Match Reports
31st October - Thornbury run riot
Thornbury Town ran riot in the second half as they smash four goals into the Brimscombe & Thrupp net for a very convincing 5-1 victory. Town were the much better side for the first 30 minutes and had several attempts on goal dealt with very well by Adam Thomas, then with their first real challenge on the Thornbury goal Brimscombe took the lead on the half hour mark. A long ball up to Lee Pritchard on the right floated over Lippiatt for Pritchard to send a low cross to the far post for Jamie Martin to fire home from close range. Two minutes later the home side were level as Steve Thompson’s shot was parried by Thomas but finished up in the back of the net for a deserved equaliser. A few minutes later Sam Lippiatt prevented Pritchard getting through on goal with very well timed tackle that if had not been well timed would have resulted in a penalty to the visitors. Chris Parry missed a good chance to put Town in the lead and right on half time Martin should have given the visitors the lead, but Malcolm dived full length to push the ball wide.
Action from Thornbury Town V Brimscombe & Thrupp
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Thornbury started the second half with a vengeance both Steve Alexander and James Derosa hitting the upright. Town moved into the lead in the 55th minute from the penalty spot after Steve Alexander was fouled by keeper Thomas, Chris Parry making no mistake from the spot. Town went further ahead in the 63rd minute as James Derosa swept home a Chris Parry cross. Then two minute later they had a 4-1 lead as Steve Alexander broke into the box to tee up Steve Thompson for his second of the afternoon. Thornbury were rampant at this stage with Brimscombe having to defend for most of the period. The constant pressure paid off in the 75th minute as James Derosa fired home his second from a Chris Parry cross. Matt Morrison almost made it six as his shot from the edge of the box saw Thomas at full stretch to push the ball out for a corner. Town still kept pushing forward and a brilliant shot from Parry was deflected onto the bar by Thomas and was cleared.
A big shock of the day was the 6-3 win that Chipping Sodbury Town inflicted on previously undefeated Rockleaze Avonside. Danny Coombes opened the scoring for the visitors on the 10 minute mark finding himself clear to fire past the keeper. Lee Gardiner then made it 2-0 on 17 minutes when he netted the first of his three goals of the afternoon. The home side hit back with a scrappy goal from Troy Simpson before Lee Gardiner netted his second for Town in the 44th minute. Two minutes into the second half Sodbury were 4-1 up with strike from Luke Meacham. The home side hit back with a header from Troy Simpson, before Alex Fox score a fifth for the visitors as he passed the ball into the Rockleaze net. Lee Gardiner then netted his third of the afternoon with an easy tap in to complete his hattrick, then with just 3 minutes left Central defender Aaron Day rose above the Sodbury defence to head home a third for Rockleaze Avonside. Some outstanding saves by John Kerley the Sodbury keeper kept the home forwards at bay.
Berkeley Town gained three valuable points with a 2-1 win over close rivals Henbury. A spokesman for Berkeley Town said that if Henbury had taken the many chance they created throughout the game, it might well have been a different story. The home side took the lead as early as the 5th minute as Pete Holder fired home from a Dave Phillips cross. Then in the 23rd minute Richard Crowcombe drove a half volley home to give Berkeley a 2-0 lead. Town should have gone further ahead in the 34th minute but the upright saved the day for Henbury. Those missed chances in the first 45 minute by the visitors found them trailing 2-0 at the break but they might well have been on level terms. Henbury fought their way back into the game in the 55th minutes as Eddie Howells netted from a cross from the right, but it was not their day and it will be back to the drawing board next Saturday.
Action from Thornbury Town V Brimscombe & Thrupp
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Taverners who had to play their fixture against Yate Town Reserves at Brimscombe due to major works being carried out on their dressing rooms at Nailsworth gained their second point of the season with a 2-2 draw. The home side struggled to contain the speed of Yate Town’s Omari Sims and were punished in the 15th minute when Justin Cattle bundled the ball over the line to give them the lead. The visitors took a 2-0 lead when a cross come shot from Sims drifted over the home keeper into the net. Taverners had a stroke of luck to get back in the game as the Yate keeper fumbled a cross and Richard Kerry fire home. Yate were down to ten men on 70 minutes, allowing Taverners to push forward and they were rewarded when Mark Harsant headed home the equaliser. Yate had a second player dismissed near the end but the home side were unable to find a winner.
