The first of our ECFA Premier League fixtures welcomed close neighbours, Yeovil College, to BTC’s Bridgwater Campus.

The game started at a good tempo with both sides enjoying some territory in their opponents half. BTC started to edge the good excursions into the visitors half before a quick counter required Harry Mason to be alert and deny the Yeovil striker an opportunity from a ball over the top. However, the industry and cohesion from BTC started to show with more moments being formed through Dodds & Biggs on one flank, plus Watts, Cottrill Coppin and O’Halloran through the centre.

For the first goal, good approach play from Purser and Manley on the opposite flank led to Manley feeding Dodds who had timed his run to finish with ease 1-0.

In all honesty, a few more chances, one from Purser, O’Halloran and Watts could have given a more realistic scoreline after the initial twenty minutes, but on the flip side Creed had to make an excellent save whilst the scoreline was level.

In the second period, the lion’s share of play paid off as O’Halloran scored from a through ball which eluded the visitor’s defence that was then put neatly under the advancing keeper 2-0. Dodds made it 3-0 after good play from Coppin. Before O’Halloran was brought down and from the penalty, Harry the keeper initially saved the penalty but Scott was on hand to put the loose ball in 4-0.

All the good attacking play and control stemmed from a solid backline where Reed, Manley, Mason, Sandford, Biggs and Creed controlled the majority of opposition attacks, on the times the opposition gained a good chance – they put themselves in front of strikes.

O’Halloran turned provider for the next goal, a quality run which outfoxed his marker he pulled the ball back for Scott to timely get the sides fifth and his brace 5-0. With Creed having kept a clean sheet Wilkinson then came on for his BTC debut.

O’Halloran then picked up another goal for himself, managing to isolate a defender and beating him 1v1 O’Halloran open play finishing has been excellent 6-0. Then, not to be denied, Coppin got a seventh from the spot as the visitors couldn’t quite keep up with the pace of the attacking moments and committed another foul. Coppin finished nicely into the bottom corner 7-0.

The game wasn’t only about good finishing, Yeovil played their part especially in the early stages but found a strong defence and keeper prepared to deny any clear chances. Each player displayed a sound level of maturity and application which gives BTC a good reference point for the opening of the league.