Portishead AFC, Portishead Football Club on the web

Portishead welcomed Toolstation Premier League side Brislington to Bristol Road in this F.A Cup preliminary round tie and the two sides put on an end to end game to please the bumper crowd and entertain Radio Bristol who were covering the historic match live.

After a bright opening ten minutes from the home side the Premier league outfit took control and it took a fine save from Posset's keeper Ganfield to thwart Brislington's danger man Russ Church after a mis hit back pass from Knight.The visitors were playing neat football from the back and the home side seemed unable to match them and it came as no surprise when they were rewarded for their pressure with a fine strike from Church from 16 yards out leaving an angry looking Ganfield clutching at thin air.

The half time whistle couldn't come quick enough for Posset as they struggled to gain a foothold in the match and they were happy when it finally arrived just one goal in arrears.

Some plain speaking at half time from manager Willis gave the Posset players some food for thought and they took to the field determined to put on an improved performance and they got straight at the visitors with Pettitt, Holder and Cleary hunting down the visiting midfield and releasing the willowy winger Mapstone who began to exert his wizardry upon the visiting defence.

Time and again Mapstone beat the full back only to see his crosses either headed clear by the defence or gathered by keeper Yeo, then on 55 minutes following good hold up play from striker Clarke a Brislington defender upended the Posset striker. Clarke placed the ball carefully and brilliantly executed a curling 20 yard strike into the top corner to bring the tie level, both sides now threw caution to the wind and went for the winner.
The away side hit the bar from a fine header and Posset's diminutive wide man Hughes brilliantly headed clear when Brislington's towering centre back powered a header goal wards.

The last couple of minutes saw each side having a chance to win the tie but Posset's prolific front man Clarke failed to capitalise when put in by the brilliant Mapstone and Brislington's chance fell to the onrushing full back but he snatched at his chance and fired high and wide of Ganfield's upright.