CLEVEDON UNITED A 3 WESTLAND UNITED RES 1

A STRONG home performance put United's promotion push back into top gear as they climbed to the top of the table after beating third-placed Westland Reserves.

The hosts' pace troubled Westlands from the start as Nick Lee and Ben Pavey probed down the flanks and caused plenty of early problems.

Chris Greenslade opened the scoring when he brought down a long ball and played a neat one-two with Ben Burns before racing on to the return pass and firing home across the keeper.

Clevedon should have doubled their lead with the move of the match. Greenslade turned his marker in his own half and his pacy run ended with a fantastic first-time cross that Nick Lee hit first time on the volley, only to see it go agonisingly over the bar.

Ben Pavey quickly added United's second with a perfectly-struck free-kick, leaving the keeper standing after Chris Wall was brought down outside the box.

Westlands made a predictably direct start to the second half as they played down the slope but they could not find a way through a determined Clevedon rearguard as man of the match Paul Williams and captain Nathan Price were outstanding in defence.

After weathering a 20-minute period of pressure, Clevedon stunned the visitors by scoring a third.

Dan Huxtable's run form inside his own half saw the referee play advantage after a clumsy challenge and Nick Lee picked up the loose ball before taking one touch, turning and curling his right-foot shot past the keeper.

United conceded late on but held on for victory.

CLEVEDON UTD B 2 WESTEND 0

TWO evenly-matched sides played out an entertaining game which saw United come out on top.

Both sides created early chances, with Eugene Dunn, James Stathers and Luke Rowland all going close.

Just before half-time a pinpoint through ball from E Dunn put James Stathers through and he scored with a low drive into the net.

The second half saw United dominate, although Westend missed probably the easiest chances of the game.

Andy Lester, Dan Fay, Stu Pickles and Nack Austin were now running the midfield and Sam Shipway and Nick Baker looked solid in defence.

United made sure of the points when good build-up play from Pickles and Lester set up James Bond, who scored with a crisp and well-placed shot.

Nack Austin was unlucky not to increase United's score when he saw a great effort go wide.