Page 18 - Avonmouth FC v Hardwicke 260823

irstly to The Field, Almondsbury where Cheltenham Civil Service were the visitors for last
Wednesdays match which was competed with good energy. The first meaningful attack saw
F Service filter the ball down the right and cross to Lewis Driscoll whose shot unfortunately lacked
any venom to trouble Burgess. Almondsbury took the mantle with well constructed passing and
Service were rather exposed down the right and several crosses came over but Buckland was in
commanding form. On 16 an overhit cross fell to Oakley who fed Knight and his shot was handled –
penalty to Almonds – but Buckland was equal to Knight’s effort. The hosts continued to press but the
final ball was always elusive. Service hooked up well down the right finding Liam Hope who blazed
over. That sparked several Service attacks with Burgess tipping Chick’s effort away. A series of
misplaced passes and crosses rounded off the first half. Early second half pressure from Almonds saw
Alexander outstrip the visitors defence, his effort fizzing past the post. This sparked a flurry of efforts
on the Service goal. A goal finally came on 78 minutes when Dawes pinpointed the ball through to
Knight who drew the exposed Buckland and slotted home. Both sides made several changes and
Service laid siege on the hosts goal but found Burgess in great form and indeed right at the end he
pulled off a top draw save which looked likely to be heading to the top corner. Service frustration boiled
over with Elliot Green received a straight red. Almondsbury shading it 1-0.
Firstly to Hillside Gardens where Rockleaze Rangers first home game shook Almondsbury with a repeat
of the scoreline of their last home game. Rocks made a fast start but it was Almonds who struck first,
a mix up in defence led to a free kick from 17 yards which Knight tapped sideways and Tom Clements
crisp strike gave them a ninth minute lead. This took the wind out of Rockleaze’s sails but they
eventually settled and levelled on 27 when Tate Shaw drove the ball under Sam Maunder. On the half
hour a superb 25 yard free kick from Nick Jones found the top corner with Maunder rooted. A minute
later Jones was one on one but spurned the chance. Number three soon came, on 39 minutes good
work by Webb sat the keeper down and squared to Drew Sawdon to tap into an unguarded goal.
Sawdon’s second came two minutes later intercepting a ball and rolling it past an exposed Maunder.
The half ended with Rocks fifth Boontam on the end of Jones’s byline cross. The second half started
as the first ended when four minutes in, the hard-working Dan Webb scored set up by Shaw and
Marcus Williams. Jon Webb should have made it 7 but dwelt too long and allowed Matt Davies to block.
Substitute Beard did make it seven with twenty minutes to go latching onto Webb’s through ball the
strike past the yet again unprotected keeper. The game drifted to the end and 7-1 to Rockleaze
Rangers it remained as it was back in March against Gala Wilton.
After the disappointment of last week Wick started very brightly in wet conditions at the ‘nest’ against
Gala Wilton, and Codi Mansfield soon broke through on goal but his shot was well saved by Curtis
Wilkins, with Sam Roberts firing the rebound over. Jahvon Davis fired over for Gala on 9 minutes but
two minutes later Wick were in front when Mickey Goldings shot was deflected by Jack Creaney past
the helpless Wilkins. On 25 minutes from a corner Sam Roberts crashed his shot against Gala crossbar.
Wick doubled their lead just after the half hour with Golding heading home Brad Clarke’s cross. It was
Golding on hand after 42 minutes finding the net after Wilkins save leaving Wick three up at the break.
The second half was a more even affair with chances for both teams, around the hour mark Gala’s
Jorell Sanniola fired just wide and Ashton Trott in the Wick goal pulled off a smart save to thwart Gala’s
Tim Hill. Wick’s best chance of the half was when Tino Chipurios shot was deflected over. Gala pulled
one back on 82, Tim Hill firing into the corner of the net for a mere consolation, Wick winning 3-1.
At Green Lane, Hardwicke and Broadwell Amateurs started fairly lively with both teams playing swift
passing football. Broadwell had the first chance when Ben Fishwick’s fierce volley was acrobatically
saved by home keeper Matthew Prosser. On ten minutes the visitors were in front when Dan Brain
raced down the wing crossing to Kristian Burnard who tapped in. Broadwell continued to press and on
20 almost had a second Jamie Belfitt’s cross finding Jamie Powell his volley saved by the active Prosser.
Ten minutes before the interval Powell threaded a ball through the home defence for Brain to curl his
shot past Prosser only to hit the post. Ten minutes into the second period it was two-nil an in-swinging
corner found Burnard to tap in. Five minutes on, the hosts pulled one back when Taro Weston sprinted
past the Broadwell defence and crossed for substitute Alex Stratford to head home. Just as Hardwicke
appeared to be getting back into the game a quick counter found the hosts exposed and a 25-yard
free kick for Broadwell was dispatched by Dan Brain into the top left for 3-1. Not to be deterred
Hardwicke fought back and a good cross by Ollie Furniss found Stratford who coolly passed the ball
past Jack Watkins. Ten minutes to go the hosts pushed for an equaliser but it wasn’t to be Broadwell
taking the points 3-2.