Match Report: Tavistock AFC vs Larkhall AFC

“A Jekyll and Hyde performance” says Tavi manager Stuart Henderson, as the Lambs come from 1-3 down to draw 3-3 with Larkhall Athletic!!

By Luca Sperti

The Red and Black outfit came into the game making one change with Jacob Bowker being replaced in the starting eleven by Tallan Burns. Tavi started the game off well and took the lead in the 2nd minute in treacherous conditions. Welshman and Exeter City loanee Alfie Cunnigham picked the ball up from the left-wing before cutting inside two Larkhall defenders before hitting a driven shot towards the left-corner. Larkhall goalkeeper Arthur Nasta got a touch on the ball but the sheer power in Cunningham strike was enough for it go into the corner. The strike was the attacker first goal in a Tavi shirt and first strike in senior football. A few minutes later, the game had to be halted for a few minutes as Tavi forward Liam Prynn landed awkwardly following a challenge from a Larkhall defender. Luckily for Tavi, the forward was okay to continue after receiving treatment. In the 10th minute Larkhall equalised. A ball made its way out to the right-wing to Jack Camm, who made his way into the box before squaring the ball to left-winger Max Williams. With Aaron Dearing in the Tavistock goal caught out by the cross, Williams rolled the ball into the net, for his sixth goal of the season. Only four minutes later the visitors took the lead. A longball up from defence by the Larks saw the ball find Tavi defender Charlie Elkington, who was shrugged off the ball by Larkhall striker Archie Ferris. The Target man, then laid the ball off to midfielder Matt Bowman, who took one touch before pulling the ball across the box to Camm. The versatile midfielder for Larkhall, opened his body up before poking the ball into the far corner past a helpless Dearing, for his third goal of the season. Three minutes later the visitors got a third with their next attack. A through ball once again from the Larkhall defence found Ferris, who once again did brilliantly to shrugged of Tavi defender Iestyn Harris, before sending a lovely curling cross towards the six-yard box. The ball into the box found its way to Camm, who cleverly flicked the ball into the top-right-corner, despite Dearing in the Tavi goal getting a touch. The goal saw the winger double his goal tally for the season in only three minutes in the hectic conditions.

In the 23rd minute the Larks once again had the ball in the back off the net. A cross by the impressive Camm fell to Ferris in the box, who turned and smashed the ball past Dearing. However, Tavi’s blushes were spared after the striker was deemed to be offside by the officials, keeping the game at 1-3. In the 26th minute Tavistock right-back Harris, went down and received treatment on the right hand side of the field. A few minutes later the reliable right-back, returned to action on the bobbly Langsford Park surface. In the 31st minute a first chance for Tavi since the Cunnigham goal, saw Harris loop the ball to Alex Battle. Inside the penalty area, the attacker took a touch before slicing a shot wide of Nasta’s goal. In the 33rd minute another chance for Larkhall saw the ball fall back inviting to Ethan Cannings following a corner. The former Bath City man took the shot on first time with his effort sailing over Dearing’s goal. In the 35th minute the away side were inches away from making it four. The impressive Archie Ferris was once again in the action this time taking a freekick, which was knuckled over the wall and looked to be heading in before it hit the inside of the crossbar and bounced out. The forward appealed to the referee that his strike was in fact over the line but the referee was unmoved and Tavi were once again let off. Only a minute later down the other end and against the runoff play, Tavi equalised. A cross from the left by Plymouth Aryle loanee Jack Endacott, was overhit and was cleared by Larkhall midfielder Harrison Lea. However, the midfielders headed clearance only reached Tavistock forward Alex Battle. In the box, Tavi’s top scorer Battle cut inside before unleashing a powerful curling shot, with his left-foot, into the far corner. Nasta had no chance in the Larkhall goal and out of nothing Tavi had a lifeline. In the 39th minute a chance for the visitors saw Larkhall forward Williams one-on-one with Tavi goalkeeper Dearing. The former Yate Town man took one touch, before smashing a shot towards goal which was saved by Dearing, before the ball was eventually cleared by the Tavi defence after a half-chance by Ferris. In the 45th minute a corner for Larkhall once again fell to Cannings outside of the box. The young midfielder once again took on the strike first time, with his powerful effort just going wide off Dearing’s near-post. This is how the first half finished with chances for both sides in an impressive attacking performance from many in a Larkhall shirt.

The second half started with a substitution with Tyler Elliott replacing Iestyn Harris at right-back, who couldn’t continue following a knock he picked up in the first half. In the 53rd minute a shot from Larkhall inside the box by Williams, looked to be heading in before it was cleared on the line by Endacott. In the 55th minute a chance for Tavi, saw Battle tiptoe his way around the Larkhall box getting away from a few defenders, before letting fly. However, the former Crawley Town man’s shot was sliced just wide of Nasta’s goal. In the 60th minute another change for Tavistock saw Teigan Rosenquest replace Tallan Burns in the centre-of-the-park. In the 65th minute a chance for Tavi saw Tyler Elliott find Captain Ed Harrison, who made his way into the box before finding Prynn. The forward took a touch but at the crucial moment slipped due to the treacherous conditions. In the 68th minute however it was 3-3. A short corner from Alex Battle saw the attacker find Cunnigham, who cut inside before sending in a curling cross into the box. The lovely cross fell to Joe O’Loughlin who flicked the ball, with his head, into the corner past Nasta. It was the former Tiverton Town man’s fourth goal for Tavi and second in as many matches.

Following the goal, Larkhall made their first change of the afternoon with Harvey Pritchard replacing Harrison Lea. In the 74th minute a chance for Larkhall saw Cannings disposes Endacott before smashing a shot towards the goal. However, the midfielders shot was smashed wide. Around the 75th minute the game had even more drama with it starting to snow in Tavistock with snow being visible in players hair and on the pitch. In the 81st minute a change for both sides saw Max Williams replaced for Larkhall by fellow winger Alex Lambert. Whereas the change for Tavi saw inform winger Jacob Bowker make his way onto the field in replace of goal scorer of the equaliser Joe O’Loughlin. In the 84th minute a chance for the visitors saw substitute Alex Lambert, cut inside before hitting a shot just inches wide of the far-post. A minute later the winger was booked for dissent, after complaining to the referee that his side should have had a corner. In the 89th minute, special guest for the evening and massive Plymouth Argyle fan Tasuki Usui announced that Jack Endacott was man of the match, after his impressive attacking and defensive performance in terrible conditions. Not long after the announcement and just seconds into the ninetieth minute, the referee blew the whistle for full-time with both sides taking a point in a game which had everything. Both sides had chances to win the matches as well as having parts of play which they dominated. The draw sees Stuart Henderson’s side unbeaten in their last three matches, with the clubs last defeat coming away at Wimborne Town. The Lambs next fixture is this Saturday against the aforementioned Wimborne Town, this time at Langsford Park. Larkhall are also in action this Saturday travelling away to 15th placed Bashley.

Lineups:

Tavistock AFC: Dearing, Cross, Endacott, Elkington, Burns (Rosenquest 60), Harrison, Prynn, Battle, O’Loughlin (Bowker 81), Cunnigham, Harris (Elliott 45)

Larkhall Athletic: Nasta, Graham, Dymond-Hall, Boulton, Bradley, Bowman, Cannings, Lea (Pritchard 68), Williams (Lambert 81), Ferris, Camm