First Team

Bristol Manor Farm’s three match unbeaten run came to a stop on Saturday afternoon as they were beaten 2-1 away to promotion hopefuls Sholing FC, writes William Ledbury.

Bristol Manor Farm were unable to capitalise on a largely dominant performance as they were held to a stalemate by Slimbridge, writes Jack Davies.

Ben Bament fired home the only goal of the game as Manor Farm earned a much needed home win against Cirencester.

Cirencester were having a great start to the season and started brightly, Josh Grace-Parsons siezing on some hesitant defending but Ben John was on hand to save. Their second chance came just a few minutes later, Grace-Parsons turning provider as his deflected cross was headed narrowly wide by Levi Irving. Farm got themselves going after those opening exchanges, Kyle Tooze inches from tapping home after Jake Gosling flew past his man and crossed. Kyle Tooze had the next chance too, freeing himself down the flank on the counter before cutting inside and bending an effort just wide. Josh Ford, who had an excellent game defensively, headed just over from a Gosling corner before Tooze had the biggest chance of the first half, snatching at a loose ball minutes before the whistle.

Farm looked set to take a deserved lead in the opening minutes of the second half, Mike Bryant headed down to Ben Bament but his shot was superbly charged down by visiting defender Jake Lee. The games defining moments came just after the hour, Grace-Parsons reacted first to a long ball but his lobbed effort was brilliantly tipped wide by Ben John. That save would prove crucial a few minutes later. Gosling’s clever reverse pass found Bryant who’s own superb pass played Bament through. The striker made no mistake and he fired the ball into the far corner. Cirencester pushed hard for an equaliser but found Kingdon and Ford in defiant mood in the middle for Farm. The home side had a few late chances to double the lead on the counter late on, Gosling found Bament who saw another effort blocked before Lloyd Mills stepped forward and his long range effort was held by Alex Harris in the away goal.

Bristol Manor Farm scored a dramatic last-gasp winner as they edged a 5-4 win in a remarkable contest away at Barnstaple, writes Jack Davies.

After back-to-back defeats in all competitions against Frome, Mangotsfield, and Winchester, The Portway travelled to Barum with the sole task of returning to The Creek with all three points.

Jayden Neilson’s superb Cruyff turn gave him the space to play a perfect weighted through ball, that evaded home keeper Jack Arthur, but neither Howe or Bament could convert after Howe’s initial shot clipped a home defender.

From the resulting corner Farm had their second chance in only the first two minutes, but Michael Bryant headed just wide.

Another corner then almost found it’s way directly to goal, Nielson’s teaser just dropping wide of the far post.

The opener would eventually arrive after 20 minutes. Winter’s peach of a pass found the ever willing runner Bament, who’s chipped half volley dropped in for 1-0.

The lead was doubled from the penalty spot, Howe winning the race over Arthur to a loose ball before the home keeper brought the forward down. Howe dusted himself down, and despite being made to wait an age by an injury for Arthur, his penalty was emphatic.

Rather than ending the contest, Barnstaple came flying back after seeing their deficit doubled, some penalty box pinball eventually fell to Ian Cockwell who rifled a finish into the top corner from 10 yards.

The Portwaymen had a few chances to restore the two goal buffer. Bament forced a smart save by Arthur before Ford’s deflected header bounced on the top of the bar but over.

Saddam Bello then fired one just wide for the hosts, before the striker was fouled by Sam Boulton inside the area. Bello stepped up himself and sent his penalty into the roof of the net to level the scores.

Lee Lashenko’s side almost fell behind just seconds into the restart. The ever-present Bello found himself through once again, only for Boulton to appear out of nowhere and make a superb last ditch tackle.

Howe was then at it again before the hour, combining well with Bament before nodding the wingers cross just wide.

Farm would retake the lead in fortuitous fashion just after the hour. Positive play from Bament and Mike Bryant led to skipper Aron Robbins whipping the ball into the danger area, only for Arthur to horribly misjudge the cross and drop the ball into the far corner.

