Recap

Report

The Peacocks’ failed to turn the tide in their second home game of the season as the Boatmen sailed home with a point tied to their mast. This encounter had little of the drama that had unfolded a fortnight earlier against Gloucester, with Town fighting back to cancel out an early Sholing goal but dropping off after the break as the visitors looked the likelier team to snatch a decider.

Taunton showed two changes from the previous game at Hungerford, with Owen Brain and Alfie Moulden coming in for David Duru and Charlie Dashfield. The early momentum was firmly with Sholing though, Jake Hesketh having a shot blocked before the Boatmen skipper was instrumental in his side’s goal after eight minutes, finding acres of space down the middle to feed Brad Targett on the right and from his cross Dan Mason glanced his header beyond Adam Parkes into the net.

The home side soon began to find a foothold in the game and were agonisingly close to drawing level after 11 minutes. Tom Smith found Brain on the right and when keeper Charlie Searle blocked his attempt the loose ball reached Archie Ferris whose lunge found the post, the ball rebounding back off him on its way out. The welcome return of Brain wasn’t such good news for Sholing as he tormented down the left, a good run inside seeing his shot deflect for a corner. Smith then tested Searle with two strikes, the first one proving a safe hold but the second from distance forcing the keeper to dive acrobatically to turn the shot wide.

Taunton were now on top and drew level on 34 minutes, Sholing losing possession for Moulden to drill home via the underside of the bar from the edge of the box for his first goal in a Peacocks shirt. Further openings came up to the break but without being capitalised on. Smith blasted a free kick over while his pass fed Tom Purrington who weaved into the box to dink his effort narrowly wide of the far post. Sholing then reminded Town that they were still there during added time at the end of the half when Joe Rabbetts’ strike whistled inches over the bar, leaving it all to play for at the interval.

Frustratingly reminiscent of the Gloucester game, the Peacocks faded as an attacking force in the second half and Sholing wrested the initiative. Charlie Gunson had a shot deflect wide before he turned on to Hesketh’s threaded through ball to see another effort glance off a defender to earn another corner. Town introduced new signings Jayden Nielsen and Aysa Corrick with 25 minutes remaining, with Nielsen involved down the left as he drove a cross over the top while Corrick soon began to impose his physicality. Chances remained elusive though and Parkes had to be alert at the opposite end to palm Gunson’s cross over.

Taunton brought on all three remaining replacements during the final quarter, but Sholing and their keeper Searle were rarely troubled. Saying that, the visitors weren’t posing too many threats despite having the better of it. Lee Wort ballooned over the top before Targett broke through, but Parkes was there to deny him, Jake Gardner-Smith’s follow-up being deflected wide. Late Boatmen pressure during four added minutes yielded nothing as Town held firm for a point after another game of chalk and cheese.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Adam Parkes, Eddie Jones, Tiago Sa, Ollie Woodhouse, Toby Down, Tom Purrington (Charlie Dashfield 89), Tom Smith (captain) (Harris Feltham 85), Archie Ferris (David Duru 74), Owen Brain (Aysa Corrick 64), Jake Hodgson, Alfie Moulden (Jayden Nielsen 64).

Sholing: Charlie Searle, Benny Read (Jake Flanagan 76), Dan Miller, Harry Taylor, Charlie Gunson (Frankie Monk 76), Dan Mason (Lee Wort 78), Jake Hesketh (Seung Yang 76), Bradley Targett, Max Bustamante MacAire (Dan Fitchett 59), Joe Rabbetts, Jake Gardner-Smith

Officials

Referee: Thomas Berry (Cobham)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Louis Stone (Chickerell)
Referee’s Assistant 2: Matthew Uren (Crediton)

Attendance

655

Reaction

“I think we were the better team first half, really disappointed to give a soft goal away…..” watch the reaction of manager Richard Luffman on Peacocks TV HERE

Highlights

Match highlights can be seen on Peacocks TV HERE

Photos

Match photos from club photographer Debbie Gould can be viewed HERE

Taunton Town MOM

Tom Smith receives the Taunton Town Man Of The Match award, as chosen by club sponsors JMT Plastering, from Club Director Lloyd Irish

Many Thanks To Our Match Mascots 

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