Match Reports
29th November 2008 - Slimbridge take over at the top
In match of the day on a very dull and gloomy afternoon the top two teams Kings Stanley and Slimbridge ended in a 4-1 victory to visitors Slimbridge. This win means that they change places in the table with Stanley slipping to second for the first time in seven weeks. Slimbridge opened the scoring after just 8 minutes through Martin Booth. Stanley levelled on 20 minutes when Aidan Mercers shot took a deflection to wrong foot the visitor’s keeper and the ball ended up in the back of the net. Lewis Wilton gave Slimbridge the lead on 55 minutes, with Marc Roffe making it 3-1 in the 63rd minute. Marvyn Roberts then rounded the scoring off with a goal ten minutes from the end.
Ellwood continue their recent brilliant home form with the 5-0 defeat of Berkeley Town Daryl Addis added another 2 to his tally opening the scoring after 20 minutes. Ellwood’s second came courtesy of Ryan Pendry from the penalty spot on 65 minutes and then two quick goals on 70 and 72 minutes from Byron Ranford put them 4-0 up. Daryl Addis grabbed his second in the 89th minute.
Henbury bounced back from last weeks defeat with a 4-1 home win over Chipping Sodbury Town. The visitors took the lead after 10 minutes with a Paul Harris goal but five minutes later George Watts levelled. Ashley Lock put Henbury in the lead on 50 minutes and George Watts grabbed a second in the 74th minute. Craig Hobbs sealed the game with a goal in the 85th minute.
Axa dropped 2 points at home to B & W Avonside in a very exiting 3-3 draw. Mike Morris opened the scoring for the visitors on 20 minutes, but Axa levelled on 40 minutes with a Steve Watts header. Just before the break Ryan McKillop gave the home side a 2-1 lead. The visitors were fortunate to level the score ten minutes into the second half when Axa’s Chris Marsh put through his own goal. B & W then went into the lead when a shot struck the crossbar and fell nicely for Kye Simpson to side foot home. The home side gained a point in the 77th minute when Steve Watts popped up with his second to keep their undefeated record in tact.
Hanham Athletic went down 3-1 at home to Highridge United with Mickey Adams getting the opener for Highridge after 20 minutes. Adams then scored again on 52 minutes and Craig Liddell made it 3-0 on the hour. Jamie Mitchell netted a consolation goal for the home side with ten minutes to play.
Bishops Cleeve Res went down 3-2 against visitors Tuffley Rovers. Rovers took the lead with a Pat Boyd goal in the 10th minute and it remained that way until the 50th minute when Boyd netted a second. Ten minutes later they were 3-0 up when Pete Thomas netted. Bishops Cleeve hit back with two late goals through Richard Barnes on 80 minutes and Robert Allen just two minutes from the end.
Taverners entertained D.R.G. Stapleton who were looking to improve on their recent bad results. Taverners were the first to test the visitor’s defence with a shot from Chris Pritlove that was blocked but fell nicely for Tom Hanley to drive his shot from the edge of the box and then see keeper Chris Telfer diving full length to save. At the other end Justin Bishop picked up a loose ball after a mix up in the Taverners defence and then saw his shot go agonisingly wide of the post with the home keeper Duane Portlock well out of position. The visitors worked really hard and never gave Taverners any space or time on the ball throughout the game which was frustrating for the home side who like to pass the ball around. The visitors had several free kicks early on in the second half but failed to break down the home defence. The fading light on a very cold and dull day saw the game eventually peter out to a 0-0 draw which pleased the visitors who had earned their third point of the season and for once had kept a clean sheet.