Kings Stanley got out of jail with a last minute goal from Matt Casey in a 1-1 draw at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves. The only chance early on for the home side was a shot from Jon Peacock that hit the crossbar. The visitors took the lead on 30 minutes when keeper Gavin Dean spilled the ball from a free-kick and Mike Oliver scored from close range. The keeper redeemed himself later on with a brilliant save to deny the visitors going further ahead.
Kingswood took a first minute lead at Ellwood when Ed Dawkins put through his own goal. In a very even game throughout the home side had to be satisfied with a draw as 55th minute goal from Alan Williams saved the day.
Action from Thornbury Town V Brimscombe & Thrupp
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
D.R.G. Stapleton remain top of the table after fighting back to gain a 1-1 draw at home to Tuffley Rovers. Rovers took the lead in the 5th minute as Ben Wood fired home from close in, with the visitors continued to have the better of the first half. The home side manager made two changes at the break and this had the desired affect as Martin Nicholls ran through to shoot past keeper Adam Bennett in the 55th minute. Leon Cozens then had a shot well saved by Bennett, but the home side finished with 10 men after goalscorer Nicholls was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
24th October - Patchway hang on to win at Chipping Sodbury
An own goal in the 82nd minute gave Patchway Town the three points in a 2-1 victory at Chipping Sodbury Town. The conditions were difficult with a very strong wind blowing from end to end, but it was the home side who mastered the conditions really well by keeping the ball on the deck and passing it around. Shaun Halford had a great chance after just 2 minutes but blasted his shot over the bar. Patchway’s Tim O’Loughlin then pulled his shot from the edge of the box wide of the target. Sodbury striker Danny Coombes had two good chances to open the scoring but failed to beat the visitor’s keeper James Kaminski. Patchway’s Bradley Harris was always a threat to the home side when he broke clear down the left and Kerley had to push the ball over from a Matt Webb shot. In the 34th minute a Matt Webb cross was saved by Kerley but as the ball ran loose the keeper brought down Bradley Harris for a penalty to Patchway, James Stephens hit a hard low shot straight down the middle as Kerley dived to his right. Stephens almost got a second when he struck a pass from Grinter at goal and with the keeper off his line the ball dropped onto the roof of the net. Sodbury had several more breaks down the right before the break but the crosses into the box were just not good enough for their forwards to get on the end of them.
Action from Chipping Sodbury Town V Patchway Town
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
In the second half Sodbury continued to spurn the chances they created with poor shots that went wide of the target. In the 80th minute Patchway were awarded another penalty for a foul in the box and James Stephens stepped up to take it. His first effort was saved by the keeper but he had moved well off his line and the kick was retaken. This time Stephens opted for the blast and his shot struck the crossbar so hard that it bounced down and back into play. Two minutes later Patchway went 2-0 up when Bradley Harris got round the back of the home defence sent the cross into the six yard box where defender Darren Gould was unable to prevent the ball cannoning off his leg into the net. Three minute later a third penalty was awarded this time to the home side as Bradley Harris handled in the box and received his marching orders from the referee. Sodbury’s Lloyd Harding cheekily chipped the ball into the net as Kaminski dived to his left.
Last weeks leaders Tuffley suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat at home to Highridge United. The home side who were reduced to ten men went behind to a Mitch Kavanagh goal in the 27th minute. Then two more in the 44th and 45th minute From Craig Liddell and Shane Hobbs gave the visitors a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break. Craig Liddell netted his second from the penalty spot late in the game to give the visitors a well deserved three points.
