PERSEVERENCE was the name of the game as Karl Nash scored to give Dursley Town a 1-0 victory at Shortwood United Reserves on Wednesday night.
Nash missed at least five presentable chances before converting arguably the hardest of the lot just after the hour mark.
Dursley then closed out the victory with a solid defensive display, which earned them a third clean sheet in a row.
The visitors played some excellent football in the first half and only three fine blocks by Shortwood goalkeeper John Summers prevented Nash from rewarding their dominance.
Summers also tipped a Steve Bennett drive over the crossbar as the sides went in level at the break.
The second half began in similar style with Summers again denying Nash, who also shot across the face of goal.
United almost hit Town with a sucker punch just before the hour, but Keith Watson tipped a low shot around the post.
Dursley finally scored the goal their play deserved when Nash let a centre from Aaron Booth run across him before belting a low drive across Summers and into the net.
Shortwood almost replied immediately, but Watson parried a snapshot and then stuck out a foot to block the rebound as well.
The home side had the better of the game from there, but Phil Miles, Simon Miles, Sean Clune and Chris Lindsay were superb in defence, while Lee Thomas did an excellent job in front of the back four.
The closest United came to an equaliser was from a free-kick ten minutes time - but the ball was punched over the bar by a striker when the original cross may well have been going straight in.
Dursley: K Watson, P Miles, S Miles, S Clune, C Lindsay, M Meta (M Booth 80), L Thomas, A Booth, S Bennett, W Steel (A Nash 75), K Nash.
Goal: K Nash (60).
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