In the Les James League Cup Competition, Yate Town Reserves go through to the Semi-final with a very late goal from Justin Cattle. Both Greaves and Alexander missed early chances for the home side, but Yate were the better side in the second half and struck the crossbar twice and the Thornbury keeper Sam Curry pulled off several good saves to keep town in the game. Just when it looked as though the game would go to penalties Cattle drove the ball home through a crowd of town defenders
22nd November 2008 - Slimbridge ease past Sodbury
Chipping Sodbury’s chance of climbing the table was dented by a Slimbridge side that were well organised and overall the much better side throughout the 90 minutes. In only the second minute of the game Slimbridge were looking for a penalty as Craig Cole went tumbling in the box but the referee was having none of it and waved play on. Then a Leon Sterling cross was missed by keeper Jon Kerley but the ball went just wide of the post. Craig Cole turned on the edge of the box and saw his shot go just wide. After riding the early pressure Chipping Sodbury almost took the lead when Lee Peacock broke clear and only a brilliant save from Ryan Chandler prevented them going ahead. James Inch might have given the visitors the lead on 20 minutes from a corner but his header went just over the bar. Sodbury’s Ben Leslie broke down the right and sent a great cross into the box, but it went just beyond the reach of Peacock and out for a goal kick. Craig Cole then tested the Sodbury keeper with a stinging shot that he did well to save. Just when it looked as though the fist 45 minutes would end in a 0-0 score-line Slimbridge took the lead. Cole, Roberts and Wilton combined to set up a low cross into the Sodbury box and Brad Hackett in his attempt to clear drove the ball into his own net.
Action from Chipping Sodbury Town V Slimbridge
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Sodbury opened well in the second half and only a last ditch tackle by Leon Sterling prevented Lawrence Dorman a clear shot on goal. The action switched to the other end and Wilton missed the easiest of chances firing the ball over the bar. The next few minutes saw Sodbury on the back foot and only some very good defending and several good saves from keeper Kerley prevented Slimbridge getting a second goal. In a rare venture into the Slimbridge box Sodbury forced a corner on the right and with the ball dropping nicely for substitute Paul Harris to strike the ball at goal, somehow the Slimbridge defence kept the ball out of their net with a deflection that went out for a further corner. Slimbridge got lucky on 75 minutes when a corner from the left was going backwards and forwards in the Sodbury box and it popped up nicely for centre back Ian Preece to head home. Two minutes later a cross from the left from substitute Martin Booth was misjudged by Kerley and the ball fell straight to Marvyn Roberts to drive home. The final score of 3-0 to the visitors was just about right on the amount of chances they had created throughout the game.
The biggest score of the day came at Ellwood where the home side found the net on seven occasions to Hanham Athletics one. Daryl Addis was the flavour of the day with a well taken hattrick. He opened the scoring for the home side on 10 minutes with Byron Ranford netting a second on 14 minutes and the visitors reduced to 10 men after 31 minutes. Daryl Addis netted his second on the hour mark and five minutes later Ben Ford scored for Hanham. Addis then completed his hattrick a minute later. Three goals in the last ten minutes for the home side the first from Mike Nelson on 80 minutes then a Ryan Pendry penalty on 85 minutes and the final goal from Derek Roberts two minutes from the end.
Action from Chipping Sodbury Town V Slimbridge
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Yate Town Reserves recorded only their third win of the season with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Henbury. Jack Dempsey opened the scoring midway through the first half with a header and shortly after Jack Smyth volleyed home the second. Justin Cattle made it 3-0 heading home a free kick and then picked up a second when he headed home from a corner.
B & W Avonside had to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Tuffley Rovers to earn themselves a point in a 2-2 draw. Pete Thomas volleyed Tuffley into the lead after 15 minutes and ten minutes later Ben Surman made it 2-0 from the penalty spot. In the second Half Andy Watts missed a penalty on the hour mark for the home side before Kye Simpson pulled a goal back on 65 minutes. The home side then had their keeper sent of after a skirmish on 72 minutes but with only ten men they managed to salvage a point when Simpson levelled the score on 85 minutes.
Action from Chipping Sodbury Town V Slimbridge
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Kings Stanley recorded their tenth win of the season with a 2-0 win at Taverners. A fairly even first half ended with Stanley snatching the lead through Sam Prior right on 45 minutes. Stanley wrapped the points up with a second goal from Steve Potter on 80 minutes to remain top of the table.
