MATCH REPORT: NAILSEA & TICKENHAM 0–1 BRISLINGTON

Brislington took the short trip west to fellow strugglers Nailsea & Tickenham, with both sides desperate to find a first league win of the season.

The Foxes were buoyed by several returns: Ben Withey from injury, Oaklan Buck from suspension, and manager Ash Kington naming himself in the starting XI. There was also a late twist, with forward Paulo Borges making his debut against his former club, going straight into the line-up. At the other end of the pitch, Seb Tylek came in between the sticks for Bris, deputising for their regular shot-stopper.

Bris started brightly, dominating possession and territory in the opening exchanges, though the fluency to carve out a clear chance was missing. On 14 minutes, déjà vu struck when Buck was sent to the sin bin for dissent, leaving the visitors temporarily down to ten men. Nailsea grew into the contest with the advantage, but much like Bris earlier, they couldn’t turn pressure into meaningful openings.

Once back to full strength, the game settled into a scrappy affair, the first half lacking clear chances for either side. The pattern continued after the break, with the uneven pitch playing its part in a low-quality contest.

As the half wore on, Brislington began to reassert themselves. Injuries forced changes up front, with Radway and Borges replaced by teenagers Lovell and Moore. The youngsters brought fresh energy, showing impressive strength and maturity.

On 80 minutes, Moore’s relentless pressing forced a Nailsea defender into conceding a corner, taking no risks by knocking the ball behind. From the resulting set-piece, Kington’s clever low delivery caught the hosts off guard, and Withey was the sharpest man in the box, calmly slotting home to put Brislington in front.

Nailsea never mounted a meaningful fightback, and Brislington held firm to secure a priceless 1–0 victory — their first league win of the season. Kington will hope this hard-fought success provides the platform for his side to build upon in the coming weeks.