Almondsbury Festival by Motorway Man
Gloucester B team made their way up the road to Almondsbury for a festival involving five other associations.
Gloucester’s first group game saw them paired up against South Gloucestershire and the Bs got off to the perfect start. A first half goal from Cooper after a superb corner from Easterbrook saw Taylor and Cooper fight for the loose ball in the S.Glos area and the latter tapped home from close range.
A dominant second half started with the goal of the day. Lock won the ball on the right side of the pitch and passed to Easterbrook. One touch to set himself and a long-range looping shot flew over the helpless keeper and doubled our lead.
Another battle won by Lock and a following cross saw Taylor smash home to help the score line. Lock capped his fine performance off with a superb individual goal. A long ball up to him was stopped dead by the striker with his back facing the goal. However, a quick turn through two players saw him slot home for the fourth and final score. A complete performance from all those involved, creating and taking opportunities, but also thwarting any danger of S.Glos coming forwards.
With a few minutes to quickly turn around, Gloucester came up against West Wiltshire where a number of recognisable faces were the opponents. The Blues looked incredibly comfortable with the smaller format and Gloucester quickly realised they were in for a very different game than the first, with Harding and Cornwell called into action a number of times early on.
Fieldhouse and Flatt tried to carve out opportunities, but struggled to break down a resolute defence in a game that ultimately saw very little dangerous goalmouth action. A Gloucester corner saw the only goal of the game when WW pounced on the loose ball and quickly played the ball out wide. A swift move back across the pitch saw Hyde finish from close range and see the opposition once again claim a narrow victory over their counterparts.
The loss to West Wiltshire and their own 4-0 win over South Glos meant that Gloucester finished second in their group. Finishing second in the other group were Welsh visitors Bridgend and very little separated the teams. Chances to Lock, Easterbrook, Taylor and Flatt were all dealt with and likewise at the other end Campbell, Arrowsmith, Irvine and Harding were called upon to keep the visitors at bay a number of times.
However, both teams did manage a goal apiece - Gloucester's coming from Campbell winning the ball and playing in Fieldhouse. With one touch, followed by going for a cup of tea, coming back and reading The Guardian back to front, he finally took the shot.
A good block saw the ball fly out to Inyinbor whose shot at goal was going in bar for the poaching touch from Lock to steal the goal and add to his tally . A slack bit of defending allowed Bridgend an equaliser from a corner, meaning the game finished 1-1, the Bs subsequently sharing 3rd place in the proceedings.
A decision was made to play Bridgend again in another encounter to see if the teams could be separated. However, this tie would be settled in normal fashion of 9-a-side. Again, much like the first game between these two, both teams couldn't be parted - bar the last touch of the game. Great play from Gloucester saw a cross field ball from Cooper to Easterbrook. A first-time shot from the midfielder saw Gloucester clinch the victory to finish off an enjoyable morning of football.
Gloucester B: Cornwell; Irvine, Harding, Cooper, Easterbrook, Flatt, Arrowsmith, Campbell, Taylor, Inyinbor, Fieldhouse, Lock.
Gloucester’s first group game saw them paired up against South Gloucestershire and the Bs got off to the perfect start. A first half goal from Cooper after a superb corner from Easterbrook saw Taylor and Cooper fight for the loose ball in the S.Glos area and the latter tapped home from close range.
A dominant second half started with the goal of the day. Lock won the ball on the right side of the pitch and passed to Easterbrook. One touch to set himself and a long-range looping shot flew over the helpless keeper and doubled our lead.
Another battle won by Lock and a following cross saw Taylor smash home to help the score line. Lock capped his fine performance off with a superb individual goal. A long ball up to him was stopped dead by the striker with his back facing the goal. However, a quick turn through two players saw him slot home for the fourth and final score. A complete performance from all those involved, creating and taking opportunities, but also thwarting any danger of S.Glos coming forwards.
With a few minutes to quickly turn around, Gloucester came up against West Wiltshire where a number of recognisable faces were the opponents. The Blues looked incredibly comfortable with the smaller format and Gloucester quickly realised they were in for a very different game than the first, with Harding and Cornwell called into action a number of times early on.
Fieldhouse and Flatt tried to carve out opportunities, but struggled to break down a resolute defence in a game that ultimately saw very little dangerous goalmouth action. A Gloucester corner saw the only goal of the game when WW pounced on the loose ball and quickly played the ball out wide. A swift move back across the pitch saw Hyde finish from close range and see the opposition once again claim a narrow victory over their counterparts.
The loss to West Wiltshire and their own 4-0 win over South Glos meant that Gloucester finished second in their group. Finishing second in the other group were Welsh visitors Bridgend and very little separated the teams. Chances to Lock, Easterbrook, Taylor and Flatt were all dealt with and likewise at the other end Campbell, Arrowsmith, Irvine and Harding were called upon to keep the visitors at bay a number of times.
However, both teams did manage a goal apiece - Gloucester's coming from Campbell winning the ball and playing in Fieldhouse. With one touch, followed by going for a cup of tea, coming back and reading The Guardian back to front, he finally took the shot.
A good block saw the ball fly out to Inyinbor whose shot at goal was going in bar for the poaching touch from Lock to steal the goal and add to his tally . A slack bit of defending allowed Bridgend an equaliser from a corner, meaning the game finished 1-1, the Bs subsequently sharing 3rd place in the proceedings.
A decision was made to play Bridgend again in another encounter to see if the teams could be separated. However, this tie would be settled in normal fashion of 9-a-side. Again, much like the first game between these two, both teams couldn't be parted - bar the last touch of the game. Great play from Gloucester saw a cross field ball from Cooper to Easterbrook. A first-time shot from the midfielder saw Gloucester clinch the victory to finish off an enjoyable morning of football.
Gloucester B: Cornwell; Irvine, Harding, Cooper, Easterbrook, Flatt, Arrowsmith, Campbell, Taylor, Inyinbor, Fieldhouse, Lock.
