Uhlsport Somerset County League
Premier Division
Middlezoy Rovers 1, Nailsea Utd 2

MIDDLEZOY returned to league action on Saturday, looking to put a run of poor results behind them and push up the league table.

Zoy started brightly and were looking far more organised than in previous weeks.

They were dealt a blow 10 minutes in, though, when centre forward Josh White was forced off injured and replaced by Liam Winter.

The first chance fell to Dan Luce when an Andy Smith knock down was acrobatically turned goalwards by Luce but he couldn’t keep the effort down.

Nailsea were having a few long range efforts but nothing that really troubled Greg Turner in goal.

An even half swung in Zoy’s favour just before half time as a brilliant ball in from Winter caused the visiting keeper problems and Adam Long tapped into the empty net.

In the second half, Nailsea had the majority of the play as Zoy dropped deep.

It looked like Zoy were going to hold on for the win but, with 10 minutes to go, a Nailsea midfielder evaded numerous tackles before slipping the ball through perfectly for the centre forward to fire past Turner in goal.

The goal sprung Zoy back into life and Luce’s shot from the edge of the box was well saved - it looked like the rebound was rolling into the path of Luke Taylor to tap home only for some heroic Nailsea defending to deny him a certain goal.

Zoy were then stung in the last minute as Whaites played the ball back to Turner in goal only for the Nailsea centre forward to intercept the pass, round Turner and slot into the empty from the angle to win the game.

Zoy host Stockwood Wanderers on Saturday.

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Division 1
Staplegrove 0, Bridgwater Town Res 5

BRIDGWATER Town Reserves gained instant revenge over Staplegrove after the previous weekend’s cup defeat with an emphatic league win on Saturday.

Town had been beaten 4-3 in the league cup but Lewis Hembery’s hat-trick set them on their way to a resounding victory in the re-match.

Mario Franco and Josh Champion also netted for Town, who travel to Uphill Castle this Saturday.

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Division 2
Fry Club Res 0, Middlezoy Rovers Res 7

MIDDLEZOY made the long trip to Bristol to take on a Fry Club side who have had a couple of decent results of late.

Zoy had all the possession in the opening minutes of the game and were rewarded with a goal after 10 minutes when Scott Capel’s shot crashed against the crossbar only for the ball to bounce off the back of the goalkeeper and into the net.

Craig Wright then had a glorious chance to double the lead moments later but his shot from eight yards out was straight at the goalkeeper when he should have scored.

With five minutes left in the half, Carl Tucker’s pass was cut out by a defender but fell into the path of the impressive Capel for him to smash the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box to double Zoy’s advantage.

Zoy came flying out of the blocks in the second half and soon had their third goal of the afternoon when Danny Lismore beat two players and squared the ball for Wright to poke the ball home.

Wright didn’t have to wait long for his second, with the move of the match.

With at least 20 passes in the build up, a smart run by Capel was found by skipper Simon Bone, who’s shot was saved by the keeper, but the alert Wright was quickest to react to score Zoy’s fourth.

Substitutes Ricky Diamond and Connor Siner were straight in the action when Wright’s through ball found Diamond, who slotted home with only his second touch.

Pretty much from the restart there was a tussle between Siner and the Fry centre forward, who was sent off for a headbutt.

Danny Lismore then added a sixth before Dan Male scored his third goal in as many games after more good play from Lismore.

Zoy saw out the remaining minutes without any pressure to claim a comfortable 7-0 win to cement top spot and stay undefeated ahead of Saturday’s trip to Frome Town Sports.

Man of the match: Scott Capel