Somerset County League Division 1W

Middlezoy Rovers 5, Banwell 3

MIDDLEZOY Rovers were given a minor scare by bottom-of-the-table Banwell, but eventually ran out winners on Saturday and go top of the table.

Banwell gave a good account of themselves at high-flying Middlezoy, three times taking the lead in a game which was not won until the final 20 minutes.

The visitors took the lead on seven minutes when some hesitant defending was punished. Craig Wright sent a free kick into the roof of the net to square things up on the quarter-of-an-hour mark.

Banwell again edged ahead after another defensive mix-up but Wright superbly bagged his second of the afternoon on 32 minutes with a right-footed shot over the keeper from fully 30 yards.

Charlie Lintell then had the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for offside, despite him running past the defender with the ball.

The visitors went in at half-time in the ascendancy with a late goal which was well-taken, leaving the hosts with it all to do in the second half.

Carl Tucker nodded home the third equaliser on 57 minutes with the home side finally starting to take control of the game.

Substitute Jamil Choudhury prodded in Middlezoy’s fourth, squeezing them in front for the first time on 71 minutes.

Dan Luce was on hand to bend home the fifth minutes later to extend Zoy’s unbeaten run to nine games and send them to the top of the division.

Team: J Warren, L Turner, S Turner, T Brown (L Devitt), C Lintell, C Tucker, D Jennings, D Luce, A Prescott (JChoudhury), A Whaites (SBone), C Wright.

Star man: Dan Luce.

l Middlezoy travel to fourth-placed Staplegrove on Saturday and, with second-placed Clevedon playing third-placed Glastonbury, this is an early season game with extra importance.