Wells City claim important victory over Cheddar

Wells City took the derby honours between two teams gunning for promotion in Toolstation League Division 1 on Good Friday.

Cheddar were the better team by some distance at the start of the second half but it was City's opening 45 minutes that was so impressive.

The final 15 minutes of the game belonged to the home side as well and the 4-2 score summed up the performance of both sides.

Both sides had lost ground a few days earlier but Wells recovered the quickest as they started the game on the front foot with Leon Britton going close from a tight angle.

Cheddar's first real attack almost brought the opening goal on 13 minutes when a perfectly flighted free-kick from Callum Ham saw Adam Jones get away from his marker to send a bullet like header on target but somehow Will Justin arched backwards to save brilliantly.

Jones then went close with a shot on the turn but a defensive lapse following a long goal kick from Justin almost let in Lee Pitman, who volleyed over.

The home side earned a penalty midway through the opening half when Jake Brown was brought down by Craig Mawford and it was Brown who converted the pspot-kick, sending Mike Dangerfield the wrong way to give City the lead.

The advantage was doubled five minutes later when Britton found space at the heart of the Cheddar defence before sending an unstoppable drive beyond Dangerfield.

With the final action of the half, the visitors gave themselves a glimmer of hope by reducing the arrears to a single goal. Justin made a brilliant double save to deny Adam Jones and Danny Griffiths before the former slid home from close range.

Cheddar were forced to reshuffle at the start of the second half as Mawford and Sam King were forced off with illness, but replacement Joe Grant made an instant impact with a long throw that saw Tom Manning's cushioned header turned brilliantly over by Justin.

Cheddar were now looking the better side and missed an opportunity to equalise midway through the second half when Callum Ham latched onto a wonderful through ball from Mark Armstrong but was denied by Justin.

The scores were finally levelled on 75 minutes when another through ball from Armstrong found Robbie Maggs, who produced a stunning finish from 18 yards.

However, Wells regained their momentum in the final ten minutes as a terrible error from Dangerfield gifted them the lead, dropping the ball at the feet of James Batchelor, who walked it into the net.

City sealed the points in the 85th minute when two superb touches from Batchelor were bettered by a fantastic volleyed finish from 15 yards – a goal worthy of winning any game.

Merv's merit marks:

Wells City: W Justin 8, S Saunders 7, O Bryant 7, J Price 7, M Grist 7, D Spill 6, S Sokol 6, J Batchelor 9, L BRITTON 9, L Pitman 6, J Brown 9.

Cheddar: M Dangerfield 5, C Mawford 6 (ill), L Matthews 6, M ARMSTRONG 9, S King (ill) 6, D Griffiths 7, C Ham 5, R Bennett 6, A Jones 7, R Maggs 7, T Manning 7. Subs: J Grant 6, A Brandrick 6, M Gardener 5.

Referee: Ali Francis 8.

Entertainment value: 8.

MANAGER REACTION...

Jared Greenhalgh (Cheddar):

"First half we were awful and we knew we had a couple of players struggling with illness which didn't help our cause.

"Having had a chat at half-time we started playing the ball down playing quick football and you could see how many chances we had.

"When we got the equaliser we were on top and we felt we could go on and win the game, especially as we thought they were all over the place for a short period.

"Unfortunately we conceded a soft goal, it was just one of those things, but it changed the course of the game and it is those sort of things that can change any game.

"I felt at the time they had gone and it was a great chance for us to go on and win the game and I felt it was there for the taking especially when we got back on level terms."

Mark Read (Wells City):

"It's the first time that we have outplayed them since I have been here and the first 45 minutes was probably the best we have played this season as well.

"We were very attacking played the ball wide, moved the ball very quickly and even at the end we came back strongly to win it.

"I was disappointed how we conceded their first goal, Will Justin did brilliantly to save, what three times, but I felt we were a bit slow in helping him out.

"The intensity was there for us today and we need to maintain that level now in the last few games, the ball is now firmly in our court."