Match Reports
27th September 2008 - Patchway leave it late to claim first win of season
Patchway Town get of the mark with their first win of the season when they came from behind to beat Tuffley Rovers 2-1. The first 45 minutes failed to produce any goals but Adam Bennett pulled off a good save from Patchway’s Blaine Mitchell whilst at the other end Stuart Griffiths saw his shot cannon against the crossbar. Clayton Clark might have given Town the lead when he rounded two defenders before unleashing a left footed drive that Bennett did well to save. A cross from Daniel Webb was almost diverted past Bennett but the ball just spun wide of the post. Ollie Everitt then tested Alford in the home goal with a good drive that the keeper just managed to get down to. The first caution of the game came in the 40th minute when Rohan Kings name went into the referee’s book and the player was immediately substituted.
Alford punches the ball clear for Patchway
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Tuffley made two changes at the break and it paid off when 5 minutes into the second half Chris Lee capitalised on a mistake by Ashley Brown to drive the ball past the helpless Alford. Tuffley should have gone 2-0 up when Chris Lee drifted past two Patchway defenders and with just Alford to beat he blasted the ball high over the bar. Minutes later only some good positioning by keeper Alford prevented Pete Thomas’s glancing header from a corner creeping in at the near post. Brad Harris broke clear down the right for Town and fired in a good cross that saw keeper Bennett at full stretch to punch the ball clear. Patchway kept plugging away and were rewarded when a cross into the box was hit hard at goal by Stuart Jenkins the ball was pushed up in the air from a goal line clearance and Clayton Clark was on hand to flick the ball into the net. It was in time added on for stoppages that Patchway nicked the three points. A through ball was latched onto by Bradley Harris who nipped in between two Rovers defenders to hammer the ball past Bennett for the winner.
Goals galore at Hanham Athletic as they go down 5-3 to visitors Berkeley Town. Hanham opened the scoring on 20 minutes through Terry Baker but within two minutes Town were level when Matt Bryant levelled with the first of his four goal haul of the afternoon. Jamie Mitchell put Athletic into the lead on 35 minutes but Bryant popped up to level again two minute later. Matt Bryant then gave Berkeley the lead on 70 minutes to complete his hattrick and eight minutes later town were leading 4-2 again the scorer was Matt Bryant. Martyn Palmer then gave Town a 5-2 lead a minute later and Hanham’s Craig Young netted in the 84th minute to make the final score 5-3.
Action from Patchway Town V Tuffley Rovers
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Another 5-3 score line at Taverners as Henbury recorded their first win of the season in the league. It was the home side who took the lead on 5 minutes through Matt Blyth, with Jermaine Wright levelling 30 minutes later. Stuart Lawrence restored the lead for Taverners on 50 minutes before Shane Hobbs levelled the score once again. Henbury then went into the lead with a second from Jermaine Wright, but Taverners hit back with an equaliser from Matt Davis. Shane Hobbs gave Henbury the lead in the 84th minute and substitute George Watts netted a fifth right on time.
Slimbridge netted five without reply against basement club D.R.G. Stapleton with Craig Cole grabbing a hattrick of penalties. The first of the penalties came in the 4th minute when Carl Brown was hauled down in the box with another foul on Brown eleven minutes later again being felled in the box and Cole stepping up to net his second. Marvyn Roberts then netted the third after Ian Preece headed on a free kick. In the 80th minute Roberts was pulled down in the box and Craig Cole stepped up to net his third penalty of the afternoon. Slimbridge completed their scoring spree late in the game with a Lewis Wilton strike.
Axa who was playing only their second game of the season ran out 2-1 winners at home to Thornbury Town. It was Thornbury who took the lead on 25 minutes when a corner to the far post was met by Ricky Lippiatt to turn and hammer the ball home. Axa should have levelled before the break but Ryan McKillop missed from the penalty spot. Axa made up for that miss in the 65th minute when Danny Thorpe strolled past several Thornbury defenders before rounding the keeper to slot the ball home. The winner came in the very last minute of the game when a Nathan Lumber cross fell nicely for Dominic Holver to find the back of the Town net.
Action from Patchway Town V Tuffley Rovers
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Bishops Cleeve Res won the tussle of the two reserves sides in the league with 2-0 win over visitors Yate Town Reserves. Both goals came in the first 45 minutes the first from Richard Barnes after 37 minutes and a second from Jody Taylor three minutes later. Yate were always in the game but poor finishing let them down.
Chipping Sodbury Town could not repeat the result of last week as they went down 2-0 at home to B & W Avonside. Kye Simpson gave the visitors the lead on 43 minutes and five minutes into the second half Noel O’Sullivan netted a second. At 2-0 down Sodbury were never far away, but their failure to finish was their downfall in the end.
