SHERBORNE TOWN 2 RADSTOCK TOWN 3
The home side opened brightly and created a number of half-opportunities, but were unable to penetrate the different-looking Miners’ back four.
Manager, Brett Partner, was forced due to unavailability to draft Simon Millard into the right full-back’s role; Jack Metcalf into a central defensive partnership with Scott Gregory and Mason Harrison into the left full-back position.
The visitors gradually imposed themselves on the game and bit-by-bit forced the home side on the back-foot, and keeper, Jamie Beale, did well to keep out efforts from Rustell and Skipp. However, a training ground practice drill worked well on nineteen minutes and allowed Jack Biddescombe to score directly from a corner. Following the goal, Radstock had opportunities to increase their lead, but Mason Harrison’s effort hit the post, and Beale’s legs thwarted both Rico Sobers and Morgan Marsh.
With only a single goal advantage, and despite the visitors dominating possession, Sherborne did look dangerous on the break, and just on half-time they won a corner from which Dan Newens bundled the ball into the net to see the game level at the break.
Stung by the nature and lateness of the equaliser, Radstock took the initiative from the kick-off and a defense-splitting pass from Marsh provided James Rustell an opportunity to reinstate the Miners’ advantage, but before he could pull the trigger he was unceremoniously upended by a defender, and the referee did not hesitate before pointing to the spot. Rustell dusted himself off from the challenge before smashing the ball past Beale for his nineteenth goal in all competitions this campaign.
The second half followed much the same pattern as the first, with the home side doing their best to contain the visitors’ attacking prowess, but looking dangerous on the break. Scrivens, in the Radstock goal, made a great save to keep out a Sam Carney header, but their second equaliser of the game wasn’t long in coming after that, and what a tremendous effort it was.
Latching on to through-ball, Anthony Herrin drove his shot hard and high into the net from the edge of the box. The status quo was maintained for a long time though, and it was the visitors who broke when full-back, Mason Harrison, combined with Rico Sobers to find space ten yards out before smashing the ball into the roof of the net for what proved to be the winning goal. Both sides created chances as the clock ticked down toward the final whistle, but the visitors always looked more likely to add to their lead, rather than Sherborne equalising for a third time.
Whilst not their best performance of the season by any stretch of the imagination, it could prove to be a pivotal point in the campaign as these three points were claimed through sheer grit and commitment, not slick passing, and a lot more performances like this will be needed if the club is to achieve its ambitions.
Dave Wilkinson