Minehead 2 Saltford 0

HAVING won at Saltford three weeks ago, Minehead completed their first league double of the season on Saturday in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League but left it very late to fully secure the points, and on occasions it looked as if the visitors might snatch an equaliser.

Having shown good positivity for the opening ten minutes The Blues deservedly went ahead when Sam Jackson headed on a lengthy goal kick from Kyran Wilkins and Toby Waghorn ran through to shoot home passed Saltford keeper Sam Murphy.

After a spell of good attacks from Saltford, The Blues suddenly sprung back into action and could have doubled the lead when hard working midfielder Sam Heath was presented with a route through on goal but with only Murphy to beat his shot from twelve yards out cannoned off the advancing keepers’ body and was cleared.

With Minehead keeping the pressure on Waghorn then headed narrowly wide, and before the break it was Heath again whose low shot appeared to have Murphy beaten but the effort went just the wrong side of the post.

The second half saw the visitors starting to enjoy more of the ball and though The Blues defence looked secure, as the game wore on you wondered whether a solitary goal was going to be enough to win the game.

All three substitutions were made with Manager Craig Carr swapping personnel around and while Minehead still enjoyed fractionally more of the play, it wasn’t until the 90th minute until the game was made safe when after Josh Elston was upended inside the box, captain Stefan Phillips made it two from the spot.

The victory raises Minehead up to fourth position in the table, with sufficient games in hand on all three higher placed clubs for them to reach top spot, if the games are won.

Minehead: Kyran Wilkins, Rob Vickers, Toby Morris, Louis Burge, Ryan Wilkins, Will Singleton-Voss, Stefan Phillips, Josh Elston, Toby Waghorn, Sam Jackson, Sam Heath.; Subs: George Painter, Martyn Phillips, Fin Haran (All Used) Guy Burns.

Stefan Phillips was named man of the match.

Next Saturday Minehead host Nailsea & Tickenham Reserves at The Rec, kicking off at 3pm.

They are currently in 10th position having won three of their nine outings with five defeats and a draw.

Last time out they were beaten 1-0 at home by Stockwood Green.