Toolstation Brislington’s double dream dashed by Shepton Mallet
BRISLINGTON’S bid to end their amazing season with a league and cup double ended in disappointment on Wednesday night with a 3-1 defeat at Shepton Mallet in the Les Phillips Cup semi-finals.
After storming to the Toolstation League First Division title on the back of a 24-game winning streak, which was 27 in all competitions, Brislington were looking to overcome a Shepton side that finished eighth in the Premier Division.
An evenly-contested and open first half ended 1-1, with both sides having gone close to adding further goals.
Bris took an eighth-minute lead when winger Joe McLennan, who was outstanding throughout, got to the byline on the left and crossed for Oaklan Buck to score from six yards out.
Shepton drew level in the 21st minute when dual-registered striker Joe Morgan, who had played the first half of the season for Shepton before joining Paulton Rovers, finished off a low cross from the left which goalkeeper George Dorrington failed to gather.
Brislington started the second half well, only to fall behind in the 55th minute when Danny Constable set up impressive left winger Jacob Sloggett to score with a 15-yard shot. Constable scored a third for Shepton from similar distance in the 70th minute, following good work by Josh Jenkins, and Bris were reduced to 10 soon after when skipper Asa White was sent off following an off-the-ball incident involving Shepton’s Harry Rutty.
Brislington showed great spirit to
try to find a way back into the tie, coming close on a few occasions to reducing the deficit, but ultimately it was Shepton that moved into the final, where they will play Helston Athletic at Tiverton Town FC a week tomorrow.
On Bank Holiday Monday, Cadbury Heath ensured their Step 5 status after a 2-1 home win against third-placed Barnstaple Town lifted them off the foot of the Toolstation League Premier Division.
Heath’s first win since late October was secured via an early strike from Matt Isaacs and an 82nd-minute
winner from Callum Whooley. Heath’s victory left Keynsham Town at the foot of the table, but it is unclear at this stage whether Ks will be relegated. With Ashton & Backwell having resigned from the league and other Bristol-area clubs considering asking for a switch to the Hellenic League, due to the excessive travelling in the Toolstation Premier, the make-up of the Toolstation divisions for next season is still very much a work in progress.
Like Heath, Oldland Abbotonians will be playing at Step 5 level next season following their dramatic 2-1 promotion play-off win against Shirehampton at the Aitchison Playing Field on Monday.
As reported in Tuesday’s Bristol Post, Matthew Green’s penalty and a close-range strike from Mason Davis secured victory for Oldland, after Scott Bamford had given Shire the lead. In a dramatic finish, Shire were denied an equaliser from the last kick of the game by a goalline clearance, with Shire players appealing the ball was over the line.