Ron's Match Reports
29th January - Chipping Sodbury move up to second
On a bitterly cold day only two games were called off due to frozen pitches whilst Brimscombe & Thrupp thrashed local rivals Kings Stanley and Chipping Sodbury Town move into second place in the table with a narrow win at Patchway Town.
The game at Patchway Town went ahead on difficult conditions which saw both sides struggling to control the ball as it bobbled on the tricky surface. The first chance to open the scoring fell to the visitors after 9 minutes Paul Lucas heading over the bar from an Alex Fox cross. A few minutes later Pathway’s Keith William fired wide of the target with the keeper well out of position. The home side had the ball in the back of the net after 15 minutes but it was disallowed for a push in the box. Sodbury took the lead in the 24th minute through Tom Godsall after the home keeper had punched the ball clear from a cross; it went straight to Godsall whose 20 yard drive took a deflection of a Patchway defender and into the roof of the net. In the 41st minute the home side had the ball in the net for a second time but it was disallowed for offside. Luke Meacham had a great chance to increase the lead for Sodbury in the 42nd minute as he broke through clear on goal but then shot straight at Kaminski in the home goal.
The home side did look a little better in the second half and following two corners in succession O’Conner was just wide with a crafty back heal. In the 65th minute O’Conner broke into the box on the left but again there was no one to get onto his low cross. Luke Drew had a great chance to level after Brad Harris had rounded two defenders and broke into the box sent over a good cross to the far post but Drew skied the ball wide. Sodbury’s attacks in the second half were far and few between but their defence looked very sound. Keith William missed a glorious chance to level for Patchway after 76 minutes after O’Conner had broken into the box and squared the ball across goal only for William to shoot wide. The game never really took off and with very few chances created it was always going to be a tight affair.
The local derby between Brimscombe & Thrupp and Kings Stanley turned into a nightmare for the visitors as the home side hammered six into the Stanley net with only one in reply. 157 spectators braved the cold to see Ben Jones give Brimscombe the lead after 12 minutes and in the 25th minute Jones was brought down in the box for a penalty. Leading goal-scorer Mike Beckingham netting from the spot. A lucky goal early in the second half for the home side when Stanley’s keeper Dean let a 25 yard shot from Martin McDermott slip through his legs. A second penalty for the home side midway through the half after Sam Prior handled in the box. Beckinham netting his second from the spot. Matt Blythe then made it 5-0 with a superb free kick and Gary Probert made it six with a headed goal. A late consolation goal for Stanley came courtesy of Ben Newman from a free kick.
League Leaders Yate Town Reserves were well beaten at home by last years champions Thornbury Town. James Derosa gave the visitors the lead on the half hour following up from his first shot that had been well saved by the home keeper. Yate made the mistake of losing the ball in their own half for Thornbury’s second goal as Steve Alexander rounded the keeper to slot home in the 40th minute. The visitors wrapped it all up 2 minutes from the end when substitute Pete Newton Smith netted a third.
Tuffley Rovers also went down 3-0 at home to Henbury and finished the game with nine men. Kris Sage gave Henbury the lead in the 31st minute when he bent the ball under the keeper with a free kick from the edge of the box. Vinny Coote made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute when he rounded the last defender before side footing the ball home. Andy Lynch netted the third right on time as drove a free kick into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Axa move up to third place in the table with a 2-1 victory over Berkeley Town. All three goals came in the first 45 minutes and according to the Axa spokesman the visitors were certainly the better side in the second half but failed to take their chances. Dominic Graffagnino headed Axa into the lead from a Matt Shaughnessy corner on 20 minutes and ten minutes later they went 2-0 up when Tim O’Loughlin netted from the penalty spot after a handling offence in the box. Jamie Mackie latched onto a long ball over the top of the Axa defence to make it 2-1 just before the break, but although they had much of the second half Berkeley were unable to find the back of the net again.
