City ease past Keynsham

MATCH REPORT: Wells City 2 Keynsham Town 0

Wells City kept themselves in the promotion hunt in the Toolstation Western League First Division with a comfortable win at home to Keynsham Town thanks to a goal in either half.

The home side could have put the game to bed in the first half, but squandered several good opportunities to kill the visitors off, giving Keynsham hope they could find a way back into it.

Despite dominating the first 15 minutes, Wells almost went behind early on when a break down the right flank saw Will Justin come charging out of his goal and bring down Pat Davison out wide on the touchline.

Justin was given a yellow card by referee Andrew Pearce for the challenge, but had he not made it he was in danger of being lobbed by Davidson as he was completely out of position.

Wells responded with authority and following a shot from Jake Brown that Ashley Wintle did well to hold low down to his right, it was the home side who took a deserved lead on 20 minutes.

A superb cross field ball found James Batchelor with space down the right touchline and having cut inside a defender, he lashed a superb left foot shot into the far corner of the net.

Wells could have doubled their lead minutes later when a wicked in-swinging corner from Lee Pitman somehow reached Jamie Price at the back post, but he headed wide from a yard out.

Another glorious chance followed second later, after Pitman's free-kick was fumbled by Wintle. Jake Brown was quick to follow it up, yet steered his effort wide of a gaping goal from just two yards.

Keynsham almost made Wells pay for those missed opportunities just before the interval, with Ben Harris lifting a shot on the run just beyond the far post on the stroke of half-time.

Both sides made a scrappy start to the second half with neither team looking likely to score in a drab opening 20 minutes, but eventually the home side doubled their advantage on 70 minutes with a powerful header from Mike Grist from a corner.

Davison could have reduced the arrears shortly afterwards as his goal-bound effort was brilliantly blocked by the impressive Grist, but it was the home side who took control in the final third of the game.

Despite leaning backwards, Brown did well to get a shot on target from a Batchelor cross, before Nathan Rendell replaced Batchelor on 80 minutes to help Wells City see out the final ten minutes.

Wells City are away on Saturday as they travel to midtable side Chippenham Park.

Merv's merit marks: W Justin 6, S Saunders 7, O Bryant 7, M GRIST 8, S Gerrish 7, T Smith 7, J Price 7, S Sokol 7, J Batchelor 8, L Pitman 6, J Brown 7,

Referee: Andrew Pearce 8

Entertainment value: 7