Small gives Clevedon Town a vital victory

Gloucester City 0 Clevedon Town 1: Sam Small scored the only goal of the game as Clevedon claimed the three points to aid their survival bid and dent Gloucester's hopes of promotion from the BGB Southern League.

The visitors scored early on and then comfortably soaked up the home side's pressure.

After openings at both ends early on, Town went in front on 21 minutes.

A cross from Jamal Easter was headed out to Small, who hammered home a well- struck volley into the far corner from 15 yards.

The Tigers had appeals for a penalty waved away after Lee Smith went down under a challenge from Ben Evans.

The Clevedon centre-back then seemed to handle a cross from Smith, but once again the referee was not interested.

Six minutes before the break, home skipper Neil Mustoe came to his side's rescue, twice clearing Tom Billing efforts off the line when the tall striker looked certain to increase Clevedon's lead.

Gloucester upped the pressure in the second half, but could not break down a well-organised Town defence.

When Marc Richards did manage to force the ball into the Clevedon net, the referee had spotted a handball and the goal was ruled out.

City's frustrations were summed up in the last five minutes as substitute Luke Ballinger skimmed the Town bar with an angled drive and then, in the last minute, the same player's rising shot beat goalkeeper Mike Green, only for Josh Brigham to pull off a superb goal-line clearance.