The Warriors had a game of two halves against O Bristolians. The first half was jam packed full with some of the best hockey played all season. The entirely new defence (with all of last week's defenders being absent) of Harvey, Kavanagh, Crofts and Thomas were in complete control and Mark Kavanagh showed that his time in the Widgets has been beneficial, learning from the players around him in that side. He linked well with the midfield and pushed up as an attacking right side player. In the middle of the pitch the midfield trio were drawn from Mssrs Humphries, Pope, Brown and the returning Sam Parker after his round the world trip. They looked sharp and inventive and linked well with the short ball delivered from the back line. Ed White looked the pick of the forwards and he and James Pope had the O B's defenders chasing shadows as the jinked their way forward with great effect. Westbury should really have taken several of their chances to establish an early lead, but goals are at a premium and shots went just wide. Paul Clark was unlucky when one shot of his hit the outside of the post. There were several goal mouth melees but the home forwards were unable to convert, until there was one piece of action with shots and saves in rapid succession until the ball fell invitingly for Paul Clark to hammer in from around the P spot. The Warriors were well on top and a second goal came following good work by Stuart Humphries attacking through the middle. He worked the ball out to Ed White, who cut in and beat a couple of defenders and then slipped the ball square for Martin Palmer to score. Martin Eland in the home goal was only called into action on the odd occasion dealing with the few O Bs attacks effectively. With a few minutes left, the controlled play of the Warriors slipped down a notch or three and the ball was being hit long instead. One long ball went for an O B's 16, some how we switched off and a couple of passes later a home forward reached the D with the ball and scored with a thumping shot. The plan was to go out and produce more of the same in the second half, but somehow the Warriors just couldn't produce the same quality hockey they displayed in the first period and they found themselves fighting a defensive game to keep out a rejuvenated visiting attack. There was one excellent Warriors move which finished with Ed White coming very close to scoring the third goal which would have put us in the driving seat. Unfortunately the visitors sensed a second goal which they scored when we were unable to clear a ball away and they capitalised on the second phase of possession. There was some good defensive cover in the closing period of the game and the final result was a 2-2 draw. The positive we took from the game was that the whole team worked hard for 70 minutes, the new defence looked solid and reliable, Stu Humphries, James Pope and Ed White were creative and full of skill. Sam Parker after 12 months away from the game, showed some of his touches. He had one second half chance, but played an air shot! Give him a couple of games and he will be hitting those into the net. The Warriors are STILL unbeaten in 2012 with four league games and a friendly left to play. Thanks go to Chris Cocks and Phil Beer for their fine umpiring

	Pl	W	D	L	For	Agn	Diff	Pts
S Glos II	16	14	0	2	73	27	46	42
Firebrands VI	18	13	3	2	66	21	45	42
Mendip II	18	10	3	5	52	37	15	33
Warriors	18	9	4	5	43	33	10	31

Third placed Warriors took on second placed Firebrands at Failand. The rallying cry at the start was to show what a good side we were by getting a result against Firebrands who have been in the top two all season. The game was end to end from the very start and Firebrands have previously notched up 59 goals compared to the Warriors' 41. The first two best chances fell to Westbury playing up the slope, but there was not enough power in the flicks at the back post to force the ball with any great conviction over the line. However it was encouraging stuff to watch the Warriors going forward and Pete Thomas was looking very sharp as he had to fill in at left midfield. Dave Wornell could only play late and he added drive and depth to the midfield. At the other end Mike Harvey made a great save, deflecting the ball onto the post and back into play. Unfortunately it was a home forward who reacted quickest and picked up the loose ball and slotted it home. Undeterred the Warriors pushed forward and James Pope and Graham Brown surged into the D on good runs, but the team couldn't captialise on their good work. Then came a decisive moment, with a short corner injected by Mark Colton. The ball was switched back to Mark by Dave Wornell and Mark, expertly timed his slap to squeeze the ball between keeper and post from a narrow angle. This took the game up to half time at 1-1 and everything to play for. In the second half Firebrands showed they are a good side with a lot of attacks into the Westbury D. That's as far as it got because Mark Colton, Phil Simon, Dave Ratcliffe and Graham Aitchison were in a mean mood and snuffed out a lot of the home attacks. When the home forwards did find space for a shot Mike Harvey was a formidable barrier and nothing got past him. There weren't quite as many goal opportunities at the other end, but the work of the team was good and the midfield battle was keenly contested. Phil Simon suffered an Achilles injury and had to retire from the game, let's hope it isn't too bad and he will be back quickly as Phil has been a demon in the Westbury defence and one of the key reasons for the team being in third place. Stu Humphries, having visited every ground in the Failand area, had arrived just before half time. His quality showed in the second half. In the last seconds of the game he popped up at the back post and was a whisker away from reaching the ball to knock it in the goal and thus the game ended all square. Nevertheless this was a top class performance, to enter Firebrands back yard and come away with a point plus the baked potatoes in the club house afterwards! The Warriors are a team, and yes there are good individual performances, but no stars. This good result was achieved because of the strong team ethic and the willingness to work for each other. Next week sees a defensive dilemma as Phil will no doubt be out with his injury. Add to that Mark Colton has an engagement he can't avoid, Austin Sheppard is at the rugby, Dave Ratcliffe is having a foot op., and Graham Aitchison is off to France with work on a six month secondment. These guys have been almost ever present this year and the basis of our solid defence. Filling their boots could be an interesting conundrum on Monday! The home umpiring of father and daughter Wilkins deserves to be commended,with Miss Wilkins doing a first class job with the whistle. The Warriors are still unbeaten in 2012 with 5 more league games to play.