The Farmers wouldn’t take much longer to get their fourth. After seeing Jamie Short head wide from his perfect cross from the left, Nielson would go it alone the second time around as he drilled a low finish through the legs of Arthur for 4-2.

As if attempting to completely replicate the first-half, Barnstaple clawed their way back into the match almost immediately after conceding.

Substitute White-Harper Innis, barely on the pitch for a minute, was left completely unmarked to head home Barum’s third.

Farm looked determined to learn from the first half and plugged away for a fifth. Ben Bament flagged offside as he tucked the ball away despite the touch through looking like it had been from home defender Ben Palmer.

Howe then perhaps could have been given a second penalty in the 80th minute, once more nicking the ball ahead of Arthur before a coming together but nothing given.

Barnstaple then looked to have finally earned their first point of the season, Bello timing his run to perfection and his cute dinked finish levelled the game.

With just minutes left on the clock, it seemed that The Portwaymen would have to settle for the point. An outstanding defensive tackle denied Bament, who looked set to tap home his second of the evening.

As the final seconds ticked by, Manor Farm forced a succession of corners. The first saw one flick off Bello and rattle his own post. The final corner was flapped at by Arthur, and Bament showed an incredible presence of mind to ride several challenges before finding Robbins who rifled home his second and the winner – breaking Barnstaple’s hearts, who came so close yet so far from their first point of the season.

10 man Bristol Manor Farm suffered a harsh, but heavy, defeat away to Winchester City on Saturday afternoon, writes Jack Davies.

Bristol Farm had a strong away record of late and started on the front foot, exciting debutant Jake Gosling cut inside after five minutes and forced a good save from Charlie Philpott before Mike Bryant’s deflected rebound bounced over the crossbar.

The hosts took the lead with their first attack, a neat passing move down the left ended with Ollie Griggs sweeping the ball in at the near post.

Farm didn’t let their heads drop and contained to create more chances, Bryant again denied by a superb block after good work by Gosling and Owen Howe.

Jamie Short was next to be denied, more good feet by Gosling saw him slip the forward in but his effort was also blocked.

Farm thought they’d have been awarded a penalty late on. Howe jumped with Philpott, winning his header, but the former was adjudged to have made the foul and was booked for his protests.

The Portwaymen kept up the momentum in the early stages of the second-half, but almost had their deficit doubled on the break. Griggs finding an unmarked Max Smith but his close range effort was saved brilliantly by Ben John.

The teams then exchanged presentable chances before the hour, first Howe headed a Gosling corner just wide before Simba Miambo sliced an effort over for Winchester.

Farm deservedly levelled shortly after. Another pinpoint Gosling delivery found Josh Ford who planted his header past the statuesque home keeper for his third of the season.

The games defining moment came not long after. Jayden Nielsen was given a straight red card to the bemusement of everyone involved, and Farm were down to ten.

Despite the man disadvantage, Farm almost went ahead instantly. Substitute Kyle Tooze refused to give up on a loose ball and his poked effort bounced just wide.

Howe then had another chance to steer the visitors ahead, but his header from a tight angle was too close to Philpott.

Winchester would take the lead against the run of play, Miamba played through and he tucked calmly past John.

Farm would have one final big chance to make the end of the game interesting; a superb counter led by Gosling eventually saw a spinning ball drop to Howe but he was denied at close range by a brilliant Philpott save.

The home side then took full advantage of having an extra man late on. Miambo found by a pass, and despite looking several yards offside, he was able to run on and find home sub Craig Feeney who had the simplest task to finish past John.

Max Smith added the fourth, adjusting his body to a deflected cross and volleying very tidily in to the far corner.

Winchester would add a fifth which made the score look far more generous than it could have been, Feeney with his second as he was played through and calmly rounded John for a simple finish.