BRIDGWATER recorded their biggest Southern League win when crushing Cinderford 8-0 last night, writes Eddie Robinson.

They got off to the perfect start with a picture-perfect goal after two minutes. Tom Manley’s clearance was headed on by Nat Pepperell into the path of Jamie Price who made tracks into the heart of the home defence.

The ball was transferred to Steve Orchard and Chris Young before it came to Graham Mercieca on the edge of the area to fire home.

Cinderford are struggling this season although they battled out a goalless draw at Andover last time out.

They were getting back into the game and posing a few threats of their own when they were hit by a three-goal burst in a few minutes on the half-hour mark.

The passing and movement of the Bridgwater team sliced open their opponents.

A neat lob by Brett Trowbridge, who was played into space by captain Young, was sandwiched between two crisp finishes by the skipper.

The speed and ball control of wide men Mercieca and Pepperell when cutting inside was proving too much for Cinderford and each could have added to the score.

Mercieca hit the bar with a long shot while Pepperell just failed to control the ball when it came back off the keeper.

The management gave 40 valuable minutes playing time to promising young striker Jamie Howson and he might have opened his Southern League account when twice shooting wide from good positions.

Sixteen minutes into the second half, Pepperell played the ball through the middle and Trowbridge won the race to beat the on-rushing keeper.

Manley was down quickly to deny Cinderford a consolation after defensive slips let in O’Sullivan.

The versatile Orchard claimed two goals with two finishes from Pepperell crosses, the first of which was aided by a defence-splitting pass from Howson.

Central defenders Matt Villis and Jamie Pitcher were foiled by the keeper John as they tried to get their names on a lengthening scoresheet.

A demoralised Cinderford conceded a last minute penalty and man-of-the-match Pepperell scored easily to end a game in which all the Bridgwater players were on top form.

Team: Manley, Price, Pitcher, Villis, Laird, Beadle, Orchard, Trowbridge, Pepperell, Young (Howson, 50), Mercieca (Thomas 60).