MINEHEAD fought out a goalless home draw against third-placed Wrington Redhill in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League with the Irnham Road crowd again boosted by a coach load of away supporters.

Wrington were quicker out of the blocks than The Blues, and within the first few minutes they had goalkeeper Kyran Wilkins to thank for keeping the scores level with an important early save.

Minehead then seemed to be spurred into action, forcing a corner at the Irnham Road end and shortly afterwards centre forward Toby Waghorn managed to block a clearance from visiting keeper Rob Hannah, but the custodian was able to smother the striker’s subsequent snap shot at goal.

It was Waghorn again who caused the next problems to the Wrington defence but his header from a pin-point cross went narrowly over the bar. The pacey striker then got through the visiting defence but his shot was again blocked by Hannah.

Both sets of players adapted well to the blustery arctic conditions and the crowd witnessed a largely evenly contested match which went from end to end throughout.

The second half became more ragged and the visitors fell foul to a strict referee who managed to keep the game in order by sticking to his word when final warnings were made to players contravening the rules, and the passion that was evident throughout by both sides gave rise to four yellows being shown to the visitors and two to the hosts.

As the game reached the final stages both sides seemed to go for broke as one goal was all that looked necessary to earn all three points and both sides ended the game with their goalkeepers showing their qualities with the save of the game coming in the final ten minutes when a shot from Wrington’s Luke Weeks, which was arrowed towards the top corner, expertly tipped over the bar by Wilkins.

The result left Wrington Redhill in third spot, while Minehead moved up a place to fourth, with games in hand on two of the three teams above them.

In the only other game played in the division, Keynsham Town Reserves went down 3-2 at home to Imperial. Congresbury remain leaders on goal difference from Ashton & Backwell United, both teams having 35 points. However, Congresbury have three games in hand on their rivals.

Minehead: Kyran Wilkins, Ryan Wilkins, Ollie Hall, Louis Burge, Sam Heath, Will Singleton-Voss, Stefan Phillips, Josh Elston, Toby Waghorn, Ian Bellinger, Sam Jackson. Subs: Scott Kivell (used), Liam Scheepers, Martyn Phillips, Lewis Breillat. Man of the Match: Kyran Wilkins.

Minehead are home again on Saturday, January 11, this time hosting Bristol-based Imperial where Minehead gained a narrow 3-2 away win at the end of August.