BRIDGWATER Town have been handed a home draw for the Buildbase FA Vase third round (only the third time in the club's history they have reached that stage), in which they will play league rivals Melksham Town on Saturday, December 2 (ko 3pm).

Their opponents are currently third in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division and £1,125 is on offer to the winners.

Reflecting on Saturday's 3-2 win at Farnham Town, co-manager Dave Pearse said: “It was a brilliant game.

“Both teams went for it from the start and Farnham were better than we expected going forward, so we did fantastically well.

“We still have to be more clinical and finish teams off - we could have been 3-0 up inside 10 minutes.”

The boss went on to praise his defence, who have impressed throughout Town’s four-game winning streak.

“Tyne [Govier] was ill on the way up but battled through, while I have known Lee [Begg] for years, and Saturday was as well as I’ve seen him play.”

Looking ahead to the Melksham tie, Pearse added: “It’s nice to get a home game, and we will hope to have a good crowd behind us."

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Somerset County League
Premier & First Division Cup
Bridgwater Town Reserves 5, Purnell Sports 1

BRIDGWATER Town Reserves began their Premier & First Division Cup campaign in emphatic style with a 5-1 win over Purnell Sports at Fairfax Park on Saturday afternoon.

A Jack Taylor treble and an Alex Male double safely guided the Reserves through to the next round to play Clutton on a date to be confirmed.

Male opened his and Town’s account for the afternoon with faint touch on the end of a Josh Champion’s cross, and the same player was soon on the scoresheet once again for his fourth goal in three games.

Town started brightly after the interval and continued to attack the Purnell defence with pace and purpose.

Jack Taylor, cup tied for the first team’s FA Vase game, got his first of the afternoon after he finished an excellent move from Town’s left flank, but the visitors managed to pull a goal back following a quick break.

Good work down the right from Ash Tandy and Champion then set Taylor up at the near post who, with a Cruyff-like finish, made it 4-1.

Taylor bundled over his third goal of the match when substitute Pete Atkinson rifled the ball across goal which hit Taylor and crossed the line for 5-1.

Town travel to Premier Division table-toppers Chilcompton Sports on Saturday (2.30pm).

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Somerset County League
Premier & First Division Cup
Middlezoy Rovers 4, Broad Plain House 0

AFTER disappointing results in recent weeks, Middlezoy Rovers took a break from league action as they hosted Broad Plain House in the league cup.

Zoy’s performances have been good of late, but they haven’t been able to find the end product.

They soon put that right in this game, as Steve Hall broke down the right and angled his shot across the keeper, into the bottom corner, to give Zoy the lead just five minutes in.

The hosts’ midfield three were finding lots of space in good areas, and Dan Luce had a couple of chances, but his efforts did not trouble the visiting keeper.

Andy Smith then nearly increased the lead, but his header from three yards out came back off the bar.

It was Hall who doubled his and Zoy’s tally, when a brilliant ball in from Jed Williams found him at the back post to calmly head back across goal and in.

The home side were in complete control, and it was 3-0 after 20 minutes, when an Aaron Whaites corner was pushed into his own net by the Broad Plain keeper.

The fourth goal arrived when a Callum Laird effort was fumbled by the keeper, and the ball fell to Luce, who was following in to smash home the rebound.

After the interval, the home side knew they had done the hard work but it was important not to let complacency creep in.

The away side tried their best to wind Zoy up, but without success as the hosts played out the half with keeper Greg Turner a mere spectator.

Indeed, they could have extended their lead, as chances fell to Craig Wright, Smith and Luce, but it stayed at 4-0 as Zoy progress to the next round.

Man of the match: Dan Luce and John Higgins

This coming Saturday, fifth-placed Middlezoy entertain Stockwood Green, who are 13th, in a Premier Division encounter (ko 2.30pm).