Bristol Premier Combination April 3rd 2026 edition
By Simon Parkinson
HARRISON Young was in lethal mood as Thornbury Town Reserves’ encouraging form continued at the expense of Shaftesbury Crusade at the Mundys.
Thorns have been scooping some splendid wins of late to lift them to their current fourth rung status on the Premier Division ladder, although they had been asked heading into the contest to respond briskly to the setback of a 3-2 home defeat by Olveston United previous time out.
There was to be no stopping Young, who did score in that O’s defeat, and his team on this occasion, as his four goals, along with efforts by Charlie Moss and Sam Hussey, catapulted Thornbury to a 6-1 success to set him and his team-mates in confident heart for this Saturday’s major away test with title chasing DRG Frenchay (2pm).
Third-placed DRG will be feeling positive about their game and season prospects too, after two Lewis Jones strikes and Joe Loney’s goal secured a precious three points from a 3-2 win at Shirehampton Reserves, who replied through Sohibou Cassama and Louis Boyce’s spot kick.
Iron Acton remain top of the pile heading into the Easter round of games and emphatically so after clinically seeing off Longwell Green Sports Reserves, whose Sam Randall netted with their consolation, 5-1 at Rangeworthy Rec for a third straight win and 15 goals notched in that sparkling spell.
Dean Preddie, Acton’s man of the match, fired a first half hat-trick, as Joe Hillard’s goal put Acton firmly in the ascendancy at half-time.
Joe Wintle scored the fifth after the break to send Chris Sweet’s fliers into Saturday’s away encounter with Winterbourne United (2pm) in pole position on goal difference only ahead of Hallen Reserves’ own second-placed championship hopefuls, who have played two more games than Iron Acton.
With the top end of the table so tight, Hallen could have done with more than the point they took from a 1-1 draw with Nicholas Wanderers at Dundridge Rec.
George Binding registered for Hallen as Max Barker responded for Wanderers battlers next at Shaftesbury on Saturday (2pm) while Hallen are without a game.
In the one other Premier Division match on show, Patchway Town and Greyfriars Athletic fought out a goalless Scott Park stalemate.
There were only two games staged in Division One, both of huge importance when it comes to the title and promotion shake-ups.
Leaders Old Sodbury found themselves six points clear at the summit thanks to a thumping 8-0 home victory over near neighbours Chipping Sodbury Town Reserves and Bedminster Down’s 3-2 win over second-placed AEK-Boco Reserves.
Charlie Davis spearheaded Old Sodbury’s latest win, their 14th from 16 outings thus far, as he netted four times while Ben Jones celebrated a treble and Alfie Andrews chipped in with his rampant team’s other goal.
Bedminster Down, meanwhile, who last night were colliding with Bristol Barcelona at Mangotsfield United’s Cossham Street stadium in the Uhlsport League Cup final, sent themselves into that showpiece occasion in fine fettle after Henry Colston’s treble edged aside Boco 3-2, Kaylen Edwards and Jasper Hudd on target for disappointed visitors seeing their hopes of yet overhauling pacesetting Old Sodbury dented.
Boco bid to respond positively at home to Cribbs A on Saturday, while Lion entertain bottom side Hanham Athletic Reserves at Little Stoke Park and Pucklechurch Sports welcome Chipping Sodbury Town Reserves to Abson Road (all 2pm).