	Pl	W	D	L	For	Agn	Diff	Pts
S Glos II	15	14	0	1	72	24	48	42
Firebrands VI	16	11	3	2	59	19	40	36
Warriors	17	9	3	5	41	31	10	30
Mendip II	16	8	3	5	52	22	12	27
Widgets	15	7	3	5	31	25	6	24

The opening of the Warriors match with Bristol & West was like the 'Gun Shoot at the OK Coral' and the 'Siege of the Almo' combined as Bristol & West surrounded the home coral and kept the Warriors in the cross fire. Fortunately with B&W shooting from the hip, they couldn't find away past Joe 'The Kid' Petch who during the first half alone, deflected numerous shots away from the target like Clint Eastwood in 'A Man with no Name!' (You know the one with the metal vest under his poncho!) There was one break out of the coral after about 5 minutes when James Pope like a bucking bronco, scattered everyone in his path galloping from the half way line to the opposing coral and with a fine bit of gun slinging put a slug into the buckboard to put the Warriors 1-0 up. Bristol & West then, like President General Antonio López de Santa Anna bombarded The Almo, but still didn't hit the target. There was another stampede out of the home coral, which saw Duncan 'Dead Eye' Ogilvie find the keepers pads with his six gun and Paul Clark was on hand to volley the rebound over the desperado in the B&W goal with his shot looping high into the net to put The Warriors 2-0 up. The gunfights became more even as both sides had to 'circle the wagons' at different times. Deputy Sheriff Ned Holmes, who was new to town as a 'law officer' had to make some decisions as the Westbury calvary galloped into the B&W coral and came close to the target. With 'Mean' Mark Colton, Austin 'Stonewall' Sheppard and Tom 'Buffalo Bill' Taylor lined up round the coral at set pieces, and Mike 'Wild Bill' Harvey injected the slugs from the back line, the Bristol & West desperados had to be really sharp to stop Westbury getting another. At the home coral, there was one piece of trick riding when a B&W cowboy, shot from the hip, but just as the slug was crossing the state line, Tom 'Red Eye' Sammes galloped in and cleared it away. At half time in the saloon, the Mayor asked for everyone to not do so much trick riding as they had fallen off a few times too many near their own coral, and to look down the gun sights when firing, as firing from the hip wasn't as accurate. The saloon swing doors were swinging as the home cowboys were keen to join the first half gold rush by finding some more nuggets in the second half. There was some unusual action when Sheriff Becky 'Annie Get your Gun' Hart had to lock one gun slinger up for 5 minutes in the Sheriff's office when he thought he was the bull in 'Paint Your Wagon' demolishing the tunnels! However, despite that moment, the rodeo was a spirited, but good natured showdown with everyone taking part doing their best to avoid a lynching. It all seemed to be going well for the Warriors, when Mark Colton lined up for another gun slinging showdown at the edge of the coral and put the slug into the buckboard for 3-0. Bristol & West then staged Custer's last stand and fired two slugs of their own into the buckboard. The gun fight was now swinging their way. The Mayor of the town Martin 'Maverick' Palmer got off the bench, broken nose and all looking like 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' and helped 'Mean' Mark Colton at the coral to shoot. 'Mean' Mark's slug ricocheted to Tom 'Red Eye' Sammes who fired it past the visiting desperado with the pads. Red Eye, then linked with Maverick and he lassoed Tom 'Medicine Man' Greenslade who smartly shot from the hip to rattle the buckboard. These two late shots meant that The Warriors were winners at The OK Coral by 5 slugs to 2. It was back to the ranch afterwards for some 'Blazing Saddles' beans three fingers of whiskey and both sets of desperados agreed that it was a good rodeo as they headed for the drover's trail home.