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 B 9-0 Woking B by Dora the Explorer

Gloucester B returned from their travels to win the triangular Cotswold Challenge Shield competition in style against a spirited Woking side.

Such an emphatic win did not seem likely in the early stages as the visitors thwarted all Gloucester’s attempts, with keeper Rush in particularly fine form. Sutherland however broke the deadlock on 10 minutes, but Woking continued to defend well to prevent further strikes from both Butcher and Sutherland. Rush made a great save to deny the lively Sutherland again, while an uncharacteristic mishit shot from the striker came back off the post.

The home side though were eventually rewarded for all their hard work when Mason fired in from the left hand edge of the area to send them in at half time with a two goal advantage.

Balkwill in the Gloucester goal had to make his only save of note at the start of the second half as Woking came out in a more determined fashion. The Gloucester defence of Elliott, Pinkney, Knight and Collins dealt with all the visitors’ forays forward, reducing the away side to just a couple of half chances throughout the entire game.

Gloucester’s third broke the visitors resolve, Mason scoring a virtually identical goal to his first and Weatherley soon added a fine fourth with a lovely spin and shot into the top corner.

Williams and Butcher were constantly prompting from midfield and had attempts well saved before further goals followed as Mason, Sutherland and Weatherley registered personal hat-tricks to complete an emphatic victory. A great team display, built on hard work and good, simple football from all players for the full sixty minutes.

Gloucester B: Balkwill; Knight, Collins, Elliott; Butcher, Williams, Weatherley, Mason; Sutherland. Sub: Pinkney.