TIMSBURY ATHLETIC 2 NAILSEA AND TICKENHAM 1
Somerset Senior Cup holders, Nailsea and Tickenham, are out of this year’s competition after being beaten 2-1 away to Division One Timsbury Athletic.
After going two-up in the first half, the home side lost keeper, Charlie Phillips, to injury just before the interval, but central defender, Ben Hancock, did a good job in the second period as the home side defended well.
After Scott Pilgrim had shot just over for the visitors, Jem Lutwama gave Timsbury a tenth-minute lead. A short free-kick from Hancock to Jack Nix saw the latter cross into the area, and Lutwama was on-hand to steer the ball home.
Ollie Carter also cleared the bar for Nailsea, before Lutwama doubled the lead on twenty minutes after being set up by Rhys Cook. Cook himself could have added to the lead, but shot over. At the other end, Tyler Manning saw a free-kick blocked by the home rearguard, while an effort from Toby Neilson for Timsbury was deflected just-wide.
Close to half-time, Luke Osgood went up with Phillips and headed just past the post, but Phillips came down heavily and had to be carried off.
Early in the second half, Chris Midgley saw his shot saved at the near post by visiting keeper, George Shanks-Boon, but as Nailsea upped the momentum, Chris Gale struck just-wide and Osgood hooked his effort wide.
Cook raced clear for the home side, but his shot was well-wide, before Nailsea pulled a goal back after 65 minutes when Gale hammered an unstoppable shot past Hancock.
The goalkeeper then blocked a goal-bound effort from Osgood before Timsbury came within a fraction of adding to their lead, when Cook volleyed against the woodwork.
Hancock did well to deal with a testing free-kick from substitute, Josh Benjamin, and Timsbury had to hold their nerve in a tense period of stoppage time. Osgood headed against the bar during that period, but Timsbury survived for a famous victory.
Star Man of the Match: Matt Brooks, Timsbury Athletic.
Malcolm Tucker