Page 25 - Avonmouth FC v Almondsbury 091223

Mark Simpson
Five matches lost to the weather but of the three remaining two involved clashes at the top
and ended with pacesetters Avonmouth extending their lead by taking Stoke Gifford United’s
unbeaten league run.
On a foggy winter afternoon in front of a decent crowd unbeaten Stoke Gifford
United took on leaders Avonmouth who started the better of the two sides and indeed
were in front after only three minutes from a corner that wasn’t fully cleared allowing Kyle
O’Donovan to fire home at the far post. Within ten minutes it was two, a punt over the top
should have been dealt with but the impressive Jack Pearce gambled and managed to poke
the ball around Josh Stawroski and place into an empty net. Gifford grew into the game and
on 38 Spike Weaver cut inside but his shot was parried and almost fell to Kerem Karakus but
somehow Avonmouth cleared. The visitors should have sealed things five minutes into the
second half, O’Donovan firing just past the post when free. Gifford reacted and on the hour,
Mikey Barry burst down the right and his cross was met with a great header from Henry
Ikeije to pull one back, and a few minutes later it arguably should have been all square when
a defensive lapse gave Karakus a great chance but he fired high and wide. He was even
closer on 75 when he shot just past the post from 20 yards. From that point Avonmouth
slowed the game down well whilst remaining a threat on the break with Pearce a constant
menace testing Stawroski on his near post. Despite 13 minutes of added time Gifford
couldn’t find a way through and Avonmouth held on at 2-1 to increase their lead at the top
to nine points.
In the other top clash Rockleaze Rangers slipped into second place by hitting a shell-
shocked Bromley Heath United for four. After a cagey first fifteen minutes it was
Rockleaze with the first chance when Dan Webb latched on to a ball over the top, but his
attempted lob was snuffed out by a back peddling defence. Bromley hit back soon after
when home keeper Dom Oakes pushed a thunderous swerving shot from Luke Bessell
around the post. But it was Rangers who took the lead on 35 minutes, a James Goulden
volley from the edge hit both posts before edging over the line to the delight of the home
contingent. A minute from the break it was 2-0 when a drive from Fraser Butt from fully 25
yards took a slight deflection, wrong footing Will Ferguson, to nestle in the back of the net.
Rockleaze came out of the blocks at full pace for the start of the second half and three
minutes in a flicked header from Drew Sawdon landed at the feet of George James and his
deft flick past the advancing Ferguson made it 3-0. On 65 Butt saw Ferguson off his line but
his impish chip was just over. Bromley attempted to come back into the game and ten
minutes of pressure saw a number of crosses well dealt with by the home defence, and
th
Aiden Noble going close with a 75 minute header. But two minutes later it was back to
business for Rockleaze, Sawdon through on goal at an angle was chopped down and James
rolled the resulting penalty into the corner of the net. Bromley Heath met Rockleaze who
probably put in their best performance of the season, and didn’t make it easy for Rangers,
but 4-0 I think says it all.
The only match on grass to be played was at Green Lane where
struggling Hardwicke came up against an always useful Little Stoke, both teams
producing a thrilling and entertaining game. The teams adapted well to the conditions and
it was the visitors who took the lead twelve minutes in when Aaron West’s superbly weighted
corner was volleyed in off the crossbar by Luke Meacham. With both sides playing
attacking football, it was Stoke with the next chance, Reuben Neevo Draper striking
from outside the box, keeper Cameron Wilce pulling off a good save. Hardwicke pushed
forward for an equaliser and George Ganley headed goalwards, but Goraz Gigov pulled of a
spectacular save hooking the ball off the line. Hardwicke continued to press and 10 minutes
from the break equalised when Josh Varis Riddler’s 25-yard shot was spilled by Gigov and
Ganley’s poked effort found the net off a defender. Hardwicke took the lead on 55 Henry
Birkett’s 30-yard free kick flew past the Stoke wall into the net. It was almost three, but
Gigov parried away. Little Stoke equalised on 67, Liam Jenkins racing down the left crossing
for Phil Vice to tap in. Both teams sought a win in the last ten minutes, first
Hardwicke’s Sam Hill was denied by Gigov and then Jadon Holver’s fine effort for
Stoke was saved by Wilce. 2-2 it ended and on reflection a fair result.