Westinsure Devon

Premier Cup third round

Mount Gould B P 0

Tavistock 2

THE cup holders proved they will not relinquish it easily after this performance against the P & D Premier League leaders at Tothill.

The Lambs had Wayne Crow in the starting line-up and welcomed Simon Parnell back after a spell off through injury to sit on the subs bench.

It could have started off on the wrong foot for the Lambs but Jason Marks curled his shot wide of Andy Meeds and hit his post after eight minutes before they went ahead on the quarter-hour in fortunate circumstances.

Mount Gould keeper Chris Stacey raced off his line to head away a through-ball but only succeeded in putting it straight to Chris Gott who delicately chipped it back over him. He did well to hold the ball in mid-air but on crashing to the floor let it slip for it to roll over the line despite a defender in close attendance,

Five minutes later the home side were again unfortunate when from a free kick the ball was headed onto the Lambs bar. Marks was again thwarted by a last-ditch tackle from James Cole as he closed in on goal and Nathan Blamey made a tremendous goal-line clearance as a weak back header to Meeds left the keeper stranded.

Blamey was booked for a reckless challenge before Lee Doncaster hit the home side?s crossbar just prior to the interval.

The start of the second half did not go to well for the Lambs with Blamey finding himself in the referee?s notebook for the second time. With the Lambs down to ten men it appeared harder to hold onto their slender lead but they became stronger as Darren Babb just failed to get to a Paul Smith corner. Doncaster could have sewn it up for the Lambs with 15 minutes remaining but he spurned two chances.

But with seven minutes left Lee Beer put man of the match Gott in with a chance. Stacey could only parry his fierce drive and there was John Hajiyainni to knock in the rebound to send the Lambs into the last sixteen.

l Fixtures: Saturday, Carlsberg SWL, Tavistock v Saltash (note change of kick-off time) 2-30pm.

The P & D side face the same Mount Gould side in the P & D George Gillan Trophy at Tothill, kick-off 2.30pm.

Monday November 4 sees the start of a trio of friendlies against league opposition when Torquay Utd come to Langsford Park with a 7.30pm kick-off.