Keynsham Storm Back To Claim Points - Keynsham Town vs. Devizes Town

Match action with Keynsham itself in the background

The wet weather, as it seems to for the last couple of months had a major baring on my match choice this weekend. Considering the biblical band of rain that was sweeping over the south on Saturday afternoon, I decided a plastic pitch was again the best bet. There were two such pitches in the Western League Division , Roman Glass St George and Keynsham Town. As the later looked easier to get to I decided to set off to Somerset for this weeks game. The only other game I'd seen in The Western League was Gillingham against Sherbourne Town last season. Keynsham were in brilliant form having won the last four games and only losing once in the previous 12. Devizes were looking for an away win to try and pull away from the bottom of the table.

Kick off at The AJN Stadium

It was raining all the way through the first half and that is why I didn't take enough notes for a detailed account of the first half. Devizes start on the front foot and the Keynsham keeper makes a good save from a drilled effort. The visitors take the lead when a corner isn't cleared and from the resulting pull back the ball is slotted home. They are gifted a second via a comical own goal. Both the goalkeeper and the centre back go for a long ball forward and the defender heads the ball past the stranded keeper. Keynsham themselves a gifted a goal as the keeper fails to collect a cross which leaves the forward with a simple finish to make it 2-1.

The Keynsham keeper claims a ball into the box

Keynsham go looking for the equaliser at the start of the second half. Their first sight of goal is a whipped cross into the box which the Devizes centre back does well to get a vital touch onto. Shortly afterwards the hosts hit the post with a shot from the edge of the box after it had looked like the move had broken down. Keynsham get the equaliser when the ball is headed home from close range following a driven cross into the danger area. The home side complete the turn around when after a throw, the attacker is allowed to cut inside and his shot from distance finds the far corner of the net. Devizes come close to getting an equaliser with a free kick which goes just wide of the back post. Keynsham get a fourth when an attacker is again allowed to cut inside and his low shot beats the keeper. The hosts get a late fifth to complete the comeback in style.

Devizes come close in the second half

As with Stamford last week, there are no direct trains from London to Keynsham. You have to take a train to Bath from Paddington and change there for a train to Keynsham with the journey taking around two hours. The ground is then about a twenty walk from the station. As I mentioned earlier, the weather was pretty terrible so it was lucky there was a good selection of pubs in Keynsham. On the High Street is The Trout Tavern which I think had the sports channels. Then by the river there is The Brassmills and The Lcok Keeper which I imagine would be really nice if the weather was a lot better. The opposite the ground is The Crown Inn which was extremely welcoming and the open fire was brilliant on a cold, wet day. The clubhouse did the job and offers views of the pitch if the weather is terrible.

Side on view of the stand