Clevedon Town edged a competitive behind-closed-doors friendly at Bridgwater Town on Saturday in a game featuring two losers of the previous week's FA Vase ties.
For much of a shapeless first half in the hot Spring sunshine both teams seemed to be suffering from a Vase hangover.
Clevedon brought in Greg Yarde and played Hengrove Athletic’s Jack Jones up front in an attacking line-up, but they took some time to get going, with the early chances falling to Bridgwater.
Adnan Hiroli cleared the bar with a chip from Mike Duffy’s cross and Glen Hayer headed a dangerous Ryan Brereton cross clear before the first significant action came after 20 minutes when, unfortunately Bridgwater keeper Jake Viney was injured and had to be replaced by substitute keeper Reece Bannister.
Duffy continued to show up well for the hosts from wide on the right but picked up a yellow card after preventing an Elliot Nicholson break.
Then when he switched to the left Duffy almost broke the deadlock after 36 minutes, when his snapshot rebounded off the foot of the post with Harley Wilkinson beaten.
Finally, a break by Jay Murray was blocked by Tom Ellis and that was about it for a disappointing goalless first half.
Clevedon brought on Morgan Williams for Jay Murray for the second half, but again Bridgwater started quickest and Wilkinson was quickly out of his penalty area to boot clear a long through ball.
But Clevedon broke the deadlock just before the hour when Williams threaded the ball through to Jones in space in the area and although Bannister got his hands to the shot, the ball ended up in the back of the net.
The game opened up and Hayer blocked a Brereton shot before Syd Camper sent Ethan Feltham through, but he shot wide.
But Clevedon had only been in front for four minutes when a characteristic Tom Ellis long throw deceived Wilkinson, who was only able to help the ball into the back of the net.
The Seasiders were back in front on 70 minutes with Ellis on the wrong end of Clevedon’s own routine as a quick Callum Kingdon throw from the left into the box, flicked off the head of Ellis into the path of Feltham to tuck home.
Bridgwater tried to get back into the game and Wilkinson saved well from a low Jordan Greenwood shot, after another Ellis long throw.
But although the hosts created further half chances, they were all off target, before Camper cleared a dangerous cross in added time as Clevedon held on for a satisfying win over their Toolstation Western League rivals.
Coach Alex White said: "It was a good competitive workout which is much better than training and it was great to get another win against Bridgwater this season!"
*Clevedon's friendly at Bridgwater had two unusual occurences, including a Jones family reunion as Hengrove Athletic striker Jack went up against dad Stuart, the son of former Ashton & Backwell manager who was assisting the hosts.
The game also featured two current full internationals in Clevedon’s CONIFA Panjab international Glen Hayer and Bridgwater’s Jamie Wilson, who returned after recently playing for the British Virgin Islands in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against St Vincent & the Grenadines.
Clevedon Town: Wilkinson, Nicholson (Baylis 64), Iles, Kingdon, Camper, Hayer, Murray (Willliams 46), C Gould (Davies 64), Feltham , Jones, Yarde. Unused sub: Hedges.
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