Kingswood suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to bottom club Rockleaze Rangers, closing the gap on their nearest rivals Hanham Athletic and with a couple of games in hand. Rockleaze took the lead in the 7th minute when a cross into the box was headed down by Richard Bray for Nathan Bryer to sweep home. The visitors then went 2-0 up on 35 minutes with a Neil Simons goal. Kingswood reduced the arrears in the 42nd minute after Tom Higgins headed down for Ryan Mudd to net. A spokesman for the home side said that Rockleaze were the much better side in the second half and was disappointed with the home sides performance..
The games Ellwood v D.R.G. Stapleton and Hanham Athletic v Taverners were postponed due to frozen pitches.
22nd January - Fox saves a point for Kingswood
The freezing weather put pay to six of the eight fixtures scheduled for today. The two games that did survive at D.R.G. Stapleton and Thornbury ended in a win and a draw.
The game at Thornbury Town whose visitors today were near rivals Kingswood, turned out to be a very entertaining game even though there were only two goals scored.
The star of the match with out any doubt was the Kingswood keeper Chris Fox who made numerous outstanding saves to keep his side in the game.
Both teams were always looking to push forward and try to open up each others defences especially in the first 45 minutes. Thornbury could well have opened the scoring after just five minutes as Steve Alexander set up James Derosa for a shot that was well on target but was brilliantly saved by Fox. Then Mike Rodman cleared of the line from another shot from Derosa. Kingswood should have scored when Sam Lippiatt’s back pass was intercepted by Tom Higgins who with a one on one situation chipped the ball over keeper Alex Lippiatt but it went wide of the target. Two minutes later Kingswood took the lead when Paul Bleaken squared the ball for Adam Eldridge to score a superb goal with a low drive past the keeper from a full thirty yards. Fox came to the rescue again when Rikki Lippiatt took a return pass from Alexander only to see his goal bound shot save by the keeper and Derosa following up received the same treatment from the keeper. Steve Alexander was next to test Fox when he created space to fire goal-wards but again that man Fox pushed the ball away for a corner. Kingswood thought they had scored a second after 33 minutes when Dan Griffith’s header was hooked away of the line and the match officials waved play on. Just before the break Paul Bleaken had a superb chance to send the visitors in two goals to the good but fired his shot straight at the home keeper.
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
Thornbury had a good chance to level in the 53rd minute when a cross into the box was completely mistimed by Derosa. Dan Thompson was brought on wide on the right and his telling crosses were causing the visitors defence some trouble. Another of the home substitutes Jamie Woodland was just pipped at the post by Fox as he raced through trying to get on to a long ball over the top. A few minutes later Woodland should have done better with another Dan Thompson cross. Thornbury were well in control of the game and when Alexander was put clear on goal it seemed as though that elusive goal would be inevitable but Fox was there to deny the striker. Kingswood went down to ten men on 73 minutes when Paul Eldridge was dismissed for inappropriate remarks. This put added pressure on the visitors as Town pushed forward to get the goal they needed and fully deserved. Try as they might it seemed that Fox would not be beaten as the keeper pushed the ball onto the bar from Steve Thompson then made a double save to deny Dan Thompson and his brother Steve following up. With time running out and just a minute of normal time left Thornbury got the goal that they needed to level the score. Dan Thompson again put clear on the right sent over a hard low drive across the six yard box and Pete Fowler was there to turn it into the net. In time added Town kept the pressure on but Fox was there every time. A bad injury to Pete Fowler late in added time held the game up for several minutes whilst he received treatment and eventually left the field on a stretcher. On the restart a very rare Kingswood break almost caught Thornbury out as Jamie Evans lifted the ball over Lippiatt but it went wide of the target. Even though there were only two goals in the game if it had not been for the brilliance of the Kingswood keeper Chris Fox Thornbury may well have scored a few more.
