Top of the League

Starting line up - Joe Haynes as CS’s keeper, back line from left to right Dan Adams, Ali Johnston, Jim Smith and Harry Elsmore. Back in his role as centre defence midfield was James Coles, with Simon Jones with the centre attacking midfield position, with Curt Bradley on the left wing and Jacques Daly on the right. The two starting forwards were Mark Sawyer and Ben Witt. Jamie Everett and Skipper Fin Porter started on the side line, with Jamie stepping in to the left back position and the Skipper playing his usual role on the right wing.

Facing off against a strong side of a 16 from Minehead A, who embarrassed CS last season with a jaw dropping 5 minute turn around which saw CS going from 3-1 up to losing 4-3, CS were quick to show that they meant business, pressing the Minehead midfield. Within the first 10 minutes, Mark Sawyer had picked up a good passed ball scored CS’s first goal. Shortly after a rebound found Mark again who swung at the ball, which bounced a reported 6 times before bouncing in the bottom left. CS’s tied for top goal scorer would later state that this bounce ball had been his plan all along.

Before Mark Sawyer could finish off his hat-trick, a bounced ball off the keeper was picked up an inch from the line by Skipper Fin Porter to secure his first goal of the season. Some would say that the ball was going in, some say that it was going to stop short, but the captain would say that he was not thinking about the goal on the team sheet, purely guaranteeing the goal.

To finish off the first half with a bang, Curtis Bradley put away a goal from a rebound, even with a potentially fractured hand, to put Taunton CS 4-nil up at half time.

After an inspiring half time team talk from the captain that went something along the lines of do what we just did again, CS came out in to the second half with some good passing work and much of the same from the first.

Simon Jones scored a fantastic goal from the top of the D after barrelling through a very young striker on the Minehead side.

Finally, Mark Sawyer was able to nip one more passed the Minehead keeper to secure his hat-trick.

Man of the Match was awarded to Joe Heinz for once again dominating the opposing offence, aggressively pursuing the ball and using every part of his body keep Minehead at 0. An onlooker was overheard describing the CS Keeper as “Some sort of Swedish Ninja”.

Honourable Mention to Curt Bradley for putting the effort in, a very high work rate and a well taken goal.

DotD was rightly awarded to James Coles who received a green card for over aggressive play, swinging tackles from behind and just being a little over zealous, had to ask the umpire what he was being sent off for.