A goal in stoppage time from substitute Liam Crispin snatched a vital 3 points for title-chasing Keynsham Town Reserves in a 2-1 away win against Timsbury Athletic in the Somerset County League Division 1. In a fast-moving match the result was in doubt right up to the end but the visitors did well to overcome the handicap of playing the whole of the second half with 10 men after Chris King had been sent off just before the interval.
Timsbury got off to the perfect start when leading scorer Jem Lutwama continued his prolific season with a fine left foot shot that gave the home side a 12th minute lead. Mitch Gerrish missed a great chance to equalize when he shot over after being set up by George Rooke and then the same player was also too high with another effort from long range.
As Keynsham pressed for the equalizer Aaron Osbourne saw his shot comfortably held by Charlie Phillips and he then headed over from Rooke’s corner. Ebner Heatley’s free-kick for Timsbury was easily cleared by the visitors who went down to 10 men with King’s dismissal.
Early in the second half Matt Brooks headed wide from Liam Craze’s free-kick for Timsbury and Lutwama showed plenty of composure to set Heatley free but the forward overran the ball. Keynsham had the ball in the net but the effort was disallowed for offside before they eventually found a 62nd minute equalizer when Jamie Noble shot past Phillips.
With play moving quickly from one end to the other Phillips saved well from Crispin and then straight away Ryan Perry foiled Timsbury substitute Rhys Cook. Noble missed a great chance to tie the game up for the visitors near the end but it was not to prove costly as a real mix-up at the back saw Crispin take advantage of Phillips’ indecision to fire the winner despite the keeper’s effort to save.
Malcolm Tucker