Match Reports
30th August 2008 - Super sub fires Thornbury into second round of cup
Last season’s semi-finalists Henbury v Ellwood were drawn to play each other in the 1st round of the Les James League Cup Competition this season. Henbury were looking to make amends for their defeat last season and had a good chance to take the lead as early as the 3rd minute but Shane Hobbs hit the free kick just past the post. A minute later Jermaine Wright also had a chance to open the scoring but failed to hit the target. Ellwood should have opened the scoring on 14 minutes when Julian Addis found space behind the Henbury defence but his shot was well saved by Winkler. Williams then tested Winkler with another good shot which saw the keeper diving full length to stop. Henbury took the lead in the 22 nd minute when Winkler pumped a long ball up field it bounced just outside the Ellwood box and Shane Hobbs was onto it like a flash and gave Goode no chance with his shot. The home side were two up on 29 minutes Aaron Rosser driving a low shot into the bottom corner from a free kick. Craig Hobbs latched onto a ball pumped into the box from the left and hammered the ball past Goode for Henbury’s third in the 41st minute. Right on half time the home side had the chance to go four goals clear when Shane Hobbs was brought down in the box. He decided to take the penalty kick himself and struck a low shot to the right of the Ellwood keeper but Goode guessed right and pulled off a brilliant save to deny the striker his second goal.
Shane Hobbs wins a penalty for Henbury
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Ellwood looked a different side in the second half and Henbury found themselves defending for most of the time. Gary Wildin pulled a goal back for the visitors from a Roberts pass and Henbury were on the back foot. They defended brilliantly as Ellwood through everything at them. Daryl Addis had his goal bound shot neatly flicked over the bar by Winkler and then the keeper was diving across goal to deny Addis again. A corner from the left for Ellwood was twice cleared off the line by the Henbury defence, before Ryan Pendry sent in a terrific shot from 25 yards that had Winkler beaten but the ball went the wrong side of the post. Then Addis sent in a fine cross for Wildin but with a clear view on goal he headed it straight at the keeper. Henbury brought on Eddie Howells and against the run of play the substitute netted for Henbury in the 85th minute in the only chance they had on goal in the second half.
Action from Henbury agains Ellwood
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Thornbury Town go through to the second round with a 4-3 win over Slimbridge. Slimbridge opened the scoring in the first minute after a mix up in defence allowed Carl Brown in to score. Town levelled the score in the 10th minute with a Ricky Lippiatt strike and the game stayed that way until the 70th minute when Marvyn Roberts put Slimbridge in front again. Thornbury then played their trump card and brought on Steve Alexander, he levelled the score once more before putting Town into the lead on 85 minutes. It was the visitors who brought the score back to 3-3 with a Lewis Wilton strike before super sub Alexander grabbed the winner for Thornbury.
B & W Avonside got their first win of the season with a 3-1 success over Axa. The home side were given the opportunity to open the scoring on 12 minutes when the referee awarded a penalty for handball. Kris Rueben made mo mistake from the spot. Axa’s Tim O’Loughlin levelled on 25 minutes with a header that looped over the keeper. The home side went 2-1 up when Axa old boy Noel O’Sullivan set up Kye Simpson to slip through and score. A third goal from Mike Low in the 62nd minute was enough for the home side to experience their first win in the County League.
2-1 was the score-line at Patchway Town in their encounter with visitors Berkeley Town, the home side safely through to the next round. Patchway’s Dean Wood opened the scoring in the first minute with a brilliant Scissors kick. Mark Wood then set up Clayton Clark to net the second a quarter of an hour into the game. Matt Webb should have made it three but saw his shot strike the upright and was cleared. Berkeley pulled a goal back on the half hour with a Karl Nash penalty but the game was unable to produce any further goals in the 60 minutes that were left.
Action from Henbury agains Ellwood
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Kings Stanley’s season has got off to a good start when they recorded their third win in succession. No goals in the first 45 minutes but a double by Dave Legg on 57 and 67 minutes gave the visitors a comfortable lead. They then contrived to miss a penalty before Nick Reiger netted a third to see them into the second round.
