Cheddar suffered two pre-season defeats against quality opposition.

Cheddar 0

Bridgwater Town 1

Urged on by another 100+ crowd, the Cheesemen more than held their own against a good Bridgwater Town side.

The game’s only goal was scored by Town’s Michael Duffy, hitting his side’s winner from an acute angle on 55 minutes.

Moments earlier, the home side’s Chris Coombs has dissected the visitors defence with a jinking run, but hit his shot just wide of the far post. Late in the match, Cheddar’s Mike Hudson also fired just wide when well placed and a further Coombs snapshot also went close.

Following the game, Bridgwater manager Craig Laird said: “This was a competitive match for us and well refereed. We got out of the game what we wanted in terms of the structure and philosophy of our game, but Cheddar certainly gave us a tough game.”

Tesco (Cheddar) man of the match was Chris Coombs.

Cheddar 1

Paulton Rovers 3

In another entertaining game against Southern League opposition, the superior fitness and tactical prowess of Tony Ricketts’ Rovers’ side.,

Having recently returned from a week’s training camp in Gibraltar, the visitors secured their second win against Western League opposition in a week following a 6-2 win at Radstock.

The only difference between the two sides in the first half was a crisp header by big Rovers striker Solomon Wheatley on 35 minutes after Cheddar’s Coombs had earlier skimmed the upright with a shot.

At the turnaround both sides juggled their formations and on 72 minutes, the Cheddar captain found the visitors net to equalise from 12 yards. The visitors regained the lead on 77 minutes through an impressive Reeko Best volley before substitute Kalian Gould hit the crossbar minutes later. Elliott Gibbons completed the scoring on 85 minutes.

Cheddar travel to Somerset League side Nailsea & Tickenham on Tuesday, prior to their journey to Bodmin Town for the FA Cup extra-preliminary round on August 6.

Elite Medical Technologies (Tampa, USA) man of the match was George Booth.

Cheddar has laid on a 53-seater coach for their FA cup match at Bodmin on August 6, which will leave from Cheddar Football Club at 10am.

Supporters who wish to travel on the coach should contact secretary Alan Cooper on 07845 870812 or by e-mail alancooper7@sky.com

Should Cheddar draw at Bodmin, the replay will take place at Bowdens Park on August 9, (7.45pm). Cheddar will face another long journey in the preliminary round of the FA Cup to Southern League Division 1 (South &West) side Bideford Town.