FOOTBALL: Taunton foil fightback for first home win of 2013 (From This is The West Country)

FOOTBALL: Taunton foil fightback for first home win of 2013

11:00am Thursday 21st February 2013 in Sport

TAUNTON Town held on grimly to beat relegation-threatened Winchester City 4-3 at Wordsworth Drive last night, writes James Wright.

Taunton completely dominated from the first whistle but Winchester almost pulled off a sensational comeback.

The Peacocks had a gilt-edged chance to open the scoring on 13 minutes when Rodney Marsh turned the visiting right-back inside out and cracked a shot that Rory Anderson did well to parry. Simon Ingram saw his follow-up deflected just over.

The first goal was not long in coming though. Carl Cliff Brown mimmicked Marsh's dexterity in turning inside his marker and pinged a lovely shot into the top right-hand corner.

Town doubled the lead just before the break. Cliff Brown won a challenge with Anderson and the ball broke loose to Jamie Beasley to pick out the empty net for his first Taunton goal.

A brilliant cross-field through-ball by Ingram released Marsh to net the third, with a deft flick over the keeper from a tight angle, just after the interval. Owen Irish then snaffled up the fourth after a couple of Cliff Brown efforts had been beaten out by the hamstrung City defence.

Winchester player-manager James Taylor, who had brought himself off the bench late in the first half, netted on 54 minutes with his side's first shot on target. And on the hour mark City bagged a second when Adam Conway headed home a deep free-kick from Ben Wilson.

After 72 minutes the Hampshire strugglers reduced the deficit to just one goal when Clive Mokoni buried a low shot at the end of a tidy move down the left. However, despite a few late wobbles, Leigh Robinson's men were just able to stumble over the line for a first home win of 2013.

Taunton: Grant Fisher, Jamie Short, Alex Jeannin, Owen Irish, Andy Robertson (Ed Weeks 52), Shane Kingston, Jamie Beasley, Simon Ingram (captain), Carl Cliff Brown, Rodney Marsh (John Harris 87), Craig Herrod. Unused: Tom Hopkins, Raith Plant, Clay Bond.

Winchester: Rory Anderson, Adam Conway (Luke Kendall 77), Danny King, Jack Smith (captain), Rikki Sibley, Conor McCarthy, Toby McAuley, Ben Wilson, Clive Mokoni, Jordan Sako (James Taylor 44), Andrew White. Unused sub: Michael Cripps.

Referee: Ian Roberts (Camborne).

Assistants: Timothy Burley (Redruth), Lee Roberts (Plymouth).

Match Sponsor: Bob Squires, Keith Giles, Pete Cridland, David Morgan, Mark Timbury, Martin Williams.

Matchball Sponsor: Friends of the late Ray Marks.

Attendance: 120.