Cheddar fell to their fourth successive defeat after Scott Bamford‘s hat-trick helped Shirehampton come away from Bowdens Park with a 4-1 win last Saturday.

Looking far more settled than they have done in recent showings, Michael Dangerfield’s Cheesemen set about their task with venom, showing renewed vigour and confidence in their play.  

Kris Bell threaded a superb through ball into the path of Morgan Bacon on five minutes, but he was thwarted by an outstretched boot of goalkeeper Martin Winkler

Winkler kept his side in the game stopping a fierce Owen Griffiths free-kick, then on 15 minutes he was again on hand to thwart Bacon’s shot on target. 

In between these three efforts, Bamford got between two Cheddar defenders, but Kieran Webster’s safe hands flummoxed the former Slimbridge striker.

In the victors first attack of note, after 19 minutes, an impressive combination move involving George Brimson and Bamford, saw the latter forced an exceptional one-handed tip over the bar by Webster.

On 27 minutes, the hosts spurned another chance when Dean Chrisostomou’s lighting pace got the better of the Bristolian defence but his superb effort was scurried away by Winkler.

On the half hour, a quick counterattack saw Brimson’s strike being spilled Webster and allowed Jay Spicer to nip in to prod the ball over the line, but jubilations turned to frustrations, as he was adjudged offside.

Cheddar went ahead with a good Bacon strike on 38 minutes, receiving a precision ball from Chrisostomou, the Cheddar striker swivelling on his left foot 12 yards from goal, gave Winkler no chance.

The Cheesemen should have added to their tally after three minutes in the second half, but the normally lethal Lewis Chappell shot over the crossbar when well placed. 

Shirehampton equalised on the hour mark after Webster was unable to gain a clean hold on Radford’s effort leaving Bamford to nip in to finish.

Six minutes later the hosts conceded again, Spicer was the first to react in a crowded penalty area to hit gleefully past Webster.

Bamford added a third goal on 79 minutes, finishing at speed past a slowly retreating Cheddar defence, then thudding the nail into the home side’s coffin finishing strongly in front of goal to complete his hat-trick and a fourth goal for the visitors.