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
In the other game played at Frenchay it was the home side D.R.G. Stapleton who ran out 2-1 winners over Hanham Athletic. Darren Werrett gave the home side the lead after 19 minutes heading home a cross into the box. It remained 1-0 until the 74th minute when Liam McCaughey headed home an equalising goal. With just four minutes left the home side grabbed the winner with a second headed goal from Darren Werrett. A good result for the home side after last weeks 4-0 defeat, but a disappointment for Hanham after there win at Kingswood last week.
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
Action from Thornbury V Kingswood
Image Courtesy of Tom Shorey
15th January - Henbury and Kings Stanley share points
King Stanley got off to a flying start at Henbury when they took the lead in the very first minute of the game, Paul Day broke down the left side sent over a superb cross to the far post where Matt Casey was on hand to head the ball past keeper Phil O’Connell. They could have easily been two up after eleven minutes when Simon Harmer broke into the box but his shot was weak and enabled O’Connell to save easily. A minute later Henbury’s Billy George had a good opportunity but shot straight at the visitor’s keeper Pete Davis. Even though the home side were trailing they were very much in the game enjoying plenty of possession. Stanley had another good chance in the 28th minute when O’Connell saved from a Ben Newman shot. Henbury’s Billy George had another opportunity to level the score but again shot straight at the keeper. In the 33rd minute O’Connell brought off another good save to deny Ben Newman from the edge of the box. A minute later Aaron Rosser was just wide with a good effort from just inside the box. The last real action in the first half was a shot from Mitchell Grenfell-Williams that saw O’Connell diving full length to save.
The Second half started dramatically when Mitchell Grenfell-Williams retaliated after being fouled in the centre circle and was dismissed by the Referee. This definitely had a bearing on the game and within a minute Henbury were level, Ben Sandle broke into the box avoided a couple of tackles; his shot was parried by the keeper but rolled into the net. In the 54th minute Sandle’s square cross from the right found Howells who shot struck the corner of the upright and the cross bar and rebounded into play. In the 58th minute Henbury’s Mike Lowe was unlucky when his shot also struck the cross bar. Midway through the second half Stanley had a great chance to take the lead when a cross from the right was missed by the Henbury defence the ball falling nicely for Simon Harmer who was clear on goal but failed to beat O’Connell at the near post. At the other end Henbury’s Eddie Howell was only just wide with a left foot drive that skimmed just past the upright. The home side almost grabbed the winner in the 77th minute when the ball was driven low into the box, Kris Sage flicked it goal wards but it took a slight deflection off a defender onto the post and was cleared. Henbury were reduced to ten men in time added on when Ross Johnson received a second Yellow card for a bad foul on Simon Harmer. With just seconds left Ben Sandle angled shot from the edge of the box was brilliantly saved by keeper Ben Davis.
Yate Town Reserves extend their lead at the top of the table with a 4 – 0 victory over DRG Stapleton. Justin Cattle gave the home side the lead after 12 minutes when he beat the off side trap and rounded the keeper. Jermaine Wright put them 2- 0 ahead on the hour mark with a good individual goal. Substitute Neikell Plummer made it 3 – 0 five minutes later. Then Plummer rounded the scoring off in the 81st minute from the penalty spot.
After last weeks success in the GFA Challenge Trophy at Winterbourne United, Ellwood went down 4 -2 at home to Berkeley Town. The highlight of the day was a Hat-trick from Berkeley’s Karl Nash. It was Nash who opened the scoring for the visitors early on with Gary Wildin levelling five minutes before the break. Ryan Stevenson put the visitors back in front early in the second half but the home side hit back to level again through Jamie Addis on the hour. Then two goals in the last ten minutes, the 80th and the 85th minute from Karl Nash saw the visitors leave with all the spoils.
