Timsbury Athletic’s crucial home match with fellow-promoted Wells City Reserves in the UHlsport Somerset County League Division One ended with honours even after a hard fought 1-1 draw. The equation is now simple. If Timsbury win their two remaining matches, both against Middlezoy Rovers Reserves , they will be champions.
Wells created the first real chance of note after 10 minutes when Jack Padfield burst clear on the left and forced Ashton Tucker in the home goal to save well, pushing his shot over the bar. The same player was just over with another effort before the visitors took an 18th minute lead when another cross from the left saw Jake Brown head home.
It was halfway through the half before Timsbury caused a serious threat with an Ellis Hancock shot going just wide. The home side’s equalizer when it came was the result of perseverance from leading scorer Rhys Cook who put Wells keeper Harrison Veale under pressure and then slotted the ball in from well wide on the right.
A frantic goalmouth scramble saw Timsbury come close to adding a second while Tucker had to leave his goal quickly to foil the dangerous Padfield. Right on half-time Cook came close to another goal but his clever flick went just wide.
Early in the second half Cook put Hancock through but his shot was blocked and Cook himself shot wide. As Wells stepped up the pressure the Timsbury defence held firm and Tucker dealt well with high balls in the windy conditions especially from a probing cross from Rob Banfield.
Timsbury always looked dangerous on the break and a fine ball from Toby Neilson sent Chris Midgley clear only for the forward to lose control as the ball bobbled. For all their pressure Wells failed to create many clear cut chances and an effort from distance from Ollie Bryant which went over the bar was the nearest they came.
It was a contest befitting of the two best teams in the division and well controlled by referee Dean Wheatley with the season’s final outcome still to be decided.
Malcolm Tucker