Match Reports
23rd February 2008 - Prior makes Wotton pay the penalty
The result of the day has got to be the 7-0 thrashing Kings Stanley handed out to basement club Wotton Rovers. The outstanding performance in this match came from Steve Prior who netted four of the seven goals and included in that tally was a hattrick of penalties. The first penalty came after 10 minutes after Paul Day had been brought down in the box. Matt Casey made it 2-0 in the 40th minute with a header. Then in the second half Stanley netted another five. Sam Prior chipped the keeper for a 3-0 lead in the 55th minute and then netted his second penalty on 70 minutes after Paul Day had been brought down in the box for a second time. Five minutes later Prior netted his third penalty, with Tony Francis making it 6-0 in the 85th minute. Matt Casey netted his second right at the end from a corner.
For the second week running Thornbury Town failed to find the back of the net but kept their visitors D.R.G. Stapleton from scoring as well. Town had the better of the first 45 minutes with James Derosa going close early on. Liam Broomfield had easily the best chance for Town in the first half but lobbed his shot over the keeper and over the bar. The visitor’s first attempt on goal took them 25 minutes when a tame shot from Matt Price that was easily dealt with by Farr. Thornbury were unlucky not to have taken the lead when Broomfield’s cross was turned goalwards by Gary Toal only for goalkeeper Fletcher to stick out his foot and watch the ball deflect on to the upright and straight back into his arms.
Action from the Thornbury V DRG game
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
D.R.G. looked the better side in the second half and Farr brought off a tremendous save from Price to deny the visitors the lead. Richards should have scored for the visitors but shot wide with only Farr to beat. Thornbury’s only chance in the second half came from a mistake by Jason Howland who saw his back pass to Fletcher fall short but the keeper made a tremendous save to prevent Randall scoring. With just 5 minutes left Howland almost made up for his mistake when he saw his goal bound shot brilliantly pushed wide of the post by town’s keeper Farr. No goals but two evenly balanced sides who both need someone to find the back of the net.
Leaders Hardwicke march on with a 4-0 victory over Berkeley Town with a brace each for Rob Hine and Richard James. Hine opened the scoring on 20 minutes with Richard James making it 2-0 on 55 minutes. Hine then netted his second for the home side and James wrapped it up from a free kick in the 85th minute.
Action from the Thornbury V DRG game
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
A Micky Adams hattrick saw Highridge United get back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Yate Town Reserves. United went into the break with a Micky Adams strike midway through the first half. It was Adams again with his second early in the second half and then completed his hattrick on 75 minutes. Yate had to be satisfied with a consolation goal scored by Justin Cattle from the penalty spot near the end of the game.
Tuffley Rovers gained revenge for their earlier defeat in the Les James Cup at Henbury with a 3-2 success thanks to a late goal by Gary Cornwall. Gary Clark had given Henbury the lead but Rob Cook leveled for the visitors. Gary Cornwall then put Tuffley in front only for Henbury to hit back through Pat Mathison, but that late goal stole the show for Tuffley.
Pucklechurch Sports took a bit of a battering at home to going down 5-1to second in the table Hanahm Athletic. Hanham were two up after 25 minutes with two strikes from Simon Dew. A third by Simon Bryant just before the break meant the home side had a hard task on their plate in the second half. Hanham’s Shane Hobbs made it 4-0 after 46 minutes before Sports got themselves on the score sheet through Rhys Morgan. Hanham then went down to 10 men after having a player sent off, but it made no difference to the out come as Chris Ashwood netted the fifth and final goal in the 85th minute.
Patchway Town and Axa finished level with a 2-2 score-line all the goals coming in the first 45 minutes. On target for Town were Ashley Brown and Sam Murphy with Andy Sledge and Nick Jones replying for Axa.
Ellwood snatched a late winner at Taverners although the visitors took the lead on 22 minutes with a header from central defender Chris Stock. Taverners leveled on the hour when Russ Chamberlain poked home a header from Mike Thornton. The winner came fro Adam Stradling nipping in behind the Taverners defence to head home.
16th February 2008 - Yate close gap on top teams
Yate Town Res continued their good form with a 2-0 win over Taverners. It was the visitors who showed early promise with Stewart Lawrence hitting the side netting in the first few minutes. Yate soon settled down and began to push the ball around quite well. They took the lead in the 15th minute when Neil Simons was put clear on goal but was felled in the box the referee giving the home side a penalty. Justin Cattle took the spot kick and coolly sent Gannaway the wrong way. Town's keeper Amin Jones was called into action when a good cross into the six yard box looked dangerous but the keeper dealt with it well. Taverners should have drawn level on 32 minutes when a good cross from the right was hooked wide by Mark Harsant from just on the edge of the six yard box. Yate's Dominic Holver might have made it 2-0 in the 40th minute but he saw his shot well saved by Gannaway the ball spinning out for a corner. Holver broke into the box again just before the break but this time the shot was well blocked by the Taverners defence.
