Premier Comb’n Free-scoring Shirehampton Reserves fire nine more past Real Thornbury
SHIREHAMPTON Reserves’ hot form towards the Bristol Premier Combination Division One summit shows no sign of slackening off.
Poor Real Thornbury had already been stuffed 11-0 by Shire’s goal-hungry slickers in an earlyseason GFA Senior Amateur Cup romp for the Penpole Lane side.
It wasn’t quite as bad for Thorns this time, certainly where the first half was concerned, although their unrelenting hosts still had far too much firepower as they stormed to a 9-2 victory to pitch up second in the standings heading into Saturday’s trip to face a low-ranking De Veys team at Ironmould Lane (2pm).
Shire’s latest success came courtesy of a full-debut hat-trick for Arian Askari, doubles each by Joe Cox - he scored with two sizzling second-half strikes into the top and bottom left corners - and Jay Spicer, plus singles each from Louis Snailham and Cody Winkler.
There’d been no hint of the onesided affair which was to come after the break, as Real Thornbury had twice levelled up through Asher Budd and Ollie Bradley after Askari’s seventh-minute opener for Shire and then Spicer’s 30-yard scorcher, to enter the interval in 2-2 deadlock.
Iron Acton are enjoying a purple patch, too, as they prepare for their away-day with Cribbs A this Saturday high on confidence.
They racked up a fifth league and cup win on the spin with a hardfought 2-1 home defeat of De Veys, thanks to goals from Tyler Dacres and man of the match Jordan Wood-Ayemou, the latter scoring Acton’s game clincher midway through the second half.
“We came through it, but De Veys did make us work hard for our victory,” acknowledged Sunnyside Field supremo Chris Sweet.
Mid-table Nicholas Wanderers Reserves gained swift retribution for a 1-0 away defeat inflicted on them by Mendip Broadwalk Reserves’ Division One strugglers.
Two weeks on from that Filwood Park reverse, Wanderers emerged 3-1 victors back on familiar Dundridge Park soil, and that despite trailing 1-0 before Jordan West took centre stage with a fine hat-trick to see Wanderers to a full points haul.
An important game affecting the lower reaches of the second-tier table ended in stalemate at New Road, where hosts Greyfriars Athletic, who had Jordan Cox and Sam Cook on target, and Cribbs A, who responded with Alex Craig and Joel Tomkies-Flash strikes as they sought a first win of their 2022-23 commitments, fought out a 2-2 draw.
Hallen Reserves have experienced difficulties in Combination Premier Division competition this term. They put all that behind them in their latest game, as goals by Patryk Kosciolek, Adam Snook, Sid Bojang, Zaid Samadi and George Shore propelled the Moorhouse Lane hosts to a 5-1 victory over struggling bottom-placed Shaftesbury Crusade for a second win of their season.
The outcome was another frustration for a Shaftesbury side still seeking a first point of a tough programme thus far and hoping to finally put that right, as they entertain AEK Boco Reserves on Saturday (2pm).
Fourth-placed AEK Boco Reserves can approach the contest with spirits raised after hitting back from twice falling behind at Nicholas Wanderers to run out 3-2 victors through Cory Langdon, Bayley
Rudge and Liam McCracken efforts.
The outcome proved a blow to Wanderers, falling to defeat for the first time this term in their own Dundridge Park yard, having twice forged in front via Ross Beazer’s penalty and Del Shepherd’s strike.
There are no such problems at this time for Totterdown United, who took their run without defeat in all competitions to five games thanks to a 6-1 home victory over a St Nicholas side who put up spirited resistance to trail only 2-1 at half-time.
Chaz Hemmings’ fine form continued with another two goals, while George Saunders, Jack Moon, Sean Torrington and Steve Milton all scored to set Totterdown in positive heart for Saturday’s tougherlooking prospect at Hanham Athletic pacesetters parading a 100 per cent record after five fixtures.
Hanham are clearly going to take some shifting from their present pole position status. Bradley Stoke
Town, whose Callum Somerville registered, were the latest to fall victim to Hanham’s potent front three, with Brandon Barnes celebrating a brace, and Paul Coles and Karim Rendall both notching, in a 4-1 win.
Second-placed Longwell Green Sports Reserves had to be content with a point after fast-rising guests Olveston United held them to a goalless Shellards Road stalemate for a second season running.
O’s boss Russell Knight reflected: “Both teams turned in solid performances, yet both could have won it too. Matty Barnes produced a man of the match performance between the posts for us and two late saves which looked certain goals.”
Lowly Chipping Sodbury Town Reserves were crushed 13-0 by DRG SV Frenchay, who strolled to three points courtesy of Callum Date and Thomas Stewart trebles; Fred Mullen and Mario Mateescu doubles, and Emiel Aiken and Dan McCann singles, on another painful day for the Ridings outfit.