Bridgwater United 2 Torpoint Athletic 1

It wasn’t a thing of beauty and there wasn’t a lot of artistic merit but the Robins managed to get the job done. It was all about those 3 points. The league campaign has stuttered of late but hopefully United can build upon this win and get back into the winning habit.  

With a posse of players back in contention after injury and suspension, team selection was always going to be interesting. Restored to the starting line up were Jack Taylor and Jake Llewellyn with exciting Frenchman Allen Mabia joining Morgan Williams on a potent subs’ bench.

United won 5-1 at Torpoint recently with an under strength line up but in this game the Windmills were much more difficult to overcome. Torpoint won their league last year, with 100 points, to gain promotion and although their Western League debut season has been quite unsuccessful, they have pedigree players. In particular, the prolific Curtis Damerell and Ryan Richards always give them scoring potential.

Taylor warmed the palms of Jason Peter’s with an early 25 yard shot that was pushed aside with a little difficulty and Richards had a strike from a similar distance that went well wide.

Dave Thorne’s accurate cross picked out Taylor’s head but direction was lacking and the ball went too high. With the Robins slightly on top, Ross Edwards burst through two tackles but his shot lacked punch and Peters was not troubled. Edwards was one of the better players in his unaccustomed midfield berth.

Torpoint had the best chance yet when a smart reverse pass by Richards set up Darren Hicks but from only a few yards out he shot feebly into the side net. San Hedges went down under challenge in the penalty area but the appeal for a penalty was waved away but only a couple of minutes later United won the referee’s favour.

On 28 minutes Taylor sent the keeper the wrong way with a composed spot kick. It was awarded when his strike partner Jack Thorne was tripped in the box by Jake Dennis. No complaints by the visitors.

The rest of the first half was forgettable and as glum as the weather conditions until Torpoint were surprisingly back in the game with another penalty. A left wing corner saw a Torpoint player jump with Dave Thorne for the ball. The Torpoint player got a headed flick to the ball which must have struck Thorne’s hand or arm. The two players were so close together that he couldn’t do a darned thing about it. Penalty – it may be the rule but it is daft. Damerell put it in the corner although Jake Viney nearly got to it.  That was after 43 minutes.

United didn’t come out of the blocks in the second half with much passion or ideas and Torpoint had a good spell of a quarter of an hour.You could say that the Windmills had the wind in their sails. A left wing cross picked out the unmarked Damerell only a few yards out. His flick was well saved. Minutes later Richards sent a measured shot onto the far post. Time for the Robins to step it up.

The arrival of Mabia definitely pepped up the attack and Torpoint now had to deal with a different problem. Almost immediately United got the winning goal. Tom Llewellyn’s free kick was the best he had delivered in the game and a Torpoint defender got it all wrong and headed the ball past his own keeper. That was on 62 minutes.

United looked the better side now and headers from Taylor and Edwards went wide. Nevertheless Torpoint  could have snatched a second equaliser. A long cross to the far post had the stretching Viney pushing the ball away. Richards was quickly onto it and United had to be grateful that Edwards had read the situation and he saved the goalbound effort with his body.   

Substitute Josh Phillips had been busy since he came on to replace Conor Hartley but he did his team mates no favours by getting himself sin binned with a few minutes left on the clock. This is just after he has returned from suspension.

It was all getting a bit nervy but the Robins should have settled all qualms with the clock just into time added on. The Torpoint keeper had strayed a long way from his penalty area when the visitors lost possession. The loose ball was accepted by Williams who carried it 20 yards before crossing into the goalmouth. With the defence all at sea Sam Towler rushed forward  but he shot too high from 10 yards.

Match details:

Bridgwater United: Viney, D Thorne, J Llewellyn, Armstrong, Greenwood, Edwards, Hedges (Towler 73), T Llewellyn (Williams 85), Taylor (King 89), J Thorne (Mabia 60), Hartley (Phillips 60).

Torpoint Athletic: Peters, Heveran, Hicks, Dennis, Hillson, Jones, Thompson, Pacey, Damerell, Richards, Lucas. Sub Lau.

Competition: Toolstation Western League Premier

Date: 18/2/23

Venue: Fairfax Park

Attendance:  291

Match officials: Referee: Bailey Walker: Assistants : Andie Lambourne and Chris Martin