Premier Comb’n Title triumph is biggest achievement in our history, says Thomas
TOTTERDOWN United’s overjoyed chairman Steve Thomas hailed the “biggest achievement” in his club’s history after watching them win the Bristol Premier Combination championship and potential promotion to the Gloucestershire County League.
Saturday’s 4-0 home victory over Olveston United, delivered by Connor Saunders’ brace and Jack Moon and Aaron Thorne efforts, clinched the crown in front of their ecstatic Norton Lane supporters.
That win put unbridgeable fourpoint daylight between them and their closest rivals, Hallen Reserves, who went into Tuesday night’s final fixture at home against St Nicholas this week – Dan Burgan fired a hat-trick in a 7-1 Moorhouse Lane romp - knowing for sure that it was finally game over for them after a valiant attempt of their own which saw them lead the way for large stretches of an absorbing campaign.
Totterdown chief Thomas said: “It’s the first time we’ve won this league and the biggest achievement in our club’s history, which we’re celebrating 60 years of this coming season. Our manager Jack Thorley has moulded a really good side.
“I’ve been in touch with the County League knowing we have a few things to do in our changing rooms to meet their requirements.
“We are having a meeting about it, and although we have started to put toilet cubicles in etc, we basically have a week to sort it.
“So if we’re not able to go up this time it could be that we look to go all the way next season.
“We are all over the moon to finally land the league title. It’s been hard work and a great team effort.”
DRG Frenchay did their chances of finishing third in the top flight no harm at all in beating Nicholas Wanderers 4-0 on their Dundridge Park travels.
Ollie Holden opened the scoring with a neat finish from just inside the box, and Max Wiltshire made it 2-0 with a header from a corner.
Man of the match Lewis Hughes added a third from a free-kick, before Fred Mullen tapped in DRG’s fourth goal with the last kick of the game.
DRG had unexpectedly been thrashed 9-0 by Longwell Green Sports Reserves four days prior to the turnaround, prompting boss Tom Vaughan to say: “It was really important to bounce back from a shocking midweek result.”
St Nicholas, who wrap up at home to Winterbourne United on Saturday, had Craig Doyle’s double and Adam Porter and Jordan Yeo singles to thank for three more points from a 4-1 Ridings victory over rock-bottom Henbury.
“We produced a dominant display and with only 11-and-a-half fit players too,” Saints leader Tim Minihane stressed.
“We did so against a muchchanged Henbury side we beat 6-0 only 10 days prior.
“It was also a good day for Craig in scoring his 31st and 32nd goals of the season for us.”
While Bradley Stoke Town, who were due to conclude their rollercoaster campaign against Patchway Town last night, had only Mitch Bombroff’s goal to show for their efforts in taking a 4-1 tumble at a rejuvenated Longwell Green team celebrating their sixth win of their own challenging programme through George Woodward’s pair plus Joel Sanfelice and Sam Baker strikes, in-form Stapleton were scooping six points in one go – without kicking a ball.
“Unfortunately our opponents Winterbourne could not raise a team, and it was a double fixture too,” explained Stapes chairman Rob Selman.
“It meant we got six points, but really we’d rather have played it.
“Still, we enjoyed an excellent unbeaten (eight-match) run to end a great season after a really bad start.
“If you include Saturday’s sixpoint award, it’s top-table form.”
Winterbourne chairman Robyn Maggs, whose team went on to lose 3-1 at AEK Boco Reserves in midweek, explained their withdrawal from the weekend games had been due to “a wedding.”
Meanwhile, in Division One, as leaders Shaftesbury Crusade were maintaining their championship bid with a 7-0 away romp over Nicholas Wanderers Reserves in their final game, Iron Acton were back in action for the first time in more than a month knowing promotion and even the title are still within their range.
A winning return it proved to be too, as Joe Hillard’s hat-trick, helped by an “outstanding performance” by their left-sided man of the match Ethan Pennington, earned Acton a 3-1 win over their gallant Greyfriars Athletic guests.
Away boss Benni McCarthy, who watched Phil Mills score his side’s consolation, said: “We battled well but lacked the finishing touch. Iron Acton were better than us on the day and we just couldn’t get going.
“I’m proud of the lads for what they’ve done over the second half of the season. Hopefully we’ll have a better start to the next one.”
It got even better for unbeaten Acton in midweek thanks to a 4-0 away victory over Patchway Town Reserves. Greyfriars at least concluded their campaign on a high note with Tuesday’s 4-0 home defeat of AEK Boco A.
Thornbury Town Reserves have done remarkably well to power through a heavy fixture backlog and win seven on the spin to reach fourth spot, the latest a 4-0 win at Oldland Abbotonians Reserves.
Harrison Young, the league’s leading marksman, struck to give the visitors a deserved lead and 1-0 interval advantage.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with the visitors dominating the ball and being rewarded when Tom Manley scored to extend their lead.
Further goals followed from Tom Webb and Young, who scored his second to take his tally to 27 goals this season in pursuit of back-toback league golden boot awards.
Second-bottom Patchway won 5-3 at home to Old Sodbury through Abazuom Francis and Lennie Allinson-Hoare braces along with Joe Dalby’s effort.