The Season So Far:

Around 4 miles separates these two clubs as the crow flies. The home side just north of Bristol Airport lie in 8th place (with a -4 goal difference) in the table, with the visitors from the banks of the Severn estuary in 15th (and a +2 goal difference!). Neither side played on Boxing Day so should be fresh and ready for this meeting – the home Stags’ last game on the 7th December saw them beat high-flying Calne Town 3-2 at home. Portishead won by the same scoreline that weekend, against Lebeq United, but the week after that lost to Warminster. You have to go back to September to find their last win before the Lebeq tie. Ashton & Backwell ended last season in 4th and will certainly look to emulate that kind of finish this time round. Portishead will look to improve on last season’s 16th place finish. Both teams’ erratic form suggests that this game could go either way and it will hopefully be an entertaining match up.

The Visit:

It was business as usual as I made my way to Trowbridge railway station. The train was full of Bath Rugby fans who thankfully departed at Bath Spa, letting me find a seat for the remainder of the journey to Bristol. A quick change at Temple Meads station and it wasn’t long before I was stepping off at Nailsea and Backwell. From here it was an easy 15 minute walk south to the ground. On the near side lies the club house, tea bar and changing room buildings. In front of the latter is a couple of rows of covered seating. On the opposite side are the dugouts, and to the side of these is another small seated stand. There is little but flat, uncovered standing behind both goals. The pitch is one of the least flat I’ve seen in a while, with a definite slope down towards one corner.

As the game kicked off a good number of people departed the clubhouse and boosted the crowd to one more befitting of a local derby. It was a slow start, the first chance was an acrobatic attempt comfortably turned over by Portishead’s George Shanks-Boon. Not long after, the visitors almost gifted their hosts an opener. Trying to play out of defence, the ball was nicked off them but the eventual shot was charged down allowing for Shanks-Boon to collect. Ten minutes later and Portishead almost took the lead – a dangerous corner leading to a vital goal line clearance from a defending Stag. Back down the other end and a brilliant diagonal ball found Ashton’s right winger whose cross, at the second attempt, looped up and an ambitious bicycle kick ended up well over the bar. On 26 minutes, home keeper Liam Jacques pulled off a good save after Portishead was calling for handball in the box. The loose ball was smacked towards goal but Jacques got across to push it to safety. The deadlock was broken on 37 minutes from the penalty spot. No complaints from any Posset men after an Ashton striker got past his man and was brought down. Number 4 Joe Bishop stood up to take and confidently sent Shanks-Boon the wrong way. The lead would only last a little over 5 minutes. A free kick was not properly cleared, the ball landing at the feet of George Parsons (wearing number 4 as well) who finished well into the bottom corner. The half finished level and was probably an accurate reflection of the game so far.

Only Billy Devoy will know if the main talking point of the game was intended or not. 4 minutes into the second half, the right back sent the ball deep into the box. What seemed at first like a cross sent the visiting keeper back-pedalling but to no avail as the ball sailed into the top corner. Nonetheless it was a spectacular start to the half. It failed to really spark the game into life, though. 10 minutes later and hearts were in mouths for a different reason with Posset’s Joe Lott colliding with the concrete wall in front of the Bill Coggins stand. There was a lengthy stoppage as he was treated, and eventually substituted, seemingly as a precaution. This prompted a defensive reshuffle with right back Ollie Carter slotting into a more central role. With 15 minutes remaining, Stags’ captain Sam Thomas earned himself a booking – the referee ruling him not to be the last man as he brought down a Portishead striker. The resulting free kick was curled well around the wall but beaten away by Jacques. Energetic substitute Charlie Saunders almost sealed the win for the home side. Finding himself one-on-one with Shanks-Boon he got a toe to the ball and was caught by the on-rushing keeper. The ball ended up just wide and the Posset goalie would be breathing a sigh of relief as Saunders was judged to have been offside anyway. With 7 minutes to go, goal scorer Parsons seemed to re-enter the field of play. I could be wrong but it seemed as though he was possibly sin-binned 10 minutes earlier. I will try to get confirmation of this. Saunders would have the final real chance of the game – a half-volley wide after a misdirected header from his captain fell kindly for him. Full time 2-1.

It was a competitive game and probably just about a fair result. The home side climbed up to 6th with the three points gained today, while Portishead remain in 15th albeit 10 points better-off than joint bottom Bishop Sutton and Bristol Telephones. All round not the best game ever but a stunning winner to cap off the year for me, plus a warm welcome from the club made it well worth the visit.

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