CHARD 2nds lost 3-2 at home to Shepton Mallet in their final friendly before the start of the league season.

The match proved to be a very worthwhile workout for a squad of 18 players form Chard’s 2nd and 3rd XIs against good quality opposition.

Chard’s forwards, who received plenty of midfield support, showed lots of early promise. Shepton were indebted to their keeper who was on excellent form from the off, making a string of reaction saves to prevent Chard taking the lead their approach play deserved.

The failure to put away their chances came back to haunt the home side. Steve Mahoney made a goal-line save from Shepton’s first meaningful attack but the visitors converted their next.

With new captain Gareth Eggle trying to give the whole squad a chance to play, the frequent rotation of players worked well apart from in the back line.

Chard lost their shape for a time and forgot who was marking who.

Shepton would have added to their tally but for some fine saves from keeper Berge Balion.

Then, on the stroke of half time, Liam Murphy rounded his marker just inside Shepton’s 25 metre line and with Dan Stone drawing defenders away, Murphy had space and time to shoot from the top of the D finally, beating the keeper to put Chard on level terms.

The second half was more evenly balanced in terms of goal-scoring chances but it was Chard who went ahead from one of their penalty corners.

In a change of routine Eggle, having received the ball injected by Murphy, feinted to shoot but played a return pass. Murphy’s shot from the left angle caught keeper and defenders off balance and unable to react.

The lead proved short lived as Shepton’s burly centre forward found a way to slip the ball across marker and Balion in goal from what appeared to be too tight an angle.

And it was Shepton who went on to claim the winning goal in the final ten minutes with a raid down the Chard left flank. A cross to the top of the D was met by a perfectly timed run from one of their midfielders who held off the challenge of Kyle Wheaton to score.

Umpires: Trevor Goss and EJ Sterland.