Toolstation/Hellenic Portishead boost title bid
PORTISHEAD Town put themselves in a great position to win the Toolstation League First Division title with a 1-0 home victory against fellow challengers Radstock Town.
Kyle Egan settled a tense affair when he scored the rebound after his first-half penalty had been saved. Victory took Portishead above Radstock on goal difference, with both teams on 74 points. Wincanton top the table on 76 points, but Portishead hold four games in hand on Wincanton and Radstock, so will be hopeful of going on to clinch the title.
Fourth-placed Cribbs Reserves are also on 74 points following a 3-1 success at Middlezoy Rovers, but have played five games more than Portishead.
Bitton, in fifth, boosted their play-off hopes with a 3-1 derby win at Longwell Green Sports, thanks to goals from Lewis Russell, Harry Haughton and Joe Garland.
Seventh-placed Brislington, with games in hand on every team above them, were held to a 1-1 home draw by Cadbury Heath. Bris took an early lead before Dominic Anderson equalised in the first half. Shirehampton came from behind twice to win 4-2 at home to AEK Boco, courtesy of two goals apiece from Ryan Radford and Louis Snailham.
Keynsham Town equalised early in the second half in a 1-1 draw with Bradford Town at the AJN Stadium. A penalty from Cory Thomas-Barker gave Hallen the lead at home to Wells City, but the visitors ran out 3-1 winners.
Bristol Telephones lost 1-0 at Cheddar, while Bishop Sutton gained just their third point of the season with an excellent 0-0 draw at Gillingham.
Hengrove Athletic won 2-1 at home to Odd Down. Oscar Sullivan gave the Downers a first-half lead with an own goal but then scored in the right net along with Connor Kingdon to secure victory for the hosts.
In the Premier Division, Nailsea & Tickenham pushed title challengers Falmouth Town all the way in Cornwall but were eventuallyh beaten by a Jared Sims strike.
Tom Blake gave Oldland Abbotonians a second-minute lead at Wellington, but Mark Cornish equalised in the 65th minute and Sam Towler converted an 87thminute penalty to give the home side victory.
Welton Rovers belied their second-bottom position in the table to give leaders Helston Athletic a scare at West Clewes. Joe Cattermole gave Welton a 16th-minute lead, but the Cornish side pulled level on 33 minutes and won the game with a 67th-minute penalty.
In the Hellenic League Premier Division, Roman Glass St George’s play-off hopes are starting to fade after a 3-1 defeat at Cinderford Town dropped Andy Gurney’s side to eighth in the table. Charlie Saunders scored for Roman Glass with a superb 34th-minute volley.
In Division One, Chipping Sodbury Town’s relegation fears deepened with a 1-0 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Kidlington Reserves. FC Bristol are three points off the last play-off place following a 5-2 win at Moreton Rangers, in which Chris Dacosta (2), Fabian McCarthy, Dan Payne and Tristan Plummer scored their goals.
stand 11th in the table after a 2-0 home success against Southam United.