This was an encouraging showing, with some fine individual performances, following a pretty fallow two months and with a little more luck the Robins weren’t far from achieving a much need win.

The visitors attacked down the slope in the first half and quickly showed why they are top of the table. Striker Adam Jones made no mistake with a thumping header from Ricky Bennett’s corner after only 5 minutes. After good chances for both sides in a lively opening Steve Friend was pushed over in the penalty area just seven minutes later. He duly fired his spot kick wide of the keeper’s dive to level the scores.

The Chard defence now had to withstand considerable pressure with Jones and midfielder Stephen Pennington coming close. Then Jones received a push in the box and the visitors were presented with an opportunity to take advantage from the penalty spot. They failed to take it when Scott Wells-Burr dived to the right to fist away Chris Coombs’s spot kick. Wells-Burr was called into action on numerous occasions thereafter and his fine efforts ensured that the Robins went in at the break on level terms.

After half-time Chard looked bright using the slope to their benefit. Liam Cleal took advantage of a defensive error but couldn’t quite capitalise on it. However, Wells-Burr was called into action again to save a Jones shot from close range with his feet. Andrew Holmes then headed Max Westlake’s corner over the bar before the hosts deservedly went ahead with a fine goal. On 65 minutes Westlake played a neat pass to the advancing Elliot Dyer whose superb curling cross was powered home via Friend’s diving header. It was an excellent strike to savour. Chard pressure continued with Dyer crashing a shot against the bar before Cheddar unfortunately pulled a goal back. On 73 minutes Jones lofted the ball to the unmarked Pennington who headed past Wells-Burr.

It was a tense finish to the game and the Robins nearly snatched a victory when in the dying seconds Holmes’s header was cleared off the line by a defender.

Chard Town FC

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