Toolstation Western League Premier Division

Shepton Mallet 0, Bridgwater Town 1

ON a pitch which looked a picture despite the conditions, Bridgwater Town overcame an early sending off to end their five-match losing streak, writes Kerry Miller.

With matches going down all around the South West, a good crowd pitched up to watch two teams who have had mixed first halves of the season while playing attacking football and scoring goals.

Shepton had snatched a late win at Fairfax Park earlier in the season and, when Bridgy were forced to play virtually the whole of the match with 10 men, following a sending off, a league double looked on the cards. 

That it did not pan out that way was a testament to Dave Pearse’s side, who were without Josh White and Jake Llewellyn plus the injured striker Jack Taylor, but battled well and went home with the points

The visitors' day looked to be going south at a rate of knots right from the start when Mark Armstrong picked up an early booking before Tyson Pollard found himself bearing down on goal a minute later, only to be tripped by Dave Thorne, who was shown a straight red by referee Phil Staynings. 

It was an ignominious and all too brief return for the former Shepton man but he could have no complaints and Pearse was forced to reshuffle with the travelling Bridgy contingent still stunned by the opening salvos.

In truth, the sending off made little difference, and the lively Ryan Burrows found space to set up Syd Camper who rifled in Town's opener from six yards with 14 minutes on the clock. 

Jake Viney was then called upon to pull off a fine stop to deny Ross Padfield before repeating it to keep out Conrad Peck and Ash Willmott. 

It was all Shepton at that stage and Joe Morgan went close from 25 yards late in the half, but the home support was frustrated at the break as Bridgy led by the only goal.

Tom Easterbrook kept out Burrows’ early effort then saved from Shaun Copp early in the second period, while Shepton were still struggling to carve out clear chances - although Willmott almost connected with a diving header on the hour. 

Pollard and Tom Hill tested Viney again but Bridgwater were looking dangerous on the break, with Camper firing into the side netting before Copp crashed one against a post. 

Willmott and Peck both went close as the pressure looked as if it had to tell eventually, and when Ollie Bryant connected with a fabulous volley it deserved more than to brush the bar on its way to the clubhouse door. 

In the end it was Town who took the points and it may well signal a start off another good spell for Pearse’s squad.

Next up for the Robins is a trip to Bridport next Saturday (January 6).