Bristol Premier Combination January 18th 2025 edition
By Simon Parkinson
GREYFRIARS Athletic manager Benni McCarthy hailed his team’s “dominating display” as they inflicted a first Combination Division One defeat of the season on pacesetting guests Bristol Barcelona – and gave their own promotion prospects a boost at the same time.
Goals for Riley Morris, Simon Bateman and Adam Porter saw gritty Greys to a third straight win amid an unbeaten five-match stretch, one they hope to extend still further on Saturday when they take on top four compatriots Bendix on their travels (Sir Bernard Lovell School, 2pm).
For leaders Bristol Barcelona it proved a disappointing day after heading into a mouthwatering New Road contest with nine wins and two draws from 11 outings without loss.
McCarthy glowed: “We put in a fantastic all-round performance; all 16 of our players did their jobs brilliantly to get the result we deserved.
“We dominated from start to finish and it was great to be back on the field after a long break of almost a month.
“Hopefully we can keep the run going as we have three more tough games coming up now against Bendix (away), Hillside (home) and Hambrook & Brimsham United (away).”
Fourth-placed Bendix will head into Saturday’s bout with third-spot Greyfriars eager for a return to winning ways after successive and slender 3-2 defeats by Henbury & Rockleaze A and Bedminster Down in their latest appearance.
Dan Tancock and Samuel Moss hit the target for Bendix, only for second-placed Bedminster, keen to respond quickly to a 3-2 home defeat by Lion last time out, to prevail through Jacob Littlewood, Jordan Pocock and Jack Prosser strikes.
Down next this Saturday entertain a happy Hillside team casting behind them straight losses to three of the division’s big guns by overcoming Lion 2-0 thanks to Antonio Nurse and Abdirahmaan Ibrahim efforts.
There was delight for Oldland Abbotonians Reserves, who have only played nine league games and experienced mixed fortunes so far to find themselves ninth in the First Division standings heading into Saturday’s tough away test with Bristol Barcelona at Oaklands Park (3.30pm).
Oldland bounced back from a bruising 7-2 home reverse at the hands of table topping Barca in their previous fixture by beating bottom-placed Patchway Town Reserves 3-1 at Castle Road via Louis Rostron, Fin Brain and Corey Woodman goals.
Henbury & Rockleaze A have had their challenges operating in and around the First Division basement.
Things appear to be looking up now, as Daniel Burd, Dino Gassani and Oscar Sealey goals saw Henbury, now tenth in the table, follow up a spirit-raising 3-2 success at Bendix with a 3-1 victory at Old Sodbury, who responded with Josh Field’s sole strike.
What a contest is building at the Premier Division summit, led by a Winterbourne United team cruising to a ninth win from ten outings now at the expense of Bradley Stoke Town hosts taking a 5-1 Little Stoke Park tumble.
On-song Bourne had two Craig Doyle goals and single efforts from Daniel Brown, David Herbert and Ben Weaver to see them comfortably home once more, with struggling Patchway Town, beaten 1-0 by Tim Minihane’s team at the turn of the year, next up at Parkside Avenue on Saturday (2pm).
The Winterbourne boss remarked: “We scored five but really we should have had more. I was gutted that we conceded a goal with a few minutes left.”
Minihane’s men approach the weekend still four points ahead of a second-spot Hallen Reserves outfit celebrating an even bigger margin of victory in their latest appearance, as their winless hosts, AEK-Boco Reserves, hit for six without reply, were put to the sword.
Archie Parry led the scoring spree for Hallen, who next go to Bradley Stoke on Saturday, with Pat Kosciolek, Jack Williams and Harrison Fairman all playing their part in the goal fest.
Nicholas Wanderers are a force to be reckoned with this season too currently in third position on a wave of nine straight unbeaten games and now braced to entertain basement battlers Boco on Saturday buoyed by Scott Andoniou’s goal in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Longwell Green Sports Reserves at Dundridge Rec.
It was the same outcome at Frenchay Park Road where fifth-placed DRG Frenchay, with James Shaw their goal hero, edged aside spirited visitors Shirehampton Reserves 1-0 to keep tight to the tails of those above them with multiple games in hand to push on and Shaftesbury Crusade next up on the road this Saturday.
George Williams fired four of the goals as his Olveston United team, with James Thomas weighing in with the other, made it back-to-back victories in despatching Patchway Town 5-2 at Scott Park to continue their climb and seize sixth spot for now heading into Saturday’s home clash with Iron Acton.
Ollie Bacon and Courtney Charles registered for a Patchway team with only one win behind them and preparing next to confront leaders Winterbourne on their Parkside Avenue travels.
Relieved and delighted Thornbury Town Reserves, meantime, celebrated only a second win of their campaign, and their first since a 1-0 September 11 defeat of AEK-Boco Reserves, as Tom Manley’s 85th minute winner clinched them victory by the same score line over Mundy Fields guests Shaftesbury.