KJM SPORT REPORT Saltash Utd 1 Bridgwater Utd 2
- Details
- Created on Monday, 06 November 2023 08:27
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 November 2023 09:26
- Published on Monday, 06 November 2023 08:27
- Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT at Kimberley
And that’s exactly how Saltash must be feeling after a week of misfortune was completed with a narrow defeat by title chasing Bridgwater at the Waterways Stadium on Saturday.
It’s less than two weeks since the young Ashes appeared to come of age when they thrashed St Blazey 5-1 at Blaise Park in the Les Phillips Cup with a performance of high quality.
Five days later they suffered a 1-0 Western Premier division defeat at Nailsea & Tickenham and also saw one of their brightest young players, Kieran O’Melia, stretchered off with a serious ankle injury which will keep him out until the new year.
In midweek they were dealt another major blow when midfield man Sam Cox was injured playing for his college. He damaged his meniscus, the sort of knee injury that can take months to repair. He is awaiting an MRI scan to discover the extent of the damage.
On top of that the Ashes lost top scorer Jordan Ewing to Bideford when their offer lured him away to the Southern League.
Hardly ideal preparation to face second in the table Bridgwater - but to their credit, Macca Brown’s side gave it their best shot.
They took a 23rd minute lead through left back Ethan Wright, who celebrated his birthday with a speculative cross which hit the far post and bounced into the net.
Then Tylor Love-Holmes came close to doubling their lead before half-time with a shot over the keeper which bounced just wide.
Bridgwater had spurned several excellent chances early on - two headers from inside the six yard box were directed straight at keeper Jordan Duffey - and they trooped off at the break looking downbeat.
They were sent out early for the second half and within 12 minutes they had turned the game around with goals from George King (51) and Jack Thorne (57).
The Ashes were unfortunate not to equalise just after the hour as Tom Huyton’s powerful right foot shot came back off a post.
And the woodwork came to Bridgwater’s rescue again 12 minutes from time when a superb Love-Holmes shot was fingertipped onto the post by keeper Jake Viney.
Macca Brown said: “I don’t think the result will raise many eyebrows across the league, but we are certainly disappointed that we didn’t take more from the game; I think we deserved a point.
“Bridgwater are a really good side, in the last month they’ve scored a lot of goals, four at Mallett, seven at Nailsea and hit five against Torpoint, and beating us sent them top, but I think we performed in a manner that didn’t make them look like that kind of side.
“But full credit to them because they got the job done and that’s what the top teams do and if they go onto win the league then they may look back at this game as ‘one of those games’ that are seen as critical in a title winning season.
“I thought in the first half we were excellent, the goal was fortunate, a looping cross that came off the back post and in, but we haven’t had much luck this week so we’ll take that!
“To be honest I thought we let them off the hook in the first half, we had some great chances, Tylor lobbed the keeper and it fell just wide, and we had some great chances where we just didn’t get enough players in the box to make them pay.
“As ever when you go in ahead, the first 15 minutes of the second half would be key, and we couldn’t get through it.
“Bridgwater turned the screw, equalised with a good header and were a bit fortunate with the second as the deflection fell their way in their box.
“Our reaction was excellent, however. Tylor struck the post twice and the rebound just didn’t fall to us, but we were quite wasteful in the final third.
“More care was needed to create that chance and we lacked that, so we can’t really complain too much. It was another good performance, full of promise, but we have to start taking something from these games.
“However given the week we’ve had, effectively losing our two top goal scores in one way or another, plus Coxy having a really serious injury which has deflated everyone really because nobody likes to see that, I was delighted how we came out and performed, but we do need more.”
Saltash Utd: J Duffey, B Goulty (J Preece 66), E Wright, E Goodman (M Toms 86), H Greening, L Murray, T Huyton, T Love-Holmes, J Toulson (J Johnson 86), A Goulty, T Badcott.
Sub not used: J Mead-Crebbin (gk).
Goal: E Wright (23).
Bridgwater: J Viney, J Phillips, J Llewelyn, J Quick, R Edwards, S Towler, G King, H Horton, J Taylor, J Thorne, J Murray.
Subs: B Griffith, T Llewelyn, M Williams.
Goals: G King (51), J Thorpe (57).
Yellow card: J Llewelyn (90+4).
Referee: Lee Roberts.
Attendance: 96.
SWSN Star Ethan Wright.
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