Action from Chipping Sodbury Town V Patchway Town
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
D.R.G. Stapleton go back to the top of the table with a slender 1-0 victory over Henbury. Henbury finished the game with 8 players after having Craig Hobbs, Ross Johnson and Dominic Holver all sent off. The only goal of the game came in the 50th minute when Ricky Gingell netted from the penalty spot.
Rockleaze Avonside move into second spot in the table with a convincing 4-0 victory at Kingswood. Troy Simpson opened the scoring in the 6th minute with Robert Neill netting a second on 20 minutes. A second from Troy Simpson on 26 minutes gave the visitors a 3-0 half time lead. They increased that lead just a minute into the second half with a Barry Lumbard strike.
Hanham Athletic are creeping up the table after their 2-1 triumph over previously unbeaten Kings Stanley. Jay Owen gave the home side the lead in the 40th minute and two minutes later they went 2-0 up with a Nathan Evans strike. Stanley pulled a goal back in the 84th minute through Steve Walker but could not find a second to grab a point.
Action from Chipping Sodbury Town V Patchway Town
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney
Brimscombe & Thrupp ran out 2-0 winners at home to bottom club Taverners who are having a bad time at the moment. A spokesman for Brimscombe said that Taverners were the better footballing side on the day but can’t seem to find the back of the net. John Dalton gave the home side the lead on 38 minutes, but early in the second half Jay Redbond almost levelled the score but his shot struck the upright. Brimscombe netted a second through Jack Cannon in the 80th minute to see them move into 6th place in the table.
A surprise result at Axa as Thornbury Town beat the home side 4-1. Steve Watts gave Axa the lead on 15 minutes with a shot from the edge of the box, and then right on half time Thornbury levelled from the penalty spot, Chris Parry finding the back of the net. Town went 2-1 up in the 50th minute as Steve Thompson drove his shot into the bottom corner. In the 75th minute Axa’s keeper Tom Shepherd dropped the ball from a free kick and Pete Fowler drove the ball into an empty net. Thornbury then grabbed a fourth in the last minute as Steve Thompson set up Steve Alexander to score from close range.
17th October - Axa make Yate pay penalty
There was only one county league game played today due to GFA Trophy commitments.
In a close fought game where they has the clearer chances Yate Town Reserves will feel a little unfortunate to come away from Axa on the end of a 1-0 defeat to a Nick Jones penalty in the second half.
Yate started the first half brightly and had the better of the early exchanges without creating any real chances. Axa came back into the game and defences were dominant as the game went end to end. On 20 minutes Axa’s Matt Shaughnessy earned himself a caution for a robust challenge, from the resulting free kick from 40 yards Yate captain Justin Cattle headed the ball wide. Yate’s Adrian Adams making his debut linked well with Cattle to break clear into the box to be met by Axa keeper Tom Shepherd coming off his line quickly to kill the danger. Axa’s first good chance came from a free kick for an obstruction on the left corner of the area, Andy Watts rolled the ball to Shaughnessy but he fired well wide.
In the final 10 minutes of the half Yate had three clear chances and should have put the game beyond Axa, firstly Adams did well to feed the ball into Cattle who was clear on goal, but his first touch took the ball away from him and the chance went. Adams then drove into the box from the left and a neat ball found Cattle who got the ball caught under his feet and lost the chance. The final Yate chance came when Stuart Nelson made a good run down the left and fed Cattle who fired wide when it was easier to score. The final chance of the half came from a Neil Turner free kick for Axa on the left of the area after Luke Coles had scythed down Nathan Lumber.
Axa had the better of a second half in which neither keeper had much to do as the defences got on top. Lumber was a constant threat breaking forward from left back for Axa but couldn’t create any clear chances for his side. The game was decided on 70 minutes when Noel O’Sullivan played in the Axa substitute Brad Saunders who was brought down by the Yate keeper Alex Pearce just inside the area. Nick Jones coolly dispatched the penalty hard and low to the bottom right corner just out of reach of the diving Pearce. Yate applied some late pressure via the very quick wide man Omari Sims who’d come on as a sub but his crosses were dealt with by the efficient Axa defence. In the last minute Axa were reduced to 10 men as Shaughnessy picked up a second caution for kicking the ball away.
