Wrington Redhill 0 Minehead 2

This was an excellent League Cup tie between current leaders Wrington Redhill and second placed Minehead living up to pre-match expectations. Both teams played their parts in entertaining performances.
The first half was pulsating although the home side were unable to convert the number of scoring chances whilst the visitors took a 1-0 lead from a well drilled set piece corner.
Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi was terrorising the Minehead defenders and as early as the fifth minute was through on goal, but his effort thwarted by a last-ditch block. On the counter the visitors’ skipper Stefan Phillips ventured forward fired across goal winning a corner which was safely defended away.
Next up was the lively Joe Creese unfortunate to see his driving cross shot cleared for another Wrington Redhill corner. Against the run of play at this stage Minehead forced a corner. A pinpoint accurate delivery by Callun Bamfield found the head of top scorer Ben Aston who powerfully nodded past James Williams to take the lead.
This setback was the spur for the hosts to press even harder to get on level terms and for the last fifteen minutes of the half completely dominated play with some slick passing movements. Creese and Ferguson-Obamwonyi were causing all sorts of problems as Ollie Clements, Sam Parkinson and Cory Thomas-Barker taking control of the midfield play.
Minehead’s keeper Kyran Wilkins was the busiest player at this time. Parkinson fed Thomas-Barker and his fierce volley was tipped over by Wilkins. He then made another save as Ferguson-Obamwonyi was on another mazy run into the box. It was the turn of Jack Hutchings shooting over the bar followed up with Milkins pulling off yet another saves. How the hosts did not get back on level terms or even go ahead was largely down to Wilkins.
The second half saw Minehead come out of the blocks quickly and Dan Ferguson, Ethan Johnson, with full backs Si Hewish and Ryan Pugh standing firm as three long range shots were wide and over the woodwork. Pugh then got forward and his cross into the box was headed just wide by Thomas-Barker. Creese after a good run forward fed Ferguson-Obamwonyi whose shot was again pushed away by Wilkins.
As the game approached the later stages Wrington Redhill pushed forward, and player/manager Leigh White and George Fake and Matt Walsh came on as legs were tiring to add extra energy. The elusive goal failed to materialise and as so often happens a late counterattack saw a close-range strike come lose from Williams grasp and Tiago Alipio Ferreira Covre pounced to score a second goal to clinch the game 2-0.
Wilst there was great disappointment in exiting the cup at the first hurdle nonetheless apart from converting the many chances created this was another impressive all-round performance from the Wrington Redhill team.

These sides meet again in two weeks’ time in a league fixture at Minehead and on this showing another fine encounter is on the cards.

Wrington Redhill’s player of the match was awarded to Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi.

Team:
Goalkeeper: James Williams
Defence: Si Hewish, Dan Ferguson, Ethan Johnson, Ryan Pugh
Midfield: Ollie Clements, Sam Parkinson, Cory Thomas-Barker, Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi
Forwards: Jack Hutchings, Joe Creese

Substitutes: Leigh White for Si Hewish), George Fake for Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi), Matt Walsh (for Joe Creese)