By Simon Parkinson
DRG Frenchay and their sharpshooting Emiel Aiken can approach Saturday’s home encounter with Shaftesbury Crusade (2pm) believing all things are possible on the strength of latest impressive form shown by team and player.
Thomas Vaughan’s Premier Division pacesetters are truly looking the part at this time as guests Iron Acton, no mugs either at the level, discovered to their cost.
Whilst Acton, who had won all three of their opening fixtures, fell to a first defeat at the fourth time of asking, despite scoring three times, DRG simply possessed too much firepower of their own, with Aiken spearheading the success with a second hat-trick in his last three league outings following a treble in the 4-1 away victory over Bradley Stoke Town.
Adam Porter, Lewis Jones and Josh McMurray weighed in with singles as DRG raced to a fourth straight win, 6-3.
Hallen Reserves, with Bristol Barcelona their visitors this Saturday for a tasty top three tussle at Moorhouse Lane (2pm), are going well too now second in the standings thanks to a 5-1 away victory over Greyfriars Athletic, whose Dylan Chiwetu scored, and points dropped elsewhere by other early-season frontrunners.
Among them are Bristol Barcelona, who took only a second tumble of an otherwise encouraging first campaign so far at the level in going down 2-1 to Thornbury Town Reserves on the Oaklands Park 3G courtesy of under-18 talent Anthony Walewski’s late winner.
Andy Martinez’s strike for Barca had kept them in contention for at least a point until that hammer blow at the end.
Shirehampton Reserves, meanwhile, have experienced a mixed start to their programme, one that lifted much as they secured a second win with George Loud’s double and Joe Cox, Charlie Pollinger and Ciaran Wall efforts in a 5-1 win at Nicholas Wanderers, whose Joshua Pearce registered.
Just above Shire in tenth spot at this time are Shaftesbury Crusade, who too celebrated a second victory of their campaign with a 2-1 defeat of Bradley Stoke Town hosts always in the contest through Jonny Satterly’s strike.
A tight tussle at Shellards Road between Longwell Green Sports Reserves and their guests Olveston United, who netted late for the point, ended in 2-2 stalemate.
Matimba Baker and Rowan Smith struck for Longwell, while George Williams and Malick Bojang notched for an Olveston outfit loitering with intent fourth in the table heading into Saturday’s home fixture with Thornbury Town Reserves (2pm).
Still Old Sodbury continue to relentlessly set the pace in the Combination’s second tier.
Ryan Robinson netted for a Lion team no match for Sodbury leaders racking up a maximum fifth win from five with a 4-1 victory at their impregnable Badminton Road base via Seb Woodward’s pair plus Levelle Bishop and Charlie Davis goals.
AEK-Boco Reserves are also looking the part right now in second spot, as amply demonstrated at Moorend Road where Oleksandr Kohankov’s brace, and Jordan Smith’s effort, condemned hosts Hambrook & Brimsham United to a 3-0 loss.
Chipping Sodbury Town Reserves, in third, can be reasonably satisfied with their lot too with ten points from three wins and a draw behind them five games in.
It was a close affair at Vicarage Road in their latest appearance against hosts Hanham Athletic Reserves before Sodbury prevailed 3-2 with two Liam Barrett goals and Jacob Owers’ contribution.
Pucklechurch Sports are enjoying a relatively positive period too with two wins now from their last three appearances thanks to a 4-2 weekend win over Cribbs A at Abson Road HQ.
Sports, up to fifth on the Division One ladder on the strength of it, achieved their latest three points via Nqco Wilson, Corey Jackson, Harry Walsh and Joe Goss goals, while Ross Talbot was named their man of the match.
There was, though, disappointment for Bedminster Down, as they were well beaten, 8-2, on their Somerdale travels by Somerset County Premier Division side Fry Club to exit the Somerset Senior Cup at the second round stage.