Taunton made it a hat trick of victories over Bridgwater this season with a late winner in a 2-1 victory at Fairfax Park on Monday, writes Andy Power.

The 6-2 trouncing back in August and the see-saw Red Insure Cup win were followed by a hard fought three points to hand Town their first win in nine outings.

Manager Paul West was again forced into changes as several regulars were unavailable for a variety of reasons.

And the team balance was further disrupted within the first 20 minutes when Craig Veal was stretchered off following a robust challenge and Andy Butler departed with an ankle injury.

Nevertheless, Taunton were the more threatening side and caused some anxious moments in the Bridgwater box, with James Blake heading over and Sam Hutchings saving from Peter Knox.

Veteran Paul Edwards was relatively untroubled at the other end until the hosts took the lead against the run of play just before the break after a deep corner was headed back across goal and over the line by Ollie Barnes despite George Painter’s clearance.

Taunton nearly restored parity before the interval when Blake cut the ball back to Simon Ingram whose shot hit the post and Rodney Marsh’s instinctive effort from the rebound was turned aside by Hutchings.

Bridgwater came more into the game in the early stages of the second period and Craig Mawford had his goal disallowed after Edwards had been fouled.

However Taunton reasserted themselves and grabbed the equaliser their play merited on 66 minutes when Darren Rice’s long ball into the box found Knox who calmly slotted past Hutchings from ten yards to notch his second goal in three games.

Knox smashed a drive into the side netting and put another shot onto the roof of the net as Taunton pressed for another, and Marsh had a golden opportunity to deliver the killer blow when he collected a loose ball and ran through on goal but was denied by Hutchings.

Phil Veal fired wide after a foray upfield but a second goal was proving elusive and hopes could have evaporated three minutes from time after Rice was shown a straight red for needlessly kicking out at Neil Peek when lying on the floor.

However, Town were undeterred and snatched a deserved winner two minutes into stoppage time.

Peek’s rash challenge on Veal on the edge of the box was punished with both a yellow card and Simon Ingram’s free kick being curled past Hutchings’ despairing dive and into the right-hand corner to the delight of the travelling support.

Taunton: Paul Edwards, George Painter, Jamie Short, Phil Veal, Tim Legg, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler (Tom Hopkins 17), Peter Knox, Craig Veal (James Blake 12), Rodney Marsh, Darren Rice. Unused subs: Corey Lewis, Raith Plant, Simon Stone.

Bridgwater: Sam Hutchings, Craig Mawford (Tom Hurley 86), Ollie Barnes, Josh Turner, Matt Pitcher, Andy Robertson, Graham Mercieca, Danny Wring (Tom Hamilton 64), Matt Townley, Kye Palmer (Neil Peek 74), Dave Pearse. Unused subs: Pete Monks, Steve Perkins.

Referee: Richard Hulme (Radstock)

Assistants: Jack Daniells (Radstock), Jonathan Davies (Bath)

Attendance: 538