In the Premier League, goals from Alex Young, Dan Schuster, Dan Reynolds, Jack Davies and Curt McInerney sent Coleford to the top of the table, beating Radstock A at home, 5–1. Frome Collegians go second, winning at home against Purnell Reserves, 4–0. Interhound are losing pace, losing away to Wells A, 2–1. Temple Cloud had a good away win against bottom team, Welton Arsenal, 5–1, with Mells continuing to improve, beating Westfield Reserves away, 3–0.
The First Division saw the league’s top goal scorer, Dan Linham, of Victoria, net five in his team’s 8–1 home thrashing of Pilton. Also on the score sheet for the home team was Craig Chant (2) and Matty Day. Westhill kept their unbeaten run going, beating Chew Magna Reserves 3–0 at home and Chilcompton Reserves move up to fourth, winning away to Clutton Reserves, 1–0.
Belrose, with a single goal from Mat Rivers, fell over the line, 1–0, against the luckless Meadow Rangers.
Featured game of the day was in the Second Division between the first and second in the league, Somer Valley and Bath Villa, on the superb artificial surface at Somervale School. Both teams put on a great attacking game of football and both had chances to score, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on thirty minutes, when a rare mistake by the home defence let in the Villa forward to give them the half-time lead, 1–0. The Somer lads came out in the second half with all guns blazing, scoring three times in the first seven minutes, with scorers Martin Avis, Paul Dinsdale and Ben Teall. Back came Bath Villa, putting lots of pressure on the excellent home defence, and they were rewarded with a goal with fifteen minutes left to play. The home team rode out the game, winning 3–2 to extend their lead at the top of the table by six points. The game was expertly refereed by Jerry Young.
Peasedown Albion have still to drop a point, winning away at Saltford Reserves, 2–0, with goals coming from Dan Hucker and Scott Baker. Westhill Reserves won away at Glastonbury Reserves, 1–0.
In the Third Division, Farrington Reserves at home make it three wins out of three, inflicting the first loss of the season on Chilcompton United, 5–1.Wessex had a good win away to second in the league Old Crown, 2–1, with draws between Pilton Reserves versus Westfield A, 3–3 and Timsbury Reserves versus Purnell A, 1–1.
In the Tony Baxter Shield, Coleford Reserves progress to the next round, beating Evercreech away on penalties.
Bryn Hawkins