Weston join together to remember Liam Shepherd in charity match

Like the rain in the Somerset sky, there was a downpour of goals with 15 altogether in front of a crowd of around 1,300 supporters.

And it was The Destroyers, dressed in all blue, who fought back from 2-0, 5-3 and 6-5 down against The Protectors, dressed in all white, to eventually win 7-6 with Jamie O’Hara capping off a wonderful game of football with an 87th-minute winner.

A packed Optima Stand at the Sellebrity Soccer charity match. (Image: Archant)

Matthew Bazell smashed home the first from the penalty spot, after Charlie Lewis had been brought down by Man Like Haks, when he arrowed the ball into the top right hand corner, sending Richard Duffy the wrong way.

Bazell then doubled his side’s lead after Aaron Sidwell’s ball over the top found Marvin Brooks.

With Duffy having slipped, Brooks looked up and sent the ball across to leave Weston’s Head of Foundation Phase with the simple task of putting the ball in the back of the net.

A couple of minutes later Dan Osbourne found Tom Malone who was able to get the ball in the back of the net at the second attempt after Ben Payter let the ball slip from his hands.

The same two combined again and Malone was left with bags of space to level the scores from six yards.

The Protectors restored their lead after Mikey Cobban was brought down in the box by James Hill and the pop singer stepped up to power the ball home despite Duffy getting a hand to it.

Weston AFC have installed a plaque in his memory in the Optima Stand. (Image: Archant)

Osborne grabbed his third assist of the match when his cross on the left was headed home by Kieran Hayler, despite on first viewing it looking like Milad the singing dentist had got the final touch.

The Protectors went back in front after a lovely one-two between Charlie Lewis and Brooks saw the former’s effort parried away by Duffy into the path of Brooks who was able to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

Brooks got his second moments later just before half-time when Sidwell’s low pass across goal found the midfielder and he was able to take a touch before blasting it home to make it 5-3 to The Protesters at the break.

The Destroyers cut the lead to just one when provider turned goalscorer as Osborne wonderfully steered home Hill’s cross on the right.

Mark McKeever then won The Protectors their third penalty of the contest after Hill brought down Weston's Head of Coaching and Academy Senior Phase manager.

Sidwell was given the responsibility to move the Protectors further ahead from the penalty spot but faced Duffy and Man Like Haks on the line.

And it was Duffy who dived superbly to his right to keep the actor’s effort out.

Sellebrity Soccer's Man of the Match Jamie O'Hara on the ball with Man Like Haks closing in. (Image: Archant)

That miss would prove costly as The Destroyers found the equaliser after O’Hara’s beautiful weighted ball freed Kris Boyson to strike low past Payter.

Bazell then added his third with a goal made in Weston as McKeever’s lovely outside of the foot pass found him down the left and from the tightest of angles he was able to find the net with an exquisite finish to move the Protectors back in front.

The Destroyers once again hit back through Malone to make it 6-6, after unselfish work by Boyson, for his third with the easiest of tap-ins.

And with three minutes left a winner arrived after Osborne’s ball over the top found O’Hara.

The former Tottenham midfielder cut inside, past Milad, before unleashing a wonderful effort into the top left hand corner on a day where the whole community came together to celebrate the life of a special boy.

The Destroyers celebrate winning the Sellebrity Soccer charity match in memory of Liam Shepherd. (Image: Archant)

The Protectors: Ben Payter, Aaron Sidwell, Warren Phillips, Dean Edwards, Milad the singing dentist, Stevie Richie, Scott Murray, Marvin Brooks, Paul Knightley, Nev Whilshire, Charlie Lewis, Matthew Bazell, Mark McKeever, Mikey Cobban.

The Destroyers: Richard Duffy, Dan Leach, James Hill, Kieran Hayler, Mark McKeever, Jamie O’Hara, Man Like Haks, Kevin Cooper, Kris Boyson, Dan Osbourne, Tom Malone, Dayle Grubb.