Last minute drama in the derby!
Street completed a season double over rivals Shepton Mallet thanks to a last minute Dave O'Hare winner and as a result saw the Cobblers increase their lead at the top to 12 points with 10 games of the season left to play.
In what felt like sub zero temperatures it wasn't a classic derby game but certainly not short on drama and taking points. Shepton started the game on the front foot and nearly took the lead after 5 minutes as ex Cobbler Dale hunt chipped effort hit the bar and Street cleared their lines. Slowly but surely Street started getting a foothold in the game with Josh Wadham and Craig Herrod in particular looking dangerous down the flanks. A big talking point came on 25 minutes when Shepton thought they had won a penalty but the ref blew for the initial foul outside the box and Craig Loxton's free kick was driven into the Street wall.
Tom Easterbrook in the Shepton goal kept the visitors in the game on two occasions on the half hour mark saving well from Lewis Hogg and Ross McErlain. Ten minutes later Steve Murray broke and rounded the keeper but his effort was brilliantly cleared off the line. A Lewis Tasker effort flew just wide right on half time as the ref blew on an eventful 45 minutes.
The second half started with early chances for Isaac Reid for Shepton and O'Hare for Street but both efforts flying wide. The game was very tight with defences on top but a quite brillaint goal opened the game up on 70 minutes. Craig Herrod picked up the ball in his own half and powerfully evaded two challenges and drove towards the Shepton goal, he then fed the ball to Steve Murray who turned his marker and smashed the ball high past a helpless Easterbrook. Five minutes later Shepton were back in it when Tom Punchard pulled off a great save tipping a long distance effort onto the bar but it was Ash Willmott following up to squeeze his effort home through a flurry of Street bodies.
The last 20 minutes it was all Street and with Shepton content to put men behind the ball and see out the game with a point. An excellent flick on by Harry Foster set Murray away on 80 minutes but his lobbed effort struck the top of the cross bar with the keeper well beaten. Wadham then had two efforts on the angle the first hit the side netting and the second was high and wide. It looked as if the game was going to end all square before late drama as Wadhams deflected shot fell into he path of O'Hare who drilled his effort into he net to the delight of the Street supporters.
Great character shown by Rich Fey's men and on the balance of play a deserved 3 points which marked an incredible 20 league wins in row. Big thank you to Jon Tweed who was today's match sponsor presenting Steve Murray with the man of the match award.
UP THE COBBS!