Carlsberg South West Peninsula premier

Tavistock AFC 0

Bodmin Town 5

THE Lambs had the better of the first half against last year's champions and title contenders this season.

The home team started well and took the game to the visitors; apart from one early chance when O' Hagan shot wide it was the home team that looked the more likely to open the scoring.

In the 15th minute after some fine work by Barwell, Ian Rooke pulled his shot wide of the target when well placed. Five minutes later a fine move saw Jarryd Kelly fail to score, when well placed in the penalty area.

The home team continued to press forward and the Bodmin defence were called upon to do some resolute defending to keep them at bay.

Five minutes before the interval it was Kelly who was causing the visitors' defence problems with his movement off the ball. Another chance fell to him but his shot was inches wide of the target. The Lambs just could not provide that cutting edge in front of goal, so the teams went in level at the interval.

The visitors started the second half with a much higher tempo and six minutes in they opened their account, when O'Hagan was on hand to stab the ball home from six yards. Castle in the home goal made a fine save from Sam Mathews, but could only push the ball out resulting in a goalmouth scramble, which should have been cleared by the home defence.

The Lambs fought back and should have equalised when some fine work by Hatfield put Jarryd Kelly in on goal, but his shot rattled the side netting of the goal.

In the 73rd minute Bodmin increased their lead after some really sloppy defending by the home team, when they failed to clear their lines. They paid the penalty of trying to play the ball out of the back line. The mis-placed pass fell to Chris Wright who slotted the ball home from ten yards.

Five minutes later it got worse for the home team as they were punished on the counter attack when pushing forward to try and get a goal. It was Wright again who headed home when he was unmarked in the six yard box. Seb Broomfield side footed home from a Sam Mathews cross in the 86th minute for their fourth and two minutes from time Nick Doel tapped in from close range.

This score line flattered Bodmin, after such a fine first half performance the Lambs did not deserve to lose by this margin. However, this is what happens against the good sides — if discipline is lost and a failure to concentrate for 90 minutes.

The Lambs are now really in a relegation dog fight and it will take a lot of effort and commitment to get the team out of the bottom two.