Verde Recreo Men’s League
Central 1
Bridgwater 4, Old Bristolians 1

BRIDGWATER kept up their cracking start to the season with a statement 4-1 win against table-toppers Old Bristolians – replacing them at the summit.

Despite starting on the back foot, Bridgwater went ahead through an Adam Lowe short corner, and were 1-0 up at the break with keeper Pete Saunders to thank for some key saves.

Old Bristolians equalised after only five minutes of the second half, and it looked like things would get tough.

However, player of the match Lowe had other ideas, scoring a well-placed slap and then a sublime reverse to put his side 3-1 up and complete his treble.

Then Todd Barrett unselfishly put through skipper Duncan Morrish, who put the cherry on top of a superb win.

West Central 1
North Somerset A 2, Bridgwater A 0

BOTH teams started slowly on the cold day and it was a fairly even throughout.

Without the killer instinct, there were few chances, but North Somerset opened the scoring just before the break.

The home side had the majority of the play in the second half and Bridgwater struggled to get out of their half.

Man of the match, goalkeeper Dom Rau, was finally beaten when a short corner went in off the inside of the post, sealing the hosts’ win.

West Central 2
Bridgwater B 7, Westbury & UB D 1

BRIDGWATER B remained top of the table with an assured performance.

Paul Bond opened the scoring, and Tom Lott, Rich Payne and Bond scored again for a 4-0 half-time lead.

Westbury came out all guns blazing in the second half but it was Bridgwater who scored the next two – Tom Lott finishing from close range and Paul Tilley with a glorious deflection.

Westbury clawed one back but Bond finished off the game with his hat-trick strike.

Player of the match was Dom Court.

South East 2
ECV Hornets B 7, Bridgwater C 2

AN untested young team went to rampant ECVH and were well beaten.

Toby Knight and Harvey Larcombe both looked assured, while with Sam Stacey and Aaron Turner showing what they could do. Kev Hicks was solid at the back, but the home side took the lead through a deflection.

Steve Turvey levelled the scores but it came at a cost, as ECVH woke up and scored five more in a half that Bridgwater could hardly get out of defence.

On the bright side, Turvey got another goal before the break.

Come the second half, some top saves kept Bridgwater afloat, until the last 10 minutes when the pressure finally told and ECVH got their seventh.

Man of the match went to the returning Tom Stacey.

South East 3
Bridgwater D 1, Taunton Vale E 2

SIMON Burland struck the opening goal for Bridgwater, from a great ball in from Alex McNeil, and could well have added another soon after.

Vale pressed and got an equaliser to go in all square at the break.

In the second half, the derby started to heat up as Bridgwater were held up by an in-form Vale keeper.

The home side hit their second with 15 minutes to go and Bridgwater could not find an equaliser despite going close on a number of occasions.

The man of the match award went to Bertie Kelly.

***

West Clubs Women’s League
Central Division
Bath Buccaneers 3rds 1, Bridgwater 0

BRIDGWATER’S unbeaten start to the season came to an end at top-of-the-league Buccaneers.

They played well against a youthful side but their best efforts were thwarted by an in-form goalkeeper.

Player of the match was Charlie Lewis, and the team are now positive for their home fixture this coming Saturday, against Weston-super-Mare.

Sedgemoor Division 2
Bridgwater 2nds 0, ECV Hornets 2nds 0

BRIDGWATER ladies 2nds produced another strong performance, with Niamh Dillon standing out again in defence.

EVCH had multiple short corners in the first half but were unable to break through.

The hosts started the second half the stronger team and worked their way up the pitch well, but the only ‘goal’ of the game was disallowed as the ball unfortunately hit a Bridgwater foot before going in.

Julie Reed claimed the majority of the player of the match votes for being everywhere on the pitch.