Somerset County League Premier Division

Middlezoy Rovers 2, Odd Down Res 0

MIDDLEZOY faced bottom side Odd Down Reserves on Saturday, looking to start the new year with a win.

The opening exchanges were fairly even and Odd Down were passing the ball around well.

It was Odd Down who should have opened the scoring as their centre forward shot straight at Greg Turner in goal when through one-on-one.

Zoy were starting to realise it wasn’t going to be as easy as Odd Down’s league position suggested but the hosts soon started to get a foothold in the game.

Zoy thought they should have had a penalty when Matt Connick appeared to be pushed over, however the referee waved away the appeals.

Matt Lindsay then crossed for Dan Luce, whose header came back off the bar, and Johnny Higgins’ long-range effort was well saved as the pressure was mounting on the Odd Down goal.

The visitors kept Zoy at bay and also played some nice football without really troubling Turner as the game stayed goalless until the break.

Zoy started brightly in the second half as they looked to move the ball quicker to try and find the breakthrough their possession deserved.

A succession of corners for the home side saw the ball twice cleared off the line from Jake Horsey and the bar hit again this time through Andy Smith, however still the deadlock couldn’t be broken.

Callum Laird was introduced on the hour and he had a hand in the opening goal as his pinpoint cross was headed home by Connick at the back post.

Shortly after the goal the woodwork was hit yet again as a poor clearance from the ‘keeper fell to Luce, whose chip beat the keeper but hit the post and rebounded to safety.

Further chances fell to Adam Long and Connick but, for all Zoy’s possession, it took until the very last kick of the game for them to double their lead and make the points safe.

A free-kick out wide was whipped into a dangerous area by Luce and ended up going straight through everyone and into the back of the net.

The winning margin could have been more but the three points are the most important thing.

MOM: Dan Luce

On Saturday, Zoy host Stockwood Green and Zoy’s reserves are in action for the first time in 2019 as they travel to Burnham United Reserves in Division 3.