MINEHEAD went down 2-1 away to Ashton & Backwell United, another side chasing promotion to the Premier Division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League.

The hosts opened well and took the game to Minehead with the right back’s probing passing frequently finding front runners, but Minehead’s defending was resolute.

At the other end a jinking run from the Blues’ current top scorer Josh Elston saw him cut in towards the corner of the penalty box to unleash a fierce shot towards the top corner but the keeper managed to somehow block the ball virtually on his goal-line.

The game ebbed and flowed and on thirty minutes the left back’s right footed effort brought another example of Kyran Wilkins’ competence, with the County League Goalkeeper of the Month for November making a difficult save look like food and drink.

The second 45 started with Minehead playing more on the front foot. Elston’s centre caused a major scramble on the goal-line which took two desperate attempts from defenders to clear. Then after a foul on the same player, Stefan Phillips’ free kick was well saved by the keeper.

However the hosts took the lead from a quickly taken throw which gave the right winger enough space to unleash an unstoppable shot from just outside the box.

Blues substitutes Martyn Phillips and Guy Burns then replaced Sam Jackson and Toby Waghorn with manager Craig Carr going for broke, and less than ten minutes later Sam Heath made way for striker Scott Kivell, Minehead’s fourth teenager to enter the fray.

A well worked free kick from Phillips released Burns and from his pass Ollie Hall’s effort went just over the bar.

A bizarre finale to the game saw the hosts’ number 6 shown a yellow card and put in the sin bin, and after further remonstrations moments later he was then shown another yellow and a red.

Then with the game having previously stopped with Minehead in possession, the home keeper showed good sporting etiquette and returned the possession to Minehead by kicking a goal kick out of play behind his goal for a corner.

Kivell, the nearest Minehead player to the corner flag, launched a quick corner into the box which seasoned striker Guy Burns instinctively headed home at the near post, before the keeper could react.

A goal was awarded, and further remonstrations appeared to cause another red card to be shown to a home player.

Having realised the unsporting nature of their equalising goal, captain Stefan Phillips instructed his side to allow their opponents to walk the ball into their goal unopposed from the restart, thus allowing all three points to stay with the home side.

Man of the Match: Will Singleton-Voss