Western League Premier Division

Odd Down 2, Bridgwater Town 3

This was Town’s eighth league win on the road but it was harder to achieve than might have been expected, writes Mark Hollidge.

Odd Down have been in free fall and haven’t registered a point for months but they gave a spirited display and Town certainly didn’t have it all their own way.

The game wasn’t much of a spectacle. Town struggled to get their passing game together and played nowhere near as well as in the fine win over Exmouth a few days earlier.

Town could have gone ahead in the first minute when nervous looking keeper Ben O’Hare fumbled a routine header from Owen Irish before recovering the ball just as Jack Taylor was ready to pounce.

Josh Clark brought a sprawling save from Jake Viney but little else happened for the first 20 minutes.

Town were most dangerous from long throws or corners and it was from an Ellis throw that Town scored their first, as O’Hare fumbled and Taylor rolled in a simple finish.

A few minutes later, an Ellis throw was headed back by Irish and Sam Towler headed narrowly over.

Town scored their second when Oscar Latas sent in a swerving shot which O’Hare could only push out to Taylor, who was well placed to score again from a few yards out.

This was now looking comfortable for Town but they let Odd Down back in it almost immediately as Clark was not closed down and curled an excellent finish into the top right hand corner.

Much encouraged by the goal, an Odd Down midfielder turned smartly and drove in a rising shot which Viney had to turn over.

Town seemed to have lost all rhythm and cohesion and it was noticeably quiet on the pitch without Mark Armstrong giving his orders.

Nevertheless, Taylor wasn’t far from a hat trick with a left footed volley over the bar following Ollie Morris’ pass.

The first 10 minutes of the second half were scrappy as both sides kept conceding possession.

Towler shot over when well placed before setting up Town’s third with a corner which was met by Owen Irish, whose header bounced off the underside of the bar and over the line for the defender’s first goal for the club.

Odd Down again gave themselves some hope with an unexpected second goal through a substitute.

Town could have made the win more emphatic in the last 15 minutes as Jake Brown saw one effort saved before his final ball let him down on a later occasion.

Bridgwater Town: Jake Viney, Luke Manley, Finley Wilkinson, Ollie Morris, Owen Irish, Tom Ellis, Sam Towler, Harry Horton (Dave Pearse 70), Jack Taylor (Mark Armstrong 88), Oscar Latas, Noah Coppin (Jake Brown 75).