Highridge United took the three points at home to Patchway Town with a 3-1 victory. Mickey Adams opened the scoring for United in the 30th minute after Craig Hopkins set up the move. Steve French made it 2-0 after Hopkins again created the chance. Highridge might have scored again but two shots that looked goal bound struck the crossbar. Mickey Adams then added a third for Highridge before Paul Francis scored a consolation goal for Town.
Bishops Cleeve Reserves continue their good run in the league with a 3-1 victory over Berkeley Town. Rob Allen gave the home side the lead on 30 minutes with Jamie Lock netting a second eight minutes later. Gavin Garthwaite made it 3-0 to the home side with Berkeley’s Scott Northover netting their lone goal 15 minutes from the end.
Axa remain undefeated with yet another victory this time over bottom club D.R.G. Stapleton. Axa’s Andy Sledge gave them the lead on 28 minutes with a headed goal. Justin Bishop latched on to a mistake by the visitors keeper Rice to level after 31 minutes, but Tim O’Loughlin made it 2-1 to the visitors just before the break. A header by Danny Thorpe made it 3-1 on 72 minutes, with Nathan Lumbar rounding the scoring off ten minutes from the end.
15th November 2008 - B&W edge out Berkley
Berkeley Town slipped to their fifth defeat of the season going down 3-2 at home to B&W Avonside. Berkeley had the better of the opening exchanges with a shot from Mike Bryant just wide of the target and Richard Langford shooting straight at the keeper when clear on goal. With Berkeley have the better of possession it was a shock when B&W Avonside in their first real attack took the lead on 11 minutes. Kye Simpsons break down the right and a great cross to the far post was neatly tucked away by left back Jacob Cox. Steve Mason’s cross from the left then saw the Berkeley keeper scrambling backwards to push the ball over the bar. Aaron Day’s cross found Simpson completely unmarked but the strike hit his shot at Stevenson from six yards. B&W were now in full flow and the second goal came on 25 minutes with a brilliant individual effort from Kye Simpson evading the tackles of three Berkeley defenders before slotting the ball past Stevenson. At the other end Tim Beames wasted a good opportunity to pull a goal back shooting wide from 8 yards after Gary Toal had set him up for the shot. Stevenson then brought off a tremendous diving save to deny Kye Simpson a second from a header. Berkeley were back in the game on 41 minutes when a long corner from the right fell nicely for Adam Phelps to drive the ball into the roof of the net. Beames might have levelled just before the break but his diving header went wide of the target. Then Langford got free and sent his shot over the bar.
Action from Berkeley Town V B&W
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The visitors were in charge in the early part of the second half and went 3-1 up with a second goal from Cox a shot that just squeezed inside the upright after 50 minutes. The visitors at this stage looked the more likely to score again with Simpson heading a Phil Serjeant free kick just over. Town surprised the visitors in the 65th minute with a rare attack that saw Peter Holder drive a left footed shot past B&W’s keeper Pullara from the edge of the box. This lifted the home side who were now looking as though they might just get something from the game and when Peter Lavis put Tim Beames clear on goal it looked as though the strike would almost certainly level, but he opted to shoot from the edge of the box and Pullara managed to parry the shot and then get back to recover the loose ball. Town had another chance to level when a free kick was half cleared and knocked back into the box dropping nicely for Richard Langford who from twelve yards out shot straight at the keeper. Town will be disappointed they did not take their chances and it cost them dearly.
Biggest result of the day was the 10-0 drubbing of bottom club D.R.G. Stapleton by Tuffley Rovers. The score was 0-0 until the 40th minute when Tuffley’s Peter Thomas scored the first of his three goals of the afternoon. A minute later Tuffley were two up when Warren Mann was brought down in the box and Stuart Griffith netted from the penalty spot. Three minutes later it was 3-0 after Lee Wallington scrambled the ball in. Then right on half time Thomas netted his second. The second 45 minutes was a nightmare for the visitors with Griffith scoring a second penalty after being brought down in the box on 57 minutes. Peter Thomas then completed his hattrick with a superb drive from the edge of the box. Warren Mann made it 7-0 when the keeper slipped trying to reach the ball, then Rob Cook set up Lee Wallington for his second. Wallington then returned the favour setting up Rob Cook to net number nine in the 80th minute and Martin Middlecote made it 10-0 in the 89th minute.
