Shepton Mallet progressed to the next round of the FA Cup for the first time in several years after a 3-1 win in the Extra Preliminary Round against league rivals Cadbury Heath, with all the goals coming in an end-to-end first half.

The home side started brightly with Craig Loxton and Andy Martin going close from distance, and Jack Fillingham beating home keeper Oliver Jones, but not an alert defender who cleared the ball off the goal-line.

Callum Ball tested home keeper Jonny Hill on 10 minutes, who palmed away his vicious angled shot, before Loxton opened the scoring two minutes later in fine style after working a one-two with Conrad Peck before jinking around three opponents and smashing a 25-yard left foot shot past Jones.

Fillingham almost made it two before Josh Williams also went close for Heath, sidefooting the ball just wide from Matt Huxley's pass.

Williams had the next chance also, well saved by Hill, before Shepton doubled their lead after 25 minutes when Asa White rose highest to head past Jones from Loxton's free kick.

Ball headed narrowly wide for Heath from the restart, before Fillingham rattled the bar for Shepton for the second game in a row.

A dangerous cross from Heath's Ross Moorhead deserved better as it just eluded two team-mates, before his colleague Enis Akgun had more success seven minutes before the break when he beat Shepton's attempted offside trap and then Hill to reduce the deficit.

It was not for long, though, as it only took the home side four minutes to restore the two-goal lead when Fillingham finished off a fine move started by Jordan Lovibond and carried on by Aaron Saviour, who picked out Fillingham to convert.

Martin and Loxton went close to increasing Shepton's lead early in the second period, but there was barely a chance of note for the following half hour as the wind strengthened and the play became increasingly scrappy after such a good first period.

Williams had a shot that went two yards too high around the hour point, before Shepton retreated deeper and deeper as the clock ran down, allowing Heath to exert a degree of late pressure that twice almost led to a goal that might have unnerved the hosts and set up a shaky finish.

Shepton were grateful to Hill for saving with his legs from Ashley Kendall, and then keeping out a headed chance from Huxley with five minutes to go.

The last word went to the impressive Loxton, though, who forced a good stop from Jones in stoppage time, for Shepton to go through.

Aaron Saviour just pipped Loxton to Man of the Match honours for his non-stop running and all round contribution.

Team

1. J.Hill
2. F.Haines
3. A.Martin
4. L.Watson
5. A.White.....scored one goal
6. C.Loxton........scored one goal and was cautioned
7. J.Lovibond......cautioned
8. C.Peck
9. A.Seviour
10. J.Fillingham....scored one goal
11. A.Cockerill

B.Haines

M.Westlake

attendance 105