Tuffley Rovers winning run came to an end when they were defeated 2-0 at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves. Tuffley have only themselves to blame as they missed chances in the first half. Firstly a clear header on goal struck the crossbar and then Kyle Kennedy missed a penalty shooting wide of the target. Bishops opened the scoring in the 52nd minute when James Vercesi read a long ball up field and nipped in to slot the ball home. The second came from a poor goal kick the ball being sent out to the left and the cross being hammered home by Jody Taylor.
A close encounter at D.R.G. Stapleton the home side going down 3-2 to visitors Yate Town Reserves. Justin Bishop gave the home side a good start when he lobbed the Yate keeper after 15 minutes. Zaki Elgahmi made it 1-1 and then Justin Cattle gave Yate a 2-1 lead at the break. Two minutes into the second half Cattle netted his second and gave the visitors a 3-1 lead. Substitute Adam Brain gave the home side some hope with a 20 yard drive in the 63rd minute and Justin Bishop went close with an overhead kick that was just wide of the goal. Yate defended well and go through to the next round.
Highridge United’s second visit to Taverners in three weeks but this time they acquitted themselves much better. The heavy defeat in the first game was a surprise to many people and this was the time to put that right. Highridge went into the break with a goal scored in the 45th minute by Keiron Cox, but they failed to hang on to the lead and Taverners levelled on the hour with a Richard Kerry strike. Both side failed to grab the winner in normal time and with no extra time in this competition it is straight into penalties. Both sides missed penalties but Taverners ran out 4-3 winners.
27th August 2008 - Yate and Axa play out stalemate
This was the opening game of the season for Axa who must be satisfied with a point in a very uninteresting game from the point of view as a spectator.
It was not without several incidents during the game which culminated in several players being booked. An early chance for Yate saw Jack Smyth’s free kick head straight into the arms of Jim Pearce. Axa were awarded a free kick just outside the box on the right which Nathan Lumber floated into the box and a flicked header finding the back of the Yate net, but it was ruled out because the player had taken the kick before the referee had given the ok. Yate should have taken the lead in the 35th minute when Gary Simmons pulled a great ball back from a very tight angle only to see Boyle head wide of the target from 6 yards. At the other end Axa’s Mark Greenland saw his 20 yard drive clear the crossbar. The best chance of the evening fell to Yate just before the break when Boyle sent over a nice little chip that deceived Pearce and Jack Smyth somehow contrived to miss from 2 yards.
The first chance of the second half fell to Yate who were all appealing that the ball had crossed the line but the Assistant Referee who was well positioned waved play on. Paul Dempsey had to take over in goal when Yate’s keeper was asked to leave the field because he was wearing an ear stud. Referees have been instructed to clamp down on the wearing of any jewellery this season. Axa’s Pat Mathison managed a shot on the turn from the edge of the box, but the shot did not trouble the Yate keeper. Yate will be unhappy with this result as they did create the best chances during the game and had much more possession in the second half.
23rd August 2008 - Northern teams continue good start
Tuffley Rovers are the leaders following the second week of matches. They visited newcomers Chipping Sodbury Town and came away with a resounding 4-1 victory. Town were the first to open the scoring with an Ollie Clark goal on 15 minutes, but after Shayne Bradley headed an equaliser in the 28th minute the visitors didn’t look back. Bradley netted his second 2 minutes later from a free-kick and just before the break Pete Thomas drove home a superb volley from just inside the box to give Rovers a 3-1 lead. Tuffley knew they had all three points when Stuart Griffiths made it 4-1 on the hour mark. Not the start to the season Sodbury would have wanted but there are plenty of games left for them to settle down.