Cattle sends Gannaway the wrong way to put Yate ahead
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Yate made a brilliant start to the second half going 2-0 up after just 2 minutes when a long ball from the back bounced awkwardly for the Taverners defence and Justin Cattle muscled through to hammer the ball into the net. Holver caused the Taverners defence all sorts of problems with his pace and created several good chances to increase Yate's lead, but good defending and one very good save from Gannaway prevented him scoring. Both sides made substitutions in the second half, but it seemed to work better for the visitors as they pushed Yate back on defence for the last 15 minutes of the game and only two very good saves from Amin Jones prevented Taverners getting on the score sheet. With all the pressure applied by the visitors they failed to find the back of the net and left empty handed.
Amin Jones claims the ball for Yate
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Hanham Athletic failed to capitalise on the leaders Hardwicke not playing as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Thornbury Town. At one stage in the second half Hanham had set up camp in the visitors half but failed to break down a very stubborn and resilient Town defence.
Axa move back into the top four with a 4-2 success at Henbury. Henbury's Pat Mathison gave then the lead on 10 minutes but four minutes later Andy Sledge leveled for Axa. The visitors then went ahead through Steve Watts but Henbury hit back almost immediately through Craig Hobbs. In the second half Axa made it 3-2 when Danny Thorpe netted in the 47th minute and Nathan Lumber rounded the scoring off three minutes from the end.
D.R.G. Stapleton made hard work of their 2-0 win over bottom club Wotton Rovers. 0-0 at the break Giovanni Fisher opened the scoring for the home side on 50 minutes and it was Fisher who set up Sam Glanvill for the second in the 87th minute.
Ellwood took all three points in a very tight game against visitors Pucklechurch Sports, the winning goal coming in the 22nd minute from Matt Foxwell. Both teams hit the cross bar but failed to find the target.
Patchway Town gained a very good 2-1 victory over the in form Kings Stanley. Sam Murphy gave Town the lead when he swiveled in the box and hammered the ball into the Stanley net in the 37th minute. Stanley leveled the score in the 58th minute with a Paul Day strike. The winner for Patchway come in time added on when Matt Webb's corner deceived the Stanley keeper and his defence and flew straight into the net.
Tuffley Rovers were held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Berkeley Town. In fact town took the lead in the 27th minute when Rovers defence got into trouble and failed to clear the ball and Richard Langford nipped in to score. The lead only lasted six minutes before Rovers were level, Ollie Everitt making no mistake with his shot.
9th February 2008 - Tuffley and Hanham keep pressure on Hardwicke
Two goals in the first 8 minutes got the Tuffley Rovers v Highridge United off to a flying start Highridge opened the scoring when a free kick floated into the box was headed home by Mitch Kavanagh. Two minutes later Tuffley were level a free kick was hit straight to Mark Wallington who cleverly flicked the ball past the Highridge defence and ran through to net from a very good move. The home side looked the better side throughout the first half and deservedly took the lead on 32 minutes when Tom Windows let Adam Hacker get away from him and he slotted the ball past Brimble. Tuffley created several good scoring chances the best falling to Rob Cook who blasted the ball wide from close in. Maggs should have leveled the score before the break but the Highridge striker took too long on the ball and his shot was deflected wide for a corner.
Kavanagh heads Highridge in front
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more images on picasa
Highridge who had looked a bit disjointed inn the first half started the second half with a lot more zip and determination with Craig Liddell having his goal bound shot blocked at the last minute. At the other end Brimble brought off to brilliant saves to keep United in the game. Highridge deservedly drew level in the 63rd minute when Tom Windows sent the ball into the Tuffley box and Mitch Kavanagh found space to hammer the ball past Harris. Although United had enjoyed much more of the possession in the second period Rovers looked dangerous on the break and in the 75th minute the stunned the visitors when Mark Wallington sent over a cross from the right to the unmarked Ollie Everitt to volley a left footed drive from the edge of the box past the helpless Brimble. Highridge pushed hard to level and went close on several occasions but their luck was out.
Tuffley force a save from Brimble
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney, more images on picasa
Patchway Town got back to winning ways with a 3-1 success at home to D.R.G. Stapleton. Bradley Harris gave Town the lead on 8 minutes and netted a second on 16 minutes. D.R.G. pulled a goal back before the break with a Matt Price strike on 44 minutes, but the deciding goal for Town came in the 87th minute when substitute Ollie Baker whom had only come on a minute earlier netted a third to make the game safe.
Thornbury Town fell behind to visitors Pucklechurch Sports when Jon Wiltshire netted after 15 minutes. Sports were down to ten men before the break but conceded a goal in the 65th minute to an Adam Harley effort that was adjudged to have crossed the line by the Assistant Referee
Taverners gained a narrow 3-2 victory over Berkeley Town. Taverners opened the scoring when Tom Hanley's cross was fired home by Stewart Lawrence in the 36th minute, but Berkeley were level before the break when Karl Nash scored from the penalty spot. Taverners then took a 3-1 lead with goals from Mike Thornton on 58 minutes the Town keeper misjudging the flight of the ball. Mark Harsant then turned a Jamie Bish cross into the Town net. Berkeley made it 3-2 in the 83rd minute when Karl Nash got a second with a shot from the edge of the box.
