BSXI 1-0 Hillfields.
Slightly more one sided than the results suggests but they battled really well in all fairness.

Bit of a typical SAS game I'm afraid to say. Felt like we deserved 3 points, but have come away with none.
At least this week we came off knowing we'd given it our all - beforethe match the gaffer 'suggested' maybe we dont seem to want it enough, I think he got the response he was looking for (just not the result).

Our goal was from Dorney, and although I genuinely didnt see any hands from Luca, a few our our lads did, so we got a bit of luck there.

We could have got 4 or 5 and it wouldnt have flattered us, but a combination of weak /poor finishing, good goalkeeping and maybe a bit of bad luck meant we just couldnt put the ball in the net.
Thanks to Slip for the game though, great contest played in exactly the right manner.

Any faint glimmer of a title challenge looks to have disappeared today for us. With 2 games still to play against BSXI we'll just have to see what impact we can have on the top few as the season run-in approaches.

James

PS. Not sure about " with a couple of minutes to go I tackled (!) someone" - my version of events was Phil was the last man, he had the ball, and he passed to you!

Grace Church 11 Hillfields Reserves 1

A superb performance from us today after the Christmas break. Hillfields were certainly not 10 goals worse and can count themselves unlucky, but our keeper made some great saves before going off injured at half time, our defence were very solid today and everything went right for us in attack.

Our goals were scored by Rhodri Jones, Sam Tighe, Colin Elliott. Jason Bates x4 and Nathan Randell x4.

Thanks to the Hillfields guys for a really enjoyable game and for keeping battling right to the end.

NB I am only posting this as our club secretary is currently in hospital undergoing tests. Please pray with us that God would give him peace and give wisdom to the doctors treating him and that he would be healed quickly.

Thanks

Rock 6-0 Corinthians

Goals from:
Nigel Rae
Paul Withe x2
Haydon Papworth
Paul Freeman
Tom Ford

Good game for us today! Battled hard. Corinthians were unlucky to have a bare 11 and one of they're centre backs go off injured after about 30 mins.

PS Appreciate the support and twitter updates from Ian C. Shame the game wasn't better to watch for our bumper crowd that was at least in double figures !!

Ok, to try and clear this up first, it was definitely a tackle. Phil, presumably having seen Dan play numerous times in the past, assumed he was fine to try and take him on despite being the last man, but Dan nicked the ball off him. It was at least 10 yards inside the SAS half though Dan, although the rest of your description is accurate.

So, the game itself was a cracker. SAS initially started better, but after two or three early half chances that they put wide (a recurring theme for them), I thought we edged the first half. Dave Millar hit the post when 1 on 1 with Nick, but then made no mistake with a second similar chance, although it still went in off the post (thinking back, those posts may need to be replaced they took such a battering yesterday). There was a bit of a goalmouth scramble too with a shot being cleared off the line, but we couldn't get the 2nd goal we felt we needed before half time on the sidelines. There was also controversy off the pitch when Slip supremo Ian Sinclair turned up, and neatly avoided a question on where his loyalties lay to say he was just there to watch his son (now playing for SAS).

We knew SAS would come out hard in the 2nd half. In fact, they played hard for the whole half. I don't think we helped ourselves by not being good enough when in possession, but it was pretty much wave after wave of SAS attack. From what I can remember, they shot wide/over when in very good positions at least 3 times, they hit the woodwork twice, and Powelly made at least 2 very good saves. I still felt we looked dangerous on the break though, and Nick had to be sharp to deny Spring when 1 on 1.

SAS finally got the breakthrough in the 89th minute according to the ref. Another shot crashed against the crossbar (3rd time they'd hit the woodwork), bounced back down and Luca instinctively put his hands up to stop the ball smacking him in the face. It then fell to an SAS player who slotted home, and the ref allowed the goal. We felt hard done by, but couldn't deny that SAS deserved a goal. At this point I was worried, but then in the 93rd minute, Dan dispossessed Phil, and you know the rest.

Cracking game, still no idea how we won it.

Least enjoyable game I've played in for a while, but felt great to win against such a side. They seemed to ge their kicks out of kicking lumps out of the opposition than actually playing football. Been really impressed with the etiquette of our league this season and our opposition was in stark contrast to that yesterday.
Hope to play on a better pitch in the semis.
Where do our potential opponents all play their home games?

I think Pips lost despite a Ken Oni hat-trick although not confirmed !

According to the GFA website Pips lost 6-4

I can sadly confirm to Chris and everyone else that Pips did lose 6-4 a.e.t to Horfield Utd. I was working (unfortunately, couldn't book off and was a bit annoyed!) but Ali informs me that we were 4-3 up with a few minutes to go and coneaded a sloppy goal from a corner so ET proved to be the end of our GFA road for the 2011-12 season. Ken 'only one' Oni did score a hat-trick alas, to no avail. Really disappointed and a real shame we're out (bias, I know), I'm still upset and may never get over it.....there's always the league to play for.

I will get more details but the first match after the mini-winter break (compared to previous seasons) is always tough and is more often than not an important GFA QF! . A fairly strong team was fielded (apart from Wes and myself!).

A great result for Woodies and some interesting ones in all three divisions, hello 2012. Maybe this will be the year that Eakins dreams finally do come true....and maybe also Slip winning the title....

Back to league action (and a welcome return to action for me) against Hillfields, just bring it.