FOOTBALL: Ilminster Town 2, Langford Rovers 2 (From Chard & Ilminster News)

FOOTBALL: Ilminster Town 2, Langford Rovers 2

7:00pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009 in Sport

ILMINSTER Town warmed up for this Saturday’s big Somerset Senior Cup Second Round match at Westland Sports with a 2-2 draw against promotion rivals Langford Rovers.

Blues’ boss Darren Manley takes his side to Yeovil this weekend hoping to gain another cup scalp against Westland who are currently fourth in the Dorset Premier League.

Westland play at a higher level than Ilminster, but that does not hold any concerns for Manley with his side having chalked up a First Round victory at Wincanton, who also play in the Dorset Premier.

“We can go there and have nothing to worry about,” he said.

“We will go and try and play our normal game and we’re looking forward to it.

“They’ve got a good pitch and that should help us.”

A last gasp goal from Charlie Rutter ensured that Ilminster gained a share of the spoils last weekend in their match with Langford at Canal Way in Division One of the Somerset County League.

Ilminster opened the scoring in the first-half through Sam Maxwell, but Langford hit back and equalised with a free-kick which took a deflection on its way into the net.

The visitors then took the lead from another free-kick and with the weather conditions deteriorating rapidly, it looked as if Ilminster would be falling to only their second league defeat of the season.

But then up-popped Rutter to grab a dramatic late equaliser to ensure the Blues got a point for their efforts.

But Manley said: “I thought the ref was going to abandon the game because the weather was getting worse and it was getting really dark.

“We played really well in the first half-an-hour and should have had the game won. We created three or four good chances.

“But we then took our foot off the gas and switched off a little which allowed Langford back in.”

But Manley added: “I would have taken a point before the game.”

Ilminster are fifth in the table on 27 points but have games in hand on the teams above them in which they could move up the pecking order if successful in those matches.