Match Report by Kevin O'Brien
Shepton carried their recent good form into their game at Willand and traded blows on level terms up to the break. Sadly, once they lost Joe Morgan with an injury soon after the restart, the wheels fell off as the home side hit them with a three goal salvo in quick time from which they never recovered, to register their heaviest defeat of the season to date.
Shepton keeper Tom Easterbrook, who had an excellent first half, saw early action as he saved well from Willand's Josh Searle, before Brad Austen and then man of the match Luke Alden fired wide for the hosts. Morgan had already gone close for Shepton before he tested Willand keeper Mike Searle after 10 minutes, who saved well. A long distance Brett Worbey free kick forced another good stop from Easterbrook after 20 minutes, before the keeper made a more routine stop from Austen midway through the half. Shepton then had a good attacking spell that saw Ash Willmott flash a shot across the face of goal, before the same player brought an excellent save from Mike Searle after a flowing move involving George Morris-Edwards, Tom Hill, Tyson Pollard and Morgan set up the chance. James Billing headed wide following a corner as Shepton threatened again, but Alden kept them on their toes at the other end after half an hour with a shot from 20 yards. Tom Hill shot wide with Shepton's next chance on 35 minutes, and Searle had a shot blocked before his follow up shot looked a goal all the way until Easterbrook somehow turned it away, as the game now became end to end. Morgan and Cameron Sanford then combined well to earn Shepton a corner, only for Hill to miss a good chance from Pollard's subsequent cross as his glancing header went wide. And 5 minutes before the break Shepton missed their best chance on the night ,after Morgan did well to turn his marker and then go round Searle after he charged to the edge of the box from his line, only for Morgan to look on in despair as his snap shot at an unguarded goal under further pressure drifted agonisingly the wrong side of a post.
Morgan failed to run off a knock and was a passenger and just about to be substituted early after the restart, when Willand full back Ryan Guppy took advantage and raced up the wing past the limping Morgan on an overlap, before Guppy crossed into the six yard box where Austen reacted quickest for a tap in to put his side in front. Five minutes later a routine cross from Worbey was headed in by the unmarked Craig Veal to double the home lead, and after Worbey spurned a chance to add a third, it came just after the hour mark anyway, following a solo run from Searle, who then hit a daisy cutter from 25 yards that beat the unsighted Easterbrook at his near post. Game effectively over, as a shell shocked Shepton could find no way of hitting back at the well organised Willand side who could now relax and knock the ball about at will. The latter stages saw fewer goal attempts, although home substitute Luke Mortimore almost added a 4th for his side with a shot that hit the Shepton crossbar late on. A Willmott shot from distance apart, Shepton created little, as their young side suffered a reality check against a side who jumped to second in the table and should threaten for the title if they continue to show this form.

Team
1.T.Easterbrook.....cautioned
2.H.Ratcliffe
3.C.Pike
14.G.Morris-Edwards
5.J.Billing
6.C.Loxton....cautioned
7.C.Sanford
8.T.Hill
9.T.Pollard....cautioned
10.J.Morgan
11..Willmott

subs used
E.Nicholson
C.Peck
G.Carey

attendance 82