SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTH

Tavistock AFC 1 Bashley FC 0

THE returning Tyler Elliott grabs a goal and the man of the match award in a crucial victory for Tavistock AFC against an inform Bashley outfit, reports Luca Sperti.

Tavi were bolstered with plenty of new faces joining the squad over the week with many involved in the starting eleven in this encounter. However, it was an old face coming back into the side who made the difference, Tyler Elliott rejoining the club from Cornish outfit Helston Athletic and making an instant impact.

It didn’t take too long for Bashley to have the ball in the back of the net, heading in off of Mitchell-Carlton Speechley-Price.

A freekick from Luke Holmes looked to be comfortable for Lambs goalkeeper Aaron Dearing, however his punch was poor and flicked off of the knee of Speechley-Price and in. The shot-stopper’s blushes were spared by the linesman’s flag with the Bash forward adjudged to be in an offside position.

Dearing was certainly being kept busy, making a few more saves in the period of the game that followed.

Tavistock were then forced into a first change of the afternoon on 30 minutes as left-back Max Edgecombe picked up a slight knock, new signing Thomas Symonds going on in his place.

Both sides created very little in the first 45 on a difficult surface, meaning it was still all to play for after the break.

Only seconds into the second half, the away side had a chance after Luke Holmes slipped in Lewis Waterfield, who sent in a cross-come-shot from the right-hand side of the box, which was just inches wide of Dearing’s far corner with the goalkeeper beaten.

Three minutes later the deadlock was broken and it was the Lambs who took the lead.

New signing Kieran Edworthy did excellent down the right flank to take on Wooding and make his way down the byline before sending in a cross towards the trusty Liam Prynn. The forward took a touch, before smashing a shot which was blocked by Bash goalkeeper and Bournemouth loanee Mack Allan.

On hand to convert the follow-up was Elliott, firing into the top left corner and giving the hosts the lead at Langsford Park.

This strike was the midfielder’s second in the league this season with the number 10’s last goal coming back in November for Helston at Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

Tavi kept up the pressure and fashioned another couple of half-chances before the visitors made their first sub with Jamie Arnold replacing Harvey-Joe Bertrand.

Strong interplay between Prynn, Tallan Burns and Harry Gardner gave Stuart Henderson’s side one more chance to double their advantage but to no avail, holding on for the 1-0 victory all the same.

As the referee’s final whistle sounded, a first win at Langsford Park since October for Tavistock was confirmed.

Tavi are next in action on Saturday, as they take the trip to Christchurch Homes Loop Meadow Stadium to take on Didcot Town.

This win takes them within two points of safety and within two points of Shaftesbury, who have played two games more to date, leaving the battle against relegation firmly in the hands of Henderson and co.