Somerset County League
Premier Division
Middlezoy Rovers 2, Shirehampton 2

MIDDLEZOY hosted last year’s runners-up Shirehampton on Saturday.

Shirehampton did the double over Zoy last season, scoring nine goals against them in the process, so Zoy knew what to expect and were looking to improve on that record.

It was Zoy who started the brighter of the two sides at a windy aerodrome, and they had an early chance when a brilliant cross from Jamie Temlett fell to Charlie Lintell 12 yards out, but he couldn’t adjust his feet and was closed down.

Lintell also had the next chance as, from the same sort of area, he blazed over the bar when he had time and space to do better.

Zoy soon realised that when playing against a strong team like Shirehampton you have to take your chances, and on 25 minutes the visitors’ Scott Bamford saw a deflected effort from the edge of the box wrong-foot Greg Turner in the Zoy goal and fly into the top corner.

This gave Shirehampton a boost and they had a little spell where they grew into the game, but it was Zoy who struck next when a well-worked corner from Temlett and Craig Wright resulted in Wright bending the ball into the far corner from a tight angle, and so the sides went in level at half time.

Both sides had half chances in the second half and the game looked as though it may stay level, but the dangerous Bamford had other ideas.

From a seemingly safe position out wide, a quick change of pace saw him break into the box and slam the ball home, to make it 2-1 with half an hour to go.

Zoy kept pushing and looked the better of the sides for the rest of the half, and their reward came when a long throw was flicked on by Shaun Turner for Andrew Smith to bundle home from close range.

This was no more than Zoy deserved, and it was they who looked the more likely to grab the winner in the closing stages.

Chances fell to Smith, Laird and Lintell, but a mixture of poor finishing and good goalkeeping meant that the scores stayed level.

It was Shirehampton who may well have snatched all three points at the end, but Greg Turner did brilliantly to tip the midfielder’s effort from the edge of the box over the bar.

Men of the match: Greg Turner and Andy Smith

Next week, Middlezoy are at home to Wells in the league (3pm).

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Somerset County League
Premier Division
Bridgwater Town Reserves 0, Nailsea & Tickenham 6

BRIDGWATER Reserves were soundly beaten at home by Nailsea & Tickenham on Saturday, leaving them third-bottom in the Premier Division table.

Their next match is this coming Saturday, away to eighth-placed Shirehampton (ko 3pm).