Avon Plate F.C.

"play up Plate"

Match reports for Season 2000/2001

Match 1
13/08/00 (friendly))
Bedminster Sports 0 : 4 Avon Plate

Half Time 0 : 0
Scorers: Jerry 60, Jack 71, Jack 81, Fowgies 90

Plate Victory Sends Shock Waves Through Bristol & District
by Comrade Hemmingway, Official Football or Death Reporter

Avon Plate secured a famous victory yesterday overcoming B&D 1st Division team and Finch Cup holders Bedminster Sports in their first pre-season friendly.

Bedminster, on paper a team placed 3 divisions above the Plate, were brought to their knees by a combination of heroic defence and deadly, quick silver, counter attacking football from the mighty Avon Plate.

Four times in an astonishing second half the Plate swept forward to stunning effect and although Bedminster battled on in search of a consolation goal until the final whistle, they found it impossible to find a way through the unflappable Plate rear-guard.

It had all started so differently. Bedminster began the game favourites and full of confidence, knocking the ball around fluently. Twice within the first quarter of an hour they worked the ball behind the Plate back line into good crossing positions. Each time the Plate had bodies back to clear their lines. As the first half progressed Bedminster continued to apply pressure, but could not fashion a clear goal scoring chance. Confidence began to grow in the Plate camp and late in the half they showed the crowd they had come to do more than merely defend.

On the half hour Tony Bowles, picking up the ball in midfield, broke up the left wing leaving two defenders for dead to reach the by-line but just failed to drag the ball back into the danger area. Minutes later a delightfully clipped ball from Julien Fowgies found Jacko racing into the inside left position. Under pressure the striker screwed his left footed drive wide.

Half Time 0 : 0

The second half started as the first had finished. Bedminster continued to enjoy the lion's share of possesion but the Plate, defending higher up the field, began to see more and more of the ball.

On the hour the ball was played into debutant Yos David in centre field. Bedminster's appeals for off-side were ignored by the officials and the striker slid the ball behind the left-back into the path of the on rushing Jerry White. The right winger made no mistake, driving the ball across the keeper into the bottom left hand corner. 1 : 0 Plate.

The goal stung Bedminster into throwing more men forward but this was to be their undoing. Within 15 minutes Jacko twice sprung the off side trap racing onto through balls from David and Bowles and calmly slotting past the keeper who by know was suffering from a serious case of deja vu.

On 90 minutes Jacko was to turn provider crossing from the right to find Fowgies rising well at the back post for a trademark header.  

Bedminster's humiliation was complete and Avon Plate's marker for the new season was well and truly placed. Bedminster Sports 0, Avon Plate 4.