MARCLIFF Gloucestershire County Football League

Ron's Match Reports

25^th January 2014 - Bristol Telephones weather storm to take points at Henbury

Five fixtures of the nine scheduled went ahead which was good considering the amount of rain that fell again yesterday. Longlevens lost their game to the weather but local rivals Gala Wilton won 3-0 at home to Bishops Cleeve Reserves to move into top spot although they have played 3 games more. Ellwood remain in third place even though they were defeated at Chipping Sodbury Town.

At the bottom Berkeley Town lost at Frampton whilst Thornbury Town moved up a place with a 2-1 success at Kingswood.

This was a day when the weather played a large part in most of the fixtures that went ahead with the games at Henbury and Gala Wilton being suspended when a freak hail storm which was accompanied by lightning at Gala saw the players and spectators running for cover.

Henbury must be kicking themselves for not taking at least a point from their game with Bristol Telephones. The home side enjoyed a lot of possession but failed to turn the chances they created into goals. A very strong wind blowing straight down the pitch made things really difficult for both sides but they did their best to combat the conditions. A free kick in the seventh minute was pumped into the Telephones box, it found Aaron Rosser unmarked but he drove his shot straight at the visitors keeper Chris Blammon. A couple of minutes later Rosser broke free of the visitors defence but failed to get past Blammon. A corner from the right on ten minutes was cleared away by Telephones to the edge of the box but was picked up by Shaun Heal who then blasted his shot over the bar. Telephones first real attack on goal after seventeen minutes almost brought a goal but the header went just over the bar. The best chance to score form the home side came on nineteen minutes when Luke Cox sent over a superb ball from the left that beat the two Telephones defender and right to the toe of Aaron Rosser, he took a couple of touches before pulling his shot wide of the goal with just Blammon to beat. There was a great tackle from Mike Grist on thirty minutes slipping the ball away from Craig Davis who would have had a clear sight of goal to give Henbury a possible lead. A minute later it was Davis again as his shot on target was deflected out for a corner. On a rare attack on the Henbury goal a header from Mike Grist just cleared the bar on thirty five minutes. Right on half time home keeper Cameron Tarr pulled of a great save from a Chris Misir free kick to deny the visitors taking the lead.

Telephones had the advantage of the wind behind them in the second half and Misir missed the opportunity on fifty six minutes to put the visitors ahead, He made up for that miss five minutes later when a cross from the right to the far post was headed back into the six yard box and Misir hooked the ball home. In the Twenty first minute the heavens opened and a tremendous hail and rain storm assisted by a gale force wind drove all the players and the spectators for cover. The referee had no alternative than to suspend proceedings until the storm subsided. The game resumed after a long discussion with the managers and captains fifteen minutes later. The pitch although very heavy was passed fit to play the remainder of the game and it was Telephones who should have increased their lead when Chris Misir got free on the left cut in but then drove his shot wide of the far post. Henbury settle down very well and looked the better side for the last fifteen minutes and on eighty minutes they were given a golden opportunity to level the score. A corner from the right was headed goal-wards and was heading into the net when Telephones Ben Griffiths punched the ball off the line. The referee dismissed Griffiths and it was left to Craig Davis to take the penalty. Unfortunately for Henbury his spot kick went high and wide and Henbury’s chance of a point went with it.

Gala Wilton v Bishops Cleeve Reserves was another game that was interrupted by the weather on sixty three minutes as the match was suspended for twenty minutes by the match officials. The home side had taken the lead on three minutes when Craig Harris beat the offside trap and rounded Cleeve keeper Dan Greenhouse to put them one up. Ryan Hughes and Ben Wood managed to russell the ball away from a Cleeve defender on twenty three minutes but the final effort from Hughes was poor. Hughes made amends just a minute later when he latched onto a Ben Wood header before sending a looping shot over the head of Greenhouse. On forty four minutes Wood through ball to Craig Harris saw the striker get clear of the Cleeve defence to slot the ball into the bottom corner. At the half way stage Cleeve failed to muster a single shot at goal. Harris should have made it four on sixty three minutes but some how contrived to miss from six yards. At this point play was suspended for twenty minutes. On resumption Harris missed another chance to increase the lead on seventy three minutes. The one and only attack on the home goal from Cleeve came from a corner from the home side that was cleared up field to Tim Arnold but he pulled his shot wide of the target.

