City of Bath A 4 Minehead 2

MINEHEAD dropped to second place in Central Division Two following a farcical and highly controversial 4-2 defeat away to fourth-placed City of Bath A on Saturday.

With eight Minehead players stuck on the M5 following a serious accident, the home team unsportingly decided against delaying the pushback, forcing Minehead to take to the pitch with only five players and no goalkeeper.

Although the remaining Minehead players turned up as the half went on, it was no surprise that the home side reached half-time 3-0 up – with great credit to the Minehead rearguard action for keeping the score so low.

An aggrieved Minehead finally had time to settle during the break and pulled a goal back from a James Miles short corner shortly after the re-start.

As they went in search of the goals they needed, they left themselves exposed at the back and the home team restored their three-goal cushion before Minehead pushed on again and reduced the deficit again through a Nick Jones reverse stick strike.

At 4-2, Minehead were now controlling the game but some questionable umpiring decisions upset their rhythm and they lost three players to the sin-bin in a crazy five-minute spell, Weetch, Miles and Hill all seeing yellow as they were reduced to eight players.

An ill-tempered affair played out with no further goals and a livid Minehead side tasted defeat for only the second time this season.

The Inspired Partnership man of the match was Rob Speed.

Minehead: Fred Wilson, Ben Cowling, Nick Hill, Charlie Chadwick, Dominic Bowden, James Miles, Ian Jeanes, Adam Dover, James Weetch, Nick Jones, Nick Bennett, Mark Bolton, Rob Speed.

East Devon A 1 Minehead A 1

It was honours even as Minehead A picked up a point in a 1-1 draw away to fifth-placed East Devon A, Will Pring scoring for Minehead A.

Minehead A remain sixth in South East Division One.

The Inspired Partnership man of the match was Andrew Covey.

Minehead A: Nick Hosegood, Jack Bishop, Ben Sellick, Andrew Covey, Will Pring, Angus Marsh, Paul Stevens, Lawrence Taylor, Myles Jones, Alex Covey, Andrew Speed, Calum Arnold.

South East 2

Minehead B 0 Chard A 8

Minehead B remain rooted to the bottom of the table after an 8-0 pummelling at the hands of Chard A.

The Inspired Partnership man of the match was Ben Moody.

Minehead B: Steve Hadley, Rob Dibble, Will Lock, Jack Richards, Ryan Dean, Tom Moody, Ben Moody, Jack Chown, Paul Jones, Darren Meecham, Simon See, Steve Cottrell, Alasdair Daughtrey, Josh Smith.