Bet Victor Southern League Premier Division South

Taunton Town 3, Gosport Borough 2

TWO goals in as many second half minutes helped Taunton Town defeat Gosport Borough in an end-to-end game at the Cygnet Healthcare Stadium on Saturday.

Gosport led 2-1 after a frantic first 15 minutes but goals from Dan Sullivan and Ollie Chamberlain saw the hosts claim the points, ending a two-match losing run in the process.

The early action had centred around the penalty spot as referee Steven Annis had a busy first 10 minutes.

Taunton were first to profit as Matt Wright, attempting to reach Dan Sullivan’s cross, was bundled over by Dan Strugnell.

Andrew Neal saw his penalty saved by Ben Dudzinski but the visiting relief was short-lived as Ryan Brett was first to the rebound to break the deadlock.

Just three minutes later, Annis was pointing to the spot at the other end as Nick Grimes hauled down Chris Flood from a Gosport corner.

Rory Williams sent Lloyd Irish the wrong way to equalise and the Hampshire outfit then completed their early turnaround by going ahead from a flowing move on 14 minutes.

George Barker played a neat one-two with Flood and, when Barker’s effort was kept out by Irish, Flood was on hand to pick out the top corner with a deflected finish from just inside the area.

Neal, not in his usual prolific form, spurned a great chance to equalise almost immediately when he blazed over from inside the box after latching on to Wright’s flick-on.

Chances became harder to come by as the half wore on, as the visitors dealt comfortably with Taunton’s direct style while continuing to pose a threat on the break.

The hosts grew frustrated – two kicks straight out of play from Irish late in the half appearing to sum up the angst in the ground – and it was a theme which continued into the second half, which saw Town initially restricted to half-chances at best.

Ryan Brett fired over from the edge of the box and Dan Sullivan tried an acrobatic effort which went wide, either side of the departures through injury of both Neal and Grimes.

Town were forced to use their bench but their substitutes, who included Bristol City loanee Rylee Towler, brought a renewed energy and the hosts drew level on 74 minutes when Sullivan’s bullet header gave Dudzinski no chance.

The crowd, lifted by the equaliser, willed the home team forward once more and, in their very next attack, Chamberlain worked himself space on the edge of the area and drove low into the bottom corner to put Town in the lead for the second time in the afternoon.

This time they were in no mood to surrender their advantage and came close to extending their lead through Ben Adelsbury and White, whose header was cleared off the line.

It was far from all one-way traffic in the closing stages and Irish had to be at his very best to keep out subsitute Sam Argent’s low snapshot on 84 minutes, diving to his left to tip the effort away.

That was the last meaningful chance Boro mustered as Town held on for three points which keep them in the play-off places as well as putting smiles back on supporters’ faces following the back-to-back defeats over the festive period.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Shane White, Lewis Hall (Ryley Towler 73), Ben Adelsbury, Nick Grimes (Jamie Short 57), Jamie Price, Ollie Chamberlain, Ryan Brett, Matt Wright, Dan Sullivan, Andrew Neal (Owen Windsor 57)

Gosport Borough: Ben Dudzinski, Dan Strugnell, Rory Williams, Michael Carter, Ryan Woodford, Sam Roberts, Liam Robinson, George Barker (Sam Argent 69), Charlie Kennedy, Marley Ridge (Chris Davis 64), Chris Flood

Attendance: 552