Portishead Town 5 Bishops Cleeve 0
By Matt Gillett / 8th November
This is surely what’s meant by a ‘statement win.’ Bishop’s Cleeve, arriving unbeaten and 2nd, were blown away 5-0 by a superb Portishead Town team performance that leaves them 3 points clear at the top of the league.
With Portishead facing their stiffest challenge of the season it was a predictably closely contested opening, no quarter asked or given. Tom Llewellyn, perpetual motion as always, was amongst a number of players making important early challenges. Jack Thorne, for example, dropped deep to win key tackles. Portishead though carried the greater threat – Mitch Osmond’s 9th minute shot was saved by Bishops Cleeve’s keeper Lewis Clayton while from Kyle Egan’s free-kick Ollie Woodhouse headed just wide.
Osmond came close again and Aron Robbins, who was happy to hunt possession in the opposition half, had a shot over the bar. The visitors had several tricky forwards but with Woodhouse and Hamish Hurst making timely interventions Bishops Cleeve had few chances. Ryan Thacker did though have to be on his toes to tip over a good 35th minute effort from distance. Posset got their noses in front on 40 minutes, Thorne’s great left wing run and cross was converted by Jay Murray’s brave far post header.
In the second half Portishead began to turn the screw and dominate territorially, playing at pace they forced their opponents back. Murray, at his mesmerising best, linked well with Jamie Adams on the right. Likewise, Thorne was a constant threat out left and, from Egan’s pass, he set up Feltham who had his shot pushed out by Clayton. Egan’s driven corner was met by a superb Feltham header, 62 minutes gone 2-0.
Clayton saved a 68th minute Feltham shot then Murray saw an effort go just wide. Lucas Vowles replaced Thorne and shortly after, in the 73rd minute, the substitute played a dangerous ball in from the right. As Bishops Cleeve’s defender struggled to clear, Feltham picked his pocket and bagged the goal. On 78 minutes Vowles won a free kick in the inside left position. Osmond hit a sublime right-foot shot into the far corner, reward for another cracking midfield display.
Bishops Cleeve were well and truly gone but Portishead’s intensity didn’t drop, mounting wave after wave of attacks. With 84 minutes gone Egan and Murray linked up out left, the ball was delivered into the box and Vowles buried it for 5-0, underlining his impact from the bench. Even after that Clayton had to save again from Murray.
At times Portishead’s football was nothing short of breathtaking but they’d worked incredibly hard establishing the platform for such a convincing win. You can almost run out of superlatives for these lads sometimes.
Darren Vowles