MINEHEAD fought out a 4-4 draw away to St George Easton in Gordano in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League on Saturday (Oct 31), despite leading 3-0 at one stage, writes Brian Walder.

Minehead made the trip to South Bristol to face a side who were two places above them in the table, with two points separating the teams. The clubs had previously met on eight occasions, all during the last two decades and the last time Minehead won at Gordano’s Combe Hay ground was just under 11 years ago when their two goals were scored by current manager Lee Todd, and current captain Mike Graddon.

Minehead’s top scorer Toby Waghorn almost opened the scoring inside the first minute when he latched onto an under-struck back pass from a defender. Having gone around the keeper, Minehead’s top scorer was forced wide and his shot from an acute angle trickled along in front of the goal-line and was cleared by a recovering defender.

However, with them pushing forward well, The Blues did not have to wait much longer before taking the lead, as five minutes later during another quick break, Cam Thompson spotted the keeper a few feet out of his six-yard box and from 25 yards floated a precise lob over his outstretched arms a few inches under the bar.

It was Waghorn who doubled the lead ten minutes later, when he ran on to a perfect pass from Olly Prescott, beat two defenders and then beat the keeper with an unstoppable shot.

Gordano then had a good spell of possession and attacking, but just past the half hour mark, Thompson made it three nil to the Minehead, following up well after Adam Jeffries had beaten two defenders and his powerful shot had come back off the foot of the post.

The hosts found themselves a lifeline, not long before the half time, when Daniel Parslake reduced the deficit, and after the break, they came out all guns blazing, scoring with a great header which meant they were only one behind.

An exceptional, almost inch perfect, seventy-yard plus pass from Lewis Smith then enabled Thompson to complete an impressive hat-trick with a first-time lob over the advancing keeper from twenty yards, as well as restoring a two-goal lead at 4-2.

But the second half belonged to the home side, and their left back soon hammered home from twenty yards.

Minehead brought on their remaining two substitutes during the last 20 minutes, but the second half was certainly owned by the home side and they levelled the score at 4-4, almost winning the game in the final minute but a substitute’s header hit the top of the bar and went over.

Minehead: Carl Paige, Harvey Lovell, Mike Graddon, Lewis Smith, Olly Prescott, Sam Jackson, Adam Jeffries, Cam Thompson, Toby Waghorn. Subs: James Knight, Declan Green (Used), Louis Burge (used). Man of the Match: Cam Thompson.

Minehead remain second from bottom in the premier division, having won one and drawn three of their opening nine league matches.

Meanwhile, Minehead entertain County League Premier Division side Hengrove Athletic at The Recreation Ground on Saturday, November 7, in the Somerset Senior Cup, a trophy they last won in 2014 when they beat Wells City Reserves at Taunton Town’s Wordsworth Drive ground.