Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two

Dursley Town 2 Smiths Athletic 0

DURSLEY effectively secured their Gloucestershihre Northern Senior League Division Two status for next season as they ground out victory against fellow-strugglers Smiths at a windswept Rec.

Phil Miles’ side are now ten points clear of Smiths with five games to go, while Wotton and Abbeymead must win all of their remaining matches to overhaul Town.

The home side had the better of a scrappy first half, although it took a full-length tip around the post from Pete Dykes to deny the visitors a goal shortly before the break.

Dursley broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half when Jamie Shimman beat the goalkeeper with a low free-kick from out wide that skidded into the far corner.

The goal barely settled Town nerves, though, and they were further shredded when Shimman saw his penalty turned onto the bar after Alex Griffith had been felled.

However, Smiths never truly threatened to equalise and the hosts eventually made sure of the points in stoppage-time when Kyle Ward broke away to slot home.

Dursley: P Dykes; S Hobbs, S Miles, M Workman, P Lyon; J Hawkins, J Dolbear (J Warner 40), K Austin, A Griffith; K Ward, J Shimman. Not Used: P Miles.

Goals: Shimman (53), Ward (90+2).

* Dursley Reserves were thumped 6-1 by their Tetbury counterparts in Division Three of the Stroud League. Ben Smith scored for Town in the second half.