the Camelford crossbar, Shepton's Harry Ritchie had more success with a close range volley 3 minutes from the end of this cup tie against Radstock Town, to score the only goal of the game and put his side into the next round.
First Division Radstock made the hosts work hard for their win though, and felt hard done by after an 8th minute penalty award that was then overturned after the referee consulted his linesman. It was the right decision as Shepton's Liam Watson clearly played the ball to deny a chance for Radstock's Aidan Kirby. However, the undue delay in reversing the decision, coupled with the justified howls of protest from the home players and supporters at the award it must be said, upset the visitors, and Kirby was frustrated again within 5 minutes when he was denied by a superb save from Shepton keeper Dan Fox. Fox then made an easier save from Radstock's Ryan Child but Shepton created little until either side of the half hour mark when a decent spell saw them have a couple of chances blocked, firstly from Syd Camper and then Ross McErlain, before Radstock keeper Dan Tamblyn made his first meaningful stop of the afternoon from Ben Cleverley's effort. Radstock shaded the half and Fox was in action again before the break when he palmed away a dangerous cross from Martin Lenihan for a corner that resulted in Tom Stack heading the cross into the side netting.
Good work from Shepton's Will Hailston early in the second period saw him play Camper in, but the young wide man hit his shot into the side netting. The home side also missed the next decent chance when McErlain headed Cleverley's cross into the ground and just over the bar, but the visitors almost took the lead twice within a minute midway through the half when Shepton's defence parted invitingly, for Radstock's Tom Pawley to advance before shooting narrowly wide. Almost immediately from the restart Lee Davidson then played a loose ball that Lenihan was quick to pounce on before hitting a shot that looked bound for the top corner, before Fox somehow twisted in mid-air to make a fantastic save as he clawed the ball away to safety. At the other end Radstock defender Jack Metcalf took a hard blow for his side when he bravely got his head in the way of a Cleverley piledriver and needed treatment for two minutes to recover, and going into the latter stages with 30 minutes extra time looming it was still anyone's game for the taking. Radstock had a couple more half chances from a Conrad Peck header that the former Shepton player put wide, before Kirby shot weakly straight at Fox when well placed. Shepton substitute Ritchie then made the decisive breakthrough as he met Cleverley's corner cross with a low first time volley from 8 yards to beat Tamblyn, and although Kirby went close to equalising with a last minute shot that rippled the side netting, Shepton almost added a second in stoppage time when Cleverley twice just missed the target, firstly with an attempted lob shot before striking the inside of a post with the last action to end a tight game that Shepton were relieved to win, against a gutsty Radstock side.
Dan Fox and Ben Cleverley were the pick for Shepton, new signing Jake McCormick had a decent debut and covered a lot of ground all afternoon, and Liam Watson did some sterling work in the latter stages with two or three vital challenges. James Billing has moved on (and we wish him well) and with the injured Ben Lacey, Ash Willmott and Dave Thorne, as well as suspended Craig Loxton all to come back into contention , the squad looks stronger going forward, just as well with lots of tough games coming up.
Thanks to Walton Civil Engineering for their Match Sponsorship.

Team
1. D.Fox
2.G.Zaharia
3.L.Davidson
4.B.Fletcher
5.R.McErlain
6.L.Watson
7.B.Cleverley
8.J.McCormick
9.J.Townsley
10.W.Hailston
11.S.Camper

subs used
A.Russell
L.Sweet
H.Ritchie.....scored one goal

subs not used
A.Willmott
B.Lacey

attendance 96