goal well getting bodies behind the ball to deny any further score.
The second half failed to produce any further score until the 67th minute when Gloucestershire’s Tom Windows sent a free kick into the box from 40yards which bounced nicely for Eddie Howells to slip the ball into the Somerset net. This lifted the visitors who pushed hard for the winner but met stiff opposition from the Somerset defenders. Gloucestershire might well have taken the lead with some nice one touch football that put Mark Palmer in clear on goal but Fellows brought off another brilliant save to keep the score at 1-1.
Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League Representative team
Image courtesy Dave Herbert
With no further score in normal time the game went into Extra Time 15 minutes each way. Mike Berry broke clear down the left and sent in a tremendous shot that Fellows managed to divert onto the crossbar and out for a corner. Then in the 102 minute Gloucestershire took the lead for the first time, again it was Palmer and Berry linking up on the left with Berry’s shot being saved by fellows but Palmer was there to slide the ball home.
Somerset failed to create any chances in the first period of extra time and going into the second period the players were beginning to tire and make mistakes on both sides giving the ball away far too often. With just 2 minutes to go a harmless ball pumped over from the left by Somerset ran free of the Gloucestershire defence and was knocked back into the middle to be met by Andrew Forward who powered his header past Sibley to make it 2-2. The game finished all square and was now going to be decided on penalties.
Somerset scored their first, but a great save from Fellows stopping Daryl Saunders’s effort. Somerset then went 2-0 up before Richard James hit an unstoppable penalty into the corner to make it 2-1. Somerset scored their third to go 3-1 in the lead and it was the turn of Mike Berry and he made no mistake to make it 3-2. The next Somerset penalty was crucial and Kevin Sibley made a magnificent save diving to his left to push the ball away. Mark Palmer then hammered his penalty into the net to bring the scores level at 3-3. Then the unthinkable happened as the last Somerset penalty taker lifted the ball over the bar, which meant that Jon Berry had to score to take Gloucestershire through to the next round. Berry’s shot flew into the back of the net to give them a plum tie away to the Guernsey Priaulx League in round 2.
23rd September 2007 - DRG pay price for missed chances
D.R.G. Stapleton went down 2-0 at home to Taverners but if they had taken the early chances they created it may have been a different story. Sam Glanville’s shot was well saved by Barnfield after 2 minutes and minutes later Kevin Wilson knocked the ball over the bar when clear on goal. Those two misses cost them dearly in the 20th minute when Mark Harsant put Craig Harris clear to slide the ball past Fletcher. Within minutes Taverners had a two goal lead when Russell Chamberlin went round Howland and then Fletcher to side foot the ball home. D.R.G. had much the better of the second half and both Wilson and Price were unlucky with chances for D.R.G. to draw level.
Tom Burridge with a volley for Taverners against DRG Stapleton
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more pictures available on picasa
Patchway Town ran out 4-0 winners over Pucklechurch Sports. A spokesman for Sports said that they failed to turn up on the day and never looked like causing Town any problems. Patchway took a 3-0 lead in the first 45 minutes with a double from Sam Murphy and a headed goal from Jon Shorland. Aaron Anderson added a fourth on 75 minutes.
Hanham Athletic took Tuffley Rovers unbeaten record away when Lee Forrister netted after Mark Pocock set him up.
Ellwood came a cropper at home to Kings Stanley the visitors gaining a 4-1 victory. Stanley only found the back of the net once in the first half Danny Stephens netting after 25 minutes, but further goals from Steve Potter (2) and Daniel Chandler gave them a 4-0 lead before Ellwood grabbed a consolation when Mark Lee netted from the penalty spot.
Thornbury Town were also on the end of a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Hardwicke. The visitors scored in the first minute through Craig Beaton and Eddie Rimmer added a second with a shot that struck both uprights before nestling in the net on 35 minutes. Both Chris Johnson and Francis Malala had chances to level the score before Paul Carter netted a third for Hardwicke after 75 minutes.
Yate Town Res hold their position at the top of the table with a 2-1 win at Axa. The home side took the lead on 20 minutes Steve Watts finding the back of the net. Axa continued to have more of the play in the first half but just could not score again. They paid for their misses when Justin Cattle levelled the scored just 2 minutes into the second half and the winner came in the 75th minute from a well struck shot from Paul Dempsey.
Wotton Rovers are off the mark with a 2-1 home win over Henbury. No goals in the first 45 minutes, but Michael Cotton opened for Wotton on 47 minutes. Ashley West levelled for Henbury on the hour but just 4 minutes later Craig Knight netted the winner for Wotton.
Berkeley Town picked up their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw at Highridge United. The home side took the lead on 15 minutes with a superb strike from Tyrone McNeeley and then failed with a catalogue of chances to make the game safe. They paid dearly in the 57th minute when Karl Nash drove a brilliant free kick from 25 yards into the top of the Highridge net.
16th September 2007 - Yate leave it late at Stanley to go top
Yate Town Res and Tuffley Rovers occupy the two top places after four games played.