20th September 2008 - Ten man Chipping Sodbury snatch first win
Chipping Sodbury Town gained their first three points with a 1-0 win at close rivals D.R.G. Stapleton. This was a poor game to watch with both teams failing to produce any sort of pattern into their play. Sodbury were reduced to ten men in the 57th minute when Mike England was sent off for a bad tackle from behind, but the home side that have yet to score in 360 minutes of football in the league this season was unable to capitalise on the one man advantage. They went close on a couple of occasions when Justin Bishop set up Conrad Mignott to round the Sodbury keeper then hit his shot against the upright as he faced an open goal. Chipping Sodbury should have scored when Lee Gardener was put clear on goal but a last ditch tackle by Kirk Waldron averted the danger. Mignott was again unlucky in the second half when Sodbury’s keeper just managed to divert his effort on goal onto the crossbar. Sodbury were never fazed at being one man down and towards the end looked the side that just might score a winner and it came in the 85th minute when Lee Gardner was put clear on goal and his angled shot flew past Humphries into the far corner.
Action from DRG against Chipping Sodbury
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Kings Stanley march on with another 3-0 home win over Hanham Athletic. This game was marred by a bad injury to a Stanley player on 20 minutes and the game was held up for 30 minutes whilst an ambulance was called to take the injured player to hospital. Five minutes after the restart Stanley opened the scoring with a terrific shot from John Embling two minutes later they went 2-0 up when Nick Reiger netted from the penalty spot. Matt Casey made it three just before the break after rounding several defenders before hammering the ball home from 10 yards. Although the home side created chances in the second half and the visitors failure to test the Stanley defence the score remained at 3-0.
Yate Town Reserves had a much more difficult task this week when they entertained B & W Avonside. After last weeks thrashing of D.R.G. Stapleton they were brought back down to earth when they fell behind to a Mark Linton strike on 15 minutes. Yate had to wait until midway through the second half to draw level when Justin Cattle netted from the penalty spot.
Tuffley Rovers slipped up at home to Thornbury Town going down 2-0. It was a goalless first 45 minutes although Tuffley had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for an offside decision. Thornbury went ahead on the hour when a Tuffley defender handled in the box and Chris Johnson made no mistake from the spot kick. Tuffley created several good scoring chances but failed to make them count and were hit again by town in the very last minute of the game this time Steve Alexanders strike finding the back of the Tuffley net.
Action from DRG against Chipping Sodbury
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Ellwood took the three points at home to Highridge United in a very entertaining game which ended 2-1 in favour of the home side. Matt Addis gave Ellwood the lead on 15 minutes and it remained that way until the 50th minute when Gary Cripps levelled the score for United. Ellwood grabbed the winner on 80 minutes when Ryan Pendry netted from the penalty spot.
In only their second league game of the season Taverners went down at home to Slimbridge. Lewis Wilton opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a header and Carl Brown made it 2-0 after 25 minutes with a well drilled shot. Ian Preece then netted a third for the visitors on the hour mark to make the final score 3-0 to Slimbridge.
Berkeley Town continued their good start to the season with a 3-1 win at home to Patchway Town. Richard Langford opened the scoring for Town with a fine header on the half hour, but eight minutes later Patchway were level when Lee Francis netted. Mike Bryant bundled the ball home early in the second half to put Berkeley in front, but disaster struck for the visitors in the 62nd minute when they had two player sent off at the same time. Richard Langford increased Berkeley’s lead in the 69th minute and then a minute later Patchway had a third player dismissed and finished the game with just 8 players.
AXA started well in the first 20 minutes of their GFA Trophy tie having a fair amount of possession creating a few chances with Steve Watts braun and Dominic Holvor's lightning pace. Almondsbury then had the best of the exchanges in the next 20 minutes without really creating too many chances (other than the goal) and AXA then had the rest of the first half culminating in the equaliser on the stroke of half time.
Rich Kear scored Almondsbury's opener after 31 minutes after good play down Almondsbury's right by Jing Yuan Cai the ball wasn't properly cleared and the ball fell to Kear who scored with a well struck left footed shot from the edge of the penalty area. The equaliser came in the 44th minute of the first half after a good passing move from the back, Tim O'Loughlin put through Steve Watts who cut the ball back to Dominic Holvor on the edge of the penalty area who then went past the Almondsbury centre halves sending Ben John in goal the wrong way slotting it in the bottom left hand corner.
