DEADLY BEN GUNS DOWN BRISLINGTON

CHAMPIONS Bitton A started their Avon Youth League Under-11 season in fine form away to Brislington Juniors with an 8-1 aggregate victory.

Ben Snell was their first-game hero with a hat-trick in a 5-1 win, which saw all six goals scored in the first half.

Bitton went ahead when Jacobs Howell’s deflected effort was smashed home by Snell from the edge of the box. George Shore made it 2-0 when another Howell shot was blocked and they soon added a third, Snell rounding off some super approach play with a great finish.

Brislington pulled one back through Jack Goddard before Snell completed his hat-trick after latching on to a George Neill through ball. Shortly before half-time, Snell turned provider, setting up Will Simpson-Jarman to produce a sharp finish for his first goal for the club.

The second game began with Brislington on top but Bitton soon upped their game and went on to win 3-0.

They edged in front shortly before half-time, courtesy of Gianni Porcaro’s first goal for the club.

Both teams continued to press in the second half but Bitton remained solid at the back and wrapped up the game with two fine team goals finished off by Junior Patterson and Richard Yorath.

Abraham Fullbrook netted with a 25-yard screamer but it wasn’t enough to stop

Hallen lost the first game 3-1 but were unlucky not to win the second match by more than 1-0. Tom Jolliffe, who was making his league debut for the club, scored the goal.

Stoke Lane kicked off their season with an impressive 4-1 against Nicholas Wanderers A, who set the pace in the first game with some slick passing moves.

They opened the scoring with a fantastic breakaway goal, but Lane did not allow their heads to drop and snatched the equaliser just after the break. Mitchell Bombroff slipped a killer pass through for Josh Mortimore, who squared it for George Bryan to poke home.

Lane’s winner came when another fine move was finished expertly by Bombroff, who squeezed his shot under the Wanderers keeper to seal a 2-1 victory.

Lane started the second game strongly, with Joe Cook and Sam Kewley dominating midfield, but were unable to find the all-important final ball. On the few occasions, Wanderers did test the Lane defence they came across Denym Di Mauro in imperious form.

Lane’s sustained pressure paid off with a goal from diminutive striker Jack Griffin, before Cook struck a fierce shot across the face of the keeper into the bottom corner of the net to round things offf

Newly-promoted

The first game was very even, with Yate’s Tom Wills marshalling his defence well and man-of-the-match Josh Gibbs battling hard up front.

After a goalless first half, it took a good goal from Luke Henderson to hand Yate a 1-0 victory.

It was a different story in the second match as United proved to be the stronger side, an early City own goal gifting them the lead.

City fought back to equalise but Yate stepped up a gear, netting twice more with two goals from man-of-the-match Tom Bidder. City cut the deficit with another goal but Yate, driven on by hard-working midfielders Josh Fields and Adam Blue, quickly raised their game again to score a fourth through Oakley Smith to see them to a 4-2 win.

In Division B,

Whitchurch took a deserved lead midway through the first half of game one with a neat finish, but Highridge, with Bradley Caton, Simon Kane and Declan Hurst battling well in midfield and Jack Gillam making a fantastic save just before half-time, went into the break with just a one-goal deficit to pull back.

Their problems worsened when Whitchurch doubled their lead 10 minutes into the second half after a slick counter-attack.

Highridge dug deep, with Lewis Clapp and star player George Swift producing some fantastic tackles in defence, while Hayden Dullaghan and Brandon Baxter came off the bench to fill in well in a number of positions.

Midway through the second half, Dean Hill raced past the Whitchurch defence and curled a left-foot shot into the top corner of the net to halve the deficit, but another swift counter-attack ended with Whitchurch scoring again to claim a 3-1 win.

The second game was a one-sided affair as Highridge swept to a 6-0 success thanks to a splendid James Hayter hat-trick and further strikes from Jack Greenslade (2) and substitute Ben Rush.

Highridge star player Jake Williams ran tirelessly down the flank, Jake Minton and Louis Elson were strong in defence, while Jake Hawkins and substitutes Jay Baker and Daniel Mellors played their parts well.

Longwell Green kicked off their Division B campaign with a 5-2 aggregate victory at Fry’s.

They dominated game one, winning it 3-1 thanks to two Tom Frankcom strikes and a goal direct from a corner by Nathan Dolan.

Fry’s pressed late on but Longwell keeper Jamie Griffin was in great form, making two fine saves. Dan Sparks, George Honeywell and Dan Tancock produced solid performances, while Kyle Roberts was always a danger on the offensive and Reece Dimond was full of running.

With Ewan Dineen and James Gulliford knocking the ball around neatly, Longwell finished off the job with a hard-fought 2-1 second-game win.

Dan Chivers put them in front with a calm finish and Joe Harding and Kian Mugliston went close to adding further goals.

George White and Matt Pope did their jobs well at the back to keep Fry’s at bay and Tom Chabowski made a brave save before Sam Williams eased any nerves by adding a second goal. Fry’s kept trying and were rewarded with a consolation goal, but they couldn’t quite force an equaliser.

Warmley Rangers gifted Downend Saints a draw in the opening game of the Division B season, despite dominating most of the play in both matches.

Saints showed they were strong on the break, often forcing Warmley defenders Freddie Flook and the ever-steady Matt Emery into action. At the other end, midfield trio Callum Birkinshaw, Jacob Trowbridge and George Wilshire created several chances for Rangers’ new striker Charlie Shail, but it was Wilshire who opened the scoring with a rasping finish.

Saints were unlucky not to level just afterwards when a shot drifted narrowly wide, while Chris Archer made a good save from a free-kick.

Eventually, a happy Shail scored the debut goal he craved with his left foot after a neat first touch to wrap up a 2-0 victory.

Game two started badly for Rangers as a defensive error allowed Saints to score in the opening minutes.

Warmley upped their game and Henry Sharman, who had a cracking match, twice came close to equalising, while Warren Forrest saw two shots sail just wide and Louis Lacy was unlucky when his low cross was knocked against a post by a Saints defender.

Rangers continued to pressure but their defence was caught napping on the halfway line as Downend broke away to level the aggregate score.

Lacy, Owen Comley and Forrest had several chances to win it for Warmley after the break, while keeper Sam Clay pulled off some fine saves to keep the overall scores level.

More Hanham League reports: Page 8