Pershore Tn 3, West Midland Police 1

PERSHORE recorded their first win in their last six outings against the third in the table visitors.

It was an emphatic Midland Combination Premier Division win for the Town who included recent signings, right back Jamie Pennington and strikers Richard Congrave and Lee Tustin, the latter both giving Pershore much needed physical strength and height up front.

The home side dominated the first half with Congrave testing keeper Darren Carmell in the early minutes after Paul Court had made the chance and seconds later Congrave missed a sitter from close-range.

The Police had to defence against a series of Town raids but they cracked in the 26th minute when a cross by left back Chris Jew was headed in near the far post by Jon Gregory.

Thirty nine minutes passed before the Police had a scoring chance. Star striker Chris Burton managed for the first time to get away from a well marshalled defence, but fired over the bar from the edge of the box. Lee Wharmby was then also too high with another effort.

Two minutes into the second half Pennington played the ball up the line for Simon Brain to feed Congrave, who cleverly dribbled past three defenders to drive into goal from ten yards.

In the 55th minute Tustin was denied when his low drive was kicked off the line by Mark Langley. In reply, Gavin Smith's cross was headed narrowly wide by Burton.

Manager Dave Connell made three substitutions and then play changed as they conceded a goal in the first minute of injury time when Tom Thacker had acres of space on the right wing to hit a pinpoint cross for Neil Tiller to head home.

In the fourth minute of time added on, Congrave tried a shot from an acute angle. Substitute goalkeeper Tony Workman managed to get a hand to the ball but it ran free leaving Brain an easy tap-in.