The Robins finally got their hands on the Les Phillips Cup on Saturday after too many near misses in recent years, and almost inevitably it was leading scorer Jack Taylor who popped up with the winner just short of the hour to send the Bridgy hordes home happy.

In truth the final was never going to be a classic in warm sunshine and on a hard pitch, not unlike that at Fairfax Park, but both teams played in a good spirit with the result in the balance right to the final whistle.

Dave Pearse was without Jordan Greenwood, George King and Adnan Hiroli but was delighted to welcome back Dave Thorne, after a season long injury and Tom Llewellyn after his absence since the game at Saltash United.

Wells City’s famous old Athletic Ground is looking spick and span lately and despite it being FA Cup final day a fine crowd saw Jake Brown fire wide inside two minutes following good work from Morgan Williams. Ross Edwards then tested Jordan Schofield with an outrageous strike from the edge of the centre circle before United upped the ante and forced half a dozen corners, Jacob Spence’s power causing the Bristol side no end of problems with one header tipped over by the busy keeper.

Mike Duffy was getting through plenty of work, and he earned a corner from which Troy Simpson volleyed wide before Heath countered and veteran player-manager Matt Huxley got on the end of a George Boon cross, but Robins’ keeper Liam Kingston was equal to it.

Taylor shot wide on the half hour, but chances were rare with Boon shooting wide for Heath and Brown going down in the box near the break but having his penalty shout waved away by referee Adam Wilson, who with his team had a fine game.

On the restart Bridgwater looked strong and Taylor chased a ball before squaring to the onrushing Jake Lewellyn who volleyed over but the Heath respite was short-lived as from a corner, Edwards’ header was palmed out and reached Taylor via a defender and his header came down off the bar and over the line, confirmed by the linesman’s flag just before the hour mark,

Heath went close when Tom Withers’ cross landed on Kingstons’ bar before being cleared but they came no closer and United managed the game without too much fuss, welcoming Tom Llewellyn late on for a cameo appearance.

The final whistle ended a wait for the cup which has gone on since 2005 and makes a total of seven won by the club this season, Mark Armstrong shouldering the trophy in front of the masses, and all are now hoping this is the springboard for more success as the league prepares to merge with the SW Peninsula League in a year’s time.

Bridgwater Utd:

Liam Kingston, Dave Thorne, Jake Llewellyn, Mark Armstrong, Ross Edwards, Jacob Spence, Mike Duffy, Morgan Williams, Jack Taylor, Jake Brown, Troy Simpson.

Subs: Harry Durant, Ryan Brereton (Thorne 87), Tom Llewellyn (Brown 90+2), Nick Woodrow (Taylor 79), Mike Murphy.

Cadbury Heath:

Jordan Schofield, Matt Binding, Tom Withers, Joe Chandler, Ewan McMillan, Will Boyer, Dan Winstone, Harry Goldspink, Ali Boyer, Matt Huxley, George Boon. Subs: Jonathan Invernizzi, Harry Roe, Muhammed Jeng, Joe Smith.

Competition: Les Phillips Cup – Final

Date: 14^th May 2022

Venue: Wells City FC

Attendance: 565

Goal: Taylor 58

Officials:

Referee: Adam Wilson

Assistants: Luke Iles, Rohan Walters

Fourth Official: James Hooper