FA TROPHY

Tavistock AFC 0 Winchester City 4

TAVISTOCK AFC were knocked out of the FA Trophy after a very professional performance from Winchester City, writes Luca Sperti.

Lambs manager Stuart Henderson made a single change from the team that beat Shaftesbury in the previous outing with Yeovil loanee Jacob Shore replacing the unavailable Iestyn Harris at right-back.

A minute's applause was held before kick-off for Derek Pethick and the match was played in his honour.

Aaron Dearing was kept busy in the early stages in the Tavi goal, the denial of a golden opportunity for Dan Jones perhaps the pick of the bunch.

At the other end, Dearing’s side were denied the opener by the raising of the linesman’s flag, Liam Prynn curling home but to no avail.

When Winchester found the back of the net themselves shortly after, there was no intervention from the officials to deny them the first-half advantage. Jones was kept out by Dearing once again with the rebound falling to Ik Hill. His subsequent effort also wasn’t quite enough as Ethan Wright cleared off the line but the visiting forward was on hand to sweep home.

Goalkeeper Luke Cairney had the opportunity to double City’s lead from the penalty spot but his opposite number came up with the heroics, a second save in a week for Dearing from 12 yards out.

This jubilation was short-lived for Tavi though as captain Jamie Barron slotted home a second for Winchester just minutes later.

Ben Fowles replaced young Jacob Shore at fullback for the home team and went into the referee’s book all before the half-time whistle.

Winchester scored two before the break and two after, making it 3-0 and putting the tie to bed on the hour mark. Tommy Wright calmly finished his eight of the season but not before Tavi had a golden opportunity to half the deficit through Luke Steer, his header from close range hitting the post.

Shortly after Henderson sent on more substitutes, his side were four goals behind after interplay from the impressive Hill and Harry Hutchinson, the former tapping home his second of the day.

More changes followed for both teams with the outcome all but confirmed, one of those to enter the fray for Tavi being West Bromwich Albion-bound Harry French, heading on in the place of Ben Steer.

Late chances for the Lambs to get themselves on the board weren’t taken and so it ended as a one-sided scoreline of 4-0 to their visitors from Hampshire.

Winchester progress into the next round of the Trophy. As for the Lambs, their impressive run in all three cup competitions comes to an end with their attentions now turning to a big game on Saturday, November 2, as they take on Didcot Town at Langsford Park.