Ajani Burchall and his Wimborne Town teammates suffered a second away defeat in the space of a week as a clinical quick-fire double from Taunton Town overturned an incredible opening-minute lead.
Wimborne could not have dreamed of a better start, catching the hosts cold straight from the kick-off. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, winger Max Bustamante broke free, weaving through a static Taunton defense to slot home and stun the home crowd. It was a moment of pure opportunistic brilliance that looked set to define the afternoon.
However, the hosts gradually grew into the contest and found their breakthrough in the 42nd minute. Jack Rice proved to be the architect of the equalizer, stepping up to a free kick just outside the penalty area. His strike bypassed the Wimborne wall and settled into the bottom corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
The momentum shifted entirely on the stroke of half-time. In a devastating blow for the visitors, Taunton launched a rapid counter-attack down the right wing immediately following the restart. The Wimborne back-line was caught out of position, allowing Owen Brain to race through and fire a clinical finish into the far corner.
Despite the early heroics of Bustamante and the creative efforts of Bermudian international Burchall, Wimborne were unable to find a response in the second half. The result leaves the Magpies looking for answers on the road as they look to arrest their recent slump in form.
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