Boco Reserves bounce back with victory against Olveston
AEK Boco Reserves can head to near-neighbours Nicholas Wanderers on Saturday satisfied with a steady start to their Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division programme.
Having absorbed the setback of a 1-0 home defeat by Seymour United only two evenings previously, following a 5-2 success at Shaftesbury Crusade to commence their campaign, Boco bounced back with goals by Rufus Davies and Cory Langdon to overcome Olveston United 2-0 at Greenbank Road HQ.
Manager Gary Woodman said: “It was a good, strong team performance and Ben Sayers was superb as our man of the match.”
Seymour United are brimming with confidence after seeing off Shaftesbury 1-0 through 70th-minute substitute centre-back Sam Williams’ 25-yard scorcher.
Both Seymour and Shaftesbury were under strength, and, although the contest was hardly a spectacle, and both teams were reduced to ten men for ‘last-man’ offences, the home side and their chairman Neale Coles was delighted with the three points. “I thought it should have been yellows for both; but once the ref had sent our man off he had no choice five minutes later when their defender did the same,” he said.
“Six points from a possible nine, we are well pleased with that; and that’s well done to our management team of Tom Morgan and Nick Kenway along with all our players.”
George Saunders struck to give Totterdown United, setting out for the first time this term, a first-half advantage in their home meeting with Nicholas Wanderers, only for the visitors to respond after the break through Billy Arnold to tie it up at 1-1.
Ambitious Cribbs Reserves, who were without a game at the weekend, are at Olveston on Saturday keen to maintain their perfect winning start, which continued last Wednesday with a 5-2 home victory over Winterbourne United, courtesy of goals from Tom Headford (2), Dan Monk, Liam Clayton and James Crossley-John.
St Nicholas are riding high at the Division One summit on the back of an unbeaten three-match start, although they had to settle for a share of the points with De Veys as goals by Craig Doyle, Kylan Mapstone and Ollie Slade ensured a 3-3 away draw from what Saints boss James Mapstone labelled “a tough game”.
In an entertaining encounter, De Veys, found themselves 1-0 and 3-1 adrift before fighting back to restore parity via Tim Hughes’ early equaliser, Jon Bale’s screamer and Nick Nutland’s late leveller.
Lyam O’Rourke and Matt Troth grabbed the goals to see jubilant Greyfriars Athletic to a 2-1 home victory over Bradley Stoke Town, whose Josh Morris notched.
The success was Greyfriars’ second in quick succession following a 3-2 win over DRG SV Frenchay 48 hours earlier thanks to Reece Evans’ brace and Jamie Elliott’s strike.
Stung by the setback, DRG stormed back at the weekend with a 5-0 away crushing of Nicholas Wanderers Reserves, thanks to Matt Hyslop, Tom Putterill, Dylan Quick, Ollie Holden and Ash Van-Meir efforts.
Cribbs A had goals from Andy Capon and Alex Craig in seeing off Wick Reserves 2-0 on the road.
Hambrook eventually got their season underway, albeit without any goals on show as they and guests Shirehampton Reserves, seeking a first win after a defeat and draw for starters, shared the spoils.
In a fairly evenly-contested encounter, with near misses at each end, Hambrook enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and attempts, while Shire always looked a threat on the counter.