Geoff Harvey Cup, Group A

Cobblestones 4, North Petherton 2

COBBLESTONES completed their fourth win of the season in Group A of the Geoff Harvey Cup, with a victory over North Petherton at Bridgwater Academy on Sunday morning.

Jamie Merrick, Jed Williams and player/manager Dean Holman and an own goal completed the scoring for the hosts, who remain six points behind unbeaten group leaders R.O.F.

Jason Mantyk and Lloyd Beacham replied for North Petherton but it was not enough to prevent them slipping to a fourth defeat of the competition.

Holman, who called himself into the starting line-up because of a number of absences, was delighted with the result – and even more pleased with his goal. He said: “This team plays sexy football as well as having fun and happy faces on a Sunday morning. Great performance once again but highlight of the match was the gaffer’s penalty.

“As soon as we got the penalty, there was no way anyone else was going to take it.”

North Petherton boss Martyn Parker was left to rue a number of missed chances by his side and felt they could have taken something from the game.

He said: “With better finishing, this would have been a closer game.”

Williams opened the scoring for Cobblestones when he smashed in a powerful shot from inside the penalty area – and Merrick doubled the lead from the spot shortly after.

Mantyk pulled one back for North Petherton before an own goal by Dan Wilkes restored the Cobblestones lead.

The game was put to bed in the second half when Ollie Ham was brought down in the penalty area – player/ manager Holman wrestled the ball off of his players before hammering home his first goal in 20 years to make the score 4-1.

Lloyd Beacham scored North Petherton’s second, once again from the penalty spot, after Louis Seymour had been fouled.

That completed the game’s scoring as Cobblestones held out to take victory.