Gosport battle back in enjoyable Taunton stalemate
By Connor Steel
GOSPORT BOROUGH maintained their fine unbeaten league sequence so far this year as they hosted fellow ‘play-off’ hopeful Taunton Town on Saturday afternoon; eventually settling for an one-all stalemate against their Somerset-based opponents after this intriguing and hard-fought encounter enjoyed by a crowd of eight hundred fans at the AEI Stadium.
The visitors started brightly in freezing conditions and opened the scoring within three minutes of this tie; Alfie Moulden taking advantage of poor defending and feeding Jack Rice to easily slot a drive under Gosport keeper Adam Parkes. It could have been two-nil as Jack Matthews found space and his fierce effort was parried out as Taunton controlled play.
Another attempt saw Jacob Hodgson drag over from twenty-six yards following quicker passing before the hosts had a sustained period of possession; Harry Kavanagh and Samuel Faniyan linking up with the latter denied by away keeper Joshua Gould. Bradley Tarbuck also saw his shot blocked and a succession of dangerous corners were cleared solidly.
Proceedings passed the half hour with the sides participating in a midfield battle, but there was an united frustration as the officials were making “interesting” calls for throw-ins and corners; This led to bookings for Eddie Jones and Jayden Nielson as Tom Purrington nodded over a set piece; Danny Hollands soon seeing yellow in a final act before the break.
It was a steady resumption upon the second half and it took until the fifty-sixth minute for a notable opportunity; Harvey Lee floating a lovely cross that was waiting for a slight touch that never arrived from Alfie Stanley. The striker was soon involved in loud penalty appeals as he went down whilst chasing Kavanagh’s pass; the referee rejecting the vocal calls.
Substitutions followed across the two benches as the hosts probed for space and could have levelled in the sixty-fourth minute through Stanley, who turned both 2 markers and was denied brilliantly down low by Gould. In response Thomas Smith’s glancing header was cleared away by Danny Hollands, who almost threaded in Henry Spalding moments later.
An equaliser arrived in controversial circumstances as a free-kick was spilled by Gould and this caused a scramble that ended with a bundled finish for Hollands; the away players appealing for a foul on their keeper. There was late chances for a winner as Wooden nodded off the bar and Jake Cope lashed over, but both teams seemed happy with a 1-1 draw.
Fellow results and postponements for Saturday mean that Borough remain in the top half of the league after 22 games; although they are eight points off the play-offs and relegation areas in a very tight table Their next match will see them play Taunton again on Tuesday night in this reverse fixture, which was postponed earlier this campaign due to cup ties.
PICTURED BY TOM PHILLIPS: Taunton goalkeeper punches away a testing ball under pressure from home attackers.