5 days Ago
At 3 o'clock on Saturday, it was the hosts, Buckland athletic and Paulton Rovers all chasing the last playoff place. By 5 pm with all three sides losing, visitors Shepton mallet joined the playoff party, writes Mike Thomas. Then just to make things even more interesting fourth place Barnstable managed to drop two points at bottom of the table Welton Rovers.
So everyone appears to be wanting to do it the hard way and N & T perhaps will have to do it the hardest. With three games remaining they face second place Clevedon town, champions elect Portishead town and a final game at Buckland Athletic. It was the visitors who were the fastest out of the blocks by taking the lead within the first sixty seconds as a poor headed clearance was met on the half volley by Paul Braithwaite, 20 yards out.
Striking it low and hard into the right hand corner to give Jacob Glover very little chance of saving. Three minutes later, Glover prevented the same man from doubling the lead with a fine low save to his left. The hosts were on level terms in the 11th minute following a free kick from Owen Humphries, Shepton keeper Will Hunter made a good save from a powerful Charlie Saunder's header but he could only parry into the path of Luke Osgood who made no mistake from four yards out.
Within minutes Osgood came close to giving his side the lead but his left foot shot deflected just over. From the subsequent Humphries corner Charlie Saunders headed home from close range to make it 2-1. The lead lasted just 10 minutes as Mallet equalised through striker Charlie Bateson.
Bateson had made a strong driving run into the Swags area but a poor touch allowed the ball to run away from him, Conner Saunders attempted clearance smashed into Bateson's shin which luckily rebounded into the far corner of the net. The opening 25 minutes had been very fast, very competitive and highly entertaining. Consequently there were high number of challenges, with decisions from the officials not quite going the way either side thought they should've done.
This culminated in the 27th minute with the referee showing a straight red card to the hosts winger Seb Scott, for apparently kicking out at an opponent, this certainly changed the course and destiny of the game. Ashton Shanley gave the visitors the lead on the 35th minute with shot from distance that found the bottom right hand corner of Glover's net. Despite having just 10 men, the home side finished the half on a high with Osgood twice going very close as did the man of the match Humphries.
At half time it was 2-3. Unfortunately, for the crowd the second forty five minutes wasn't as entertaining as the first, as Shepton decided to sit deep and defend their lead. All credit to Nailsea & Tickenham who throughout the half and never appeared to be a man short but couldn't breakdown a stubborn Mallet defence.
Notably Luke Newman went close and a good Ryan Crawford shot was well saved by Hunter. They put in a performance and shift that deserved at least share of the spoils but it wasn't to be, quite probably caused by the controversial decision in the 27th minute. Full time: Nailsea & Tickenham 2-3 Shepton Mallet This Friday (April 18) see the Swags travel to local rivals Clevedon town and their last home game of the season is Easter Monday, kick-off 1.
30pm when they welcome neighbours Portishead town who at this point need just three points to be crowned champions..
