Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers.    District coaching restarts at OSP on Friday 3rd January (5-6pm) & Monday 6th January (6-7pm).    Saturday 4th January: GPSFA A, B & G v Bexley (Home; 11.00am, 12.15pm & 1.30pm).

Gloucester 5-1 Newbury by T.Rinity

Gloucester’s A Squad hit five for the second week running as fine finishing including a Finlay Jenner hat trick saw off Newbury in the Southern Counties League at Longlevens.

It was the visitors however that opened much the better, having the upper hand in midfield and passing the ball confidently. Wallace struck the outside of the post as the Berkshire side looked to turn their possession into goals, while an effort from Page had Troke scrambling across his goal. Wing backs Hylton and Pledger along with centre back Richards were constantly tested in the opening twenty minutes and Newbury eventually claimed a deserved lead when Wilson peeled off his marker to apply an excellent finish to Page’s right wing corner.

The first sign of a Gloucester revival came in the twenty third minute when Jenner struck the woodwork after being set up by Gore and it was the same combination that saw the hosts level three minutes later, Gore conjuring a yard of space before playing in Jenner who finished well.

Two minutes later Jenner turned provider, getting away down the right and crossing for a very aware Roddis to net left footed at the second attempt.

The city side began the second period as it had ended the first with Coldridge and Townsend providing the width and Roddis and Gore the central midfield impetus. It was Richards though who created Gloucester’s third, bringing the ball confidently out of defence before feeding Jenner who netted with a fine low drive, left footed across the keeper.

Three minutes later Coldridge got away down the right and played an excellent crossfield pass to Townsend who made it a Black & Yellow hat trick of ‘wrong foot’ finishes with a fine low strike.

An excellent move soon led to Gloucester’s fifth, Roddis exchanging passes with Hylton before finding Coldridge who added to his ever-increasing tally of assists by playing in Jenner who lifted the ball over Dobson with some style to complete an excellent treble.

Roddis was forced into some excellent defending as Newbury sought an immediate reply before the hosts were back on the offensive with a surging run from Hylton and a neat move involving Richards and Coldridge which ended with Roddis finding the side netting.

Dobson produced a fine save from Jenner before touching Coldridge’s follow up past the post and from Pledger’s ensuing corner, Roddis headed against the crossbar. The Newbury keeper then turned Pledger’s cross against the woodwork before Troke was called into late action, saving Simpson’s close range effort.

Gloucester saw out the closing moments with only Gore’s launching of the match ball Tim Peake-like over the pavilion unsettling the home supporters, but most importantly causing the match sponsor, whose generosity had provided the offending missile in the first place, a small degree of distress at seeing his investment disappear firstly into the city’s stratosphere and ultimately into a neighbouring thorn bush.

Gloucester: Troke; Hylton, Richards, Pledger; Coldridge, Gore, Roddis, Townsend; Jenner.