SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH

Tavistock AFC 2 Thatcham Town 0

TAVISTOCK AFC manager Stuart Henderson made two changes for this clash with Thatcham Town from the team that was beaten by an impressive Helston Athletic, writes Luca Sperti.

Charlie Elkington and captain Ed Harrison both returned to the XI, in the places of Sam Joce and winger Ben Steer.

Thatcham, the visitors from Berkshire, started the stronger of the two in their grey and lime away shirt. Muhamadou Ceesay was inches away from turning in a dangerous cross courtesy of Kyle Daniel-Spray, serving as a warning sign to Tavi.

Henderson’s men also went close in the first 20 minutes, Alfie Cunningham firing an effort low and hard in the direction of the bottom corner only for centre-back Josiah Dunstan to flick the ball off of the line.

It was an end-to-end game with both goalkeepers being threatened and it was the Lambs who broke the deadlock.

Cunningham played the ball out to Luke Steer on the left wing who was prepared to do it all himself. Taking a few touches, beating both Zion and Roberton Nditi before finally curling a shot towards the far corner, Steer watched on as his effort was parried by Thatcham goalkeeper Callum Smart. Liam Prynn was on hand to convert the easiest of tap-ins, boosting his tally for the season from seven to eight in all competitions.

The game was very even at the break with the away side probably having a few more chances, but it was Tavi with the single-goal lead with all still to play for.

Thatcham kept searching for an equaliser and they looked more than capable of finding it, but it just wasn’t to be.

Substitutions poured in from both managers and it was an individual sent on by the Tavi boss who put the game to bed for the home side.

A poor pass by Callum Willmoth was intercepted by Liam Prynn just outside of the Thatcham area. The forward unselfishly laid the ball to young Harry French, who still had a lot to do. French took a great touch and instead of shooting which many young strikers would have done, the forward took his time before sending Dustan with a quality ball roll and smashed it into the empty net having also wrong-footed Smart in goal.

The composure was something else, with the forward running off to the camera to celebrate his first goal in senior football, and surely it won’t be his last.

Thatcham kept battling right through to the final whistle but the Lambs held on for an important victory and a clean sheet to go with it. A first league win since August moves them up to 14th at the time of writing with trips to Bishops Cleeve and Yate Town next up.