With a double from Owen Brain and a well-taken finish from Ben Bament, Bristol Manor Farm took all three points away from Paulton on a crisp Saturday afternoon in the Mendips, writes Jack Davies.
Neither team had won since the turn of the year, but Farm got off to the perfect start after just six minutes. Owen Brain nicked the ball around a defender and coolly slotted into the far corner to put Farm ahead. Farm were piling the pressure on but were caught on the break by the home side. A mix up at the back allowed Paulton in and the ball was smashed past Seth Locke for parity. The lively Jayden Nielsen had already had a few early pops at goal, and he had two in as many minutes on the half hour. Brain and Daniel Dodimead combined well to set him for a shot that whistled just over before a lightening counter ended with Nielsen again, but this time he fired wide. The frantic end to the half continued as the game swung end to end. Former Farm keeper Frankie Phillips parried another Brain effort before current shot stopper Locke denied McBeam at the other end. The games key turning point came in additional time. Just minutes after Langlais hit the post for the home side, Farm took the lead again. Owen Brain delivered a devilish cross from a wide free kick and the ball sailed all the way into the far corner.
Farm came flying out of the traps in the second half, looking to build on their slender lead. Brain fired just wide as he went searching his hat-trick before an unfortunate bobble led to George Kellow firing over at the back post. Ben Bament had run himself in the ground all game and almost got his reward in the 70th minute. He manufactured space for himself just inside the area but could only find the hands of Phillips. Any fears of a late sting in the tale were ended in the final minute as Bament finally got the goal his performance deserved. The striker didn’t give up on a lost cause ball forward and once he’d muscled himself in on goal, he slid the ball through Phillips’ legs to secure all three points for the Farm.