Tuffley Rovers dented Ellwood’s 100% record with a 3-1 home win. This game was re-scheduled after Tuffley’s and Ellwood’s original opponents were drawn against each other in the GFA Challenge Trophy Cup Preliminary Round. Tuffley opened the scoring when Adam Hacker netted after 21 minutes. Rovers went 2-0 up through Ollie Everitt on 50 minutes but a mix up in the Tuffley defence allowed Mike Nelson to pull a goal back for Ellwood. Ellwood then applied pressure on the Rovers defence who managed to hold out and snatched a third goal when Pat Boyd netted three minutes from the end.
Yate Town Reserves game was switched to Kings Stanley as their first team were drawn home in the FA Cup. Stanley took the lead after 30 minutes from a Scott Cumberlin strike and Yate lost the services of their keeper with a rib injury just a few minutes later with Lee Blackwell taking over the keeper’s jersey. It took town until the 82nd minute to get on level terms with Martyn Boyle netting, then with just 3 minutes to go Boyle popped up again to steal all the points.
Patchway Town earned themselves a 2-2 draw at Henbury but with the number of chances they created they should have won the game comfortably. Henbury took the lead when Nathan Baird turned in a Scott Bamford free kick on 58 minutes, but Town levelled on 63 minutes when new signing Jing Yeun Cai carved through the Henbury defence and squared the ball for Mark Palmer to score. Henbury took the lead again three minutes later when Jermaine Wright shook of Blundell to slot home a left foot drive. The leveller for Town came on 70 minutes when Jing Yeun Cai neatly rounded four defenders before drawing Winkler and slotting the ball into the net.
Pucklechurch Sports were at home to Highridge United and went down to an 80th minute free kick from Mike Berry. Just before the goal went in three players received their marching orders two from Highridge and the other a Pucklechurch player. Berry’s goal was from a free kick on the right which floated into the box and deceived everyone including Sibley in the Sports goal.
Taverners went down 1-0 for the second week running this time losing to Hanham Athletic. The only goal of the game came right on half time and was netted by Simon Dew. The visitors took control in the second half and only some brilliant goalkeeping by Craig Barnfield in the home goal kept the score down to one.
Berkeley Town’s poor start to the season continued with a 5-1 defeat at home to Axa. Gary Booth opened for Axa after 33 minutes and Nick Jones made it 2-0 six minutes later. Karl Nash gave the home side a glimmer of hope when he netted on 54 minutes but up popped Noel O’Sullivan with the first of his two goals on 65 minutes. Justin Moore made it 4-1 after 84 minutes and O’Sullivan netted his second on 90 minutes.
Hardwicke went a goal down at home to Wotton Rovers Alan Williams giving the visitors the lead on 35 minutes. The home side bounced back with a Mark Pritchett goal on 52 minutes and Eddie Rimmer put them in front on 65 minutes. Rob Hine netted a third to make the game safe.
Thornbury Town were drawn against D.R.G. Stapleton in the Preliminary Round of the GFA Challenge Trophy. This was a game that did not spark into life until the 85th minute when Matt Price gave the visitors the lead. Within a minute Town was level after an amazing run by Kel Malala who just drifted past the D.R.G. Stapleton defence and lobbed the ball over the advancing keeper. Three minutes later Thornbury were in front all down to the same player who broke through the visitors defence again squared the ball to his brother Francis Malala who drove the ball home.
12th September 2007 - Axa win in cup
Highridge United bow out of the Les James League Cup at the first round stage going down 2-0 at home to Axa. It was their second 2-0 reverse in four days against the same club. The visitors took the lead on 35 minutes when Craig Timbrell’s cross was turned in by Ryan McKillop. Highridge went close on several occasions but Rice in the Axa goal made good saves from Tyrone McNeeley and Mike Berry. Highridge were unlucky in the 55th minute when Mike Berry’s header struck the underside of the bar and was cleared away for a corner. Both teams made changes and it was Neil O’Sullivan who came on as a substitute for Axa who netted the second after the Highridge defence made an awful blunder that caught keeper Jenkins out of position and O’Sullivan firing home from 30 yards.
8th September 2007 - Thornbury sting Taverners
The leagues first full week of fixtures turned up some surprising results.
Taverners who had beaten Thornbury Town 3-0 last week in the Les James League Cup went down 1-0 in this week’s league fixture. The only goal of the game coming in the 35th minute when the Taverners keeper failed to hold a stinging shot and Kel Malala pounced to give Thornbury the lead.
Axa turned in a good performance in their second league game of the season with a 2-0 home win over Highridge United. The opening goal came in the 40th minute from Steve Watts heading home a free kick. Craig Timbrell made the game safe in the 65th minute when he nipped in behind the Highridge defence to slide the ball under the keeper.
Ellwood have maximum points from their first two league games and this weeks win over visitors Hanham Athletic came after 35 minutes from the penalty spot put away safely by Matt Foxwell.
Patchway Town recorded their first win of the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Hardwicke. The goal came courtesy of Jason Ford who netted from the penalty spot on 40 minutes.
