FA Cup extra preliminary round

St Blazey 1

Tavistock AFC 0

THE Lambs were without the services of influential mid fielders Dave Hallett and Joe Carey, for this F A Cup preliminary round contest. Also Aaron Northmore had not recovered from his knee injury from the first game of the season.

The Tavistock players must be wondering how they lost this game at Blaize Park as the Lambs dominated the game for long periods. They created numerous chances but failed to deliver and lost out to a wonder strike by Mark Sleeman from 35 yards out, which nestled in the top corner of the net midway through the first half.

In the sixth minute Tavistock's Carlton Farnham broke into the penalty area and his first shot rebounded off the keeper back into his path, but the keeper completed the double save, by turning his second effort around the post for a corner kick.

The visitors did have the ball in the net on 20 minutes when after a goalmouth scramble Ian Rooke forced the ball home from close in, but it was ruled he was in an off-side position.

Then in the 25th minute in a rare attack the home team took the lead; when the ball was cleared it fell to Sleeman and he hit a tremendous unstoppable shot, for the home team to go 1-0 up.

After this set back, it was still the visitors dictating the play, with the home team finding it difficult to produce any real momentum.

Carlton Farnham and Ryan Moorhead combined well and Moorhead produced a fine cross which Jarryd Kelly headed just wide of the target.

In the 37th minute the Lambs wasted a great chance to equalise when after some fine play down the left by Josh Robbins and Carlton Farnham, split the home defence open and put Kyle Johnson in on goal but the youngster dragged his shot wide into the side netting.

Just before the interval the home keeper produced another fine save to deny Carlton Farnham from equalising.

The second half was virtually a repeat of the first as the Lambs pushed forward looking for an equaliser and the home team somehow denying them with some last ditch tackles and defensive blocks by defenders.

In the 73rd minute Johnny Wyatt made a great run down the right and his fine cross was only inches from the on rushing Carlton Farnham inside the six yard area.

Two minutes later Carlton Farnham was pulled down just outside the penalty area, but Quinn's free kick flashed pass the post.

With three minute to go St Blazey's Dan Bennett was sent off for a bad challenge on Josh Robbins, but still the home team hung on. In injury time a fierce cross from the right saw the ball hit the home keeper's fist, drop on the goal line, and with everyone expecting the ball to end up in the net, the ball somehow bounced over the cross bar to safety. This summed up the day for the Lambs, it was just not going to be their day.

This result was disappointing for the Tavistock players, manager and supporters, as the team did produce some attractive football, and controlled the game for long periods, to such an extent that the Lambs had 18 attempts on goal compared to St Blazey's five. However its goals that win games and the players will be aware that they need to sharpen up their act in front of goal.