Athletic Move into Third Place
It was always going to be difficult coming into such a crucial game off the back of a 10-0 victory. Expectation was high and the opposition were going to be primed for a tough game. A full squad meant that Gaffers Singh & Miller had plenty of choices despite Kanwar Singh being absent . It looked as though Omari Sims & Martin Brock could make their comebacks for this incarnation of the club but Brock strained his hamstring in the warm up, leaving a bench of Miller, Brown & Sims.
You’d have thought a perfectly flat 4G astro pitch would have been the ideal surface for the Jaguars at a beautifully sunny Lockleaze sports complex. The crowds were out on the balconies and it was all set for a text book performance. Except it didn’t go that way. An early mistake from Joel Dacosta and rush of blood from keeper Mitch Harrison left an open goal for St Valliers to score putting Athletic a goal down, then 18 minutes later following a string of what seemed nailed on free kick appeals for Athletic, the Jaguars were awarded a penalty which captain Shah Bhakerd dispatched decisively into the top right hand corner of the net. Athletic were level but still not playing with the confidence of previous games with a string of chances going wide, over the top and astray.
Then against the run of play another error saw a second gifted goal slotted into an empty net, to put St Valliers 2-1 at the half time break.
Gaffer Miller made changes with Maleke Brown & Omari Sims brought on for Oskar Malisev & Emile Hunter. Athletic settled down in the second half with a more controlled approach with Bhakerd & Sims running midfield with some intelligent play bringing in Maleke Brown who was always a threat down the left flank.
It was Captain Shah Bhakerd though who brought the jaguars level after some neat midfield possession saw Salva Marin put Shah though to level things up much to the delight of the Athletic management who were seen dancing down on the touchline. Things were as they should be and normal order had been restored. In all honesty if Athletic were to have an XG figure it would probably have been 5.5 with the opportunities on goal being created.
So next up was more intelligent play seeing Raphael Waugh become provider setting up Maleke Brown with his first goal to put visiting Athletic 3-2 up and send the BAFC supporters on the balcony into a frenzy. Mikie Rods tag line shout of “no bounce” was briefly interrupted as he congratulated his side.
Still there were more goals to come as Athletic had now taken full control of the game with a string of chances, one of which led the impressive Omari Sims to put Raphel Waugh through to score Athletic’s fourth and seal the points.
Before the final whistle there was time for one more goal with an assist from the highly impressive Ash Bryan putting Maleke though on the left whose pace outran gaffer Miller (and the St Valliers defence) and saw a quality finish to make the final tally five for Athletic.
So Bristol Athletic now leapfrog St Valliers and sit third in the table. Not bad after being bottom earlier in the season.
There are both cup and league games to contest before the Christmas break so plenty still to play for. Once again many thanks to the supporters and sponsors of the mighty Bristol Athletic F.C.