As expected, Almondsbury received a royal half time roasting from Paul Weekes (Manager) and they started the second half very quickly with a lot of possession and creating a few chances which were well saved by Dave Rice in the AXA goal. Almondsbury went 2-1 up on 51 minutes after a good switch of the play from right to left from Rich Kear who found Kane Ingram unmarked just inside the AXA penalty area. Kane controlled the ball well on his chest and struck a first time volley into the bottom right hand corner leaving Rice with no chance.
Almondsbury continued to dominate with AXA only really threatening with Holvor's pace on the break and they went 3-1 up in the 65th minute from a Rich Kears shot from 25 yards out which was deflected up and over Rice in the AXA goal. Almondsbury seemed to think that the game was won and got sloppy leaving AXA to come into the game more and more with John making some good saves in goal for Almondsbury. AXA pulled a goal back to make it 3-2 in the 75th minute after an excellent twelve pass move from the back culminating in Holvor passing to Greenland who whipped in an excellent cross from AXA's left where Andy Sledge got in between the centre half and goalkeeper to score an excellent headed goal.
AXA continued to throw men forward in the hope of getting the equaliser and were caught on the break in the 85th minute where more good work down Almondsbury's left by Jing Yuan Cai where he waited for an excellent near post run by Adam Cole who scored a good flick header at the near post.
Almondsbury deserved their victory, however, AXA gave a good account of themselves against a team two leagues higher than them on the pyramid system who are expected to challenge for honours this season. Almondsbury looked good going forward but were suspect down the middle at the back which AXA exploited through Dominic Holvor's pace.
13th September 2008 - Berkeley show Thornbury how to finish
Thornbury Town must be kicking themselves with this result after beating Slimbridge in their last outing. Thornbury should have been three goals to the good after just five minutes all three chances falling to Troy Monks. His first effort was saved by Stevenson then he struck the cross bar and his third effort was again saved by the Berkeley keeper, each time Monks had a clear view on goal. After Berkeley eventfully decided it was time to play their first attack almost brought a goal but a good save from keeper Farr from a Paul Brookes effort kept the game all square. After the initial shock of that open start Berkeley took the lead on 18 minutes when a cross from the right fizzed past the Thornbury defenders and Martin Payne was there on the far post to drive the ball past Farr. Richard Langford was unlucky with a great shot from 25 yards that would have beaten Farr but the ball struck the upright. Farr in the Thornbury goal had made a reasonable start pulling of several good saves but in the 29th minute he made a real bloomer when his clearance went straight to Paul Brookes to hammer the ball goal-wards and although Farr tried to recover the situation the ball ran under his body into the empty net. Dave Greaves got himself into a good shooting position with a good run into the Berkeley box but a brilliant tackle from Dave Phillips averted the danger.
Action from Thornbury against Berkeley
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
The first period of the second half saw Berkeley squander several good chances to increase their lead and Thornbury began to get more into the game pushing the visitors back into their own half. Chris Johnson might have reduced the arrears but shot tamely at Stevenson. Continual pressure brought Thornbury a goal in the 74th minute when Berkeley’s defence failed to take control of the situation on the edge of their box and Jordan long nipped in to hammer the ball past Stevenson. Both Monks and Lippiatt might have levelled the score before Richard Langford curled a beautiful free kick from just outside the box past the outstretched hands of Farr to clinch the three points for the visitors.
League leaders Kings Stanley left it to time added on in the second half to clinch the three points over visitors Ellwood. Ellwood had much the better of the first 45 minutes and might have taken the lead when they were awarded a penalty. Up stepped Gary Wildin to take the penalty but the Stanley keeper guessed right and brought off a brilliant save. Stanley had more possession in the second half and chances went begging from Ben Newman and Matt Casey. Just when it looked like being a goalless draw Jon Peacock broke down the flank sent over a great cross and Ben Newman was there on the far post to give Stanley the lead. In the dying minutes they grabbed a second when Aidan Mercer side footed home from close range.
Action from Thornbury against Berkeley
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Yate hit the biggest score of the day hammering nine past the D.R.G. Stapleton defence without reply. Jordan Yeo opened the scoring cutting in from the right and hammering the ball into the far corner. This opened the flood gates and a constant flow of goals came in the first 45 minutes as Yate went into the break leading 6-0. Three more in the second half made it a miserable day for the visitors. Yate have a blend of youth and experienced players who played exceptionally well on the day.
A big surprise of the day was the 2-1 defeat of Slimbridge by newcomers B & W Avonside. The visitors took the lead on 20 minutes when Noel O’Sullivan set up Kye Simpson to flick the ball over the home defence and follow through to score. The home side were fortunate to level the score when Dan Simons headed the ball past his own keeper. But the visitors grabbed the winner in the second half with Kris Reuben netting from the penalty spot to record their first league win of the season.