10th October - Tuffley take over at top
Tuffley Rovers move to the top of the table with a 2 – 1 home win over Axa. A very good even game with the home side snatching the points. Tuffley opened the scoring after 5 minutes when Warren Mann’s corner from the right was headed on by Mark Wallington and Richard James slotted it in from close range. Axa were on level terms five minutes before the break when a long ball up field from the central defender was miss judged in the box by both Tuffley central defender and the goalkeeper and the ball running loose for Jason Reynolds to slot into an empty net. The home side grabbed the winner in the 68th minute again from a Warren Mann corner which dropped nicely for Richard James to slot home his second.
Kings Stanley dropped their first points of the season in a 2-2 draw at home to Chipping Sodbury Town. The first ten minutes belonged to Stanley as they rushed into a 2 – 0 lead. Aidan Mercer opened the scoring after 5 minutes when he slid the ball home after the ball had been headed across goal. Five minutes later Mark Uppington grabbed the second. Sodbury settled down and weathered this early set back and pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when a cross from the left was turned in by Paul Harris. At this stage Sodbury looked the better of the two sides but had to wait until the 80th minute when Danny Coombes drove a powerful shot into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box. Other chances were created and both teams hit the cross bar but Stanley regard this as a point gained.
Rockleaze Avonside and Yate Town Res shared a point each in a 2-2 draw at Coombe Dingle sports complex. A double strike from Yate Towns Jacob Cox in the 15th & 30th minute gave the visitors a deserved 2 – 0 lead. But a goal from Kye Simpson in the 40th minute gave the home side some hope. Rockleaze finished with their third draw in a row when Mike Low equalised from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.
Poor old Taverners with out a win all season went down 1 – 0 at home to Thornbury Town. In a very even first half both sides failed to find the back of the net. Thornbury took the lead through Danny Thompson after he latched on to a long ball out of defence. Taverners were unlucky when Mark Harsant hit the upright and another bit of bad luck when Rich Kerry hit the post. Thornbury should have made it 2 – 0 in the 70th minute from the penalty spot but Duane Portlock brought off a brilliant save.
Ellwood hit back to gain a point after going a goal down to visitors Brimscombe & Thrupp after 12 minutes when Lee Pritchard hit a 25 yard unstoppable shot past the home keeper. No further goals until the 65th minute when Gary Wilding’s 25 yard free-kick levelled the score.
Patchway Town lose by the odd goal at home to Kingswood scored in the 90th minute from a Tom Higgins header. Earlier in the game Patchway had created several good chances but failed to find the back of the net and the game looking as it was going to end in a goalless draw devastated Patchway.
Last weeks leaders DRG Stapleton are knocked off top spot when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves. The home side took the lead on the half hour mark when a through ball to Sam Thomas was driven hard into the bottom corner of the net. In the 55th minute the visitors levelled the score when Jake Pettitt had a simple task of knocking the ball into the net from close range following a corner. In the 73rd minute DRG Stapleton were back in front when a throw-in from the right found Aaron Taynton who neatly struck the ball home from just inside the box. Five minutes later the visitors levelled again when Lorcan Sheehan took a short pass from a free-kick and drove the ball into the net giving the keeper no chance.
Berkeley Town gain a valuable point in a 0-0 draw at home to Hanham Athletic. This is the third draw on the trot for the home side. In a very evenly contested game there were few chances created but Berkeley were unlucky when they hit the cross bar in the second half.
