Bridgwater United 1 Street 0

The league table indicated that this should have been a fairly comfortable win for the Robins. Street are under threat of relegation and scrapping for every point. They even managed to draw at table toppers Exmouth on Saturday. The visitors did push United all the way and it was the talismanic Jack Taylor, with his 34^th goal of the season, who ensured that Bridgwater beat Street for the first time in 12 years. Yes, 12 years!

This game ended a sequence of four home matches in quick succession for United. Bearing in mind the selection headaches caused by player unavailability, to have won two and drawn two is no mean achievement. Furthermore, in the three league games not a single goal has been conceded in spite of an ever-changing cast of players and a different goalkeeper in each match.

For this game, Liam Kingston came in for the Covid related absence of Jake Viney and Jake Horsey was brought in to bolster the defence. Jordan Greenwood was back after injury absence. The team had a bit more experience in the ranks than of late.

Street looked the more likely to score in the early exchanges. After two minutes Harry Foster shot over from close range after a bouncing ball caught out the home defence. Foster then lifted a pass to Fin Skiverton who had only Kingston to beat. He missed to the left of the goal.

 On the run Nick Woodrow was forced a bit wide when he got into a good position and Alex Rutter’s save was quite easy. Then the pass of the game, a fifty-yard crossball by Jake Llewellyn reached Taylor. He quickly transferred the ball from right to left and in so doing stranded his marker. His shot from the edge of the box had too much power and flew over.

In the twenty second minute United got the decisive goal. A Llewellyn corner kick was headed goalwards by Greenwood. It was headed off the line and came out to Ross Edwards. He volleyed the ball back towards the net and Taylor flicked it over the line.

Two minutes after the goal Street should have equalised. Foster was again the provider and this time Skiverton got his shot on target, but it was too straight, and Kingston’s knees repelled the effort.

Seven minutes short of half time, Street had an even better chance. Uncharacteristically, Llewellyn didn’t get enough power onto his back header to Kingston. The ball landed in Skiverton’s stride but again he drilled the ball straight at Kingston. This time there was added peril because the loose ball went to Kory Andrews. With Kingston stranded on the deck he had half the goal to aim at but shot wide of the left post.

The second half became a midfield scramble without much to illuminate it. Street made United’s task easier by substituting Foster with about half an hour left. Unless this was due to injury, this was a bizarre move as Foster is by far Street’s best attacker and goal threat. Streets ahead you might say!

We almost had a spectacular goal to enjoy from the bustling Woodrow. His bicycle kick struck the crossbar. The fact that the linesman was flagging for offside did not detract from that moment of skill.

United seemed happy enough to hold onto what they had and deny Street space and opportunity. If lacking some quality, United were dogged and determined. Edwards, one of the finds of the season, was adept at mopping up most of the danger. Street did show signs of frustration as it became more obvious that they would probably not get any points from the game.

Their frustration was added to when Skiverton twice headed high and wide with the lack of conviction that indicated that maybe he doesn’t often score with his head. Such a contrast with the previous game when he was the two-goal hero at Exmouth. That’s football for you!

Teams:

Bridgwater United: Liam Kingston, Ross Edwards, Jake Llewellyn, Mark Armstrong (Merson Ham 87), Jordan Greenwood, Jake Horsey, George King, Ryan Brereton, Jack Taylor, Nick Woodrow (Cameron Gauci 81), Adnan Hiroli (Mike Duffy 71).

Unused subs: Alex Parsons, Harry Durant

Street:

Alex Rutter, James Reagan, Elliot Hegarty, Callum Corbridge, Ollie Pearson, Josh Phillips, Dan Peach, Toby Davey, Harry Foster, Kory Andrews, Fin Skiverton.

Subs: Jacob Dickens, Gabriel Plant, Kyle Strange, Bradlee Sheppard, Allesandro Constanza.

Match details:

Competition: Toolstation Western League Premier

Date: March 22^nd, 2022

Venue: Fairfax Park

Goal: Jack Taylor 22

Attendance: 225

Match officials:

Referee: Kristian Gould

Assistants: Billy Wilde, Steve Redman.