MINEHEAD rounded off September with their fourth consecutive away win, over-coming a lowly placed but plucky Saltford side by the odd goal in three in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League.

With five of the squad unavailable The Blues still managed to take the game to their hosts from the off, and centre forward Toby Waghorn had three early shots at goal, all on target, but all were dealt with competently by the home keeper Sam Murphy.

Staying busy Murphy could then only parry a crisp Will Singleton-Voss drive from 25 yards which almost found its way over the goal line before a defender could clear to safety.

This was followed by another direct attack which saw Waghorn’s close range shot coming back off the fortunate keeper’s shins.

Continuing to look the more dangerous side, Sam Jackson’s cross was headed just over by Josh Elston, but after a long range shot from captain Stefan Phillips was routinely saved by Murphy, Saltford appeared to click for a period and took the lead through Jamie Smithies, whose glancing header from a corner flashed passed Jack Harding to give them the lead seven minutes before the break.

Starting the second half brightly, it took Minehead just four minutes to get back on terms when Josh Elston was put through, and giving Murphy the eyes levelled the scores, placing his shot just inside the post from the edge of the box for his fourth goal in four games.

After the most effective defender on the pitch, Minehead’s Bertie Harvey-Larmar, was harshly booked for a solid challenge, Scott Kivell, making his second first team start, supplied the perfect centre for Toby Waghorn to put The Blues ahead with a well taken header.

Though Saltford pressed hard for an equaliser late in the game, Minehead had enough to hang on to the points to keep their 100% away league record intact, raising them up to a commendable sixth position, five points behind leaders Congresbury with two games in hand, having played less games than all of the clubs above them.

Minehead: Jack Harding, Bertie Harvey-Larmar, Ollie Hall, Louis Burge, Ryan Wilkins, Will Singleton-Voss, Stefan Phillips, Josh Elston, Toby Waghorn, Sam Jackson, Scott Kivell. Subs: Hubi Wejnerowski (used) Lewis Breillat. Man of the Match: Bertie Harvey-Larmar.

Meanwhile Ashton & Backwell United moved up to second in the table with an impressive 4-0 away victory over Glastonbury while Stockwood slipped back to thire after drawing with Nailsea & Tickenham.

Minehead continue their run of away matches when they play Yatton & Cleeve United in the Somerset FA County Cup this coming Saturday. Yatton play in the Premier Division and are lying eighth in the table, so this will not be an easy game for Craig Carr’s outfit.