Action from Berkeley Town V B&W
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Kings Stanley returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory over Chipping Sodbury Town. Stanley fell behind after 10 minutes when Mike Harris turned and shot past the home keeper. The home side drew level on 28 minutes after Mike Beckingham was brought down in the box and Nick Reiger netted from the spot. Martin McDermott then turned in a cross from Casey on 30 minutes to give Stanley the lead and a minute before the break Steve Potter made it 3-1. Sodbury hit straight back and Mike Harris scored a second right on 45 minutes. The home side were home and dry in the 88th minute when substitute Aidan Mercer score from a very tight angle.
Slimbridge continue their challenge for the title with a 4-2 home victory over Yate Town Reserves. The home side opened the scoring on 38 minutes from a long free kick from keeper Ryan Chandler which eventually found its way for Craig Cole to score. Two minutes later Yate’s Justin Cattle latched on to some poor defending by the home defence to level the score. William Wellon restored the lead for the home side from a Karl Nash cross in the 59th minute and then Nash made it 3-1 ten minutes later. Slimbridge went 4-1 up on 72 minutes when Thomas Cole’s shot struck the crossbar and came down and the Assistant Referee signalled a goal. Cattle pulled a goal back for Yate after 78 minutes from the penalty spot and they might well have scored again but for a catalogue of missed chances.
Taverners almost took Axa’s unbeaten record away when they took a 2-0 lead in the first half at Nailsworth. Mike Thornton gave them the lead on 23 minutes and two minutes later they were two up when Andy Griffiths netted. Axa hit back in the second half and scored in the 47th minute through Tim O’Loughlin and with just five minutes left Andy Sledge netted to save the day.
Thornbury Town and Highridge failed to find the back of the net in a game that ended 0-0 with both teams being reduced to ten men before the break. This result saved Thornbury from a fifth consecutive defeat as their keeper pulled of a cracking save to earn them a point.
Action from Berkeley Town V B&W
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
The game between Hanham Athletic and Ellwood was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
In the Les James Cup Competition second round Patchway Town go through on penalties after a 2-2 draw with Bishops Cleeve Reserves. Oliver Bacon opened the scoring for Town after 4 minutes but Bishops Cleeve levelled through Jamie Lock. Then the visitors took the lead when Lloyd Arkell netted from the penalty spot after Ashley Brown had handled. Patchway got back on level terms with an Adam Searle goal in the second half but after 90 minutes the score was level. The game then went straight to penalties with Patchway netting all five of theirs to Bishops Cleeve’s three. The hero of the day was Town’s keeper Martin Alford who pulled of a great penalty save to see his club through to the Semi-Final.
8th November 2008 - Henbury take points at Highridge
A Shane Hobbs hat trick and a brilliant 35 yard drive from Eddie Howells gave Henbury an excellent 4-2 victory over Highridge United at the Creek. It was Highridge who took the lead after just 4 minutes when Nick Pratton side footed home a cross from Craig Liddell. Henbury’s first real attempt on goal came from an Ashley Lock header which Brimble saved well. The Henbury keeper Mark Winkler pulled off a great save to deny Craig Liddell as he cut in from the right and hit a tremendous shot at goal. In the 37th minute Henbury drew level when Shane Hobbs drove a speculative shot at goal and Brimble the home keeper made an awful mistake letting the ball slip through his hands into the net. Henbury got their noses in front in the 41st minute with the best goal of the afternoon as Eddie Howells let fly from 35 yards and saw the ball fly into the top corner of the Highridge net. While the game was waiting to get started again Highridge’s Nick Pratton was given his marching orders by the referee.
