Evostik Division 1 S&W

Bridgwater Town 1, Mangotsfield United 1

A SECOND-half Craig Veal penalty ensured Bridgwater shared the spoils, writes Pete Besley.

On a saturated pitch from heavy overnight rain, it was the visitors who controlled the early stages without seriously threatening the Bridgwater goal.

Town came into the game when Dave Pearse forced Mangotsfield’s keeper Kevin Sawyer into making a sharp save.

But it was the visitors that took the lead on 15 minutes when Luke Purnell in the Bridgwater goal punched clear from a free-kick straight to Ryan Bennett who sent his header into the roof of the net.

Jon Vance went agonisingly close with a free-kick as Bridgwater finished the first half stronger.

At the start of the second half, Mangotsfield were reduced to ten men after Tom Parrinello saw a straight red card for his lungeing tackle.

Bridgwater the came close to levelling the scores through Craig Veal and Joe McClennan but they could not beat the Mangotsfield stopper.

The equaliser came on 77 minutes when McClennan was bundled over in the box and Veal made no mistake from the penalty spot.

The home side could have snatched all three points late on but McClennan’s shot found the side netting.

Bridgwater: Purnell, P Veal, Thomas, Middleton, McGrath (c), Fitzpatrick, McClennan, Mountford, Pearse, Vance, C Veal. Subs: Mercieca, Simpson, Legg, MacNabb, Viney.