Hallen sink Barca to boost championship challenge

HALLEN A continued their quest to secure the District League Division Four championship at the expense of Bristol Barcelona Reserves.

The unstoppable Moorhouse Lane leaders stretched their winning run since a 6-0 opening-day defeat by Bradley Stoke Town B to 18 games, as Paul Francis and Nick Haigh goals saw off gritty Barca 2-0.

The victory sets up a juicy away confrontation at Southey Fields this Saturday (2.30pm) with a Made For Ever outfit loitering with serious intent third in the standings and trailing Hallen by eight points with two games in hand.

Bradley Stoke Town B are far from out of the title hunt, too, in second place and only a point adrift of Hallen, although they have played three games more than the leaders and five more than Made For Ever.

Nonetheless, they continue performing to laudable heights in the drive to keep pace, this time having Tom Muller’s two goals to thank for clinching a 2-1 home win over sixth-placed visitors Shaftesbury Crusade A.

Harry Hale notched twice, and Aidan Fowles scored Longwell Green Sports C’s other goal, in a 3-1 away defeat of Patchway Town A, whose Kieran Terry registered.

Bitton Reserves secured a third win in their last four outings, as Declan Harding’s double, and Buster Whittard, Harry McGill, Curtis Rideout and Hadyn Carey efforts, swept them past struggling Coronation Park hosts Seymour United B, who had Steve Peacock, Lee Peacock and Shane Kingsbury on target, 6-3.

Lowly Lion Reserves had Kieran Parker’s pair and a Dan Jones goal in a 3-3 draw with visiting St

Nicholas Reserves.

In the Senior Division, AEK Boco A are now parading perfect winning form from 18 games after a 3-1 home win against Patchway Town Reserves. Tommy Hutton, James Jenkins and Lewis Williams scored for Boco.

Second-placed Bedminster Down stretched their winning streak to eight games thanks to Dean Yandell (2), Cameron Phipps, David Thorne and Connor Bodnarazek strikes in a 5-1 home defeat of Chipping

Sodbury Town A.

Asher Budd’s brace, and Jonny Skinner and Ollie Bradley efforts, saw fourth-placed Real Thornbury back to winning ways following their 9-1 mauling by Bedminster Down, as Henbury Reserves, who had Lewis Hammond and James Shaw on target, were beaten 4-2 at home.

AFC Mangotsfield District had goals from Josh Hocking (2), Jordan Powell, Stephen Wingrove and Jason Criddle in a 5-0 win against bottom side Seymour United Reserves at Blackhorse Fields.

Lawrence Rovers rose above their well-beaten guests Longwell Green Sports A into seventh place in the top-flight standings, as Daniel Harris and Louis Curtis doubles, and Pedro Shields and Chris Hind singles, took them to a 6-0 success.

In Division One, Spike Weaver (2), Maddox Payne and Luke Paton scored as Sea Mills Park returned to winning ways with a 4-1 away defeat of bottom side Hanham

Athletic Reserves.

Will Theobald’s goal for Brimsham Green turned out to be a consolation only, as his struggling side took a 4-1 tumble at home to high-flying local rivals Old Sodbury.

There were no problems either for Sodbury’s fellow title chasers Bristol Barcelona, as Elliott Evans’ pair and Marcin Taras’ strike saw off Hambrook Reserves 3-0, to ensure a fourth clean sheet on the spin.

Still hanging on to top spot two points ahead of Barca’s battlers are Thornbury Town Reserves, who had an Oliver Wilson double, plus Harrison Young, Tom Clare and Felix Brittain goals, to thank for brushing off mid-table Tormarton 5-0.

Pucklechurch Sports wrapped up the Division Two championship in style, as goals for Matt Smith, George Robbins and Brad Flook were enough to defeat Greyfriars Athletic Reserves 3-0 in a top versus bottom game at New Road.

Winterbourne United Reserves rose to fourth after Stuart Ball, David Jarman and Khalil Lamri scored in a 3-0 win against Highridge United A.