Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division One

Dursley Town 3 Moreton Rangers 2

CURTIS Mills headed a late winner as Dursley fought back from behind to beat visiting Moreton Rangers and give themselves renewed hope of staying up in the division this season.

The victory was Dursley’s fifth of the season and put them just above Harrow Hill, who won on Saturday, and Newent Town, who were beaten 4-0 at Broadwell, in the fight to avoid the drop with basement side Lydbrook Athletic.

Dursley fell behind just ten minutes in when a Rangers player beat Town goalkeeper Pete Dykes with an outlandish effort from near the touchline that found its’ way into the net.

However, Dursley were quickly level when the Moreton defence stopped to appeal for handball only for Josh Hill to seize the moment and play on, and fire in at the near post to level grab the equaliser.

Rangers were back in front by half time, though, when a mis-hit shot on the edge of the box fell kindly and was put away with the Town defence unable to react.

Dursley had the better of the game from that point on, however, and the introduction of second-half substitutes Tom Deakin and James Ellis had the desired effect.

Deakin had already struck the crossbar before when he equalised with a deflected shot in a goalmouth scramble following a corner with 15 minutes remaining.

Moreton had a great chance to win the game shortly afterwards, but Dykes made a great save when one-on-one and Sean Bailey somehow blocked the follow-up.

Instead, the home side snatched the points three minutes from time when Bailey crossed from the left and Mills got across his marker to plant a header into the net.

Dursley Town team: P Dykes; L Jones, S Bailey, R Swift, L Thomas (T Deakin 70); J Hill, G Penlington, Carl Bailey, J Dolbear; J Redbond (J Ellis 65), C Mills.

Stroud League Division Two

Horsley United 4, Dursley Town Res 1

DURSLEY remain winless on the road this season as their performance steadily unravelled on the notorious sloping pitch at high-flying Horsley.

Town fell behind on 15 minutes from an unchallenged 20-yard shot, but levelled matters on the half-hour when Matt Humphrey slammed home from close range.

However, once Horsley started kicking downhill, aided by the wind and the sun in the eyes of their opponents, there was only ever going to be one winner.

Despite some resistance, the hosts went back in front with a fine goal on the hour and added two more goals courtesy of some woeful play from the visitors.

Dursley Town Reserves team: K Watson; W Taylor (J Warner 50), Craig Bailey, D French, C Wilkins; J Minett, Matt Humphrey (A Griffith 75), A Baker, J Mears (Antony Nash 60); M Meta, M Booth.