FA Vase

Cullompton Rangers 2

Tavistock AFC 1

THE Lambs were knocked out of the FA Vase after a really hard fought battle between two teams that were looking in to progress to the next round.

Tavistock were without Dave Hallett and keeper Andy Meeds.

However, the Lambs started brightly and Joe Moore the home keeper made a good save to deny Dan Pethick from scoring in the fourth minute.

Minutes later a John Wyatt cross flashed across the home penalty area but unfortunately there was no one on the end of it.

For long periods the majority of play was in the midfield area, with both side trying to get the upper hand. Joe Moore then produced another fine save to deny Andy Sargent's 20 yard drive which looked destined for the net.

The home team broke the deadlock on the half hour when some slack marking by the Lambs defence saw a header from Danny Tapp put Raith Plant through on goal, he lobbed the advancing Lamb's keeper to five Rangers the lead.

The visitors continued to push forward in an effort to level the scores but they relied too much on the long ball which the home defence dealt with comfortably.

The second period saw the Lambs with new vigour and it was the home keeper that was kept the busier of the two. In the 54th minute a tremendous shot from Sargent was blocked and cleared, and minutes later Joe Moore and a defender got in a muddle, the ball fell to Wyatt but his effort was cleareda off the line by a defender.

The Lambs deservedly equalised in the 71st minute when from a corner kick the home defence failed to clear, fell to Michael Landricombe to drive the ball home low into the corner of the net.

Both sides were going for the winner, John James, Dan Pethick and John Wyatt all had half chances to give the Lambs the lead, but Moore in the home goal denied them.

It was the home team that restored heir lead in the 80th minute when some slack marking by the visitors saw the ball lose in the penalty area, a shot from Brett Worbey was well blocked by Ahearn only for the ball to fall kindly to the unmarked Alex Greening, who calmly tapped the ball home from four yards.

The visitors threw every thing at the home side in the last ten minutes, but with Moore in fine form and some resolute defending from the Cullompton rearguard, they managed keep attack after attack at bay, and progress to the next round.

The Lambs will no doubt be disappointed, as over the 90 minutes they definitely had the greater share of possession.

On Saturday the Lambs are at home to Falmouth, kick off 2.30pm while the Reserves are away to Wadebridge Town, kick-off 2.30pm.