WHEN Danny Rendell put South Petherton ahead within two minutes of the start of their Premier Division match at home to struggling Beaminster, they must have thought they were on the way to a big score.

But within five minutes, Jamie McClemments had equalised and from then on, despite having the majority of play, Pethy failed to break down the visitors back line of defence.

That is until 20 minutes from time when Ashley Smith volleyed home from the edge of the box to bring the host their first back-to-back wins of the season.

Perry Street’s winning start to the campaign came to an end at Lyme Regis Reserves where Pete Peacock struck twice in a 2-0 defeat.

Shepton Beauchamp bounced back from their previous week’s first defeat in nine league and cup outings with a 3-0 success at Combe St Nicholas Reserves.

George Pugson gave Shepton the lead in the 15th minute and the advantage was doubled before the interval as Dan Peach set up Dan Smith to lob the ball over the keeper.

And it was Smith who completed the scoring in the second half when he tapped the ball through the glovemans legs before running around to stroke it into the net from close range.

Winsham United are the new leaders in Division One after they made it four wins from four starts with a 5-3 victory at Pymore.

It was the Dorset side who controlled the opening exchanges and eased into a two-goal lead through Alex Goodrick and Brandon Scaddings before Sam Symes reduced the arrears by half time.

Goodrick extended the lead once again before three goals in twelve minutes from Tom Stead (2) and Shane Partridge saw United go ahead for the first time in the game.

The visitors were reduced to nine men when two were dismissed by the referee, but a late strike by Ben Smith brought them a well-deserved win to go two points clear at the top.

Forton Rangers extended their unbeaten run to three as they hit three goals without reply at bottom team Farway United.

The visitors struggled against their lowly opponents for the first 45 minutes and the match remained without score at the halfway stage.

In the second half, Forton created a number of chances before Justin James put them ahead.

James then added a second with Dave Fowler producing a fine run from the halfway line to net the third.

Division Two pacemakers Drimpton improved their goal difference when they hammered Combe A 6-0.

Terry Farrell netted a hat-trick with the total being completed by a Lee Banks double and a single from Paul Richards.

Aaron Hodges struck twice to put second placed Crewkerne Town Reserves on the way to a 4-1 win at Charmouth. Tom Broom and Mike Traynor also found the net for Town before Dan Rumsby scored a late consolation for the seasiders.

Thorncombe stay third despite losing at home to Waytown Hounds who had James Loveridge to thank for scoring the only goal of the match midway through the opening period.

Crewkerne Rangers recovered from conceding a second minute own goal to beat Uplyme 2-1. Josh Lovett and Simon Denslow were both on target from the penalty spot to earn Rangers maximum points.

In Division Three, Wilf Gosden found the net for Chard United Reserves after just five minutes of their home game against Hawkchurch, but goals by Andy Dymond and Jack Larcombe had swung the advantage in favour of the Hawks two minutes into the second half.

And things got worse for the hosts when Dan Richards notched a third goal for the visitors. But in the closing 25 minutes United got their act together and scored five times to win 6-3.

Man of the match Liam Male bagged three of the late goals and Jamie Brown converted the other two.

Another team to come from behind to claim maximum points was Shepton Beauchamp Reserves.

Shane Crocker put the ball in the net following a goal mouth scramble to cancel out a tenth minute effort by Jimmy Rees.

And midway through the second half Steve Bennett turned in an Aaron Staynor free-kick for the win that moves his side out of the basement position.

Following the withdrawal of Forton Rangers Reserves the previous week, Division Four saw the demise of another of their teams at the weekend when Misterton Reserves also withdrew due to a lack of players.

The only team to lose out on Misterton’s misfortune are previous weeks leaders Combe B who lost the three points won when they beat Misterton and find themselves overtaken by Merriott Rovers and Winsham United Reserves.

It could have been worse, as on Saturday Combe were trailing to a Willis Lawrence goal at Winsham, when a Paul Stoodley strike 20 minutes from time brought them a share of the spoils.

Merriott take over top spot following a 6-2 win at Crewkerne Rangers Reserves and remain unbeaten after three games.

Ashley Cooper (3), Lee Brayshaw, Gavin Charles and Carl Tweedie were the winners’ marksmen, with Kerry Cabell and Chris Battle finding the net for Rangers.

The reserve sides of Farway United and Drimpton are firmly rooted to the basement spot as they are still in search of that first elusive point.

Farway were left without a game when Chard United All Stars cried off, but Drimpton suffered their fourth reverse of the season when going down 6-1 at home to Chard Rangers Reserves.

Andy Griffin and Scott Marshall netted two goals each for the winners whose total was completed by Ryan Ebdon and Richard Foote. George Tuck replied for the losers.

A few teams set out on the quest to reach a cup final with the Coronation Cup taking centre stage.

The top match involved the two unbeaten Premier Division sides of West & Middle Chinnock and Crewkerne Town.

Following a goal-less first half, George Trott gave Chinnock the lead with an unstoppable bullet-like shot. But it was Crewkerne who went through to the next round after coming back to win 3-1 with goals from Adam Dawe (2) and Dave John.

The other tie was between Ilminster Town Colts and Misterton, the two sides who have yet to get off the mark in the league.

And as one may imagine, it was an evenly contested game with Town going through by the odd goal in seven.

Misterton held a two goal advantage at one stage before Ilminster countered with a Zak Martin brace and a single from player/manager Kenny Timson to go ahead at the turn around.

Misterton levelled the game before a last- minute goal from veteran Andy Fish (his 195th in the league) earned the Blues a place in the next stage of the competition.

Barrington required goals in extra-time from Mike Whitefield and Ian Masters to overcome Millwey Rise 4-2 in the Division One Cup.

Andy Whitefield gave Barrington the lead two minutes before the break, only for Millwey to go ahead after the restart with goals by Sam Dibling and Mark Pike, but a second goal by Whitefield with three minutes remaining forced the added time.

Strikes by Tom Newport (2) and Steve Barnes couldn’t save Chard United from a 6-3 defeat at Lyme Bantams.

Tom Warren was the hero for Chard Rangers as his four goals saw them win 4-2 at Merriott Dynamos in the John Fowler Cup. Kieran Bailey and Nye Dang were on target for the losers.

Matt Vinall, Andy North and Nathan Doey were Dowlish & Donyatt’s marksmen as they went down 4-3 at home to Thorncombe Reserves. Ashley Allen bagged a hat-trick for the winners whose scoring was completed by Josh Rolfe.