Thornbury Town did themselves a favour picking up three valuable points at Kingswood, that moved them up a place out of the bottom two. Thornbury took the lead on seven minutes with a superb thirty yard curling shot from Steve Thompson that gave Chris Fox in the home goal no chance as it ripped into the roof of the net. A second for Thornbury on thirty five minutes, a through ball to Josh Pirie saw the youngster drive a low shot into the corner of the net. Kingswood got themselves back in the game five minutes before the break when Ryan Mudd capitalised on a mix up between the Thornbury keeper and a defender allowing Mudd to waltz around the keeper and slot the ball into an empty net. Both sides had chances in the second half but the score remained the same.

Berkeley Town almost pulled of a shock result at Frampton United. After taking the lead on twenty minutes when Sam Strickland‘s wind assisted corner went straight in. The home side almost levelled right on half time but Steve Jackson’s shot struck the upright Frampton got on level term on eight three minutes when Stuart Maule dinked the ball into the box and Steve Jackson got to it before the visitors keeper to make it one- one. Berkeley might have got a second on eighty eight minutes as Strickland’s twenty five yard free kick came back of the bar but the resulting header from five yards was put wide. Frampton won this game in the very last minute from a long corner to the far post that was headed home by Mike Attwooll-Smart.

Chipping Sodbury Town made up for their defeat last week with a sound display against Ellwood. The home side went in front on fifteen minutes from a great shot by Justin Cattle. A fine run by Dan Bendall down the wing in the eighteenth minute resulted in a cross into the box for James Mackie to make it two Ellwood hit back a minute before the break from the penalty spot after Reece Packer hauled back Matt Addis in the box and brother Darryl Addis made no mistake from the spot. Sodbury went further ahead on fifty minutes as James Mackie broke down the left and fired the ball home. The visitors hit back again in the seventieth minute with a goal from Alex Brown following a free kick. Cattle rounded the scoring off in time added at the end of the game picking up a cross from Bendall before rounding a Ellwood defender and driving the ball home.

18^th January 2014 - Frampton secure win over Chipping Sodbury

Of the nine fixtures scheduled for today, only one went ahead, the other eight fixtures had to be postponed due to the atrocious wet weather we have been experiencing just lately.

Frampton United entertained Chipping Sodbury Town on a wet but playable pitch at the Bell Field. Apparently the pitch has layers of gravel under the surface and allows the surface water to drain very quickly. Sodbury were the first to mount an attack but failed to make a break through early on. Frampton’s first attack brought the opening goal on four minutes, Chris Fowers first shot on target was pushed over the bar by Sodbury keeper Chris Simsek and from the resulting corner the ball was crossed into the box was met by Steve Jackson who in turn laid the ball off to Kris Bulley to drive the ball home. A break down the right flank by Sam Jenkins on seven minutes was knocked away for a corner to Sodbury; the cross to the far post was cleared to the edge of the box by the home defence and was picked up by Lloyd Harding whose powerful shot from the edge of the box went over the bar. Frampton’s second attack brought a second goal on nine minutes this time it was Chris Fower firing home from twenty yards. Sodbury were unlucky in the twenty eighth minute when James Mackie got behind the home defence but his shot from eight yards was smothered by home keeper Scott Gearon and pushed away for a corner. In the thirty second minute Gearon pulled off another great save to deny Justin Cattle’s twenty yard low drive going in when he dived to his left to push the ball around the post.

