Somerset FA Premier Cup
Second round
Keynsham Town 0, Bridgwater Town 1

BRIDGWATER Town bounced back from their weekend defeat with a 1-0 victory at Keynsham Town that takes them into the last eight of the Somerset Premier Cup.

Beaten at Shepton Mallet on Saturday, the Robins responded by seeing off fellow Western League Premier Division side Keynsham, thanks to Tom Ellis' first-half goal.

After an uneventful opening 15 minutes, the first shot on goal came from Bridgwater & Taunton College player Nathan Byrne - who would go on to win the man of the match award - as his curling effort was held by home goalkeeper Ash Clark.

Robins keeper Jake Viney had to be alert to deny Aaron Childs, Jamie Noble and Sam Downes, before Dave O'Hare fired wide and Jack Taylor passed up a presentable headed opportunity at the other end.

The deadlock was broken three minutes before half-time, when Jake Llewellyn's free-kick caught the Keynsham defence napping and Ellis was there to head home at the near post.

The start of the second period was similar to the first, with few chances created, but then the woodwork was struck three times in seven second-half minutes.

Noble and Ben Harris' efforts were both goalbound, but Viney produced two excellent fingertip saves to tip their shots onto the crossbar and keep Bridgwater in the lead.

Ross McErlain then came close to extending the visitors' advantage with 15 minutes to go, but a combination of keeper and bar prevented his header from a corner crossing the line.

The final chance fell to the hosts, as keeper Clark came up for a corner in stoppage time, but his header flashed narrowly wide, and the Robins were in the hat for the next round.

Bridgwater Town: Jake Viney, Dave Thorne, Jake Llewellyn, Mark Armstrong, Ross McErlain, Tom Ellis, Nathan Byrne, Dave O'Hare, Steve Murray (Finley Wilkinson 82), Jack Taylor, Jake Brown. Subs not used: Dave Pearse, Steve Laker.

Next up for Bridgwater is a trip to Cribbs for their next league match, this coming Saturday (ko 3pm).