Timsbury Athletic maintained their impressive start to the new campaign with a 3-1 home win over Clevedon United who are one of the early front runners in the Uhlsport Somerset County League Premier Division. In a game of high quality and intensity it completed the double over Clevedon whose only defeats this season have been against Timsbury.
After a slow start it was 14 minutes before either goal was seriously threatened with Ellis Hancock heading over the top from a Liam Craze free-kick for the home side. A crisp shot from Rico Sobers was well handled by James Dunn in the visitors’ goal while speculative efforts from Harvey Williams and Ryan Gissing for Clevedon finished well wide. Shots from Rhys Cook and Toby Neilson for Timsbury were both too high while Gissing met a dangerous cross at the near post only to flick his effort wide. The deadlock was broken right on the stroke of half-time. A fine run down the right from Cook ended with a pinpoint centre that Sobers hammered into the Clevedon net to give the home side a 1-0 interval advantage.
Cook came close to doubling Timsbury’s lead straight after the break with Dunn doing well to save his shot. It was Clevedon, however, who came out the stronger with Joe Teall shooting just over the top before a terrific shot from Williams forced Ashton Tucker into action with an instinctive save that saw the ball rattle the crossbar before being cleared.
The visitors’ pressure eventually reaped its reward when Olly Jenkins was brought down in the box and Morgan Davies confidently converted the spot-kick for the equalizer. Teall brought Tucker into action again with another shot on target but Timsbury were always dangerous at the other end and a fine move involving Callum Taylor and Craze ended with Jesse Bishop heading Craze’s cross just wide. Another fine run from Cook concluded with him shooting just wide but with 10 minutes remaining Timsbury regained the lead. Substitute Sam Gregory came off the bench and with almost his first touch hammered a free-kick past Dunn. With time running out Cook was brought down in the box and the same player dusted himself down and rifled the penalty past Dunn for a memorable home victory.
Malcolm Tucker