British Universities & Colleges Sports

Western 1A

Wednesday 31st January 2018

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.13

University Bristol 3 University Exeter 0,  attendance 60

23’ 1-0

45’ 2-0

82’ 3-0

@ Coombe Dingle Sports Complex, 3G Pitch

Coombe Lane

Coombe Dingle

Bristol

BS9 2BJ

No Admission or Programme.

It took around thirteen minutes to drive here from the match at University West England. I had done a match here at Coombe Dingle  back on 31st October 2009, when I saw Rockleaze Avonside lose 3-6 to Chipping Sodbury Town, in a Gloucestershire County League match. That match was played on a grass pitch, which is to the right of the reception building when entering the complex. With no 3G pitch showing on Google Maps that was marked for football, it was a case of turn up and see where the game tonight was taking place, hoping that the pitch I had previously seen a game on was not now a new synthetic pitch.

Entering the driveway, it was pleasing to see the area to the right of the reception was in darkness, but that there were floodlights on, to the left of the complex. The 3G pitch is sandwiched between the cricket pitch and a synthetic hockey pitch and as well as now being marked for football, it also has Rugby and American Football markings.

It soon became apparent that it would be a late kick off, due to the University Bristol Women’s football running late, finally finishing at 20.06. I needn’t have worried about being tight for time anyway, as the Referee for our game turned out to be the same one who had just done the game I watched at U.W.E. !

Exeter had won all 7 of their matches so far this season, but second placed Bristol were well up for this, backed by a noisy bunch of supporters, which is rare for a University match, although being an evening match would have contributed to this. Two goals from outside the 18 yard box put Bristol in command, in a superb first half.   Exeter rarely threatened in the second half, but the third Bristol goal made the score line look more comfortable than it actually was.

So, the ‘treble’ all fell nicely in to place. The first two matches kicked off pretty much on schedule and the traffic in between behaved itself. Just a pity it was so cold at the last two matches.