A saving tackle from a Slimbridge defender
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Slimbridge move into second place with a 2-0 victory over local rivals Berkeley Town. Berkeley had a good chance to open the scoring early on but Nash stumbled on the ball as he tried to control a ball that would have sent him clear of the home defence. Slimbridge then broke down the right sent over a great cross into the Town box but the ball went just behind the two Slimbridge players. Berkeley’s Adam Philip fired a shot just over the bar from the edge of the box and then Karl Nash’s free kick went straight through the Slimbridge defence to Ryan Chandler who took the shot safely. At the other end Stevenson was called upon to make a good save from a Lewis Wilton effort. Berkeley’s Adam Philip could well have given town the lead with a dipping volley that went just wide of the post. Slimbridge opened the scoring on 30 minutes when Marvyn Roberts collected the ball on the edge of the box nudged past the town defender and drove an unstoppable shot in to the roof of the net. The home side were edging the game at this stage and a cross from Stirling on the right was just missed by Wilton. Mike Reece then foiled Brown as he bore down on goal with a very good tackle.
Early in the second half Stevenson’s clearance fell straight to Stirling but the Slimbridge player failed to get his shot on target. Slimbridge took a 2-0 lead on the hour when a long ball found Carl Brown who drew the keeper before slotting the ball into the far corner. Berkeley found it hard to break down a very well organised Slimbridge defence and Ryan Chandler in the home goal was not really tested throughout the game. The home side have now won their two league games and are through the first round of the Les James Cup at Thornbury Town next week.
Marvyn Roberts forces his way through a gap
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Thornbury Town picked up their first point of the season with a 2-2 draw at home to Patchway Town. The visitors took the lead on the half hour with a strike from Adam Searle, but ten minutes later Thornbury were level when Ricky Lippiatt scrambled the ball over the line. Patchway went in to a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute, Jason Ford netting from the penalty spot after Thornbury keeper Steve Farr saved the first spot kick but the referee ordered it to be taken again. Patchway must have thought they had the points in the bag at this late stage but Thornbury’s James Derosa who is celebrating his 18th birthday today scored a screamer from the edge of the box and it was still rising as it hit the back of the net.
Henbury and Hanham Athletic had to settle for a 1-1 draw in a game that Henbury really should have won. The number of chances they squandered in the early stages cost them dearly. It was Hanham who took the lead with a Chris Ashwood goal in the 12th minute with Henbury getting the leveller through Darren Brown.
Bishops Cleeve Reserves went down 2-0 at home to Kings Stanley who recorded their second win in succession. Matt Casey gave Stanley the lead after 5 minutes but then had to wait until the 65th minute for Martin McDermott to grab a second and secure the 3 points.
Carl Brown seals the points for Slimbridge
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
B & W Avonside slipped to a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Ellwood. But the home side are rueing all the chances they squandered before Ellwood’s Gary Wildin stole the show with a 60th minute goal.
21st August 2008 - Les James League Cup
A very good crowd of around a 160 spectators witnessed the first ever home game for Chipping Sodbury Town in the Surridge Gloucestershire County Football league.
Slimbridge always looked the better organised side throughout this game with Chipping Sodbury Town working hard but failed to break down a well organised defence. The star man with out any doubt was former Gloucester City player Carl Brown who constantly troubled the Sodbury defence and finished up scoring a hat-trick to win the game. Sodbury had several half chances and a couple of good scoring opportunities but the visitor’s goalkeeper Lee Martin was in good form. Slimbridge showed their intentions as early as the 4th minute when Carl Brown shot just wide. Towns first real chance came from Dan Coombes in the 22nd minute but he shot wide of the target. Slimbridge thought they had taken the lead on 24 minutes when Brown got on the end of a cross from the right, but the goal was disallowed because he had strayed offside. Slimbridge took the lead in the 35th minute when a goalmouth scramble and a fine save from keeper Chris Simsec fell nicely for Carl Brown to stab the ball home. Two minutes later a brilliant run down the right by Brown culminating in a shot from just inside the box for his second. Town almost got a goal back in the 40th minute when Liam Barrett rose well above the Slimbridge defence to power a header goalwards only to see Martin diving to his left to save. Sodbury were having their best spell of the game and Barrett once again brought the best out of Martin as the keeper finger tipped his 35 yard drive over the bar.
