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CUP WIN AT LAST FOR THE MALLET

CUP WIN AT LAST FOR THE MALLET

GARY BANFIELD20 Nov 2017 - 13:19
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Les Phillips Cup 18.11.17. Ashton and Backwell 1 Shepton Mallet 3

Match Report by Kevin O'Brien
Shepton registered their first cup competition win of the season at the 4th time of asking, by beating hosts 1st division Ashton and Backwell 3-1 in the Les Phillips Cup.
Backwell proved to be a workmanlike side despite their recent poor run of form, but they lacked penetration at the sharp end and Shepton's margin of victory would have been much greater but for a fine keeping display by Lewis Coombes in the home goal. Tyson Pollard was the first to test Coombes after 7 minutes, forcing one good stop and within seconds attempting to chip the keeper, who could only parry Pollard's second effort to Joe Morgan who calmly sidefooted the ball into an empty net to put Shepton ahead. Billy Devoy fired Backwells's first chance wide after 15 minutes, and midway through the half Pollard went close to doubling his side's lead after good link up play between James Billing and Ash Willmott. Another flowing move saw Pollard and Ollie Bryant combine well to set up Billing, who had his shot well saved by Coombes, before Jordan Coombes hit a speculative long range shot wide for the hosts. Pollard put Shepton's next chance just wide, but after half an hour he collected a pass from Tom Hill and curled an inviting cross into the path of Conrad Pecks's well timed run, for Peck to head firmly past Coombes from 10 yards to make it two nil. Bryant had an angled shot tipped away by Coombes, before going off with an ankle injury after 40 minutes, and the last action before the break saw Coombes making yet another save from Peck's second headed attempt of the half from Ross Padfield's cross.
By the hour mark, Coombes had made five more decent saves, three from Billing and other saves from Willmott and Harry Ratcliffe, as Shepton continued to hold the upper hand. Morgan fed Pollard for Shepton's next chance, Coombes again doing well to keep the shot out, and the keeper's numerous saves then gave his side an unlikely chance of rescuing the tie after their substitute Harry Walker pulled a goal back on 73 minutes directly from a corner, the stiff breeze allowing the cross to dip under Tom Easterbrook's crossbar and find the net. Walker almost repeated the dose a couple of minutes later, this time his cross grazing the Shepton woodwork, but reality was quickly restored with a superb third Shepton goal 10 minutes from the end. Coombes kept a Billing header out, but could only punch the ball clear from Shepton's next corner as far as Ratcliffe 25 yards from goal,who chested the ball down before hitting an unstoppable half volley into the top corner. Billing was unlucky not to add a 4th with a shot that beat Coombes but hit the far post, after good work between Morgan and Willmott, for Shepton to deservedly progress to the next round.
Pollard edged out Peck, Billing and Padfield to take MoM honours for his all round high energy display, as Shepton revert to the search for much needed points after three consecutive league defeats, with a home game against Bitton this week.

Team
1.T.Easterbrook
2.R.Padfield
3.O.Bryant
4.G.Morris-Edwards
5.L.Watson
6.T.Hill.....cautioned
7.C.Peck....scored one goal
8.T.Pollard
9.J.Billing
10.J.Morgan....scored one goal
11.A.Willmott

subs used
H.Ratcliffe.....scored one goal and was cautioned
J.Goodall
G.Carey

attendance 51

Further reading