Tavistock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Bristol City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

THE 25th anniversary of the building of Tavistock Football Club?s Red and Black Club was celebrated with a friendly against Nationwide League division 2 side Bristol City last Wednesday.

Guest of honour was Martin Greening, whose father and uncle was responsible for most of the building of the club.

Bristol fielded two trialists in their line-up: Rene Pascal Bikai, a Cameroon International on loan from Italian Serie A side Fiorentina, and Joe Allen from West Ham.

It was the Lambs who almost took a shock lead in the opening minute when Chris Gott succeeded in chipping keeper Joe Stabler only to see the ball come off the post.

Bristol City went ahead on 25 minutes when Allen combined with James Turner to allow Victor Donker to turn in the area and shoot high into the net.

Three minutes later the Lambs had the chance to level when striker Paul Adcock was through, but Stabler came out to parry his chip for a corner.

Tavistock got back on level terms with eight minutes of the half remaining when Paul Smith?s high free kick from the touchline sailed over everyone and went through the hands of the keeper.

Two minutes later the Lambs took a deserved lead. John Gosling?s shot went for a corner and from the resultant free kick James Cole?s cross caused mayhem in the area and at the third attempt it crossed the line with Adcock getting the final touch.

But the Lambs? lead was short-lived as the Robins came back and levelled within 20 seconds of the restart when Bikai?s cross was headed into his own net by Nathan Blamey.

Tavistock keeper Andy Meeds kept the Lambs on level terms with a double save from Tom Jacobs before they took the lead again with a well worked set piece.

Allen was left free on the wing to send in a fierce low cross that Meeds could only get hands to, but could not prevent the ball crossing the line.

But the Lambs were not overawed by their professional opponents and came back again with a deserved equaliser with 15 minutes remaining.

From a throw-in Lee Doncaster and sub Steve Daymond combined with the latter stroking the ball home.

The Lambs had the ball in the net in the dying minutes of the game but Doncaster was ruled offside.

The match, sponsored by the Times and W J Coleman of P D Drilling, was a thoroughly entertaining game with the Lambs coming out of it with their heads held high.

This Saturday, Tavistock are at home to Bodmin in a Carlsberg South Western League game kicking off at 2.30pm.