Somerset Division One: Peasedown Miners Welfare 2-2 Minehead AFC

ANOTHER positive performance from The Blues, who deservedly held a team chasing a promotion position, and could have come away with all three points.

Taking the game to their hosts from the start the first serious attempt on Peasedown’s goal came after some good work in midfield by Rob Vickers, his perfect pass found Matt Trump in space and having waltzed past two defenders his shot beat keeper Curtis Allard but came back off the post.

Vickers was next to go close with a shot from a corner, and shortly afterwards Toby Waghorn’s electric pace was too much for both central defenders, but his shot narrowly cleared the bar.

Minehead weren’t to be denied and midway through the half took the lead when a dangerous free kick into the box from deep by Stephan Phillips was deflected passed his own keeper by centre half Kieran Rhymer.

Whilst The Blues deserved to go ahead, Peasedown did play their own part in a flowing and competitive first half, but Minehead were doing the lion’s share of the attacking.

Trump went close on two more occasions; after Vickers had been influential in midfield, the nippy player’s shot was just wide, and soon afterwards his powerful, speculative drive from all of 35 yards, after a poor clearance had fallen directly to him just inside the Peasedown half, cleared the bar by a couple of feet.

Minehead went further ahead just before the break thanks to Ryan Wilkins who had escaped from defensive duties when he finished off a good run from Waghorn on the right by hammering the centre home from close range to give Minehead a two-goal cushion.

Late in the first half Peasedown halved the deficit through Lewis Wheelor, who followed up well after Minehead keeper Jack Harding had blocked an initial 12-yard effort.

Having held the upper hand for the first 45, the pendulum now swung as Peasedown edged the play, and before the hour mark a cutting move from deep sliced Minehead open, resulting in a well taken goal by Scott Baker levelling the scores.

Andy Hall came on for Minehead to play alongside his son Ollie who had started the game, and soon afterwards it was the teenager who went close with a good attempt from 25 yards, which the home custodian Chris Allard needed to be alert to keep out.

Though the home side now had their tails up, Minehead refused to roll over and on top of a solid and at times attacking performance from Minehead’s right back Bertie Harvey-Larmar, the recent central defensive partnership of teenager Louis Burge alongside captain Stefan Phillips held the Minehead defence together well. Jack Harding behind them is looking increasingly assured in goal which helped Minehead stand firm and effectively deal with everything Peasedown threw at them to earn their fifth point in three unbeaten games, three more than had been amassed in the previous eleven win-less matches.

Luke Badcock’s move forward from central defence into a holding midfield role is also playing dividends with his natural defensive qualities shoring the side up.

So Manager Craig Carr’s perseverance of the inclusion of the clubs’ promising young players continues; three teenagers started the game and remained on the pitch throughout the ninety minutes, with both Lewis Goodrum and Sam Jackson joining them from the bench Minehead finished the game competing well, and not appearing phased or intimidated by one of the most robust sides in the league.