The home side were the first to attack in the second half with a good break down the left that had the Sodbury defence scrambling to clear the danger. Frampton were unlucky in the fifty forth minute when Steve Jackson found space in the box and a clear shot on goal drove it hard at the target but a Sodbury defender flung his body in the way and it took a deflection over the bar. The home side were almost caught out in the sixtieth minute when a long ball from well inside the Sodbury half was driven high towards the home goal and with Gearon well off his line he just managed to scramble back to take the ball. A few minutes later the keeper was back pedalling to divert a shot from Sam Jenkins away for a corner. Simsek was well placed to take a firm drive from Frampton’s Frazer Wilson in the sixty sixth minute. Sodbury made the game tighter in the seventy third minute pulling a goal back with a Lloyd Harding shot that took a wicked deflection off a defender on its way in. Frampton should have sealed the game in the seventy fifth minute when they were awarded a penalty for a foul in the box. Chris Fower had the chance to make it three – one but his spot kick was brilliantly saved by Simsek diving low to his left to keep the ball out. Sodbury’s last chance to level came just a minute from the end but the final shot went high over the bar. In time added at the end of ninety minutes Frampton’s Karl Palmer had a great chance to make it three – one but was denied by Simsek who brought of another great save.

The Les James League Cup Semi-finals (Sponsored by Braley Business Systems) are scheduled to be played on Saturday 22^nd March kick-off 3pm. Ellwood v Longlevens and Rockleaze Rangers v Patchway Town

11^th January 2014 - Henbury get back to winning ways at Kingswood

With leaders Longlevens not playing today Gala Wilton closed the gap at the top of the table to two points with a three - nil win over third place Ellwood, but Gala have played two games more. At the bottom of the table Rockleaze Rangers two - one win at Chipping Sodbury Town lifted them out of the bottom two.

Henbury’s trip to Kingswood saw them gain their first win since 21^st September and the first points they have picked up since the 23^rd October. It was a slender one - nil win but very important to help stop their slide down the table. They were the better side throughout the game but even though they created chances it looks as though nothing was going to break the deadlock. Henbury had two early attempts on goal a shot from Wes Pugh that did not trouble Chris Fox and a header from a corner that Adam Rosser put over the bar. In the twenty first minute central defender Ed Wright went very close from a free kick the ball just skimming past the post. Kingswood’s first shot on target after twenty one minutes was an effort from Simon Clark that never really looked like beating Cameron Tarr. A twenty yard drive from Henbury’s Shaun Heal had keeper Chris Fox at full stretch to push the ball around the post. The home side should have taken the lead on thirty eight minutes as the ball was played up to Simon Clark who ran clear of the visitors defence to face Tarr in a one on one situation, he tried to round the keeper and with the goal gaping he somehow got the ball tangled between his legs and lost possession. A minute later Jamie Evans hit his shot just wide of the visitor’s goal. Right on half time a Luke Cox free kick was well saved by Fox in the home goal.

Kingswood created the first real chance of the second half on fifty five minutes but again Ryan Mudd’s final shot was off target. The winning goal of the game came in the fifty sixth minute a rare mistake by home keeper Chris Fox. He failed to hold on to a corner from the right and the ball fell to Ed Wright to stab it into the net. Fox pulled of a very good save to deny Adam Rosser getting a second for Henbury in the sixty second minute. The last real scoring chance of the afternoon fell to Kingswood’s Jamie Evans in the seventy fifth minute a good shot that Tarr did well to save.

