Bridgwater United 1 Ashton & Backwell United 1

The cold statistics say that Bridgwater United dropped two more points in the Western League Premier Division following their 1-1 draw at home to Ashton and Backwell United on Saturday, but that barely scratches the surface of what was a match ruined by the antics of the visiting bench who could easily have caused a major incident deep into injury time.

Backed by another crowd approaching 400, United needed to redress the recent 4-2 defeat at Backwell but never succeeded in building on Jake Llewellyn’s fifth minute opener and eventually succumbed to the away side’s tactics with Jack Taylor almost inevitably having a penalty saved well past 5 o’clock.

Youngster Josh Phillips was given a start up front, but his day ended on a stretcher on the way to Bridgy Hospital with a bad looking ankle injury following an innocent passage of play and things just went downhill from there.

Phillips had a deflected shot saved by young keeper Tom Roberts after five minutes but from the corner, Llewellyn’s cross curled in at the back post to give the Robins the lead . Phillips’ injury caused a lengthy stop while a stretcher was found and an ambulance called which led to Allen Mabia replacing him and Morgan Williams and Ross Edwards then both went close. Ashton and Backwell’s winger Miles Hardidge blazed over from 12 yards and Williams again drove just wide but by then Jordan Greenwood and Jake Llewellyn had been singled out for some treatment and the atmosphere around the ground turned from joy to anger as the break approached.

Llewellyn and Conor Hartley, playing against his former side, set up Mabia who found the side netting and from another swift counter Hartley was denied by the excellent Roberts. Hardidge then was late on Mabia and was very lucky to stay on when he was again late on home keeper Jake Viney, escaping temporarily with a yellow.

Withing seconds of the restart Kitan Jayeoba had found enough room to advance and drive past Viney to level at which point Harry Walker was booked followed by Williams, who himself had been singled out for treatment and when he could not contain his frustration at yet another off the ball incident he was sin-binned and then made way for George King. What was already simmering on the pitch with a febrile atmosphere off it was ramped up when Hardidge again went in late on Jake Llewellyn and was finally shown a red card which set off the away dug out, whose behaviour should be reported by the referee’s assessor and dealt with accordingly.

United went for the winner and Taylor netted but after an earlier foul and King angled a cross onto Taylor’s head but he was off target which led to the final plays which will have left a sour taste in most at the ground.

Jordan Greenwood chased a loose ball in the area, deep into injury time and was cleaned out by Roberts to concede a penalty. From the awarding of the kick to Taylor having it saved, Ashton and Backwell were shown at least four yellow cards and two more reds for their behaviour, and it was a good six minutes before the kick was taken and Taylor was denied.

Match details:

Bridgwater United: Viney, D Thorne, J Llewellyn, Armstrong, Greenwood, Edwards, Williams, T Llewellyn, Phillips, Taylor, Hartley.

Subs: All used: Hedges, Mabia, King, J Thorne, Hebbard

Ashton & Backwell United: Roberts, Anthony, Banks, Bishop, Hardidge, L Hedges, R Hedges, Jalyeoba, Saunders, Walker, White.

Subs: Mannings, Cattermole, Cummings, Ford

Competition: Toolstation Western League Premier

Date: 25/2/23

Venue: Fairfax Park

Attendance:  389

Officials:

Referee: Paul Collier

Assistants: Steve Redman & Andie Lambourne