Premier Comb’n Boco boss hails five-goal League Cup performance
GARY Woodman was a satisfied AEK Boco Reserves supremo as his side moved into the second round of the Bristol Premier Combination League Cup with a 5-0 home victory over Bradley Stoke Town.
The hosts did so through doubles from Luke Basseng and Will Gregory and a Jack Green goal in a comfortable Greenbank Road win.
Boss Woodman said: “We turned in a good all-round performance, although it took some fine saves by our man of the match, ‘keeper Jack Madge, to ensure a clean sheet was kept.”
Seymour United took a 3-2 tumble at First Division hosts Iron Acton, who advanced via Tyler Dacres’ double and Yame Aibangbee’s effort. Promising 16-year-old goalie Fin Walsh turned in a fine display for Seymour, while James Lau scored for a sixth time in four games and Jason Side scored with a header.
Wick Reserves have enjoyed a splendid start to their Division One assault with two wins from two to head the pack approaching a tasty away encounter with Iron Acton on Saturday. They couldn’t, however, stop a strong top-flight Highridge United outfit, despite two Mason Davis strikes, easing into the next round with a 6-2 win at Lakemead Grove, courtesy of Matt McGuckin’s brace and Steven Shepherd,
Dylan Whittle, Billy Phillips and Conor Walker singles.
Early Premier Division leaders Winterbourne United’s winning form continued on to the League Cup stage as Ben Weaver and Dave Herbert braces, along with Charlie Davis and Ashley White efforts, catapulted them to a 6-1 away victory over Greyfriars Athletic.
Oldland Abbotonians Reserves eased through to the next stage with a 3-0 home defeat of DRG SV Frenchay, via Tom Hutton (2) and Liam Towler goals.
Hambrook manager David Davies felt his team’s 4-0 away defeat by Cribbs Reserves in the same competition “flattered” their opponents.
“We conceded three goals in the final 12 minutes of a very wellfought game by both sides,” said Davies. “The referee was good as were the facilities and excellent hospitality provided by Cribbs in the clubhouse afterwards.”
It was business pretty much as usual for the reigning champions as Liam Clayton’s brace and Dan Burgan and James Clayton strikes saw them safely into round two.
The League Cup tie at the Netham involving Lebeq Saturday and Mendip Broadwalk Reserves was abandoned after, according to observers, the referee was assaulted by a Lebeq player who had just been red carded.
Lebeq led 2-0 at the time, with goals by Nathaniel Johnson and
Curtis Reid. League officials declined to comment on the incident pending an investigation.
What a season newly-promoted Hallen Reserves are enjoying to date. They took their perfect winning run in the Premier Division to four games as Tom Collett notched twice and Ben Lloyd also registered in a 3-0 away defeat of Longwell
Green Sports Reserves.
Kevin Pollard expressed dissatisfaction as his Nicholas Wanderers team were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly visitors Pucklechurch Sports in a rearranged Premier Division affair.
After a first half in which a disallowed Church ‘goal’ was the only real talking point, the away side did snatch the lead around the 55th-minute mark through Scott Young.
Wanderers salvaged a point as a corner was headed into his own net by a luckless Pucklechurch player,
We turned in a good all-round performance, although it took some fine saves by our man of the match, ‘keeper Jack Madge, to ensure a clean sheet was kept
while the home team, who’d upped their game a little after the interval and had much of the possession, went on to see a “strong” last-minute penalty claim, according to the Nics camp, waved away.
“It was a poor performance from us on the whole,” Pollard conceded. “We never really got going but credit to Pucklechurch after the (difficult) start to the season they’ve had as they looked very strong and organised.”
There was encouragement for club compatriots Nicholas Wanderers Reserves, though, as they secured a first-ever Combination league win in only their second outing by beating Shirehampton Reserves 2-1 on their travels, with Jacob Cleverley and George Harrold their marksmen.
Meanwhile, Chris Wilmot, the recently-appointed referees’ secretary for the Bristol Premier Combination and Bristol and District leagues, is urging more referees to make themselves available for matchdays.
“There is a shortage of referees,” Wilmot emphasised, “although I cannot fault the efforts of the referees we have. They continue to support the leagues and me in these uncertain times.
“If there are any referees out there willing and able to officiate on Saturday afternoons in our 11-a-side men’s leagues then please give me a call on 07871 056741.