Only the third home game of the season for Kingswood but they slipped up to second from bottom Hanham Athletic by two goals to one. The visitors opened the scoring after 8 minutes when the corner came out to centre half Scott Barclay to drive a low ball home from well outside the box. The home side had several chances early on with Ryan Mudd failing to capitalise. Kingswood hauled themselves back into the game in the 25th minute when Adam Harber beat several defenders before driving the ball home. The home side found themselves under loads of pressure from the visitors and only good goalkeeping kept the score down. Hanham took a deserved lead when substitute Dan Pearce beat several defenders to drive the ball home for three valuable points.
Axa continue their recent good form with a 2-0 victory over Bishops Cleeve Reserves. Tim O’Loughlin gave Axa the lead in the 22nd minute when he volleyed into the top corner from a Matt Shaughnessy cross. A second in the 68th minute from Tom Burns following good play between Ryan McKillop, Dominic Graffagnino and Steve Watts with the latter making the final cross for Burns to head home.
GFA Challenge Trophy Quarter-final
The Surridge Gloucestershire County Football League have one team going through to the Semi-Final of this competition after Tuffley Rovers beat Brimscombe & Thrupp 3-2 in Extra time. With 87 minutes of the game played Brimscombe’s Mike Beckingham gave them the lead but in the final minute Tuffley levelled through Richard James which sent the game into extra time. James netted a second to give Tuffley Rovers the lead but Beckingham netted his second from the penalty spot after Gary Probert had been brought down. In the dying minutes. Pete Thomas grabbed a third for Tuffley to send them into the Semi-Final.
Taverners were drawn at home to Bitton from the Premier Division of the Toolstation League. The visitors who play two divisions higher were given a bit of a scare in the second half after going two goals up midway through the first half. The County League side hit back to level the score with a goal from Phil Hall and a penalty from Mike Thornton. After drawing level the Western League side stepped up the pace and Taverners found themselves defending for most of the final period of the game and the constant pressure finally told when the visitors scored a third goal to take them through to the Semi-Final.
8th January - DRG edge out Kingswood, as the goals fly in
Some exiting results today with 3 of the games producing 22 goals.
The game at Frenchay between D.R.G. Stapleton and Kingswood produced no less than seven goals with four of them coming from the penalty spot. The home side won the game 4-3 but the three goals scored by visitors all came from the penalty spot and were all netted by Adam Harber.
Kingswood had the best chance to open the scoring after 8 minutes when Ryan Mudds header from a free kick was well saved by keeper Ashley Bryan. A couple of minute’s later visitor’s keeper Chris Fox came to the rescue saving with his legs from a Grant Wolsey shot. The home side went ahead after 11 minutes when a long cross from the right was headed home by Martin Nicholls. Two minutes later Kingswood drew level from the penalty spot as Adam harder netted from the spot after being tripped when bearing down on goal. D.R.G. took the lead on the half hour after Bryan had saved a good shot from the edge of the box only form the ball to fall straight to Grant Wolsey to drive into the far corner. The home side went 3-1 up on 34 minutes when Liam Powell was brought down in the box and Martin Nicholls netted his second from the spot. Three minutes before the break Nathan Broe pulled Harber back in the box and the player made no mistake from the spot.
Action from DRG Stapleton V Kingswood
In the 70th minute D.R.G.s Rob Treanor saw his effort just pushed over the bar by Fox and a few minutes later Kingswood headed off the line from a corner. Kingswood drew level in the 73rd minute when the home side gave away a third penalty and Adam Harber completed his hat-trick from the spot. The winner came in the 89th minute of normal time when a cross came over from the right every one scrambling to get to the ball and Tristan Ferguson just got his head to it as it crept into the corner of the net.
Taverners and Patchway Town also netted seven goals between them with the home side grabbing the winner with five minutes to go. Keith William chase a long ball over the home defence to open the scoring for Town in the first minute and the visitors took a 2-0 lead on 20 minutes with a Brad Harris cross being headed home by Luke Drew. Phil Hall pulled one back for Taverners five minutes later when he jinked into the box deceived the keeper before driving the ball home. Taverners had several chances to level before the break but missed the target. Eleven minutes into the second half the home side were level when a low cross into the box was met by Hall to net his second. A Fran King free kick was headed back across goal for Tom Hanley to give the home side the lead on the hour mark, but Patchway hit back to level when Brad Harris rounded a defender before driving his shot into the net. With just five minutes left Taverners grabbed the winner with a spectacular goal from Craig Mills, Tom Hanley sent over a corner and Mills scored with a brilliantly executed scissors kick that gave the Patchway keeper no chance.
