MINEHEAD Reserves gained a splendid 4-2 away win over Middlezoy Rovers Athletic, a team hotly tipped by many to win the Division One title in the Taunton Saturday Football League.

The fixture was played at Bridgwater College Academy where their newly resurfaced 3G pitch provided perfect conditions for both teams who like to play possession based passing football.

The match started brightly with both teams creating good chances, Minehead’s Riley Pope twice going close to opening the scoring. However, it was Middlezoy who took the lead halfway through the first half with striker James Evans slotting the ball past the on rushing Minehead keeper Nat Leader to make it 1-0 going into the half time break.

With all to play for, the second half continued with both sides playing some very good free flowing football. Middlezoy winger James Gibbs in particular causied problems down Minehead’s left hand side, however the ever-classy Myles Campbell Farmer contained him as he continuously tried to get in behind the Minehead defence.

Minehead’s back four of Jack Campbell Farmer, Harvey Lovell, Fin Landon and Myles Campbell Farmer now started to play with confidence. With Lyam Scheepers providing excellent cover for the two centre backs the Campbell Farmer brothers were encouraged to play further up field stretching the Middlezoy team.

Ten minutes into the second half this was rewarded when a clipped ball found the pacey Haiden Griffiths who beat the offside trap to calmly slot the ball past the Middlezoy keeper for a well deserved Minehead equaliser. Minutes later an Oli Reaney cross got caught up in the strong wind evading the Middlezoy keeper and dropping over his head and into the goal to give the young blues the lead.

Middlezoy however were far from finished and five minutes later the ball dropped into the Minehead box and it was Evans again first to the ball and lashed it into the Minehead net to equalise for Middlezoy.

With the game now there for the taking for both teams it was the Minehead press initiated by Pope and recognised by Kivell,Griffiths and Jasielczuk that really started to make the difference between the two sides and it was Minehead who took the lead when Pope latched onto a defence splitting pass from Griffiths to drill the ball home, making it 3-2 to the visitors.

Rather than protecting their lead Minehead introduced subs Tommy Robinson and Luke Batts to increase the pressure on their hosts, using attack as the best form of defence. This paid off immediately when Minehead keeper Leader seeing an early run from Pope sent a long ball to Pope's feet, who finished calmly to make it 4-2.

Now playing with confidence Minehead continued to put the pressure on and in the final minutes Pope was unlucky not to get a well deserved hat trick.

Minehead travel to Bridgwater again for the third time in ten days this Saturday, September 13, to take on a Wembdon side who also won their opening game, beating Norton Fitzwarren 4-1 at home. Man of the Match M Harvey Lovell.

Minehead: Leader,J Campbell Farmer, Lovell, Landon, M Campbell Farmer, Reaney, Scheepers, Kivell,Griffiths, Jasielczuk, Pope.

Top scorers of the day were Racehorse Inn who gained a 6-1 home success against Old Inn 98.