Action from Chipping Sodbury V Slimbridge
An early chance for Dan Coombes could have brought the score back to 2-1 but he failed to control the ball and the danger was cleared. Slimbridge always looked dangerous in attack and it was no surprise when they increased their lead to 3-0 in the 51st minute Carl Brown shrugged of the town defender to slot home his third of the night from just on the edge of the box. Coombes might have reduced the deficit but drove his shot straight at the keeper and at the other end a Fran King free kick for the visitors was well saved by Simsec. Sodbury substitute Andrews set up Barrett with a chance but he pulled his shot well wide. Then just at the end Brown could have got a fourth but he shot wide of the target.
Action from Chipping Sodbury V Slimbridge
20th August 2008
Highridge United bounced back from their heavy defeat on the weekend with an excellent 2-0 win over D. R. G. Stapleton at the Creek.
The first ten minutes of this game saw both sides trying to settle into a pattern of play and the ball fizzing about in midfield with neither side getting contol. Highridge might have opened then scoring on 10 minutes when Adams Winstones header from 8 yards was brilliantly palmed away by the alert Humphries in the visitor’s goal. With both sides unable to create any chances until the 25th minute when Gary Cripps long range effort was well taken by the visitor’s keeper. Craig Liddell made a superb run down the left and drove the ball goalwards only to see that man Humphries dive to push the ball out for a corner. D.R.G.s first effort on goal came after 33 minutes with a powerful shot from Conrad Mignott. A couple of minutes later Dean Patterson saw his shot just clear the bar for the visitors. In the 43rd minute Highridge were given a free kick 8 yards outside the box for a foul on Winstone, Craig Hopkins took the kick and fired a low shot past Humphries into the corner of the net. Winstone should have made it 2-0 when he took the ball around the keeper but then hit the upright with his shot.
Straight from the kick-off in the second half United were unlucky when Kier Cox’s header struck the crossbar and the rebound was then blasted over the bar by Hopkins. Humphries who had been the busier of the two keepers was in action again minutes later turning a 40 yard drive from Hopkins over the bar. D.R.G. did manage a shot on target from Prosser but it went straight to Brimble in the United goal. Highridge looked the most likely to score and Winstone just pulled his left foot drive just wide of the upright. D.R.G.s best chance came from a corner from the right Jason Howland’s rising above the United defence and then saw his goal bound effort cleared of the line by Tom Clark. United brought on Nick Pratton in the 75th minute and he had barely touched the ball before he found himself heading for the dressing room after he had clashed with Stapleton defender Rob McArthur. Both players thought it would be better wrestling each other on the ground than playing the game of football. McArthur also got his marching orders when the referee had finished with Pratton. At this stage of the game Highridge looked the most likely to score and Humphries found himself diving full stretch to save a Gary Cripps shot from the edge of the box. Highridge wrapped the game up with just a few minutes to go when Winstone was felled in the box and Cripps made no mistake from the spot.
16th August 2008
Two of the new clubs B&W Avonside and Bishops Cleeve Reserves were pitted against each other on this the opening day of the season. The Bristol side started the stronger and took the lead after just 3 minutes when a corner from the right was forced home by central defender Aaron Day. Bishops Cleeve looked rather nervous at the start but a shot from Jodie Taylor just cleared the crossbar. B & W should have made it 2-0 when Tom Dailly broke down the left but his angled shot was well saved by keeper Steve Benbow. At the other end keeper Pullara saved well with his legs from a shot from Jamie Hammond. B & Ws central defender Mike Low should have done a little better with a shot from the edge of the box but pulled it well wide. Then Dailly failed to hit the target with a shot from the edge of the box. The home keeper again pulled of a blank point shot from Bishops Steve Cheal and minutes later the keeper had to push a back header from Low over the bar. At the break the home side just about deserved their 1-0 lead.
