MINEHEAD’S talented midfielder Josh Elston has joined Jewson Western League strugglers Cheddar.

It is a blow for Minehead, and manager Lee Todd said this week: “It came as a bit of a surprise. Obviously, it is a good opportunity for him to play at a higher standard of football.

“But I would have liked for him to have stayed with us until at least the end of the season, and then perhaps move on. If things don’t work out for him we’ll welcome him back. He goes with our blessing.

“Josh gave up playing in the middle of last season and returned to Minehead when I took charge. He took a break from football.”

Cheddar play in the first division of the Jewson League where they are near the bottom. However, they are through to the quarter-finals of the Les Phillips Cup where they play at home to Wellington on Saturday (Feb 7) in a tie which has been postponed twice.

Meanwhile, Minehead were due to play at home to Glastonbury in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County League on Saturday (Jan 31) but the match was postponed following a video call with the referee who felt the pitch was not playable.

“We thought the pitch was ok but the referee felt that it would have been difficult to complete the match if there was more rain,” said Todd. “As it happened, there wasn’t.”

Minehead find themselves with another blank Saturday (Feb 7), a situation which Todd finds ‘disappointing.’

“It is very difficult to keep the players fit and interested when you are not playing,” he said. “We don’t play until Saturday week (Feb 14) when we are home to Bishop Sutton.

“I think we’ve only played one match this year and that was away to Sporting Weston where we lost 3-1.”