Toolstation Western League
First Division
Almondsbury UWE 2, Chard Town 2

IN a game played on a heavy pitch Chard conceded a late goal to give bottom side Almondsbury UWE a share of the points to add to their draw at Chard earlier in the season, writes Mike Froom.

The early part of the first half was mostly confined to the midfield, as neither side could produce good close passing football given the difficult ground conditions.

On 17 minutes James Boyland cut in from the wing with a ball through to Stephen Friend but the effort was cut out by the home defence.

Play continued with both sides unable to get that vital breakthrough.

Almondsbury were wide with a shot on 25 minutes, and Jack Dicker covered well as the hosts broke through minutes later, together with Chard’s goalkeeper Jon Hill saving well from a cross.

On 30 minutes Boyland was brought down on the edge of the penalty area but Patrick Golden’s free-kick appeared to bounce away off the goal-line.

However, the reward came on 33 minutes when Taoufik Ben-Salem put together some good approach work for Boyland to react quickly to a rebound ball, coming in swiftly from the right flank to score.

After home ‘keeper Matt Semple saved a Stephen Friend header, Almondsbury were awarded a free-kick from which Ryan Gourley hit a first-time shot, giving Hill no chance, to equalise on 41 mins.

The second half continued in much the same pattern, as the ground conditions deteriorated further.

With both sides seeking to take the lead, James Boyland was just wide on 50 minutes, together with Andy Holmes clearing the Chard lines minutes later and Almondsbury missing a chance from close range on 57 mins.

With a succession of corners and free-kicks for both sides, Bradley Miles continued to work well for the visitors with several good runs through the middle and a shot which was straight at the ‘keeper on 60 minutes.

The deadlock was broken on 75 minutes when substitute Matthew Howell put over a great cross from the right for Boyland to score his second of the game with a long range shot over Semple’s head and put Chard in the driving seat.

Further substitutions brought on Scott Martin and Scott Jakeman, and Chard upped their game – both Miles and Ben-Salem having scoring chances.

But with time running out a free-kick was awarded to Almondsbury, from which Gourley was in position to hammer the ball home into the net and secure a point.

Chard: Jonathan Hill, Patrick Golden (Scott Martin 83), Ryan Mason, Andrew Holmes, Kieran Bailey, Luke Jackson, Jack Dicker (Matthew Howell 73), Bradley Miles, James Boyland, Stephen Friend (Scott Jakeman 80), Taoufik Ben-Salem.