Aaron Day forces the ball home.
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Kai Simpson should have increased the lead for the home side in the first minute of the second half latching on to a long ball into the box but he failed to control the ball and Benbow cleared. Simpson must feel aggrieved that he did not make it two a few minutes later when his goal bound shot first struck the keeper and was then headed away by Pugh. Bishops Cleeve looked a better side as the half wore on and Hammond’s shot was blocked twice as it headed for the goal. The visitors kept plugging away and was rewarded in the 83rd minute when Hammond’s run across the box paid dividends when he squared the ball back for James Pickup who had come on as a substitute to side foot the ball past Pullara. Both teams will I am sure be happy with a point each on this their first outing in the league.
Shock result of the day was the 6-1 defeat of Highridge United at Taverners. The visitors had taken the lead in the 35th minute through Craig Hopkins, but the home side drew level three minutes later with an Anthony Robinson goal. Stewart Lawrence then proceeded to score the first of his four goals just before the break. He then netted his second in the 48th minute and completed his hat-trick on the hour. Ten minutes later it was number four for Lawrence and at this stage Taverners had knocked the stuffing out of Highridge. With ten minutes left Matt Davis netted number six to make it a dreadful day for the visitors.
Local rivals Henbury and Patchway Town shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw at Arnell Drive. Patchway took the lead after 15 minutes when Adams Searle’s drive was deflected into the Henbury net. Then the home side had to wait until the 75th minute to level the score with Shane Hobbs driving home a Jermaine Wright cross.
Steve Benbow claims the ball.
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Hanham athletic must have thought they were home and dry when they took a 2-0 lead through a Nathan Baird penalty after 12 minutes and a second from Terry Baker three minutes later. But visitors Slimbridge had other ideas and struck back with three goals in the second half to take the points. The first came courtesy of Carl Brown just two minutes into the second half a scrabbled goal, then in the 72nd minute Marvyn Roberts levelled the score. Eight minutes later Lewis Wilton netted the third to send the visitors home happy after their first outing in the league after promotion last season.
Berkeley Town got off to a winning start with a 2-1 home win over new comers Chipping Sodbury Town. The visitors took the lead in the 15th minute when Luke Meacham found the back of the Berkeley net, but Mike Bryant headed the home side level just before the break. Paul Brooks headed Berkeley into the lead just after the break, then Chipping Sodbury threw away a golden chance to level when Paul Gunnings penalty on 64 minutes struck the upright.
Action from B & W against Bishops Cleeve
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
A 2-1 defeat at home to Kings Stanley has got Thornbury off to a bad start although from the report they might well have deserved a point. Steve Potter gave Stanley the lead on 15 minutes and it stayed that way until the 70th minute when Thornbury’s Chris Johnson set up James Derosa to run clear and slide the ball into the Stanley net. The hammer blow came in the 85th minute when Lee Gardener chipped the Thornbury keeper and then had to watch the ball strike the inside of the post before nestling in the back of the net.
Yate Town reserves thought they had done enough to salvage a point with just 5 minutes to go in their home game with Tuffley Rovers, but the visitors spoiled the day with two late goals. Pat Boyd gave Tuffley the lead but Yate’s Jack Smyth levelled with a super 30 yard drive. Tuffley then took the lead through Ollie Everitt only for that man Jack Smyth to level for the home side again. The killer blow came in the last five minutes with two goals for the visitors from Marcus Foxwell and Warren Mann.
Ellwood were held to a 0-0 draw by D.R.G. Stapleton in game that was controlled by a very strong wind. What ever has happened to our summer?
23rd July 2008 - Les James League Cup
The draw for the Preliminary Round and First Round has been made. Preliminary round will be on 21st August and the First Round on 30th August, fixtures for this are on full time now.
The winners of the preliminary tie between Chipping Sodbury Town and Slimbridge will be away at Thornbury Town in the First Round.