Bristol Premier Combination November 21st 2025 edition
By Simon Parkinson
BRISTOL Barcelona will entertain Bristol Premier Combination Division One leaders Old Sodbury for an enticing GFA Senior Amateur Cup Christmas collision after cruising through their third round test.
The Premier Division big guns proved too hot to handle for second tier hopefuls AFC Mangotsfield, who succumbed to a 6-1 defeat courtesy of two Mubarak Suraj goals and Scholastic Mpofu, Reece Matthews and Gilbert Kwesi Techie all getting themselves among the scoring.
It was another splendid day for the Barca boys who will next joust in the fourth round with Old Sodbury on Saturday, December 13 at 2pm with a prized quarter-final place at stake.
And what a season Old Sodbury are enjoying currently in pole position heading into this Saturday’s local derby with Ridings hosts Chipping Sodbury Town Reserves back in the league. (2pm)
The First Division pacesetters set up that Bristol Barcelona cup cruncher by beating visiting Phoenix NextGen, the Suburban League Premier Division high-fliers, 4-1 through in-form Charlie Davis’ latest treble and a “fantastic effort” by hard-working man of the match Adam Blue.
Also into round four of the prestigious county competition are Bristol Barcelona’s high-riding league rivals Hallen Reserves, who had Archie Parry and Jack Williams strikes to thank for overcoming Hellenic League Alliance Division West guests University of Bristol 2-0 at Moorhouse Lane HQ.
It’s been an encouraging campaign to date for Hallen’s ambitious second string, who approach their Premier Division home encounter with sixth-placed Nicholas Wanderers this Saturday (2pm) second in the standings with five wins and only the one loss from six outings to trail pacesetting DRG Frenchay, who have played seven times, by three points.
It’s been a super season so far too for DRG, as they enter Saturday’s home match with Shirehampton Reserves (2pm) in pole position with six victories and a solitary defeat on the board.
There was, however, disappointment for DRG in the Senior Amateur tournament at the weekend as they fell to a 2-1 away reverse at the hands of Gloucestershire County League’s second placed side Filton Athletic, who will now entertain Hallen Reserves at the fourth round stage on December 13 for a potentially tight and exciting contest.
DRG had been reduced to ten men via the dismissal of Dominic Stewert very early into the tie, but did rally to equalise at 1-1 through Lewis Jones before Filton clinched the tie.
There was also sorrow for another Combination club, Shaftesbury Crusade, as they were edged out of the competition, 2-1, at home by Tytherington Rocks.
The victorious County League outfit will travel next month to take on the winner of either Hambrook & Brimsham United, of Combination Division One, or County League Henbury & Rockleaze, who clash this Saturday at 2pm for a third round affair at Moorend Road.
Only two league games were played across the Combination league, both in the second tier.
With Old Sodbury otherwise engaged on Senior Amateur Cup duty, Division One’s second-placed team AEK-Boco Reserves took full advantage to draw level on 15 points at the top alongside Sodbury with a 4-1 Greenbank Rec victory over lowly Hanham Athletic Reserves via Jacob Leonard’s double plus Finley Sparks and Oleksandr Kohankov efforts.
Lion, meanwhile, were pleased to put four straight defeats behind them as they overcame winless Oldland Abbotonians Reserves 4-2 at Little Stoke Park HQ thanks to Dan Jones, Joe Galli, Louis Hoyle and Jace Esof goals.