Somerset Division One: Minehead 0-6 Staplegrove

MINEHEAD AFC were well beaten in their first match of the New Year as they lost 0-6 at home to Staplegrove, writes Brian Walder.

During a relatively even opening twenty minutes, the nearest either side came to scoring was Grove's Harry Butler when he went close with a header from a corner kick.

Twenty-five minutes in, the league's top scorer Joe Wilkinson was deemed to have been pulled down in the box and he got up to plant the spot kick confidently past Vinnie Jones to open the scoring with his 20th goal of the season in his 16th appearance. 

A few minutes before the end of the first half the visitors' lead was doubled during the first real spell of dominance in the game from either side, with William Bidgway taking advantage of a loose ball inside the box and having rounded the keeper shot home.

The competitive game continued with Staplegrove having the edge that a two-goal buffer generally gives, and it took a fine save from Jones to block a close range shot by Mario Franco.

After Wilkinson, who had been spoken to by the referee in the first half, had then caused a yellow card to be brandished, it was Franco who put the game effectively out of Minehead's reach at 0-3 midway through the second period, when his shot from outside the box took a wicked deflection and completely deceived Jones.

With a comfortable three goal lead Staplegrove looked every bit a top of the table side, then after another incident had this time caused the referee to summon Grove’s captain Jonathan Lambert for a discussion, centre forward Wilkinson was soon substituted.  This had little baring on the result of the game, which continued to drift further out of reach of Minehead’s reach.

A saveable shot from Will Hazelwood slipped through Jones’ hands to make it four and after The Blues had continued to rally including an effort from Rob Vickers which hit the angle of the post and crossbar, further Grove goals then followed from another penalty kick, this time taken by Lambert,   

and a fine free kick from the captain’s fellow central defender Harry Butler, leaving the result at a resounding, but also rather flattering six goals to nil.

Whilst Minehead will not feel the scoreline truly reflected play, from Grove’s perspective it was a robust and mature performance leaving them seven points clear at the top of the pack.

Minehead: Adam “Vinnie” Jones, Charlie Purvis, Harry Perren, Ryan Wilkins, Luke Badcock, Benn Bertlett, Sam Heath, Stefan Philips, Aaron Merry, Rob Vickers, Jordan Rose
Subs: Guy Burns, Regan Scotcher, Hubi Wejnerowski (All Used)