Barnstaple Town 0 Bridgwater United 2

Against all the odds Bridgwater United completed the league double over much fancied Barum and announced to all that their title challenge is very much back on the rails on Saturday, with a stunning performance which was actually more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests.

It does not remotely tell the whole story as the Robins played more than an hour with ten men and the whole game without the injured midfield trio of Morgan Williams, George King and Tom Llewellyn against the home side who were expected to be on or near the top but find themselves 25 points adrift from the top, albeit with games in hand.

United gave debuts to prolific striker Jack Thorne, signed from Nailsea and Tickenham and Sam Towler, who has returned to Fairfax Park following a spell at Wellington, and the 20 year old took less than half an hour to add to his 21 goals this season when he put his new club into the lead with a fine finish. By that time Jordan Greenwood had been dismissed for a last man foul and Towler had also gone into the book but it inspired the rest who delivered a superb performance which was as sublime as last Tuesday’s Les Phillips Cup defeat to Wellington was abject.

Dave Pearse went with a potent strike force of Thorne and Jake Brown with Jack Taylor in a midfield attacking role and both new signings showed well early on as the Robins made a strong start. Thorne beat a square back line and set up Towler who volleyed over before Stuart Bowker twice tested Jake Viney without causing any concerns. Taylor was just denied by a last ditch tackle then Thorne robbed a defender before cutting in and finding the side netting as Bridgwater dominated the first 20 minutes but it all looked to be going south at an alarming rate when Bowker took advantage of a defection to go clear but Greenwood brought him down wide out on the left and could not have been too surprised to see referee Jack Bromham brandishing a red card with just 25 minutes gone. Local man Callum Laird then clipped the bar with a well struck free-kick but United then struck on the half hour with Thorne’s strike. Taylor went clear and rounded keeper Liam Kingston only to be denied on the goalline but Jake Brown retrived the ball and crossed for Thorne to twist and bury his shot from eight yards to the delight of the away contingent.

Barnstaple were occasionally dangerous with Will Morrish going close late in the half but Towler’s volley went just wide at the other end top close out and eventful 45 minutes.

On the restart ten man United again looked composed and sensing the expected onrush from Barum was not materialising pushed on and good work from Taylor all but set up Brown who just missed making contact to his wicked cross. It mattered little as on 70 minutes United sewed up a game they had little right to win when Taylor robbed a dithering defender and tucked the ball passed Kingston with the minimum of fuss. Josh Phillips, Troy Simpson and Ollie Hebbard then joined the action late on and the latter almost made it three late on but his effort was kept out by Kingston and cleared off the line.

Happily Bridgy then saw out the game and the celebrations were all the sweeter with the news that Wellington had taken two points of leaders Saltash and ended their winning streak which had taken them past Bridgwater at the top of the Western League Premier Division.

They now have a two week break before the FA Vase tie with Hellenic League pacemakers Cribbs which is to be played on Friday, December 2 at 7.45pm. Manager Pearse will be hoping to welcome back some of his walking wounded in front of Jake Viney, who returned after missing Tuesday’s defeat and kept his fourth consecutive clean sheet.

Bridgwater Utd:

Jake Viney, Dave Thorne, Jake Llewellyn, Mark Armstrong, Ross Edwards, Jacob Spence, Jack Taylor (Troy Simpson 85), Jake Brown (Ollie Hebbard 90), Sam Towler, Jack Thorne (Josh Phillips 73), Jordan Geenwood.

Unused subs: Tom Llewellyn, Conor Hartley.

Barnstaple Town:

Liam Kingston, Callum Laird, Joe Edmonds, George Jones, David Slade, Nathan Colley, William Morrish, Tommy Rogers, Stuart Bowker, Tor Swann, Billy Tucker.

Subs: Charlie Wright, Callum Davey, Cameron Osborne, Liam Martin, Leo Barraball.

Competition: Western League Premier Division

Date: Nov 19 2022

Venue: Mill Road

Attendance: ??

Man of the match: Jack Taylor

Referee: Jack Bromham

Assistants: Matt Bufton, Jamie Sayer

Report: Kerry Miller

Earlier in the day, United’s U18 side consolidated their place at the top of the South West Counties Youth League with a 4-2 win over Cirencester Town at the college. Goals from Alex Parsons, Acey Mead, Fin Koppa and Blake Kearley were on the scoresheet.