Action from Highridge United V Henbury
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Henbury brought on Jermaine Wright for the start of the second half and just five minutes into the half he was given his marching orders from the referee after a discussion with his assistant. Both teams reduced to ten men then decided it was time to get on with the game and Brimble brought of a good save from a Hobbs free kick. Gary Cripps had a clear shot on goal for the home side but it did not have enough power to beat Winkler. Highridge drew level in the 64th minute when a long corner from the left was headed back across goal and Peter Ball stabbed the ball into the Henbury net. A minute later Henbury were back in front when Aaron Rosser broke down the left sent in a cross to Shane Hobbs to drive the ball past Brimble from the edge of the box. At the other end Winkler was at full stretch to deny Craig Liddell and then Adams blasted the ball over the bar from 12 yards. Henbury made it 4-2 in the 71st minute when Steve Phillips failed to collect a loose ball on the half way line and Hobbs pounced to run half the length of the pitch, round Brimble and slot the ball home. Towards the end Hobbs limped off leaving Henbury with just 9 men on the field but they had done enough to win the game.
Axa are the only club left undefeated as they break the eight match winning run of leaders Kings Stanley with a 3-1 home win. No goals in the first 45 minutes but five minutes into the second half Andy Sledge gave Axa the lead. Five minutes on and Nathan Lumbers free kick was slotted home by Steve Watts. The home side went 3-0 up in the 65th minute when a good passing move led to Andy Sledge nettling his second. Stanley grabbed themselves a consolation goal in the 70th minute as Martin McDermott scored from close range.
Action from Highridge United V Henbury
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D.R.G. Stapleton were leading 1-0 after 45 minutes after Giovani Fisher had given them the lead with brilliant run and finish on 22 minutes. The home sides lead lasted until the 80th minute then disaster struck when Berkeley were awarded a penalty for a push in the box. Peter Lavis was given the job of taking the penalty and coolly slotted the ball home. Five minutes later the home side found themselves trailing as they gave away another penalty and Peter Lavis stepped up to score and give Berkeley a 2-1 win.
Thornbury Town are on a losing streak at the moment as they went down for the fourth week running losing 5-1 at Ellwood. They started the game well with Ricky Lippiatt giving them the lead after 5 minutes but once Ellwood levelled through Daryl Addis on 15 minutes it became an up hill task. Daryl Addis netted a second on 25 minutes and Gary Wildin scored a third on 40 minutes. Jamie Addis then got himself on the score sheet after 70 minutes and Mike Nelson made it five with ten minutes to go.
Action from Highridge United V Henbury
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A brilliant fight back by B & W Avonside after trailing visitors Hanham Athletic 3-0 after 66 minutes. Darren Burt gave Hanham the lead on 12 minutes and Matt Baird made it 2-0 in the 55th minute with a far post header. Jamie Mitchell then put the visitors 3-0 up on 66 minutes. Then up stepped Aaron Day for the home side with a hat trick in the last 18 minutes to give the home side a share of the points. His first came on 72 minutes a second three minutes later and his third and equalising goal came just a minute from the end.
Local rivals Yate Town Reserves and Chipping Sodbury Town are just a stones throw apart and in their very first meeting in the Gloucestershire County League the home side snatched the three points with a Jack Smyth screamer from the edge of the box after he had rounded several of Sodbury’s defenders in the 75th minute.
Bishops Cleeve Reserves gained a comfortable 3-0 victory over Patchway Town. No goals in the first 45 minutes but the home side went ahead when Jamie Lock hit a left footed half volley from just inside the box. Five minutes later they went 2-0 up with James Pickup netting from the penalty spot. The home side rounded of the scoring in the 80th minute when Pickup stepped up to net his second again from the penalty spot.
The game between Taverners and Tuffley Rovers was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch
1st November 2008 - Kings Stanley make it eight wins in a row in game of two halves
In a brilliant display of passing and team work by leaders Kings Stanley in the first 45 minutes of this game saw them go into the half time break with a 2-1 lead over visitors Yate Town Reserves, but it might well have been a bigger margin but for some fine saves from the Yate keeper Adam Growcott. Stanley's passing and movement was superb and the Yate defence were flat out trying to keep them from scoring.
