Ilminster Town play their first home match under floodlights

Ilminster Town played their first-ever match totally under their new floodlights and, for the third home match in a row, the points were shared with top-five side Newton Abbot Spurs, writes Andrew Fish.

There were over 200 in the ground at the end as teams finished training sessions and the youth matches on earlier had finished.

The recently upgraded ground looked magnificent in the first evening of British Summertime.

Kai Swan gave the visitors an 11th-minute lead only for Ed Butcher to score a fine individual equaliser as he cut in from the left and finished well to make it 1-1.

Shay Allen made a great point-blank save to keep the scores level, as he reacted sharply.

Ed Butcher then made a fine run down the left before crossing across the face of the goal, where Jack Steer was in the right place to finish off the move from close range, 2-1.

Just before half-time, Brad Crocombe lost his head right in front of the dugouts as he followed through on Karl Davis to earn a straight red card.

With their opponents reduced to ten men, the Blues played with confidence.

Butcher, once again, made an impact by cutting in from the right and delivering a cutback to Taylor Jefferson inside the 18-yard box.

Jefferson struck the ball cleanly, but unfortunately watched it sail just over the crossbar.

The visitors had a potent strike force, with the South West Peninsula (East) 26-goal leading scorer Toby Pulman well matched by both Tom Case and Lee Sweet.

The team advanced assertively, posing an increasing threat as they consistently delivered long passes to their forward pair.

Their efforts were rewarded in the 80th minute when they secured a long throw-in, utilising two or three players capable of launching the ball into the 18-yard box.

This time it worked as, after the long throw caused mayhem in the penalty box, and after a goal-mouth scramble, Tom Lobb scored from close range to make it 2-2.

Karl Davis, up from the reserves, had a fine match and he caused problems for the visitors' back line with a couple of great deliveries into the penalty box in injury time.

The match concluded with Ilminster expressing some disappointment at dropping points to Newton Abbot Spurs, who currently hold fifth place in the table, particularly given their opponents were reduced to ten players.

The visitors' sustained dominance during the final twenty minutes arguably justified the outcome.

Ed Butcher, on loan from Exmouth, was the star man for Ilminster, involved in both goals and a constant menace to the Spurs back line.