Ilminster Town managed to edge past Clevedon Town to claim a vital win in the fight against relegation.

The encounter took place at the Archie Gooch Pavilion last Saturday.

Both sides were well matched and offered equally compelling performances in the first 60 minutes of play.

Jack Steer and Brad Pitman secured the win for Ilminster with two second-half goals.

This victory takes Ilminster a step ahead on the table, slightly lifting the relegation pressure off their shoulders.

Chard & Ilminster News: It was a proper goal fest for the Blues

The team's manager is aware of the challenge they face ahead, with five matches lined up within a span of nine days.

A few additional points can comfortably keep them in the top division, while three wins might rocket them into the top ten.

The first half saw no major breakthrough for either side.

However, Ilminster's defense, particularly their goalkeeper, Jack Rutter, was excellent, blocking several goal attempts from Clevedon.

A right-winger from Clevedon caused a little trouble, but Ilminster's defence managed to control the situations well.

As the game proceeded into the second half, Ilminster began to find their rhythm and created a few decent chances.

The first goal came in the 70th minute when Evan Howse managed to find Dan Peach in an open area.

Peach calmly directed the ball across the goal towards Jack Steer, who didn't miss the golden opportunity, making the scoreline 1-0 in favour of Ilminster.

Ten minutes later, Brad Pitman capitalised on a clearance attempt, taking the score to 2-0, thus securing their vital win over Clevedon.

Captain Lee Sweet played exceptionally well, as well as Kane Lee, who made an excellent tackle when the score was still at 0-0.

The man of the match, however, was undoubtedly goalkeeper Jack Rutter due to his solid performance throughout the match.

Ilminster Town will be hosting Chilcompton Sports next week on May 2 at 6.30pm.

The game will be quickly followed by an away trip to face Clutton at the bottom of the division on May 4, and a bank holiday match against Somerton at home on May 6 at the Archie Gooch Pavilion at 3pm.

On bank holiday Monday, May 6, Ilminster Town is also set to host the Perry Street Division 1 Cup final between Forton Rangers Reserves and West & Middle Chinnock, kicking off at 11am at the Archie Gooch Pavilion.