Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West
Taunton Town 3, Didcot Town 0

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH Matt Wright scored a rapid second-half double to secure a comfortable win for Taunton Town against mid-table Didcot Town.

Owen Irish headed in the opener from a corner on the half-hour mark, but it was only after Wright had had his say just after the hour that the Peacocks' dominance was reflected in the scoreline.

They remain fifth in the Division 1 South & West standings, one point behind in Salisbury in fourth - still with games in hand on all those above them.

Taunton brought Matt Villis into defence for the suspended Ed Palmer, while Matt Buse kept his place in midfield after scoring in midweek, and Craig Veal started alongside Wright up front.

Both sides took a while to settle, but after the opening exchanges it was the hosts in control – although clear chances were hard to come by.

Didcot were dogged in the tackle and strong in the air, although Wright gave as good as he got in the aerial battles.

The Peacocks were almost gifted an opener by a blooper reel piece of goalkeeping from Didcot’s Harry Whitehead, but as he blasted the ball against the onrushing Veal, the ball trickled narrowly wide.

After a period of frustration for the hosts, Wright’s hold-up play came good shortly before the half hour, as he controlled the ball and sent Pierce Mitchell away down the right, whose cross was blocked for a corner.

Ross Staley’s set-piece was cleared out for another corner on the opposite side, and from Shane White’s delivery centre-back Irish leapt to head home for his 12th goal of a remarkable scoring season.

White danced into the box and dinked over a cross, headed back by Staley but cleared before Wright could pounce, before Buse sent Veal scampering off down the left - his low cross was also dealt with before it could reach Wright.

Mitchell then did find the head of Wright, but the striker headed narrowly over, and the hosts went into the break one up.

They remained in control after the break too, winning a succession of corners to keep their visitors pinned back - one saw Irish head in again, but this time the referee blew for a foul.

But they weren't to be denied for long, as another White corner from the left was headed in at the far post by Wright on 64 minutes.

And it was 3-0 five minutes later, as substitute Jordan Rogers sent Staley away down the left with a super cross-field pass, and his cross found Wright at the back post again, heading in for a quick-fire double.

Ollie Chamberlain saw a long-range effort tipped over by Whitehead and Alex Hoyle headed narrowly wide, before Didcot's Callum McNish and Taunton substitute Ben Palmer saw efforts saved by the respective keepers as the hosts saw the game out.

They stay fifth in the league standings, with Wimborne Town at home on Tuesday (ko 7.45pm).

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Pierce Mitchell (Ben Palmer 70), Ross Staley (Josh Searle 76), Owen Irish, Matt Villis, Alex Hoyle, Ollie Chamberlain, Shane White, Matt Wright (c), Craig Veal (Jordan Rogers 62), Matt Buse. Sub not used: Michael Meaker.
Referee: Daniel Flynn.
Attendance: 359