MINEHEAD beat local rivals Alcombe Rovers 2-1 at home in a football friendly on Saturday.

The game was swiftly arranged at The Recreation Ground after both local clubs had their respective opponents withdraw from warm-up games.

Despite the visitors currently playing at three pyramid levels below their hosts, there was very little to choose between the sides, particularly in the first half when Alcombe saw more of the ball than their supposed superior hosts.

Alcombe took a deserved lead mid-way through the half through a Sam Harley header at the far post and it was not until a hotly disputed goal towards the end of the half, when the referee failed to spot a clear obstruction by a Minehead player who wrestled his marker to the ground near the Alcombe goal-line, enabled Andy Hall the opportunity to shoot past former team-mate Kyran Wilkins from close range.

Remonstrations to the referee then caused Alcombe’s Matt Ronan to be sent to the sin bin, with Minehead’s Will Singleton-Voss seizing an opportunity to rub further salt into their wounds, with a well-taken goal two minutes later, to go up at the break.

Minehead managed to find slightly more composure in the second half and their fitness helped them gain some control of the match, particularly as the game wore on. However, any neutrals watching the whole game may have been hard pushed to pick out which team played at the higher level.

Towards the end of the game Minehead’s Ollie Hall was dismissed after making what must have been deemed as unsavoury comments. Man of the Match: Stefan Phillips (Minehead).

Minehead play their first match of the season in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County League when they play away to Winscombe on Saturday, August 9. Winscombe won the second division last season, losing only three matches.

Brian Walder