Somerset Division Two West

Clevedon United Reserves 3, Highbridge Town 3

HIGHBRIDGE Town manager Matt Pitt admitted his side ‘just did not turn up’, despite scoring three goals in the final 25 minutes to earn a draw at Clevedon United A.

Trailing 3-0, goals from Stuart Green, Mike Green and an own goal fired Town to an unlikely point – but Pitt said his side ‘were not at the races.’

“We just did not turn up which was most disappointing, we were missing two key players, but still had more than enough quality to win the game comfortably,” he said.

“But when you are 3-0 down to pull that back in last 25 minutes just shows the boys fighting spirit and if there was another five to ten minutes to play we would have gone on to win the game.

“We know we were not at the races in this game and all the lads will not want a repeat performance on Saturday in our big semi final game away at Winscombe but this may well be the kick-up the backside we needed to go out there and show what we are capable of.

“Both sides have won a game each in the league fixtures against each other and this will be a game we know we can win if we do the fundamentals right.

“With Scott and Walford trying to shake off injuries that kept them out of Saturdays game they will hope to play some part of Saturdays fixture and help us book the all important final place.”

United struck first midway through the first-half to send them in one-up at the break.

Town started the second-half in disastrous fashion when a wrongly awarded free-kick for handball set up a crossing chance - and a miss kick into the air off a United forward sliced into the net to make it 2-0.

Town were up against a misplaced pass from Kane Powell gave the ball away and United broke the whole length of the pitch to make it 3-0 after 55 minutes.

A riot was looking on hand as Town just did not turn up then on 65 minutes, but an excellent turn from Stuart Green and a spectacular volley from 20 yards out smashed in off the post to give them hope.

Finally Town started to get the ball down and play and it was Stuart Green who got away from his marker and rushed towards goal to be hauled down just outside the box on an angle - and when Green himself whipped the free-kick in, it was a United player who headed in his own net on 80 minutes to give Town hope they could snatch a draw.

Shortly after, a ball in from Powell found Stuart Green who turned the ball the wrong side of the post - but on 90 minutes Town pushed forward with Mike Green looping the ball over two defenders on the line to rescue a point.