Tavistock mens’ thirds 1

OPMs 1

OPTING to play a 4-4-2 formation to give greater stability at the back seemed to work well in the favour of the home side.

There was some slick passing from the Tavistock men and possession by a midfield of Walker, Whitson-Fay, Staig, Bott and Gunther-Leece. Their interplay allowed the forwards to put pressure on the OPM’s defence drawing some fine saves  from the goalkeeper Osborne, who was sportingly standing in for an OPM’s absent player.

As the first half drew to a close an unforced error on the left hand side of Tavistock’s defence allowed the OPMs forwards to take advantage for the first and only time in the game to score.

Fine communication in defence and a good understanding of sound positional play from Cull, Bellamy and Monger allowed continued pressure in the second half. Staig hit the post but Tavistock were rewarded minutes later with Andrews finding Staig. who calmly slotted the ball past ‘their’ keeper. 

The winner failed to come, but there were many positives to take into Tavistock’s next game and their first in the league.

Communication, good positional play and commitment in the tackle were all worthy of note. A senior player, making his first appearance for the team, summed the situation up nicely saying ’I wasn’t expecting to find things as tight as this’ — a real compliment to the efforts of the entire team.