By Matt Gillett / 22nd April

Western League Premier Champions Portishead Town rounded off their league campaign with an entertaining 2-2 at local rivals Nailsea & Tickenham. The result took Posset on to 91 points for the season, an incredible 43 from the last 48 available.

Portishead brought Hamish Hurst, Elliot Ripley, Josh Honey and Jake Packham into the starting 11. Nailsea & Tickenham, requiring points for their playoff bid, nearly made the early breakthrough. Inside 2 minutes Posset keeper Ryan Thacker had to save at the forwards feet as the home team broke into the box.

But it was Portishead drawing first blood inside 8 minutes. Jay Murray showed neat ball skills before finishing low past the keeper. In response N&T loaded several balls into the Posset box, well dealt with by Ripley and Toby Lawrence. The visitors nearly extended their lead through Ethan Feltham’s 12th minute shot well saved by N&T’s keeper before he had another effort blocked after good work from Hurst and Dean Griffiths.

The hosts though would consider themselves unfortunate not to level after 20 minutes when a header from a right-wing cross down hit the foot of the post. But with Packham and Mitch Osmond getting through a huge amount of work in midfield, Portishead had the greater of the chances. N&T’s keeper was forced into a 33rd minute point blank save from Murray after Feltham’s cross. In the 40th minute Feltham battled for the ball on the right wing, it broke to Packham who squared for Dean Griffiths to smash home for 2-0.

Second half, and in the windy conditions, N&T opted to go direct with Thacker decisively claiming the ball in a packed penalty area. Posset made early changes with Sean Keet, Tom Llewellyn and Kyle Egan all joining the fray. Honey, now wide right up front in a 4-3-3, set Griffiths away with a good flick on in the 62nd minute with the keeper saving low. Then another N&T long ball in the 67th minute found Luke Osgood in the box, he took the ball down well and finished low to pull a goal back.

Instantly Feltham broke right and saw his powerful drive tipped over. And Posset’s centre forward nearly sealed it when his 87th minute volley, from Egan’s corner, forced another save. But the home team’s efforts finally paid off on 91 minutes. Striking the woodwork again with a header this time they were able to convert the rebound to make it 2-2.

So, Portishead concluded their stellar league season and a successive promotion, achieved with an exceptional work ethic and a hugely entertaining brand of football. And still a cup final to go!

Thanks to Ollie Riddoch Photography for all the photographs seen here.