Abingdon United continued to prove the doubters wrong as they inflicted the first league defeat this season on Southern League Division 1 South & West leaders Taunton at Northcourt Road on Saturday.

Boosted by the signing of former Wycombe Wanderers ace Jermaine McSporran, Abingdon, whom many thought they would be prime relegation candidates, survived an uncertain start to record a notable victory.

Abingdon took the lead against the run of play in the 39th minute.

Taunton keeper Ian Jones failed to come for a free-kick and the ball dropped for Micheas Herbert to send it high into the net.

The second half was only four minutes old when Jemaine Ferreira used his pace to turn two defenders inside out and drew the keeper before passing to the the waiting Anaclet Odhiambo, who made no mistake from four yards.

The ubiquitous Julian McCalmon shot straight at the keeper, while McSporran, on his debut, showed touches of real class.

The game was effectively over on the hour mark, when Odhiambo chased a long ball out of defence. He touched sideways to Herbert who dispatched the ball into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area to make it 3-0.

Herbert was put clear with only the keeper to beat and a hat-trick seemed on the cards. But he hurried his shot and the ball sailed over With 20 seconds left, a Taunton player went down and the referee awarded a spot-kick Dan Boere struck it to Tricker's right and although the keeper guessed right, he couldn't get a hand on it.

Abingdon Utd: Tricker, Moss, Organ, Ballard, Davis, McCalmon, Herbert, McSporran, Ferreira, Odhiambo (Holden, 80), Simms. Subs not used: Heyday, Peirson, Woodley.