TAVISTOCK AFC secured a valuable home victory at Langsford Park on Saturday (25 October) afternoon, edging past Bashley 1-0 thanks to a second-half strike from prolific forward Jack Crago, writes Jamie Townsend.

“To a man we were great today,” were the words of man of the match Ethan Wright after the game, praising his team’s spirit. The young fullback has been a key performer so far this season.

In a match defined by grit and organisation, the Lambs’ resilience shone through as they held off late pressure to claim all three points.

The opening stages saw Tavistock start on the front foot, combining well down the flanks through Wright and Jacob Bowker. A series of dangerous crosses tested the Bashley defence, but the final touch was missing.

The Lambs were dealt an early setback when Ryan White was forced off with a knee injury after just ten minutes, being replaced by Lindsell.

Bashley grew into the contest and forced Dan Holman into a fine save from distance, while Thomas caused problems for the Tavistock back line with some lively runs.

Tavi, however, regained their rhythm midway through the half, with Cross and Chastey both going close during a strong spell, Baxter also saw a close-range effort deflected wide, but despite both sides creating half-chances, the first period ended goalless.

The breakthrough came in the 54th minute, and it was classic of Tavistock’s season so far.

Bowker’s deft touch found Crago breaking beyond the Bashley defence, and the talisman finished in style with a cool dink that clipped in off the post. The goal gave Tavi momentum, and although Bashley pushed forward in response, Holman commanded his area superbly, collecting a series of dangerous crosses.

As time went on, the game became a battle of determination rather than finesse. Tavistock’s defensive unit stood firm under sustained pressure, with Harris and Holman particularly composed at the back.

Crago and Bowker worked tirelessly to relieve pressure on the break, while Wright continued to impress down the left, earning the man of the match award for his relentless energy and commitment.

Bashley came within inches of an equaliser deep into stoppage time when a looping header struck the post, but the Lambs survived to record another hard-earned win by the narrowest of margins.

Manager Stuart Henderson praised his side’s discipline and work rate after the game, saying: “An honest, hard-working shift, we were very clear about the way we wanted to play. We defended well, got the goal… and anyone who was here today can see how hard they’ve worked and how they want to compete in this league.”

Man of the match Ethan Wright echoed those sentiments: “To a man we were great today, battling all over the place. The pitch wasn’t great so we couldn’t play the way we usually do, but we battled enough to get the three points.”

A performance full of heart and organisation saw Tavi hold firm to take another important step forward in their campaign.

Online- The Lambs have now totalled 10 points from their first 12 games, and next travel to Shaftesbury in league action tonight.