FA Cup second qualifying round

Taunton Town 2 Slimbridge 0

A GOAL in each half from Matt Wright and substitute Ryan Batley gave Taunton Town a lucrative passage into the third qualifying round of the FA Cup as well as bringing in a cool £4,500 for the coffers.

It was a well-deserved win over Southern League Division One South and West counterparts Slimbridge, who came to the Viridor Stadium undefeated and showed why in short spells, but without ever seriously dominating the game.

Town hit the woodwork three times and had two efforts cleared off the line while Lloyd Irish in the home goal was faultless and kept a clean sheet with a series of fine saves at crucial times.

Slimbridge began strongly with Marley Thomas and Archie Haskayne both going close before Ed Major linked with Jack Twyman to bring a sharp save out of Irish, whose brother Owen then saved the day seconds later with a perfectly timed tackle to keep out Twyman again.

Town weathered the initial storm and Jordan Rogers twice tested away keeper Luke Merchant who was also equal to Wright’s effort after he had muscled in from a long Ed Palmer clearance.

However, Merchant could do nothing from the next attack when Pierce Mitchell’s curling cross found Wright whose firm header was too much and put Town one up in the 17th minute.

Leigh Robinson’s opening plans were then thrown into confusion when Matt Buse got his face in the way of a drive from close range and he was in a world of his own when he was helped off and substituted by Adam Kelly with just 20 minutes gone.

Moments later Kelly thundered a shot against the bar following a corner but Slimbridge showed they were still in the game as Thomas’s shot was somehow blocked by Matt Villis on the half hour.

Wright then had two volleys go wide and Rogers watched his 20 yard drive hit a post before Owen Irish’s header was cleared off the line and Wright shot wide just on the half-time whistle.

Town should have put the tie to bed by then and when Callm Martindale hit the post with a free-kick immediately after the restart, the home support were beginning to fear another North Leigh, as Slimbridge again got going early in the half.

Thomas was wide and Richard Thwaite brought another fine save out of Irish before Haskayne twice tested Irish to no avail.

Palmer then hit another free-kick inches wide and Wright hit the side netting but the visitors were giving away too many free-kicks around the box which ultimately would prove costly in more ways than one.

A mistake in the home midfield let in John Cant who somehow fired wide when one on one with Irish but Town had an 80th minute substitution to thank for clinching the victory.

Martindale limoed off to be replaced by Batley who was in the right place minutes later to slam home the second after Palmer’s free-kick was too much for Merchant, and it was game over.