Town fight back to earn hard-fought point

The red and blacks travelled to Bristol to take on Cadbury Heath where manager Rob Nash welcomed back Jordan Pinder and Corey Gardner to the starting line up.

Unfortunately injury to Charlie Walton meant he was missing and Ryan Benson was unavailable due to work.

The home side started well and in the first minute forced a corner but the Town defence cleared the danger. Warminster, kicking down the slope, soon began to assert and a shot from distance by skipper Owen Bartley was comfortably saved. The next attack saw shouts for a Town penalty waved away for what looked like a push on striker Jack Newman then Tyson Pollard saw a good chance well blocked, all this with under 10 minutes on the clock.

At the back Owen made a crucial block to stop an opener for the hosts but Town continued to look dangerous in attack. Seb Hounsell delivered several dangerous balls into the box just evading Town players then Tyson had yet another effort well saved by the home keeper and a few minutes later Tyson again had a great chance but his shot went wide. Half-time 0-0.

After having good chances in the first half, Town felt the game was there to be won but the hosts came out a different side and were soon using the slope to their advantage putting the visiting defence under sustained pressure. Three times in quick succession the Warminster defence was almost breached but each time a defender was there to clear the ball.

The pressure was mounting and a fine save by Jack Amor kept the game level and the Red and Blacks keeper was soon again called into action with another stop. Eventually the home side’s pressure paid off in the 57th minutes when a poor clearance by Town was superbly volleyed into the top corner leaving Jack with no chance.

Warminster looked to reply immediately, Jack Newman picked the ball up down the left beat his man but fired his shot over the bar. The visitors were now putting the home side under pressure in search of an equaliser. Corey Gardner was replaced by Tyler Gane in the 68th minute as Town pushed but the home side were a danger, a good cross was headed just wide of Jack’s goal.

After missing this chance, the home side were made to pay in the 76th minute as Town found the leveller. Braden received the ball on the left of the box, drove into the penalty area and fired passed the home keeper. 1-1. Could Town find a winner? Or would the home side regain the lead?

Max Whittaker replaced the injured Reece Collyer in midfield. But with 10 minutes left it was the home side who came close to retaking the lead with a shot coming back off the post and Jack making another fine save soon after.

Town made another change introducing Jack Duck in search for a winner but as the game entered its final minutes both defences were determined not to concede and the only highlight was a booking for Jordan Pinder for ‘taking one for the team’ bringing an abrupt stop to a last-minute attack.

The referee added six extra minutes but Town saw it out to earn a hard-fought point. Certainly a game of two halves where Warminster had three or four good chances in the first half only to be pegged back by the hosts who put in a strong second half display and asked many questions of the Red and Blacks defenders and keeper.

Report: Rob Nash

Town’s away game at Bitton on Saturday was postponed due to the weather.