Carlsberg South West peninsula premier

Tavistock AFC 1

Exmouth Town 0

TAVISTOCK first team were without Lewis Daw and Ben Cross through injury and Dan Evans failed a fitness test just before this mid-week game.

The game opened at a frantic pace with both sides playing attractive football. Exmouth had definitely not come to play defensively, as they attacked with pace and craft.

In the eighth minute the visitors produced a really good move that resulted in Josh Oak having to make a really good save, turning a fierce shot from Cooper for a corner kick. From the kick, Durrant headed over the bar.

Five minutes later good work by Tyler Elliot saw Tallan Burns find Luke Brown but he dragged his shot wide of the Exmouth goal.

On the half hour home goalkeeper Josh Oak made a magnificent save to deny Rickard from breaking the deadlock.

The game continued to flow from end to end but it was the visitors that looked the more likely to open the scoring when Lever was denied as his shot, following a corner kick, came back off the post before being cleared.

Both teams pressed forward but neither could find the elusive opening goal.

The Lambs were forced to make a change at the interval after Dave Hallett had picked up an injury; he was replaced with Afet Toujani.

The home team increased the tempo of their play early in the half, moving the ball much quicker and with more accuracy. Three minutes into the half a shot was blocked and the ball fell to Lambs’ striker Glyn Hobbs but his shot was brilliantly turned over the bar by Powell in the visitors’ goal.

On the hour manager Stuart Henderson made a substitution with Jack Crago replacing Tallan Burns. Crago made an immediate impact when his fine header was saved by Powell. The Lambs continued to create scoring opportunities but they could not find the net.

With 15 minutes to go, it looked as though the Lambs were going to pay the penalty for missed chances, when in a counter attack, Exmouth were awarded a penalty for a foul in the area. Josh Oak in the home goal made a terrific save, diving low to his left to turn the spot kick from high; it went away for a corner kick, which was then cleared.

Alex Cairo then replaced Luke Brown. Minutes later Cairo saw his fine effort tipped over the bar.

Exmouth goalkeeper Powell then made three magnificent saves to deny the Lambs. The first a double save from close range to deny Crago followed by an incredible save to deny Josh Grant. Hobbs then saw his fine effort turned away for a corner kick.

Just as if it looked like it was going to be one of those games, the Lambs popped up with a deserved winner in added time. A terrific run by Crago down the left, when he glided past a couple of defenders, before squaring the perfect pass for Grant to flash the ball home from close range.

This was a hard earned three points against a good Exmouth Town team. It was definitely a game of two halves with Exmouth shading the first, but the Lambs were the much better side in the second period.

n This Saturday Tavistock AFC first team are home to St Austell, kick-off 3pm while Tavistock AFC seconds are away to Saltash United, kick-off 2.30pm.