Minehead 0, Westbury United 0 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Minehead 0, Westbury United 0

WESTBURY United were left to rue a host of missed chances on Saturday as their title hopes suffered a blow.

This was only the third time this season they failed to find the net and brought an end to their three match-winning run in the league.

The White Horse men are now 14 points off the top of the table but with eight games in hand their fate is still in their own hands.

Manager Derek Graham said: "That was the first time this season our strikers have let us down and it had to happen at some time. They have been brilliant all season and we can forgive them one off day.

"On the plus side it looks as though we have got our defensive shape right and so when we start scoring again things are looking good."

The first chance of the game fell to Steve Perkins who headed straight at Sam Jarman in the Minehead goal on 15 minutes while Nick Beales had to block a goalbound shot from Lee Todd soon after.

United stepped up the pace and Wayne Wheeler's shot flew across the face of goal on 24 and a few minutes later Jarman saved to deny the energetic Steve Seals. The best chance of the half came to Wheeler five minutes before the break. Perkins set him up with a fine through ball and Wheeler had a great chance to score but fired well over.

Straight after half-time United forced a succession of corners. Colbourne misdirected a header that Mark Pearce intercepted and sent the ball goalwards where it was cleared off the line by Minehead captain Shawn Pople.

United keeper Mark Batters had to make his only save of the day on 67 and what a save it was. Big forward Gary Bennett found acres of space and sent a curling 20-yard shot towards goal. The ball deflected off Pearce and was looping into the top left of Batters' goal until he sprang and tipped the ball to safety.