DIVISION 1:
A depleted Tiger Old Boys side eventually managed to come out on top in the their Uxella League home encounter with Railway Club but had to play the first half with only ten men until a reinforcement could be added at the interval. With the game goalless at half-time the extra man did the trick in the second half as Matt Washer(2) and the prolific Mike Nicholson scored the goals that keeps the Tigers perfect Uxella League record intact.
Individual strikes from Simon Caddy, Tim Netto, Steve Haste and Matt Fursland were enough to give Woolavington a comfortable 4-0 home victory over Durleigh.
There was a shock result in the other game in the top flight as Admirals Landing managed to win 2-1 against highly fancied Pig & Whistle.
DIVISION 2:
In a tight top-of-the-table clash in Division Two that could have gone either way, second-placed Black Horse emerged as 2-1 winners over third-placed Flag Old Boys thanks to goals from Jason Clapp and Matt Milton. Jamie Sellick managed to bag a 90th minute consolation goal for Flag but there was not enough time left on the clock to secure an equaliser.
In another heavyweight encounter, Division Two leaders Tiger OB Reserves won 4-2 at home to Cross Rifles thanks to a Leigh Hurford hat-trick and a further strike from Phil Coombes.
Despite goals from Chris Barley and Richard Cattell Huntspill Crowns went down 2-3 at home to Ashcott.
At the other end of the table Eastover Wanderers put some daylight between themselves and bottom side Cannington following a 3-1 home win where Dean Fury(2) and Gary Morgan scored the decisive goals while Cannington player-manager Ben Dyer bagged his side's consolation strike from the penalty spot.
DIVISION 3:
Without a doubt the game of the day in the Uxella League was in Division Three at Chedzoy Lane where Bridgwater Grasshoppers, a side who only reformed at the beginning of the current campaign, came of age with an emphatic 7-0 home win over a full-strength Countryman side. The result was sweet revenge for the Hoppers following their away defeat by the very same margin on Countryman's sloping pitch during the early weeks of the season. A key factor in the result was the outstanding debut performances of new signings Steve Moule, a recent acquisition from Flag Old Boys, and man-of-the-match Nigel Woodcock, who has recently moved to the area from Shropshire and whose previous career highlights includes an appearance on the hallowed turf of Wembley in the company of none other than Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown.
The two news boys were the icing on the cake for a Grasshoppers side that has been improving at an exponential rate in recent weeks as various key individuals return from injury. Veteran striker Rob Whiterod got the show on the road with a fine blast into the top corner before 18-year-old leading scorer Adam Kinsey started to work his magic with an outstanding hat-trick which included a clinical penalty, a fine dribbled effort and an audacious bending free-kick with the outside of his left foot from the edge of the penalty area in a position that would normally only be considered by a right-footed kicker. Midfield powerhouse John Kervell returned to the side from a recent bout of concussion to claim two well-taken goals and Nigel "Wembley" Woodcock, who started the game at right-back, ended the match looking more like his famous namesake Tony as he expertly dispossessed the Countryman goalkeeper to claim a fine debut strike. The most satisfying aspect of the performance though was the Hoppers first clean sheet of the season with goalkeeper Nick Northey and centre-backs Paul Ham and Brian Court in outstanding form.
There was a further shock result in the Third Division as second-from-bottom Tor Sports brought high-flying Sportsman crashing down to earth with an excellent 5-2 home victory thanks to two goals from Somerset County League striker Joel Hopper and further efforts from Paul Pentney, John Osman and David Sergeant. Tor also had keeper Chris Wilcox to thank for a string of impressive saves.
The result from the encounter between Pig & Whistle Reserves and leaders Artillery West Huntspill Boys was more predictable as visitors Artillery continued their own perfect Uxella League record with a hard-fought 2-0 win. Pig manager Geoff Head praised his own young side for making Artillery work hard for the three points and also paid tribute to the visitors, commenting: "Artillery are a very good team who display good sportsmanship. Everything about them is spot on."
(Story First Published: 30.01.05) |
