Uhlsport Somerset County League Division 1 leaders Timsbury Athletic were brought down to earth with a bump when they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 at home by fellow championship contenders Winscombe. The home side were very much below par but that should take nothing away from the visitors whose first half display was very impressive.
Timsbury could not have made a worst start going behind as early as the second minute. Tony Pow was adjudged to have handled right on the edge of the box and Jory Cureton made no mistake from the penalty spot. Jess Bishop came close to an immediate equalizer extracting a tremendous save from keeper Dan Bullock but it was Winscombe pulling the strings and Josh Wilcox in the home goal had to be alert to keep out an effort from Rob Harraway.
Winscombe’s second goal soon arrived but was controversial. Home defender Josh Swarbrick looked to have had his leg clipped as he moved back to defend but no foul was given and Josh Gibbs took advantage to lob a stranded Wilcox.
With just 25 minutes on the clock Timsbury were three down when Harraway turned well in the box and gave Wilcox no chance with a clinical finish. The Timsbury bench took immediate action withdrawing defender Pow and sending on attacking substitute Ebner Heatley who soon threatened with a fluent run before overrunning the ball. Toby Neilson shot over for the home side but the first 45 minutes was dominated by Winscombe.
Timsbury began the second half in more determined fashion with Bullock saving well from Neilson and Rhys Cook shooting wide. Wilcox then had to be on his toes to keep out two good efforts from Harraway before Timsbury came desperately close to pulling a goal back when Ellis Hancock headed a fine cross from Liam Craze on to the bar.
The home side were much more in the game in the second half but Winscombe still posed a danger and after the impressive Harraway had shot wide from a good position Billy Manning came close to a fourth with an audacious drive from distance which just drifted the wrong side of the post. With time running out Bullock pushed another Hancock header on to the bar to sum up a frustrating afternoon for the league frontrunners.
Malcolm Tucker