By Robbie Morris

WESTERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Nailsea and Tickenham 5 Torpoint Athletic 1

TORPOINT Athletic rounded off their season with a comprehensive defeat in Somerset to fellow top-half hopefuls Nailsea and Tickenham.

It means ‘The Swags’ are now just two points behind with a game to play before their final outing at home to St Blazey, while the Point who finished 12th last term, can’t finish any lower than tenth.

In the opening minutes of the match, both sides shared half chances with Torpoint’s Ryan Smith and Nailsea’s Hamish Hurst having headed efforts at goal, while James Rowe (Torpoint) and Lucas Vowles (Nailsea) also went close.

In the final two minutes of the first half the visitors found themselves two goals down as first Miles Hardridge capitalised on a mistake in the area to fire home the loose ball. Then, right on half-time, Luke Osgood fired home from 20 yards to double the lead.

Six minutes in to the second half, Torpoint’s Ryan Smith burst clear of the home defence but shot wide from 18 yards.

Just past the hour the mark, Nailsea extended their lead when Hurst headed his effort over the visiting defence and into the back of the net.

On the 71st minute, Hurst grabbed his brace from an angled shot that bounced in off the post, and five minutes later Steve Kingdom headed home at the back post unmarked from a corner.

With two minutes remaining, Torpoint grabbed a consolation goal when a Darren Hicks free-kick was sent into the area for Smith to blast home. 

TORPOINT ATHLETIC: Ryan Rickard, Rory Simmons, Darren Hicks, Mike Lucas, Sam Hillson (Harry Taylor 73), Elliot Crawford, James Rowe, JackWood, Ryan Smith, Josh Pope (Jimi Taylor 63), Josh Mills. Subs not used: Dom Murray.