Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division One

Dursley Town 5 Brockworth Albion 0

DURSLEY’S biggest victory of the season came too late to prolong their six-year stay in Northern Senior One as relegation rivals Lydbrook also won their final match.

Needing three points of their own plus a favour from already-relegated Bredon in the Forest of Dean, Town were unable to save themselves despite their spectacular win.

Terry Stevenson’s side were condemned to the drop by a two-point margin, the matter of turning just one of their ten draws – the most in the division – into a victory.

Indeed, the two 1-1 draws against bottom side Bredon stand out like sore thumbs in the final analysis, although Dursley had enough opportunities to save themselves.

They usually competed well in games, but consistently failed to function as a team in an attacking sense and paid for a lack of creativity as much as for missed chances.

Bizarrely, the last time Town conceded fewer than their 53 goals against was the 2008/09 season, when finishing sixth, but they scored just 35 times in 30 matches.

Against Brockworth, Karl Nash hit the underside of the crossbar early on before giving the home side the lead with a low 20-yard shot just after the half-hour mark.

Dursley could easily have been behind by that stage, but Dan McNally chased back to make a goal-line clearance and Keith Watson made two one-on-one saves.

However, once Nash tucked away a penalty having been brought down in the box five minutes into the second half, there was little doubt where the points were going.

Nathan Vines scored the third goal on the hour, rifling the ball high into the top corner after Antonio Forgione’s driven cross had come back off the goalkeeper.

Town were then awarded a second spot-kick that no-one appealed for as Kyle Ward skipped over a challenge and, with Nash by now substituted, Vines converted.

Ward rounded the victory off with a far-post volley from Jim Stevenson’s chipped cross, but Lydbrook’s 4-0 triumph over Bredon sent Dursley into Division Two.

Dursley: K Watson; L Jones, S Miles, M Workman, D McNally; A Forgione (K Ward 65), L Thomas (B Jones 80), J Stevenson, N Vines; C Mills, K Nash (R Stevenson 70). Not Used: J Stoneman.

Goals: Nash (30 & pen 50), Vines (60 & pen 75), Ward (85).