Wotton Rovers prop up the table after a 4-2 home defeat by Tuffley Rovers. Ollie Everitt opened the scoring for Tuffley from the penalty7 spot afer 5 minutes with Adam Hacker making it 2-0m after 11 minutes. Alan Williams netted Wotton’s first goal after 13 minutes before Hacker struck again on 23 minutes for Tuffley. Williams pulled a goal back for Wotton on the half hour from the penalty spot, but a Mark Wallington goal on 60 minutes for Tuffley wrapped the game up.
Henbury corner against Pucklechurch Sports
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more pictures available on picasa
Pucklechurch Sports opened their campaign with an excellent 1-1 draw at Henbury. The home side had much of the play but failed to break down a very hard working Sports defence, until the 21st minute when Jermaine Wright engineered some space for a shot on goal and neatly fired a low shot across Sibley into the corner of the sports net. Sibley was called upon again this time saving with his legs and then taking a Nathan Baird shot low down. Pucklechurch were a little fortunate with their goal in the 28th minute, as Andy Grainger broke into the box Dan Hole made an attempt to take the ball from Grainger but in doing so fired the ball past his own keeper into the net. The second half did not live up to expectations and only Sibley was called up on to make several saves pushing the ball over the bar to prevent further goals.
Kings Stanley bounced back after last week’s 5-1 defeat in the cup with a sound 4-2 victory over Berkeley Town. Mike Beckingham gave Stanley the lead on 10 minutes and Martin McDermott netted a second on 35 minutes. A minute later Berkeley pulled the score back to 2-1 when Richard Langford netted. Stanley brought on Scott Cumberlin at the start of the second half and he headed the third. Berkeley struck again in the 65th minute through Mike Reece bring the score to 3-2 to the home side, but in the very last minute of the game Steve Potter got the fourth for Stanley with a well struck angled shot.
Yate Town Reserves go top of the table on goal difference with a 20 yard drive from Neil Simons in the 80th minute giving them a 1-0 victory over D.R.G. Stapleton.
1st September 2007 - DRG stun Kings Stanley in League Cup
The first round of the Les James League Cup threw up a couple of surprise results.
D.R.G Stapleton’s 5-1 win at Kings Stanley was the highest score of the day. The visitors took the lead after just 2 minutes through Darnell Foy, but Stanley levelled on 20 minutes through Matt Casey. Giovanni Fisher then got on the score sheet with two goals before the break and Leon Wilson made it 4-1 after 50 minutes. In the very last minute Foy struck for a second time to give the visitors a very good win and passage into the second round.
Last years winners of this competition Patchway Town went through with a very slender 1-0 victory at Pucklechurch Sports. The only goal of the game came after 12 minutes when Ben Purdy was set up to curl the ball past the Sports keeper. Sports had near misses when Jon Wiltshire grazed the outside of the post with a header and they had a ball cleared of the line.
Ellwood disposed of last seasons finalists Yate Town Reserves but had to come from behind to gain a very good 2-1 win. Paul Metheringham gave Yate the lead when he headed home a good cross into the box from the right after 10 minutes. The score remained that way until the 70th minute when a mistake in the box resulted in a penalty for Ellwood. Matt Foxwell was given the opportunity to level the score and made no mistake from the spot. Ten minutes later Ellwood were in front after Yate conceded a second penalty and Foxwell stepped up to score his second.
Berkeley Town’s hopes of reaching the second round were dashed by a Richard James hat-trick for Hardwicke. The visitors took the lead on 21 minutes when he headed home a Paul Carter free kick. Ben Wood should have made it 2-0 a few minutes later but his shot from close range was pushed onto the bar by goalkeeper Stevenson. On 40 minutes Berkeley were level when Tom Waldron’s cross come shot was misjudged by Evans and the ball ran through his legs into the Hardwicke net. Berkeley could well have taken the lead but for some poor shooting and a good stop by Evans to deny Lavis and Langford. On 75 minutes Hardwicke took the lead when James flicked a cross from the right over Stevenson and into the net. In the 89th minute James fired his third into the net after Stevenson had stopped the first shot from Rimmer.
Richard James (Blue No 9) wheels away after opening the scoring for Harwicke against Berkeley Town.
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more pictures available on picasa
Wotton Rovers finished the game with nine men and went down to a goal from Henbury’s Nathan Baird who headed home a Lee Howell’s cross after 2 minutes.
Tuffley Rovers continue their good form moving into the next round with a 1-0 win over Hanham Athletic the only goal scored by Nathan Owen after 16 minutes.
Taverners march on after a 3-0 win at home to Thornbury Town. Although scoreless at the break it took the home side just a minute to open the scoring in the second half. Kris Pritlove was felled in the box and Russell Chamberlin made no mistake from the penalty spot. The home side were 2-0 up after 77 minutes when Craig Gaskell neatly lobbed the ball over the keeper from the edge of the box. Four minutes later it was 3-0 after Stewart Lawrence scored in an almost identical situation lobbing the keeper who was well off his line.