Pre-season friendly
Bridgwater Town 2, Mangotsfield United 4

BRIDGWATER Town twice fought back from a goal behind at home to Mangotsfield United, only for the Southern League Division 1 side to score twice more in the last five minutes and claim a 4-2 win.

In muggy Tuesday night conditions at Fairfax Park, both sides created chances in what was ultimately a goalless first half – Jack Taylor being denied by the Mangotsfield goalkeeper at one end, and the away side hitting the post at the other.

Home keeper Jake Viney had also pulled off several fine saves in the opening 45 minutes, but he was powerless to prevent Ben Brooks netting a rebound amid a 48th-minute goalmouth scramble.

Jake Brown's header was well saved, but the visitors then dominated the next 15 minutes, hitting the post and seeing a goal chalked off for offside.

The Robins were gifted an equaliser in the 72nd minute, when the substitute keeper hesitated on the ball, Taylor dispossessed him and the striker stroked the ball home.

But just two minutes later Mangotsfield were back ahead, as Sacha Tong was left unmarked to convert a cross from the right.

The goals kept coming, though, with Jake Horsey heading home on 82 minutes after the keeper spilled Ian Bellinger's free-kick.

Once again, however, Bridgwater for not level for long, as Jake Thomas found the net with a brilliant 30-yard strike with five minutes to go.

Victory was sealed in the 87th minute, as Tong tucked the ball home to net his second and Mangotsfield's fourth.

Bridgwater Town: Jake Viney, Dave Thorne, Jake Llewellyn, Jamie Laird, Tom Ellis, Mike Duffy, Sam Towler, Jake Brown, Jack Taylor, Steve Murray, Ryan Burrows. Subs: Ian Bellinger, Nathan Byrne, Findley Wilkinson, Jacob Mead, Jake Horsey.

Bridgwater have two pre-season friendlies remaining – away to Barnstaple Town on Friday (ko 7.45pm), and at home to Bideford on Tuesday (7.30pm) – ahead of their Western League opener at Brislington on Saturday, August 3.