Somerset Division One West

Minehead 3 Ilminster Town 0

THE Seasiders claimed a comfortable league double over their under-strength opponents, with two early goals making it plain sailing for the rest of the contest.

Aaron Ireton opened the scoring with less than 60 seconds on the clock when he pipped advancing keeper Chris May to Jack Furse’s defence splitting pass, poking the ball into the unguarded net.

Shortly afterwards, and minutes after being booked for a late tackle, midfielder Harry Scatchard headed Ireton’s deep cross home at the far post for the second, as Minehead looked likely to run riot.

Mid-way through the first half, Ireton’s jinking run which saw him cutting in from near the corner flag, beating three players taking him along the line towards the goal, finished with him shooting against the foot of the post from an acute angle with May beaten.

The keeper proceeded to keep his side in the game with two fine saves late in the first half, diving full length to keep out a 30 yard effort from Scatchard and then a slightly closer shot from Furse needed an effective reactionary parry.

After the break Scatchard made it three when his shot from just outside of the box took a big enough deflection off a defender to give May no chance of stopping it from reaching the top corner.

Midway through the half, substitute Max Smith stole the ball from the last defender but having beaten the busy keeper with his right footed drive, he too saw the ball hit the foot of the post.

The visitors, who played with just 10 men for almost sixty minutes of the contest, fought gallantly to the end, but the result was never in doubt after the Blues’ quick start.

The Blues’ home run continues with two more Irnham Road encounters over the Easter weekend - this Saturday a six-pointer bring Cleeve West Town to The Rec, when Minehead will look to avenge a 6-0 drubbing inflicted on them when they visited the North Somerset club for the first time last December on a day best forgotten.

Then on Easter Monday, bottom but one St George Easton in Gordano provide the Blues with another opportunity to gain revenge, having become the first team to be beaten by the then basement club when they put five goals past them, a week prior to the disaster at Cleeve West.

Both matches kick off at 3pm.

Man of the Match: Harry Scatchard (Minehead)

Minehead: S Tarr, M Rowland, M Cracknell, S Lynch, A Gubb, C Newbold, H Scatchard, A Ireton, D Redman, J Furse, G Burns. Subs: F Ndiomo, M Smith, C Hodgson (All Used)

Gerry Hatrick Man of the Match: Harry Scatchard