Toolstation Western League Premier Division

Bridgwater Town 3, Cadbury Heath 2

Town have had to play 360 minutes of football over the last eight days but they left it until the last six minutes of this final league game at Fairfax Park to snatch the win that they craved, writes Mark Hollidge.

It was a triumph of effort, skill and heart on a hot day and was just about deserved in the end but one had to have some sympathy for the visitors, who contributed richly to an entertaining contest. 

Town should have taken the lead in the first minute but Mike Duffy saw his penalty saved after Jack Taylor had been fouled inside the area.

The hosts looked like the penalty miss wasn’t troubling them much and they pressed forward.

Horton had a goalbound shot blocked following a corner and a great run by Jake Llewellyn ended with him shooting with his wrong foot, the right one, straight at Norman. 

In a rare foray into Town’s defence, Cadbury Heath scored a surprise opener as Sacha Tong turned and curled a delicious shot from 20 yards around Jake Viney and into the top corner.

It was stiflingly hot for the players and the referee had agreed with the clubs that a two-minute drinks break would be played in each half.

This seemed to benefit Town and within a couple of minutes of the temporary cessation of play they had levelled the scores.

Llewellyn played the ball into the box towards Jack Taylor, who noticed Pearse to his right and in a better position - his nudge of the ball bypassed the keeper and Pearse just had to run the ball over the line.

Town had a couple of long range efforts well wide of the mark but were much closer when Taylor managed to reach Camper’s left wing cross but his stretching header flashed a foot or so wide.

It was against the desired script when Cadbury Heath started the second half much the better and Town were soon ruing a lackadaisical period when the impressive Tong scored again, volleying home George Boon's cross. 

Second half substitute Jon Invernessi looked dangerous on the right wing and he set up Matt Huxley for a volley which was wastefully ballooned over. Viney then had to save at full stretch to his left to keep out Invernessi’s 12 yard shot.

It was around this time that Town made their substitutions and the fresh(ish) legs really made a difference.

Llewellyn’s sharp shot was parried by Norman and Pearse shot against the outside of the post from the left.

However, Town were indebted to Charlie White’s headed clearance from under the bar which stopped a likely goal for the visitors.

With Tong drawn back into defence to hold onto the lead Town could now press on relentlessly.

A Stone volley was too straight and the busy Llewellyn missed to the right.

With just seven minutes to go, it seemed that Town’s luck was definitely off on holiday but with frustration at maximum Town, at last, found a way through.

A crossfield pass from Mark Armstrong reached Llewellyn, now on the right wing, and his cross found Jenkins, who had timed his run well and glanced a header into the left corner.

Within a minute, Town had the ball in the net again. However the referee’s whistle could be clearly heard a split second before Horton’s sumptuous volley flew past Norman. 

Town had won 10 corner kicks in the second half and the last one, in the last minute, was the one that counted. Jenkins delivered it into a mass of bodies but it was Stone who got his head to the ball for his first goal for the club. 

This was a fantastic way to end the regular league season at home and it will lift the spirit in the club before the looming semi-final tie. 

Well done to both sides – a tame end of season skirmish this was not!

Bridgwater Town: Jake Viney, Charlie White, Syd Camper, (Steve Holland 78), Mike Duffy, (Kurt Robinson 74), Mark Armstrong, Tom Stone, Harry Horton, Jack Jenkins, Jack Taylor, Dave Pearse, Jake Llewellyn.