Carlsberg South Western League
Tavistock 2
Saltash 1
THE Lambs bounced back from three consecutive defeats with this morale-boosting victory over a Saltash side who are in the running for third spot in the league.
It could have been a high scoring game had both sides taken more of their chances, but they found the keepers in fine form. Lambs keeper Andy Meeds saved early on from Mike Roberts and Darren Babb?s diving header from a corner went just side.
Meeds saved again from a Paul Baker effort before the Saints went ahead in controversial fashion. Appeals for handball went unheard, shouts for offside were ignored, as Roberts surged forward. As Meeds came out to challenge he passed to Baker, who looked offside, but play continued for him to slot home.
Babb went close again with another header as did Paul Smith?s effort that went straight at Ashes keeper Simon Zinn.
But the Lambs got back on level terms at a crucial stage. Into injury time of the first half James Steer collected the ball out of wide and ran at the Saltash defence to send in a low drive that went beyond Zinn to deflect in off his far post.
In the second half Dennis Mason for the visitors saw his rising shot skim off the Lambs? crossbar after 50 minutes.
Babb had yet another header saved by Zinn. Smith was again unlucky as his header was clawed away by Zinn.
With ten minutes remaining captain Nathan Blamey picked up a loose ball 30 metres out to send in a shot that rose into the top corner of the net for a contender for the Lambs? goal of the season.
Injury time went on for what seemed an eternity, but the Lambs held out for the victory.