FA Vase
Tavistock AFC 4
Chard Town 3
THIS game proved to be a very exciting encounter with both sides playing good open football. The Lambs eventually ran out deserved winners and progress to the next round of the F A. Vase, with a visit to Wellington of the Western League premier division.
It was the visitors who threatened early on and in the third minute Andy Meeds made a good save to keep the scores level. After good work by Sam Davey and Chris Head, Jimmy Alexander's, fierce shot flew just wide of the visitors goal. Davey then had a shot well saved by the visitor's keeper.
The Lambs were improving by the minute with Dean Shipton, pushing forward from full back, at every opportunity this was creating real problems for the Chard defence. With Jimmy Alexander and Dave Hallett dominating the midfield area, the home side created several goal scoring chances. Both Chris Head and Sam Davey failed to score before Lee Blacthford saw his astute lob just clear the bar with Dowling well beaten.
Then against the run of play the visitors took the lead when Gary Knight turned Lambs defender Mike Arscott before scoring in the 40th minute. The Lambs pushed forward but failed to get an equaliser before the interval.
The Lambs upped the tempo after the break and it was no surprise when they equalised in the 51st minute when Sam Davey slammed home a rebound, after a powerful header from John James could only be parried by Chard keeper Dowling.
Nine minutes later Sam Davey was pulled down in the penalty area by Chard's Sam Spurway, Lee Blatchford blasted home the resulting spot kick to give the Lambs a deserved lead. It was Lee Blatchford who increased the home sides lead in the 65th minute, when he shot low into the corner of the net from 18 yards after some fine work by Alexander, Hallett, and Dan Pethick.
Within a minute the visitors pulled a goal back when Sam Clark scored. A long punt down the middle was not dealt with by the centre backs in the home defence, and once again paid the penalty for trying to play the off side game.
The home defence became increasingly nervy and almost a repeat move of the second goal saw the visitors equalise in the 71st minute when Clark again beat the off side trap.
It was looking like extra time would be necessary to separate the two sides, when the Lambs won a corner on the left. Blatchford's excellent cross was headed on by Tom Moody, and was heading goal wards and the unfortunate Spurway could only help the ball into the net.
On the balance of play over the ninety minute the Lambs deserved to go through to the next round of the competition, but once again they really did shoot themselves in the foot when they were three goals to one up with 25 minutes to go. It was a shame that the game was so poorly attended, as for entertainment value it was very good, with the home supporters on the edge of their seats for the whole ninety minutes.