Action from Kings Stanley V Yate Town Reserves
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Stanley took the lead in the 10th minute with a break down the right and the resulting cross was neatly struck into the Yate net by Jon Embling from the edge of the box. Yate's first attack came from a free kick on the left which Gary Powell floated the ball into the box and Justin Cattle was just wide of the post with his header. Mike Beckingham broke through for the home side but Growcott smothered the shot the ball ran away for a corner. Centre back Jon Peacock was unlucky when his header from a corner was pushed around the post by the Yate keeper. Then Growcott pulled off another good save to deny Matt Casey's header from going in. On a rare Yate attack Danny Coombe sent over a great cross but Jack Smyth just failed to get on the end of it. Ross Watson had a great chance to level the score but his weak shot was dealt with by the home keeper Gavin Deans. Stanley had forced a number of corners on the right and it was from one of these in-swinging corners that the second goal came in the 33rd minute. Jon Embling curled the ball in and Growcott got caught on his near post and could only help the ball into his own net. Just before the break Yate pulled a goal back with a good move down the right by defender Aston Newman whose superb pass found Justin Cattle unmarked and the Yate striker hit a fierce drive passed Deans from the edge of the box.
The second 45 minutes of this game turned out to be a really drab affair with both teams failing to make any headway as far as scoring was concerned. Stanley never got out of the starting blocks and the neat passing and movement off the ball disappeared with players trying to break down the Yate defence on their own instead of the unit they were in the first half. Neither keeper was troubled in the second half as the game petered out into a very uninspiring second 45 minutes.
Stanley are still undefeated this season and have won their first eight league games to keep them top.
Slimbridge keep up their challenge after a 2-1 home win over Highridge United. It was Highridge who took the lead in the 10th minute when the home side lost the ball on the edge of their box and Adam Winstone cut in to drive the ball past Chandler. It took the home side until the 83rd minute to level the score when Carl Brown broke down the left cut inside and drove the ball home. Within minutes the home side were in front as Craig Cole set up Brown and the striker found the back of the net again to steal the points.
Action from Kings Stanley V Yate Town Reserves
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Chipping Sodbury Town gained a much needed three points with a 3-0 victory over Taverners. Ollie Clark gave the home side the lead in the 40th minute with David Coombe heading a second three minutes later. The home side wrapped up the three points with a third goal in the 77th minute scored by Shaun Halford.
D.R.G. Stapleton gained their second point of the season when they came back from a 2-0 deficit at Hanham Athletic to level the score in the last 10 minutes. Hanham opened the scoring in the 40th minute through Craig Sperring and went 2-0 up after 75 minutes when Terry Baker netted. Then came the fight back from the visitors when Justin Bishop was put clear to net the first of his two goals. The equaliser came right on the 90 minutes when Bishop struck a superb free kick into the roof of the Hanham net.
Thornbury Town went down 3-1 at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves with Lloyd Arkell netting all three. The first 45 minutes failed to produce any goals, then on the hour mark, Lloyd Arkell opened the scoring for the visitors after Thornbury keeper Steve Farr rushed off his line. Thornbury drew level in the 70th minute with a Dave Greaves penalty, but two further goals in the 80th and the 85th minute from Lloyd Arkell sealed the home sides fate.
Henbury came back to win 2-1 after trailing to visitors Ellwood in the first half. Chris Addis gave Ellwood the lead after 38 minutes with a superb free kick, and continued to have the better of the first 45 minutes. Henbury levelled the score in the 55th minute with a well worked five man build up ending with Ashley Lock sending the ball home. Henbury enjoyed much of the play in the second half but only grabbed the winner in the very last minute when George Watts sent over a great pass for Shane Hobbs to drive home.
Action from Kings Stanley V Yate Town Reserves
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Patchway Town move up the table with a 1-0 win over B & W Avonside in very uninspiring game in which both sides struck the upright the only goal of the game came after 30 minutes when Marlon Francis sent over a great cross for Paul Francis to head home.