Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West
Didcot Town 2, Taunton Town 3

OWEN Irish popped up with a late winner as Taunton Town snatched three points from a topsy-turvy encounter at Didcot Town, having twice fallen behind.

Goals from Craig Veal and Ollie Chamberlain levelled things up for the Peacocks, with Jordan Rogers also missing a penalty, before free-scoring centre-back Irish netted with six minutes remaining to keep his side's playoff ambitions on track.

Veal - Town's goalscorer against Winchester City at the weekend - kept his place up front alongside Matt Wright, while Chamberlain and Ed Palmer returned to the side, the latter having served a three-game suspension.

The visitors made a bright start, but fell behind on 17 minutes as Didcot counter-attacked at pace and George Reid set up Louis Joyce to finish.

Irish headed over from a Shane White corner as Town sought an instant reply, although they didn't have to wait much longer for their equaliser.

Veal kept up his recent scoring form as he found the bottom corner after being sent clear by Wright in the 23rd minute.

The striker could well have had a second before half time, only to shoot wide with only the keeper to beat, and it was 1-1 at the break.

The Peacocks made a positive start to the second period but the game looked to have turned on two penalty decisions just before the hour mark.

First, Town captain Brett Trowbridge was shown a yellow card instead of being awarded a spot-kick after going down in the Didcot area; and a few minutes later the hosts were given a penalty of their own, converted by Ben Whitehead to put them back ahead.

Peacocks boss Leigh Robinson threw on Rogers and Ross Staley to force a way back into the game, and on 73 minutes they had their equaliser courtesy of Chamberlain.

On 80 minutes they were presented with a great opportunity to take the lead, only for Rogers to see his spot-kick saved by Didcot keeper Leigh Bedwell.

His blushes were spared by Irish, though, as the mercurial defender stepped up to the plate by firing home after a free-kick in the 84th minute, his 13th goal of a most fruitful season.

The three hard-won points bring the Peacocks to within one point of second-placed Tiverton Town in the league table, having also played one game less.

On Saturday Taunton host 13th-placed Bishops Cleeve at the Viridor Stadium (ko 3pm).

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Pierce Mitchell, Josh Searle, Owen Irish, Ed Palmer (Ross Staley 70), Alex Hoyle, Shane White, Brett Trowbridge (c), Matt Wright (Jordan Rogers 61), Craig Veal (Matt Buse 89), Ollie Chamberlain.
Subs not used: Ben Palmer, Matt Villis.