Sidbury United ended the year with a hard-earned three points courtesy of a second half Dan Gale penalty at Beer, writes Steve Birley.

United went into the game with six regulars missing, most through festive family commitments and duties whilst striker Danny Green is currently nursing a broken metatarsal, an injury picked up early in the previous game – the win over Chard Town Reserves – in which he scored twice!

With three of the usual four-man strike force out United boss Jeremy Schofield called up Dan Churchill and it was who won the all-important second half penalty, scored by Gale.

Schofield said of the spot kick taker: “With so many missing, none of what I’d call our regular spot kick takers were with us and so we had an impromptu penalty kick-in before the game. Dan (Gale) looked the most impressive and so he was told that if a spot kick was awarded he was on it – and he delivered.”

As for the game, Schofield said: “Let’s give them (Beer) some credit. In the first half they well and truly battered us. They do make life very hard for visiting teams at Furzebrake where they always get a good turnout of passionate support. We played below-par in the first half and were not much better after the break. That said to get all three points and keep a clean sheet when playing in such a way I can only be a happy chappy.”

He continued: “The past twelve months have been very good for us on and off the pitch, but I am very wary of how quickly the wheel of footballing fortune can turn the other way and if I was to be given a single wish for the coming 12 months it would be that my players remain as grounded as they currently are. That they do not get carried away with the hype of things like unbeaten runs and such like. I do believe there remains a serious hunger amongst the players and as such I am looking at us having a right go at getting a top two berth. I know at the start of the season I spoke of wanting a top half place by the season’s end and perhaps now I need to adjust that and say we can target a top two berth.”