Street FC 3, Pershore Town 1

PERSHORE Town suffered defeat at Street FC in Somerset on Saturday in this Carlsberg FA Vase first round tie.

The Town should have taken a first half lead, but scoring chances went begging. The first, in the seventh minute was a cross by Gary Mole to the far post for the unmarked Nathan Owen, but his weak shot was easily saved by keeper Tom Punchard. Then a lob was volleyed over the bar by Ian Stewart. A Simon Brain free kick was lofted well over the woodwork.

The first attack by the Cobblers in the 19th minute was a cross by full back Paul Hayward which fell for Wayne Bradshaw to test Town keeper Neil Turner.

Before half time Turner had to pull off another save to deny a Cobblers Neil Seymour on target drive and in reply a Brain free kick was half volleyed inches over the crossbar by Tim Concannon.

In the first minute of the second half Cobblers went ahead when Sean Boobyer ran in from the left wing to hit a low drive into the far side of goal. Two minutes later he latched on to a Paul Heywood cross to tap in near the upright.

Town's Turner made a great save to stop a Boobyer rocket, and Mole set up Owen again in the 66th minute. But his effort was way off target.

In the 71st minute a disorganised Town defence allowed Seymour to net with a curler into the top corner.

The Town's consolation goal came on 77 minutes when skipper Colin Fulloway headed home a Brain flag kick.

In the last ten minutes a shot by Town's Rik Halion flashed across the face of goal, Cobblers Bradshaw hit a powerful drive for Turner to make a brilliant diving save.

Brain and Halion both had on target shots charged down by defenders.

Pershore: Turner, P Concannon, Burrow (Cotton 75), T Concannon, Fulloway, Halion, Brain, Gregory, Stewart, Mole (Bennett 69), Owen (Jones 76).