Somerset County Division 1W
Congresbury 1, Ilminster Town 4

ILMINSTER were due to play bottom of the table Congresbury at home last Saturday but lost the game to the Friday downpour - but the second part of their double header, the away fixture, went ahead despite an overnight freeze in Bristol, writes Andy Fish.

With Jonny Manley suspended and Joe Simmonds and Paul Nichols unavailable, manager Jason Manley brought in Mike McCormack into midfield and Jon Delahaye to lead the attack.

The Town ran out comfortable winners and perhaps should have scored more, dominating possession with a 3-4-3 formation with both wing-backs Sam Rowswell and Jack Male taking the game to the home side in the opening exchanges.

Matt Brown struck the crossbar with a long-range effort and the same player should have scored when finding himself through on goal with just the keeper to beat.

With half time approaching and the score 0-0, Congresbury scored a bizarre own goal when a defender under no real pressure somehow mis-hit the ball into his own net.

Then, on 44 minutes, when a corner from Rosewell was delivered to the far post, Josh Parsons headed home powerfully for his first goal of the season, to take the Blues into the break 2-0 to the good.

Congresbury defended deep in the second half with 10 men behind the ball and it took the best goal of the match to break them down, as Taylor Jefferson beat a couple of players before cutting inside and hitting a fierce shot that went in off the post.

Jefferson, Ilminster’s top scorer, must have been delighted to move off 13 goals - which he has been stuck on since the turn of the year - and his 14th goal of the season seemed to bring his confidence back.

After another fine run, he released Delahaye, who made no mistake with just the keeper to beat sliding the ball past him.

Right at the end, Congresbury won a penalty, which they scored, but this was only a consolation for a side facing relegation.

Ilminster: Matt Bisgrove, Darren Brown, Jon May (C), Josh Parsons, Mike McCormack, Jack Male, Jon Delahaye, Craig Brown, Sam Rowswell, Chris Nezianya, Taylor Jefferson. Subs used: Arron Sweet for McCormack.