Leaders Hardwicke saw off close rivals Axa with an excellent 3-1 win at home. Mark Pritchard opened from a free kick on 14 minutes after Eddie Rimmer had been fouled on the edge of the box. Rob Hine made it 2-0 after 39 minutes with a strike from twelve yards and in the 52nd minute Pritchard netted his second from 25 yards. A consolation goal for Axa came courtesy of Andy Sledge in the 70th minute.
Ellwood slipped up at home going down 2-1 to visitors Yate Town Res. The home side took the lead after 10 minutes from an Alan Williams strike, but Yate leveled five minutes later through Martyn Boyle. Dominic Holver netted a second for Yate after 25 minutes and although the home side had the better of the second 45 minutes they failed to find the back of the net again.
Henbury must have a change of luck some time in the future as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Kings Stanley. The visitors missed a penalty before netting the only goal of the game in the 40th minute, Nick Reiger the man on target.
Wotton Rovers slipped to yet another defeat this time going down 3-0 at home to Hanham Athletic. Shane Hobbs gave Hanham the lead on 7 minutes with Simon Dew netting a second on 16 minutes. Rovers fell further behind on the hour mark when Simon Dew netted his second. This win keeps Hanham in second place in the table hot on the tail of leaders Hardwicke.
2nd February 2008 - Taverners edge out AXA
Axa moved up a place in the table with a 1-0 win to complete the double over Tuffley Rovers. In a first half that saw the home side slightly shade the visitors on possession neither side created anything that looked remotely like a scoring opportunity.
Action from the Axa V Tuffley game
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
The second half with the wind in their favour Axa should have taken the lead when Tom Blyth's free kick was headed wide by Danny Thorpe after just 4 minutes, but within a minute of that glaring miss Axa were ahead when Steve Watts headed home a Ryan McKillop cross at the far post. In the next five minutes or so, Watts could well have had a hattrick first he missed a great chance to slide the ball home from a cross from the left, then Tuffley's keeper foiled an easy chance and the final attempt was again saved by the Tuffley keeper and cleared away by Leone Cornwall. Tuffley pushed everyone forward and left Patterson at the back to tidy up and for the first time in the game looked as though they just might sneak something from the game. They had several shots on target but failed to trouble Pearce in the home goal. Then right at the end Andy Sledge could have made it safe for the home side but blasted his shot well wide of the target.
Hanham Athletic move into second place in the table with a 3-0 win over Patchway Town. The home side were three up by the break with goals from Shane Hobbs on 5 minutes Matt Baird made it two on the half hour and Simon Byant netted the third from the penalty spot right on half time.
Action from the Axa V Tuffley game
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Kings Stanley gained an excellent point with a 2-2 draw against league leaders Hardwicke. Stanley went ahead in the first minute through Martin McDermott, but Hardwicke leveling with a Ben Wood goal five minutes before the break and then right on half time Richard James put the leaders ahead from a free kick. Five minutes into the second half Stanley were level when Danny Stephens netted to give Stanley a well deserved point.
Berkeley Town raced into a 2-0 lead at home to Ellwood the opener coming the 9th minute from Richard Langford. The second came courtesy of an own goal by Ellwood's Adam Stradling. Ellwood hit back and a Mike Lee penalty made it 2-1 at the break. In the 67th minute Alan Williams netted an equaliser for Ellwood who then went on to take the lead in the 79th minute with a second Mark Lee penalty. Ellwood then netted twice more in the last 5 minutes through Julian Addis and Matt Addis to finish comfortable 5-2 winners.
Yate Town Reserves were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Pucklechurch Sports the home side a little disappointed with the result after taking the lead through Justin Cattle penalty and then having a goal disallowed for offside. Sports then snatched a point in the very last minute of the game through Phil Tsoflias.
D.R.G. Stapleton against Henbury two clubs in the bottom three and a banker draw if on the coupon turned out to be just that. Gary Clark gave Henbury the lead on 45 minutes when he turned a shot on goal into the roof of the net. Matt Price leveled for the home side on the hour, but Henbury were back in front two minutes later when Ken Malala his first goal for the club. The goal of the match came from D.R.G's Leon Cozens in the 76th minute when he netted direct from a corner. With just a minute left on the clock the same player had the chance to have won it for the home side but contrived to miss the target from just three yards out.
A point each in the game at Nailsworth between Taverners and Highridge United. A goalless first 45 minutes with few chances and the deadlock being broken in the 60th minute when Craig Liddell opened the scoring for Highridge. In the 84th minute Taverners leveled the score when Stewart Lawrence headed the ball back across goal and Jay Redbond headed home.
Bottom Club Wotton Rovers were on the end of their eighth consecutive defeat when they lost 3-1 at home to Thornbury Town. Rovers took the lead after 5 minutes with a John Abbott header, but within 2 minutes Town were level through Joe Hulbert. Thornbury took the lead on the hour when ex-Rovers player Gary Toal netted after a mix up in the home defense. Thornbury made sure of the three points when Liam Bloomfield scored from just inside the box in the 84th minute.