South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2006 | April | 28
From the archive, first published Friday 28th Apr 2006.
THORNBURY BAPTISTS signed off their season in style, hammering 21 goals past a stunned Sanctuary team in two separate games on Tuesday and Saturday respectively.
The Sanctuary 0 Thornbury Baptists 9
A 9-0 DRUBBING on Tuesday will perhaps be most fondly remembered for Martin Downs' first goal for the club and for a hat-trick by free-scoring midfielder Dave Tushingham.
Loadwick (2), Rivers (2) and Cooke also struck goals, with Robinson achieving the remarkable feat of providing seven assists as he orchestrated the midfield.
Thornbury Baptists 12 The Sanctuary 2
THIS match was all over within 12 minutes as a Pete Newton-Smith hat-trick caught the visitors once again off the pace.
A fourth for Newton-Smith, a scrambled goal from Facey and a 20-yard strike from Rivers should have seen the Baps into the break with an overwhelming 6-0 lead but for a calamitous mix up between Shorey and Newton-Smith, which resulted in an own goal from the man who had earlier put four in the other end.
Cooke combined neatly with Tushingham first and then Beddoes to grab a brace of goals from left-back before Kelly ended his goal drought with two deft finishes.
Bassett thumped a shot in off the post to make it 11-1 before long-serving talisman Beddoes produced a typically composed finish for the twelfth. Sanctuary scored a late consolation goal to make it 12-2.
The champagne football was swiftly followed by champagne celebrations as the Baptists finished the season nine points clear at the top of the league.
The shock retirement of manager John Welsh led to some emotional post match scenes.
Chairman Dave Finney said: "John is a man who has achieved so much with this team. He's got a great bunch of lads together and they have really gelled as a unit. This is thoroughly deserved."
Final table P W D L Pts Thornbury Baps 18 15 2 1 47 Bristol Sanctuary 18 12 2 4 38 Christchurch 18 12 1 5 37 Saltford Evangel 18 9 4 5 31 AC BUCU 18 7 1 10 22 Widcombe Wands 18 6 2 10 20 Pip n Jay 18 6 2 10 20 Elim @ Bristol 18 6 1 11 19 The Sanctuary 18 6 1 11 19 Rock Crusaders 18 2 2 14 8
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