Toolstation Western League
Premier Division
Bridgwater Town 2, Roman Glass St George 0

TWO late goals from Jack Taylor saw off Roman Glass St George on Saturday, and kept Bridgwater Town within two points of Premier Division leaders Plymouth Parkway.

The visitors arrived at Fairfax Park second from bottom in the table, but they had won their previous four games (two in the FA Vase, one in the Les Phillips Cup, and an 8-0 league victory over Wellington).

In what was an entertaining and hard-fought encounter, the Robins defence stood firm to pick up a clean sheet, with stand-in goalkeeper Fraser McDiarmid playing a starring role.

Roman Glass came flying out of the blocks, with McDiarmid making a one-handed save to deny Troy Simpson, pushing Ryan Radford's effort over the top and also denying Harry Haughton, all within the first 15 minutes.

At the other end, Taylor glanced a header just wide from Mark Armstrong's cross, but the visitors were still causing problems and Haughton's deflected shot had to be tipped behind by McDiarmid.

Gradually, as the game entered the second quarter, the Robins began to match their opponents and the game was more end-to-end.

Dave O'Hare struck the upright and the ball rebounded for Harry Horton, whose well-struck shot was saved by Ross Grimshaw.

McDiamid fielded a couple of long-range efforts at the other end, before Jake Brown shot wide after good work from Steve Murray.

Given how many chances the sides had created, it was perhaps surprising for them to go in goalless at the break, but the opening stages of the second half were quiet.

Bridgwater should have gone ahead on 64 minutes, as Brown charged down the left and picked out Taylor in the middle, but the ball rebounded off the striker and away from goal.

Roman Glass threatened again when Radford sent a low drive towards the near post, but McDiarmid got down superbly to save, and he then denied Haughton once more.

Brown then took the ball around Grimshaw but couldn't get his shot away, and the breakthrough finally came in the 78th minute.

Murray had a go with a curling effort from 20 yards, which beat Grimshaw and bounced out off the underside of the crossbar, with Taylor in the right place at the right time to head in.

The visitors almost equalised five minutes later, as a long throw was flicked on for Simpson, but his close-range shot grazed the outside of the post.

And Roman Glass were punished for that miss as the Robins wrapped up their win in the 89th minute.

A flowing four-man move involving Mike Duffy, O’Hare, Murray and Taylor ended with Duffy driving in a cross for the unmarked Taylor to grab his second of the day, and 12th goal of the season.

Bridgwater Town: Fraser McDiarmid, Mark Armstrong, Josh Llewellyn, Harry Horton, Ross McErlain, Jamie Laird, Sam Towler (Mike Duffy 74), Dave O’Hare, Steve Murray (Jake Horsey 90), Jack Taylor, Jake Brown.

Next up for Bridgwater is a Somerset Premier Cup tie away to Frome Town on Tuesday (ko 7.45pm), with their next league match being at Bridport next Sunday (10.45am).