The old saying cropped up at Kings Stanley a game of two halves. Kings Stanley were leading Axa 3-1 at half time but the visitors hit back to score four in the second half to win the game 5-3. Nick Humphries open the scoring for Stanley in the 4th minute and five minutes later he netted a second. Humphries was then involved in the third goal for Stanley when he crossed into the box for Ben Newman to score. Five minutes before the break Matt Shaughnessy pulled a goal back for Axa. Tom Burns made it 3-2 when he latched onto a long ball that beat the home defence in the 50th minute and he netted the equalising goal after his first shot was saved by the home keeper but rebounded nicely for him to net from the second attempt. Axa's Sam Sarre then put the visitors into the lead on 65 minutes and Lewis Morgan grabbed the fifth with a headed in the 70th minute.
Action from DRG Stapleton V Kingswood
Thornbury Town bounced back from last Saturdays heavy defeat to win 3-2 at home to Hanham Athletic. Hanham took the lead after 5 minutes from a free kick from Darren Burt. Steve Alexander levelled on the half hour with a good individual goal. Hanham then struck again from another free kick that was fired home by Liam McCaughey. Riki Lippiatt pulled the score level when he drove home from 12 yards following a corner. Steve Thompson grabbed the winner in the 75th minute after being set up by Matt Morrison pass
Chipping Sodbury Town move into second place in the table with a slender 1-0 win at home to Henbury. In a game that saw Henbury have their fair share of the play but lacked any punch in front of goal. Sodbury scored the winner in the 39th minute when Danny Coombes cross was scrambled home by Paul Lucas.
Rockleaze Rangers recorded their second win of the season with a 1-0 defeat of Tuffley Rovers. The visitors should have opened the scoring as early as the third minute but for a tremendous double save by the home keeper from Pete Thomas. Rockleaze had a goal disallowed before eventually scoring the winner in th 86th minute as Kye Simpson set up Savas Frangoullis to slide the ball home.
The league game at Bishops Cleeve Res v Yate Town Res was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Action from DRG Stapleton V Kingswood
GFA Challenge Trophy Rd 3
In the GFA Challenge Trophy Cup 3rd Round Brimscombe and Thrupp beat Berkeley Town 3-2 with goals from Pete Smith Mike Beckingham and Matt Blythe for the home side and Sam Strickland and Pete Lavis for the visitors.
Winterbourne United v Ellwood ended with the visitors going through to the next round with a 4-3 victory after extra time. The goal scores for the Gloucestershire County League side were Jamie Addis (2) Matt Addis and Kerry Hale
3rd January - Brimscombe close gap at top
After a lengthy lay off due to the bad weather, at last some football again.
Not a good day for the two top teams in the league both suffering defeats at home. It opened the door for the chasing pack and they did not disappoint as all five recorded victories.
Local derby in the north of the county between Brimscombe & Thrupp and Taverners draw the biggest crown of the day as 110 spectators saw the home side take the three points with a 2-1 victory.
On a snow covered pitch it was the visitors who almost opened the scoring In the first minute as free kick from the left skimmed past everybody add the far post. The home side adapted to the conditions much quicker than the visitors and on 20 minutes forced two corners and Mike Buckingham’s corner from the right was headed home by James Tubb on the far post. Brimscombe went 2-0 up after 28 minutes when Ian Probert knocked the ball into the visitor’s box and defender Paul Jennings could only manage to half clear the ball which fell nicely for Mike Beckingham to drive past keeper Ward. Taverners might have pulled a goal back in the 42nd minute but Adam Thomas brought of a tremendous save from a Craig Mills shot. Right on half time Taverners had another chance to reduce the arrears but Dave Woodfield’s header missed the target from a Jamie Bish cross.