A freekick from Richard Langford flies into the Thornbury net
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Last seasons runners-up are having a difficult start to the season with just one win out of three games played so far. Bishops Cleeve Reserves were the better side throughout and after 68 minutes were leading 3-0. Rob Allen gave them the lead on 5 minutes with a superb free kick that curled around the defensive wall and Nick Rhodes made it two on 40 minutes. Allen then netted his second before Gary Cripps scored a consolation goal for the home side on 85 minutes.
Bottom Club Chipping Sodbury Town are still trying to find their feet but went down 3-1 at home to Hanham Athletic. Craig Young opened the scoring for the visitors after 8 minutes, but Joe Mullins levelled for town twelve minutes later. Hanham took the lead again on the hour mark and then the luckless Mullins hit the ball past his own keeper to give Hanham the three points.
Tuffley Rovers visit to Henbury saw them get back to winning ways after two defeats on the bounce. Pat Boyd gave Tuffley the lead as early as the 5th minute, but Henbury’s Ashley Lock headed home a Shane Hobbs cross to level. Two minutes before the break Gary Clark fired home a Jason Grange cross to put the home side in front. Tuffley hit back immediately after the restart with with Pat Boyd netting his second. They should have gone further ahead a minute later but Ben Surman missed from the penalty spot. Tuffley grabbed the winner on the hour through substitute Chris Lee.
Taverners go out of the GFA Challenege Trophy at the first hurdle beaten 2-0 by Winterbourne United. On target for United was Jimmy Potts on 50 minutes and Chris Gent on 70 minutes.
6th September 2008 - Slimbridge and Kings Stanley win in the rain
Only two games survived the terrible weather that we are getting at the moment, both in the North of the County.
Tuffley Rovers entertained Slimbridge in what you would class as a local derby game. At the start of play Tuffley were sat on the top of the table with Slimbridge a very close second.
This game took place in continuous rain throughout the whole of the match but it was a credit to both teams and the league how they both acquitted themselves through out. The pitch itself was remarkable considering the amount of rain that fell both before and during the 90 minutes of play.
Slimbridge had an early chance when Marvyn Roberts got his shot on target but hit it straight at Bennett. They might have gone in front when a header from James Inch flew just wide of the post. The home side’s first chance came on 17 minutes when a corner from the right was punched clear by Chandler nipping it off the head of the incoming Pat Boyd. Wilton broke down the left for Slimbridge but his brilliant cross was cut out by Bennett in the home goal. Marcus Foxwell almost caught Chandler out with a cross come shot but the keeper back pedalling managed to push the ball over the bar. A scramble in the Tuffley box almost resulted in Marvyn Roberts giving Slimbridge the lead but his shot was cleared of the line by Ben Surman. Just on the half hour Roberts set up Carl Brown for a shot on goal but he pulled the shot wide. Tuffley’s Stuart Griffiths should have given them the lead when he was put clear on goal, but as he shot Chandler spread himself and the shot struck his legs and out for a corner. Both sides created chances in very tricky conditions but the score remained goalless at the break.
The first opportunity to open the scoring fell to Tom Ratcliffe whose shot from the edge of the box was flicked over the bar by Bennett. Slimbridge broke the deadlock in the 50th minute when Carl Brown curled his shot around Bennett from just inside the box. Minutes later Roberts headed over from six yards from a Fran King cross. Harper who had replaced Surman for Tuffley saw his goal bound header cleared and minutes later the same player sent over a great cross from the right which Chandler failed to hold but there was nobody there to knock the ball home. Tuffley’s Warren Mann then had his shot from just inside the box pushed away for a corner by the diving Chandler. A corner from the right should have brought Tuffley on level terms but both shot and header were well saved by the Simbridge keeper. With time added on being played Carl Brown got in behind the Rovers defence and slotted the ball past Bennett to give Slimbridge the three points.
In the only other game played today Kings Stanley continued their early season form with an excellent 3-0 win over Patchway Town. This win sends them to the top of the table on goal difference over Slimbridge. The early exchanges were about even until the 25th minute when Nick Reiger broke into the Patchway box and was brought down the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Reiger hauled himself up and hammered the ball into the net to give Stanley the lead. Minutes later Town were down to ten men bu the score remained 1-0 at the break. Patchway held out until the 72nd minutes when Ben Newman headed Stanley’s second from a corner. With just three minutes left on the clock Aiden Mercer let fly from the edge of the box and saw his shot enter the net for Stanley’s third of the afternoon.