Carlsberg South West Peninsula premier

Tavistock AFC 1

Falmouth Town 1

THE title race took another twist when Tavistock dropped two points in this home game.

The game was turned on its head when, what appeared to be a 50-50 challenge between two players fully intent on winning the ball, the referee’s decision went against the Lambs and Shane Krac was shown a straight red card in the 20th  minute.

The game started at a frantic pace, and it was the Lambs that had the upper hand during this opening spell putting the Falmouth defence under pressure. In the fifth minute a great move saw Glynn Hobbs find Ricki Shepherd, whose fine effort was brilliantly turned away for a corner kick by Falmouth keeper Barns.

A minute later from a corner kick taken by Dave Hallett, Dan Evans’s powerful header was cleared off the goal line by visiting defender Ward. The Lambs were forcing corner after corner. Shane Krac saw his effort blocked by a defender when it looked destined for the net.

The first attempt by Falmouth on the home goal came in the 14th minute when Annear shot wide of the target from 20 yards.

Two minutes later Tavistock deservedly took the lead when a defence splitting pass saw Glynn Hobbs beat two defenders before slotting the ball home from six yards.

Then came the incident that saw Shane Krac being shown the red card.

Even with ten men it was the Lambs that created more scoring opportunities. Hobbs was causing the Falmouth defence all sorts of problems with his power and pace.   In the 22nd minute he beat two defenders and keeper, only to see his acute angled shot cleared for a corner kick by a defender on the goal line.

Five minutes later his twenty five yard bullet like free kick was superbly turned over the bar by Barns. Jack Crago then made a fine run down the left he cut inside and shot over the bar, when he had the option to cross the ball into the six yard box for the unmarked Josh Grant.

Just before the interval Josh  Oak was called upon to make a save from Wearn, enabling the home side to go in with a one goal advantage at half time.

The second half saw Falmouth gaining a fair share of possession, and Wearn their leading goal scorer headed just wide when well placed. He also shot well wide of the target from a free kick awarded 22 yards from goal.

Back came Tavistock and good work by Hobbs saw Tyler Elliot shoot wide of the target when really well placed to test the keeper. On the hour Elliot found Hobbs his powerful shot rebounded off Barns into the path of Warren Daw on the edge of the penalty area, his terrific effort took the slightest of deflections, just enough to see it flash pass the post, for a corner kick.

It was still the Lambs that were creating the better chances on the counter attack as the visitors were now having the greater share of possession, but the home defence were in fine form and restricted the visitors to long range efforts.

Josh Grant then saw his fine effort deflected for a corner kick in the 70th minute.

In the last 15th minutes Falmouth were now gaining the benefit of the extra man,  but the Lambs were still keeping them at bay.  Annear came close in the 84th minute, when he shot over the bar when well placed. Hobbs then broke away and beat two defenders but his angled shot whistled inches wide of the angle of upright and crossbar.

Just as it seemed the Lambs were going to get the result they deserved, Falmouth substitute Squires, met across from the right, and steered a looping header into the top corner of the net.

This game was turned on its head by the decision to send off Shane Krac for, what Tavistock claimed, appeared to be a genuine 50-50 challenge. The team did really well with ten men and were unlucky not to take the three points, which their performance deserved. With ten men they still created more chances, it was only some terrific goalkeeping by Barns, and some last ditch defending that prevented Tavistock from scoring more goals. It was one of those days that the ball would not just run for the team.

Although this is a set back, it is not a disaster, the team must put this result behind them and make sure they are back to their clinical best for the remaining six games.