3rd October - Hanham stun leaders
Hanham Athletic recorded a second win in 4 days with a convincing 2-0 victory over league leaders D.R.G. Stapleton. On a blustery and showery afternoon the home side played the ball around really well in the first 45 minutes of this game. The visitors were hard pushed to keep the rampant home side at bay and they took a deserved but fortunate lead on 20 minutes with the ball being stabbed into the corner of the net by Jay Owen from a low corner. The leaders had their first shot on goal after 29 minutes with Leon Cozens firing wide of the target. Then a couple of minutes later Ash Stevens was just wide with a header. A tremendous shot from Tolo Taylor from well outside the box had the home keeper Ash Bryan well beaten but it struck the underside of the crossbar and rebounded into play. The home side grabbed a second goal right on half time when a free kick from the left was headed back across goal and Nathan Bryer flung himself forward to head the ball into the net.
Jay Owen fires Hanham Athletic in front of D.R.G Stapleton
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney. More images (completely unedited) available on Picasa.
The second half failed to produce any further goals but the visitors saw much more of the ball but could not find that killer touch that was needed. The Hanham keeper brought off a brilliant save when a shot from D.R.G. was deflected by home defender Tom Nunn, but the keeper was at full stretch to make the save. Then with just a couple of minutes left Leon Cozens was denied by keeper Bryan and then by the home defence as he broke into the box.
Kings Stanley is the only team with a 100% record so far this season as they move into second place with a 2-0 victory over Thornbury Town. Steve Potter almost gave Stanley the lead midway through he first half with a powerful shot that struck the crossbar, but they eventually took the lead in the 44th minute from the penalty spot, Tony Francis netting from the spot after Jon Peacock had been brought down as he burst into the box. A second on 55 minutes from Eoin Szuejkowski who brought the ball down before sweeping the ball home to seal the points.
The only away win of the day came at Henbury as they went down 2-1 to visitors Tuffley Rovers. Tuffley took the lead on 25 minutes with a cross come shot from Mark Wallington, but within a minute Henbury were level when Eddie Howells netted. A few minutes later the home side might have taken the lead but Erol Deans header crashed against the crossbar. Tuffley regained the lead in the 40th minute when Victor Webb scored from a free kick and with no further score in the second half Tuffley move into third place in the table.
Action from Hanham Athletic V D.R.G Stapleton
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney. More images (completely unedited) available on Picasa.
Axa continue their steady climb up the table with a 2-1 victory over bottom club Taverners. It was the visitors who opened the scoring first after just 5 minutes Jay Redbond heading home from a free kick. Axa had to wait until the 50th minute to level when Steve Watts headed home from a free kick. An 84th minute headed goal from Andy Sledge after Brad Saunders had crossed the ball into the box gave the home side the three points.
A second successive draw for Rockleaze Avonside saw them drop another 2 points at Brimscombe & Thrupp. Kye Simpson missed a good chance early on for the visitors and Lee Pritchard should have opened the scoring for the home side just after but took to long to make his mind up after rounding the keeper who got back to save. Although there had been chances in the first 45 minutes the score remained goalless until the 60th minute when defender Aaron Day swept the ball home to give the visitors the lead. They should have gone further ahead when Chris Murray was sent of for the home side resulting in a penalty for Rockleaze. Dean James stepped up to take the spot kick which was brilliantly saved by the home keeper Adam Thomas. With time running out Brimscombe salvaged a point in the 83rd minute with a well taken goal from Jamie Martin lobbing the ball over the keeper.
Chipping Sodbury Town and Berkeley Town shared a point each in a 1-1 draw at the Ridings. In a very dour first 45 minutes where both sides never looked like breaking the deadlock it was eventually broken in the 55th minute by Berkeley’s Mike Reece whose 35 yard free kick deceived all to nestle in the back of the Sodbury net. The home side stepped up their game but could not fined the break through they needed until the 89th minute, Danny Coombes netting to gain them a point.
Action from Hanham Athletic V D.R.G Stapleton
Image courtesy Nigel Meaney. More images (completely unedited) available on Picasa.
A double for Yate Town Reserve striker Justin Cattle gave them a 2-0 victory over Patchway Town. The opener came right on half time as Cattle turned in a Jacob Cox corner. The second on 81 minutes saw Cattle through on goal and having his first shot saved by the Patchway keeper but the striker turned quick to pick up the rebound and slot the ball home.