Bristol Premier Combination September 12th 2025 edition
By Simon Parkinson
BRISTOL Barcelona and Winterbourne United are two teams meaning business this season if their eye-catching five-goal opening salvos are anything to go by.
Promoted reigning Division One champions Barca had Faruq Sanni, Dylan White, Scholastic Mpofu and Marcin Taras among their marksmen as they hit five without reply on the road against 2024-25 Premier Division strugglers Patchway Town.
Winterbourne, meanwhile, so disappointed not to have risen to Gloucestershire County League heights via the play-offs on the back of their Combination title success last term, showed they’re likely to be a significant threat to all once more as they, driven on by their star performer Mitchell Sheppard, overcame promoted Greyfriars Athletic by the same scoreline on their New Road travels.
Ben Weaver struck twice and Callum Wilson, Fin Merrit and Jack Barton weighed in with the rest as Bourne, like Bristol Barcelona, set out their stall for the season in clinical fashion.
Winterbourne this Saturday travel to take on a Thornbury Town Reserves team also enjoying that first day victory feeling, as efforts by Tom Clare and James Cooke were just enough to overcome Bradley Stoke Town, whose Aiden Molyneux netted, 2-1 at Mundy Fields.
There were back-to-it wins for DRG Frenchay, Nicholas Wanderers and Shaftesbury Crusade to offer the trio early encouragement.
DRG had Aaron West, Dean Preddie and Dominic Stewart to thank for notching in a 3-1 home defeat of a Hallen Reserves team responding through George Binding’s sole strike.
Nicholas Wanderers were indebted to marksmen Charlie Iles, Joshua Pearce and Billy Richards for edging them past hosts Longwell Green Sports Reserves, who had Sam Randall and Rowan Smith registering, 3-2 in a tight Shellards Road tussle.
There was a seven-goal thriller to be enjoyed at Lockleaze Sports Centre where Shaftesbury, with Christian Ramirez at the double and Alex Graham and Darryl Cazley contributing, fended off an Olveston United outfit, who played a full part in a pulsating contest, 4-3, the O’s replying through Matt Knight, Jamie Kershaw and Jacob White goals.
The Shirehampton Reserves-Iron Acton encounter at Lodge Road was unfortunately abandoned on 65 minutes with the scores goalless due to a player injury.
Joe Alston and his jubilant AFC Mangotsfield team-mates got life in the Combination league and its second tier First Division off to a splendid start.
Alston celebrated a hat-trick and Simon Mansfield scored Mangotsfield’s other goal in a handsome 4-0 home success over fellow promoted team Pucklechurch Sports.
Also new to the level, Hanham Athletic Reserves were indebted to Aston Golding’s brace along with James Craddock and Thomas Sayers goals in a closely-fought 4-3 Vicarage Road victory over Oldland Abbotonians Reserves striving to keep pace with Ellis Clarke’s pair and Dexter Griffin’s effort.
Chipping Sodbury Town Reserves enjoyed that day one winning feeling too, as goals for Alex Fox, Jacob Owers and Russell Stone were just sufficient to brush aside Lion 3-2 at Little Stoke Park.
While Bedminster Down, with Ben Priddis and Reece Evans on target, and Hambrook & Brimsham United, who had Andy Thomas and Tiago Mateus scoring, shared the spoils from a competitive 2-2 draw, Old Sodbury were breezing to first day success.
It proved a difficult opening afternoon for Cribbs A, as they suffered at the hands of a ruthless Sodbury side soaring to a 13-2 victory via five Charlie Davis goals, a Josh Field treble, Lewis Bryan’s double plus Will Bennett, Jack Boulton and Seb Woodward strikes.