Six goals shared between Southmead CS Athletic and Bristol Telephones at Pen Park. The home side got off to a flying start finding the back of the visitors net after two minutes a shot from Luke Mills was tipped on to the crossbar and it rebounded to Gary Booth who drove a superb shot into the net from the edge of the box. Telephones hit back in the forty first minute from a ball down the left flank and crossed into the box for Chris Misir to drive home. Right on half time the visitors went two - one up as the home defence was caught out with a long ball over the top that gave Chris Misir the chance to chip the ball over Gribble into the net. Five minutes into the second half the home side levelled as Jordan Thaws making his debut broke down the left and crossed to the edge of the box for Danny Glancy to drive the ball home. Thaws almost got on the score sheet himself in the sixty second minute as he broke down the flank cut in and fired his shot goal-wards only to see the visitor’s keeper at full stretch to tip the ball over the bar. Telephones went three - two up on sixty five minutes as Gribble rushed off his line to a long ball but failed to reach it in time and the ball was crossed into Dhani Golding to slam the ball home. The home side salvaged a point on seventy six minutes from a corner sent over by Danny Glancey for Jaz Bright to rise above the visitors defence to head home.

Rockleaze Rangers pulled of a great result at Chipping Sodbury Town taking the three points with a two - one success. Forty one minutes had passed before the deadlock was broken and it was a catalogue of disasters from the home defence. A back pass to Paul Dempsey was misjudged and then the home keeper also misjudged the speed of the ball and it allowed Ed Freeman to nip in and score. Sodbury got on level terms in the fifty sixth minute with a goal from Justin Cattle. Then James Mackie missed a good opportunity to put the home side ahead before Rangers stole the show in the seventy third minute Nathan Bryer heading home from a corner.

Patchway Town went down three - two at home to Frampton United. Kris Bulley’s curling shot put the visitors ahead on twenty five minutes but the home side levelled five minutes later when James Potts set up James Stephens to score. Right on half time Steve Jackson’s shot from the edge of the box put the visitors in front for a second time. Twenty minutes into the second half Frampton consolidated their lead with a third goal put away by Chris Fower. Ash Wells pulled a goal back for Patchway in the eighty fifth minute with a good drive into the bottom corner. Wells almost levelled in the last couple of minutes but his header flew just wide.

Kings Stanley had a comfortable two nil win at home to Berkeley Town. Stanley got off to a flying start going a goal up in the first minute as Tony Oakley broke down the flank lifted the ball over the visitors defence for Liam Gale to run clear to score. Berkeley then created a couple of chances to score but they were squandered. Then Jake Davies missed a golden chance to put the home side two up. A long diagonal ball over the top caught the visitors out again and Liam Gale latched onto the ball before rounding the keeper to score. The second half belonged to the home side and Gale should have completed his hat-trick but shot over the bar.

Gala Wilton keep the pressure on the leaders Longlevens with this three nil victory over third place Ellwood. The home side went one up after just five minutes. Brett James played the ball into Liam Halliday from a corner and Halliday hit an unstable shot into the net from the edge of the box. Just four minutes later it was two nil to the home side. A long ball from midfield found Craig Harris who coolly slotted the ball home in a one on one situation. It might have been three on nineteen minutes as Brett James squared the ball back to Halliday whose shot was cleared off the line. The home side almost made it three on thirty eight minutes as Ryan Hughes broke from the centre of defence to drive a fierce shot at goal that was parried by the visitor’s keeper to Craig Harris whose effort was diverted for a corner, from the corner Dave Wilkinson’s header was cleared off the line by Tom Creed. The game was held up for thirty five minutes for a bad injury to Elwood’s Lee Scotford which needed hospital treatment. The game restarted and in the seventy nineth minute Gala were reduced to ten men when Dave Wilkinson was sent off for a second yellow card. Gala made it three near the end of the game after an Ellwood attack broke down and Ryan Hughes broke forward and into the visitor’s box where he was brought down for a penalty. Lee Allen netted from the spot.

Eight goals at Vicarage Road with the home side Hanham Athletic on the end of a five - three defeat by Bristol Academy. The star of the day was Academy’s Toby Waterman who gave the visitors’ a three nil lead with a superb hat-trick. The home side hit back before half time to level the score with goals from Ryan Phillips, James Shipman and a Jack Baber free kick. The visitor’s grabbed the three points in the second half with two further goals that went down as own goals.

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