South West one

PLYMOUTH MARJONS D 4

TAVISTOCK A 0

RAIN and wind cleared away as Tavistock A and Marjon D took to the pitch. The home side looked organised from the start, with structure and well-drilled movement.

Tavistock did well to keep them out during the opening quarter, thanks largely to strong performances from keeper Osbourne and the backs, especially Kirwan, 

The visitors began to put some attacks together themselves and it was well past the 20 minute mark before Marjon opened the scoring with a well engineered goal.

Tavistock responded and minutes before the half-time whistle Dom Walker beat the keeper only to be denied by the post.

The second half highlighted the contrasting team styles — Marjon measured and purposeful, Tavistock making sudden breaks, unsettling the home side. Marjon widened the gap at 48 minutes, but Tavistock counter-attacked. A break up the right opened an opportunity for captain Venton but he too was denied by the post. 

Tavistock pressed forward with determination but inevitably this left the defence  stretched. Marjon counter-attacked and their striker Tom Brown, who began his hockey career at Tavistock, capitalised by going one-on-one with the keeper to score Marjon’s third, then taking another chance minutes from the end to seal a 4-0 win and a personal hat-trick.

This was an enjoyable match and Tavistock were unfortunate not to score. The entire Tavistock side played well, especially centre half Will Russell and midfielders James Lamb and John Campbell who held the centre of the pitch to deny Marjon dominance.