Toolstation Western League: Clevedon Town 0-1 St Blazey

After five successive wins the Seasiders put in a below par performance and fell to a shock home defeat against a well-organised and hard working St Blazey side, writes Paul Davis.

On a predictably heavy pitch and missing skipper Syd Camper, Kieran Ireland and Henry Westlake, Clevedon paid for a slow start in a reversal of the away game and this time it was St Blazey who won it with a spectacular strike from Reece Carroll.

The first action saw overlapping wing back Will Tinsley break down the right and his cross was stabbed wide by St Blazey skipper Luke Cloke. Clevedon’s first foray up field on 10 minutes saw Glen Hayer and Joe Teall set up Freddie King down the left but King’s cross was easily taken by St Blazey keeper Shaun Semmens.

St Blazey began to dominate the midfield with both wing-backs Tinsley and Carroll finding space to get forward out wide. 

Another break on 21 minutes saw King tripped on the edge of the box and this time Semmens was on hand to tip Harlee Vozza’s free-kick over. 

But that was about it for Town in the first half as the visitors finished stronger. It took two sharp interceptions in the box from Callum Kingdon to cut out St Blazey attacks and then Kingdon did well to block Cloke from Sam Clifton’s through ball.

The Seasiders made a much brighter start to the second half and Semmens made a great save to tip Teall’s shot onto the post only 2 minutes in.

On 70 minutes Hayer headed away a cross from the right, but Carroll unmarked on the back edge of the box hit a spectacular first time volley over Dunn into the roof of the net.

St Blazey’s joy turned to despair seven minutes later when Carroll was shown a straight red for a challenge on Elliot Nicholson.

Clevedon looked to take advantage and Owen Punselie replaced Kent. Beresford’s cross fell to Salmon and Semmens saved but the numbers were evened up when Salmon saw red for a challenge on the edge of the box.

With their tails up again, St Blazey almost added a second on 83 minutes when Dunn’s diving save kept out Dilley’s free-kick, but it also took another save from Semmens when Nicholson headed on Beresford’s cross from the left for Vozza and the keeper did well to push the shot wide.

With Clevedon desperately trying to salvage something Camm headed Nicholson’s cross over, Beresford was high from a Brad Probert free-kick and late runs by King and Vozza were blocked by the hard working visitor’s defence and St Blazey held on for a deserved 1-0 victory.