Southern League Division One S&W

Taunton Town 1 Shortwood United 2

TAUNTON’S manic recent schedule of matches appeared to catch up with them on Saturday.

They were flat and never really got going all afternoon, eventually slipping to a narrow defeat against fellow promotion chasers Shortwood United at the Viridor Stadium, writes James Wright.

Smarting from a shock derby reverse at Bishops Cleeve in midweek, the Gloucestershire side started brightest and took the lead in the 12th minute.

An Adam Price corner from the left was cleared only as far as new signing Ross Staley who hooked home.

Shortwood were totally dominant throughout the opening half hour as Jake Lee fired over and Staley cleared the crossbar, as did a powerful drive by Nick Hancock.

Town equalised shortly after the half hour mark with their first shot on target.

Dale Evans played a neat one-two with Josh Klein-Davies before beating Tom King with a deflected shot.

The remainder of the first half proved the home team’s best spell of the match as they almost took the lead when Ben Carter curled a free-kick agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

Attacking the Fire Station end, Shortwood began the second half with the same vigour and regained the lead within two minutes when big centre-back Nick Peare towered at the far post to head home a Staley cross.

Staley himself then came mightily close to his second goal but his curling effort smacked against the post.

Despite enjoying plenty of possession, Taunton had too many players having off days and after Jamie Price flashed a header inches wide from Carter’s corner ten minutes from time Shortwood eased to a win that saw them leapfrog their opponents into fourth place.

Taunton Town team: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Price (captain), Nuno Felix, Owen Irish, Rob Farkins, Dale Evans (Charlie Hitchings 65), Jamie Short, Ben Carter, Jordan Rogers, Josh Klein-Davies (Craig Veal 55), Josh Searle (Aidan Chainey 52). Unused sub: Michael Meaker