Robson Taylor Chippenham Sunday League News 2007/08  RSS feed | About

Jonathan Couch

Third Division champions AFC Bell had a bizarre final match of the season at home to Blue Circle and after 70 minutes referee Chris Morris blew for time, with AFC Bell winning 6-2.

AFC Bell, who had beaten Bromham 4-2 on Thursday night thanks to goals from Gary Campbell (2), Paul Machin (penalty) and substitute Craig Townsend, were already assured of the winners' crown, had wanted to finish the season in style were left a little deflated despite their victory that stretched their unbeaten run to 18 matches.

The match kicked off in glorious sunshine in front of a healthy crowd made up of family and friends and although Blue Circle had threatened for a while to spoil Bell's party it wasn't long before Bell took the lead through Craig Townsend.

The hosts then threatened to run away with the game when a second goal from Townsend made it 2-0.

The cement boys pulled a goal back through Jamie Howse to make a game of it, but then they were hit with a killer blow as Townsend completed his hat-trick to restore his sides two goal lead.

With the game 35 minutes old, referee Morris had to call a halt to proceedings as a freak accident to Bell supporter Rhia Linford, who is the girlfriend of Bell player Jonathan Couch, led to the match being delayed for over an hour.

Linford, who was watching the game, was hurt when one of the Bell substitutes collided her with on the side of the pitch. She was in great pain and an ambulance was called for. It took the response team 30 minutes to arrive on the scene after the initial call and then another 30 minutes before the ambulance arrived.

The teams switched to another pitch once the Crown Cosmos v FC Bradford fixture had finished, but then faced a further hold up as the air ambulance arrived to take Miss Linford to hospital.

Once the game recommenced Dave Young scored a fourth goal for AFC Bell, but Blue Circle hit back with Jamie Howse scoring his second goal of the game from the penalty spot.

Any thoughts the visitors had of staging a fight back soon evaporated in the heat as two more goals from Townsend saw him take his tally for the game to five and his total for the season to 48.

The good news for the Bell later in the evening was that after tests and x-rays Miss Linford was discharged from hospital having suffered a sprained back.

Churchill Arms 1, Pheasant 9

CHIPPENHAM-based Pheasant, who claimed the runners-up spot, finished their season in style with an emphatic 9-1 victory over Churchill Arms, whose only goal of the game came from Andy Hobbs.

For Pheasant Ben Highmore top scored with a five-timer and Jack Coathupe, Danny Johnson, Tom Jones and Matt Scoble scored one apiece.

For Scoble it was his first goal of the season, and it was worth the wait.

He controlled a cross from Tom Jones with his left foot before drilling home a glorious strike with his right to complete his team's nine goal tally.

Westbury Rangers B 7, Corsham Park Rangers 2

IT is hard to believe that Corsham Park Rangers survived the drop to Division Four following a win and a draw in two of their previous three games.

And it was a good job they didn't need to rely on their match away at Westbury Rangers B to stay in the division as they turned up at Meadow Lane with just 10 players and were lucky to come away having suffered just a 7-2 loss as Westbury had enough chances to double that scoreline.

Westbury, who were short of players, called up first team manager Shaun Gardiner to help them out and he should have put the hosts ahead after 25 minutes when he met a Sam Young cross but somehow hit the post from a yard out.

Westbury took the lead in the 29th minute when Gary Tugwell fired home a Liam Griffiths corner. After 39 minutes Westbury doubled their lead through Matty Mead who rifled home a stunner from 20 yards.

Corsham Park pulled a goal back four minutes before the interval when Dan Purser made the most of a defensive mix up to fire home from 18 yards.

There was still time left for Westbury to add a third which came on 44 minutes when Joe Gooding glanced home a header.

Corsham Park struck early in the second half to narrow the gap to the odd goal when Jake Marshall lobbed the Westbury goalkeeper.

It wasn't long before Westbury threatened more goals as Gardiner had a header well saved by Corsham Park keeper Martin Perrett, but he was beaten soon after when Liam Griffiths header flew past him, only for the ball to hit the post.

On the hour mark the luckless Gardiner missed another good chance for the home team, but their fourth arrived after 69 minutes and was scored by Ross Pugh. A minute a Matty Mead cross was headed goal bound by Gardiner and on this occasion he actually hit the net much to the delight of the rest of his team-mates.

Ten minutes from time Liam Griffiths broke into the area and beat a couple of defenders before finishing from a tight angle to make it 6-2.

The scoring was completed after 90 minutes when Rob Youens netted after being set up by Griffiths who had a fantastic game.

9:55am Monday 12th May 2008

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