MINEHEAD gained a Christmas lift when they won 2-1 away to Glastonbury on Saturday in Division One West of the Somerset County League.

The third-placed home side were looking to a complete a double over their recently faltering visitors and they deservedly went ahead after 13 minutes when a long throw wasn’t dealt with and reached the far post where it was volleyed powerfully home from eight yards.

With the home side dealing with the blustery conditions and keeping their feet better that the nervy-looking Blues, they looked likely to add to their lead.

But Minehead then appeared to flick a switch and started getting hold of the midfield, with Jack Furse pulling the strings and Aaron Ireton causing problems on the right, frequently getting past his defender.

After Damion Redman had beaten home keeper Lewis Fox but seen his effort headed off the line by captain Sam Mullins, a slick move on the right was finished by Guy Burns who converted Ireton’s centre for the equaliser.

Glastonbury’s Harry Magee should have put his side back in front before the break but, having turned cleverly inside his marker, he shot high and wide of the target with only keeper Joe Ferris to beat.

The second half flowed from end to end but Minehead now looked the most likely to edge in front.

Burns’ shot after cutting in from the right hit the underside of the bar and somehow bounced down onto the line and was then cleared, then Jack Furse’s shot was pushed around the post for a corner by the busier home keeper.

With the game getting increasingly tense, Minehead’s Ireton and Graddon were booked, but it was the home side that suffered most from the diminishing discipline with seven cautions, including two for defender Chris Greenham whose dismissal left Glastonbury to finish the game with ten players.

The winner, which had looked increasingly likely, came in the dying minutes when Burns turned provider after cleverly outwitting a defender and captain Mike Mullen slammed home his centre to claim all three points and a useful away victory to end the Blues’ topsy-turvy 2015 on a good note.

Man of the match was Guy Burns.

Minehead: J Ferris, G Morris-Edwards, M Cracknell, S Lynch, M Mullen, F Ndiomo, M Graddon, A Ireton, D Redman, J Furse, G Burns, subs G Hodgson, S Tarr, M Ronan (none used).

l Minehead’s next game is on January 2, when they have an opportunity for revenge against struggling St George Easton in Gordano, who slammed five goals past them to earn their first points of the season a few weeks ago. Kick-off at Irnham Road is at 3pm.