James Tubb heads Brimscombe in front
Image Courtesy of Peter Langley
Beckingham should have made it 3-0 on the hour but completely missed Matt Blythe’s cross with the goal gaping. Ward then brought off a great save to deny Beckingham from 6 yards in the 75th minute. Taverners were handed a life line in the 87th minute when Tom Hanley’s cross was handled in the box the referee pointing straight to the spot. Mike Thornton gave Thomas no chance from the spot kick. The last few minutes Taverners pushed everything forward but could not break through the home defence and in a break away Brimscombe’s Gary Probert was floored in the box by Thornton the referee giving a penalty, Pete Smith was the man elected to take the spot kick which was brilliantly saved by keeper Ward.
Berkeley Town pulled off a great win at leaders Yate Town Reserves. The home side had taken a 2-0 lead with a brace from Jermaine Wright in the 20th and 25th minute but the visitors pulled a goal back right on half time through Pete Lavis. Richard Langford then levelled the score midway through the second half and Ryan Stevenson grabbed the winner in the 85th minute.
Kings Stanley suffered a 4-2 reverse at home at the hands of Chipping Sodbury Town. Town took the lead in the 39th minute from the penalty spot, Alex Fox netting from the spot. Debutant Lee Smart made it 2-0 in the 44th minute, but within a minute Luke Barstow netted a goal for the home side after good build up play. Five minutes into the second half Luke Meacham made it 3-1 to the visitors. Stanley pulled it back to 3-2 with a goasl from Nick Humphries on 65 minutes but a second goal from Alex Fox in the very last minute sealed the game for the visitor’s.
Mike Beckingham extends the lead for Brimscombe
Image Courtesy of Peter Langley
Axa took the three points at home to Ellwood but made hard work in doing so. A single goal from Tim O’Loughlin in the 65th minute was enough, but it may have been different score line if Matt Turner had not saved a penalty for Axa in the last minute of the game.
Patchway Town improved their chances of climbing the table with a 1-0 home win over D.R.G. Stapleton. A Mark Stoneham corner that went straight in gave them 3 valuable points.
Henbury ran out 3-2 winners at home to bottom Club Rockleaze Rangers. It was the visitors who took the lead through Nathan Bryer after 25 minutes when he out paced the home defence to score. The home side levelled on 32 minutes when Vinny Coote drove home Adam Rossers cross from the edge of the box. Two minutes later Billy George ran from his own half before dinking the ball over the keeper for a 2-1 lead. Five minute before the break Eddie Howells headed home from a Ben Sandell cross. Rockleaze were given a lifeline in the 60th minute when they were awarded a penalty Aaron Day struck the penalty that was saved by the home keeper and in the scramble that followed the ball was struck against Days legs and ended up in the back of the net.
Thornbury Town can’t seem to get going this season as they slumped to a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Tuffley Rovers. Tuffley took the lead on 15 minute when Richard James tapped home from close range when the ball was not cleared from a corner. Thornbury drew level in the 55th minute from a James Derosa strike. Tuffley regained the lead with a scrappy goal that was eventually netted by Marcus Foxwell and then went further ahead when Warren Mann broke down the left sent over a cross come shot that struck the inside of the post and into the net. Tuffley then netted a fourth in the 75th minute with a second strike from Marcus Foxwell.
Action from Brimscombe V Taverners
Image Courtesy of Peter Langley
Hanham Athletic almost pulled of a win at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves after taking the lead in the 40th minute when a pass from Richard Bray to Paris Allen resulted in him cutting into the box and a hard low shot across the keeper into the far corner. When you are near the bottom thing always seem to go against you and in the 68th minute they gave away a penalty allowing Ben McGuire to net the equaliser from the spot.