WINSCOMBE SURRENDER EARLY LEAD BUT KEEP UNBEATEN RUN

Horribly wet conditions faced both teams for the league leaders' final game of 2018, in which they aimed to maintain a winning streak held since the second week of the season.

A feature of this impressive run of results has been Winscombe's ability to hit the ground running, where traditionally they'd often been sluggish in the first half of most matches. The visitors again were quick out of the blocks against a potentially dangerous Clevedon side and could have been ahead early on. First, a tempting cross from Max Brean failed to get converted at the far post, followed shortly after by a deflected shot from top scorer Dougie Gait that whizzed just past the post. Brean then went close when his shot was sharply saved at point-blank range.

But it was the combative midfielder who broke the deadlock on ten minutes, poking home after some messy play in the Clevedon box. 1-0. The score was doubled after 20 minutes when a pinpoint Jackson Cook corner was stabbed home by Gait. 2-0.

In an echo of Winscombe's recent home match against Axbridge, though, what should have been a comfortable half-time lead was lessened before the break when a precise lob over Oli Lovell halved the deficit. Winscombe's first clean sheet of the season remains elusive. 1-2.

Ten minutes into the second half, Clevedon achieved parity when a strong header from a corner provided the equaliser. 2-2. Dogged performances from both teams then ensured as each sought a winning goal. Winscombe came closest when, after Ted Palmer's shot was saved, Gait's spectacular overhead kick came back off the bar. Winscombe's frustration was further compounded when the referee curiously blew for time three minutes early.

While the 2-2 draw maintains the visitors' unbeaten run, it reduces their lead over Portishead at the top of the table to a single point. A nerve-shredding title race, one to rival Liverpool/Man City, is on the cards.