Beer Albion notched their sixth league win of the season with a 2-1 victory against fifth placed Elmore at the Furzebrake on Saturday, writes Richard Honnor.

The visitors who dominated possession for long periods will be wondering how they did not get something out of this game, but they failed to reckon with the Fishermen’s fighting spirit and determination.

Beer started well and were better side in the early exchanges. The visitors though had the first serious attempt on goal on 8eightminutes when home keeper Steve Jones was forced to save with his feet.

But the Fishermen reacted well, and, on 13 minutes midfielder Chris Long scored a fine goal when he coolly placed his shot wide of the Elmore keeper from 12-yards after good work by Richard Walker.

Having gone in front, Beer then sat back and allowed Elmore to take the game to them and on 24 minutes Jones’s legs again came to the home team’s rescue when he deflected an awkwardly bouncing 20-yard effort behind for a corner. But for the remainder of the first half, Beer’s midfield competed well, with skipper Sam Phillips in the holding role particularly effective in breaking up the play and protecting his back line.

In the second period, Elmore stepped up their game and the Fishermen were at full stretch for long periods. On 50 minutes Beer survived when centre-back Andrew Foster cleared off his line and a minute later a header from the visitors’ centre forward went narrowly wide. Beer front men Gribble and Walker were getting little change out of the visitors’ mean defence which had only conceded 23 times in 20 games before this one. On 61 minutes Walker did have one header cleared off the Elmore line after good work by Long.

Elmore’s pressure eventually told when Beer conceded their lead on 63 minutes. An Elmore corner was only partially cleared and their big centre forward was quickest to react with a shot from close range hitting the roof of the net. The visitors looked as though they would go on to win the game and the Fishermen brought on Fontes and Denslow to shore up their overworked midfield. This turned out to be crucial when Denslow made a great block on 84 minutes to deny Elmore the lead.

Elmore were again denied on 88 minutes by stoic Joe Adkin’s goal line clearance.

However, the most dramatic moment of the game was saved for the 90th minute when Elmore’s keeper dribbled the ball well outside and to the left of his penalty box, but then his clearance up-field found Walker in the centre circle.

The quick-thinking ex-Aston villa striker lobbed Beer’s unlikely winner all of 45 yards into the top left-hand corner giving the stranded keeper and the retreating defenders no chance to get fully back on the goal line.

Player-Manager Walker enthused about his team’s fighting spirit. “I thought our entire back-line was magnificent today and centre back Andrew Foster showed great composure” he said.

Match sponsor Beer Village Stores awarded the Man of the Match to Sam Phillips who also had a fine match. Elmore’s best player on the day was midfielder Jordan Hewitt who worked tirelessly for his team’s cause.

On Thursday (April 14), Beer Reserves entertain local rivals Seaton Town Reserves kick-off 6.30 pm at the Furzebrake.

On Saturday (April 16), Beer first team host Newton St Cyres in a Fresha Premier League match. The match is sponsored by Kenworthy and Arbourne, Builders, Beer. Kick-off is at 3pm.