Swindon Supermarine 1 Portishead Town 2

By Matt Gillett / 25th October

Portishead Town oozed grit and determination to take all three points at Swindon Supermarine. Clawing their way back from going a goal down, then going a man down Kyle Egan’s 88thminute penalty sealed the 2-1 win.

Manager Kye Mountford was once again able to pick an unchanged starting line-up after the high energy midweek draw with Frome Town. Plenty of effort from both sides in the first half without either being able to establish superiority. Supermarine, unbeaten in four, looked to get balls into the box with Jamie Adams, Ollie Woodhouse, Sean Keet and Aron Robbins all resolute in defence. Tom Llewellyn was winning challenges all over the pitch and Ethan Feltham scrapped for everything up front.

Darren Vowles

Efforts on goal were at a premium though and the only score of the half came on 28 minutes when, capitalising on a mix up in the Posset defence, Supermarine’s Joe Beardwell finished into an empty net.

Lucas Vowles was introduced for the second half to partner Feltham. Posset’s tempo was noticeably quicker as they pressed higher up the pitch. In the 58th minute Vowles headed over after Kyle Egan and Mitch Osmond combined well. Supermarine, quick in attack, were now playing on the break, and it took a Woodhouse saving tackle on 63 minutes to tidy up in the Posset defence. But with Jack Thorne also adding his pace to Portishead’s front line the visitors were certainly in the ascendancy.

A dismissal for Keet in the 70th minute, after a second yellow card, was a setback but if anything, it further galvanisedPosset. The visitors went three at the back, Hamish Hurst joining the action and soon battling for possession, while Osmond and Llewellyn continued to drive Portishead forward. Sheer persistence after 74 minutes kept the ball deep in the Supermarine half. After good work by Thorne and Egan, Feltham burst across the box superbly finishing low and from an angle into the far corner.

Darren Vowles

So, back on level terms, whether to stick or twist? The faint hearted amongst us might have taken the draw. Posset though had their tails up and smelt blood, just four minutes later only the post denied Feltham another goal. In the 83rd minute it was Osmond firing just wide. Supermarine weren’t out of it and it required an excellent Ryan Thacker save to keep out an effort from George Alston, a threat all game.

Then came Portishead’s reward. Supermarine’s keeper rushed from his goal, fouling Vowles in the process. With ice in his veins, Egan calmly converted from the spot. Posset saw out the five minutes of added time and, to the cheers of the travelling fans, pulled off a stunning victory.