Ashton & Backwell United 4 Bridgwater United 2

Defender Jake Llewellyn became the eighth Robins’ player to be sent off in four months on Tuesday night as his side once again showed a lack of discipline and were well beaten by an impressive home squad enjoying a good run of form and results. In contrast Bridgwater have now conceded ten goals in their last three league games and could well be heading for a hefty fine as the card count mounts alarmingly.

On Tuesday Dave Pearse’s men were already three goals down when Llewellyn’s clumsy challenge earned a straight red from referee Jack Bromham and it seemed that it could not get any worse as half-time approached. In truth they battled well in the second half and brought the score back to 3-2 and also forced a wonder save from home keeper Tom Roberts as well as hitting the post but a last play with keeper Jake Viney in the attack went wrong and substitute Kitan Jaiyeoba ran the length of the pitch before rolling the ball into an empty net to clinch the well-deserved victory.

Bridgwater arrived on the back of their nerve jangling FA Vase victory over Erith Town and were unchanged other than Mark Armstrong’s niggly injury forcing him to make way for Sam Towler. The pouring rain and perma frost had finally relented and the home pitch was in fine fettle as the visitors began well with young Jack Thorne seeing plenty of the ball and Ollie Hebbard looking lively wide left. The latter went close with an angled drive which was a foot wide with Roberts beaten but the Stags struck moments later as with their first meaningful attack, a scramble ensued and Tom Banks finished from close range on 18 minutes. Almost at once it was 2-0 when a long free-kick came back off Viney for Oscar Pearce to stab home and Bridgy were on the back foot from then on. Tom Llewellyn had a 30 yarder saved as they looked to get back into the game but too many free-kicks were taken its toll and from another to the far post Pearce was unmarked and nodded home. Jake Lewellyn then took the long walk on 38 minutes as United lost all momentum and the half-time whistle came plenty soon enough.

Jack Taylor was playing in a role wide left with Hebbard deeper and Jack Thorne down the middle and the latter tested Roberts on the hour which triggered the semblance of a come back. Tom Llewellyn battled well in the midfield  and his cross was not dealt with and Jack Taylor crashing home the loose ball to make it 3-1. Hebbard’s run of bad luck continued as he hit the post with another drive but after Josh Phillips and Troy Simpson were introduced the ten men looked back in the game although several bookings and free-kicks broke up the play too often. Taylor then brought a flying save out of Roberts, which in retrospect could well have won them the game but the drama was not finished as home substitute Shea Bennington-Mannings was dismissed for an off the ball incident.

Jacob Spence, Simpson, Taylor and Phillips all went close in a frantic last ten minutes and when Llewellyn’s long free-kick was nodded in by Spence, against his old team a grandstand finish was on the cards. An umpteenth free-kick from Llewellyn was all but converted into an own goal but with time running out and Viney in the wrong penalty area Kitan kept his cool and the points stayed in Backwell.

The management team will now have the unenviable task of picking 18 players for the crucial FA Vase tie with Combined Counties League leaders Ascot United on February 11 as they will be without Jake Llewellyn, Josh Phillips and possibly Jack Taylor all suspended and Jake Brown and Morgan Williams, long term injured.

This Saturday they are again on the road to Midsomer Norton to face Welton Rovers followed by an awkward Tuesday night sojourn to Torpoint Athletic, both in the league.

Bridgwater Utd:

Jake Viney, Dave Thorne (Josh Phillips 59), Jake Llewellyn, Mark Armstrong, Ross Edwards, Jack Taylor, Sam Towler (Troy Simpson 54 ), Jack Thorne, Tom Llewellyn, Ollie Hebbard (Jordan Greenwood), George King (Conor Hartley),

Unused sub: Mark Armstrong

Ashton and Backwell United:

Tom Roberts, Zac Ford, Harry Walker, James White, Reece Hedges, Oscar Pearce, Joe Banks, Connor Saunders, Charlie Saunders, Hedges, Miles Hardidge.

Subs: Joe Bishop, Tom Press, Kitan Jaiyeoba, Shea Bennington-Mannings.

Competition: Western League Premier Division

Date: Jan 31 2023

Venue: Lancer Scott Stadium

Attendance: 200 app

Man of the match: ?????????????

Referee: Jack Bromham

Assistants: John Cooper, Jake Richards