Uhlsport Somerset County League
Division 1
Minehead AFC 1, Staplegrove 2

MINEHEAD faced the tough prospect of entertaining Staplegrove, who had been relegated from the Premier Division last season, and Grove surprised their hosts with two fine goals.

The visitors took the lead after just three minutes at Irnham Road on Saturday, after Matt Sibley was allowed to run unchallenged from the halfway line, and having cut in from the flank he squared it for Alex Izzard to finish.

Five minutes later, though, the Blues were back on terms, when Matty Harvey struck from 15 yards out after Luke Howells had won the ball back on the edge of the box.

Matt Cracknell then saw his shot go just wide, followed by another shot from Harvey which visiting keeper Shaun Locke managed to get down to.

Then, after the Grove’s Joe Wilkinson had two quick-fire attempts saved by Kyran Wilkins in the home goal, Howells shot just wide after a good team move from the Blues.

Just after the half hour, a slick breakaway following a home corner resulted in the experienced Matt Pounde finishing well to put the away side back in front.

The Blues huffed and puffed throughout the second half, finding Locke in good form between the sticks, as he made four vital saves.

A perfect pass from substitute Harry Scatchard released Guy Burns, but his shot was well saved by Locke.

A 25-yarder from Mike Mullen fizzed just wide, and then substitute Rob Vickers latched onto a through ball, but Locke was able to block the effort.

With the game getting ragged, the visitors – reduced to 10 men for the closing minutes – held on to their slender lead, with Locke and Pounde proving the difference between the two sides.

Minehead: Kyran Wilkins, Cody Truscott, Matt Cracknell, Paul Smyth, Mike Mullen, Lee Todd, Callum Barnfield, Luke Bloys, Matty Harvey, Luke Howells, Guy Burns. Subs: Harry Scatchard, Connery Attwell, Rob Vickers (all used). Gerry Hatrick Man of the Match: Lee Todd

This coming Saturday sees Grove travel to Burnham United, while Minehead are away to Nailsea & Tickenham Reserves (both ko 3pm).

***

Uhlsport Somerset County League
Premier Division
Clutton 0, Watchet Town 6

WATCHET Town picked up three more points on the road last Saturday, when they hit Clutton for six without reply.

The Red & Blacks showed little mercy against opponents who only just escaped relegation last season, and the final tally might have been even higher.

With midfielders Charley Clausen and Sam Steel unavailable, the visitors welcomed Jamie Milton and Aaron Deeks back into their starting line-up, with some positional changes from the previous week.

Deeks and Tom Sparks were soon causing the home defence problems with their neat interchanging, and full-back Eben Harding made serious inroads with his overlapping on the left flank.

The visitors went close to breaking the deadlock on a number of occasions, before Sparks threaded through another astute pass for Deeks to beat the oncoming keeper to the ball and slotted it in off the far post.

Clutton’s main threat came from set-pieces with their bigger players, but it was a Watchet corner which brought the next goal, as Ben Robinson’s delivery from the right was helped over his own line by the home keeper.

Clever work from Sparks took him along the by-line to square the ball into the goalmouth, and when it ran loose Cam Sanford’s fierce drive from 10 yards was acrobatically turned over the top by the keeper, going some way to make up for his previous howler, and the score remained 2-0 to Watchet at the interval.

After the break the next goal was always likely to determine the final outcome, and Robinson took time off from his defensive duties to try his luck from 30 yards, finding the corner of the net as the ball bounced in front of the keeper’s dive.

The best goal of the game followed soon afterwards when Robinson intercepted a home clearance and sent a long diagonal ball into the path of Sparks just inside the area, and he struck a first-time volley with his left foot as it dropped over his shoulder, the ball fizzing into the roof of the net.

Harding broke forward on the left again, only to shoot well over from just outside the box, but the away side notched a fifth goal with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Clutton were again left chasing shadows as a move involving Aerron Clausen and Chris Sully ended with the ball being worked in from the right flank, and Billy Jones applied the finishing touch from close range.

Josh Aspey came on to make his first team debut for the club, but it was fellow substitute Oli Jones who completed the scoring – and netted his first senior goal – by poking a pass from Sparks past the advancing keeper.

There was still time for Harding to reach the by-line again, but Sparks sent his pull-back inches wide of the far upright, leaving the final score 6-0.

Watchet Town: Adam Bishop, Ben Robinson, Matt Heywood, Jamie Milton, Eben Harding, Chris Sully, Cam Sanford, Aerron Clausen, Billy Jones, Aaron Deeks, Tom Sparks. Subs (used): Oli Jones, Josh Aspey.

This Saturday Watchet make the much shorter trip to play Middlezoy Rovers (ko 3pm).