SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTH

Thatcham Town 2 Tavistock AFC 0

BERKSHIRE was the destination for Tavistock AFC’s final game of the season and they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of an already-relegated Thatcham Town side, reports Luca Sperti.

On a difficult surface, the winning goals were scored by Ben Portbury and Christian Johnson.

Stuart Henderson made one enforced change to his final Lambs team of the season with Tallan Burns returning to the side replacing the suspended Luke Mortimore.

The first chance of the encounter at the Mettal Stadium fell to the home side with Maidenhead loanee Christian Johnson picking the ball up down the right wing in the second minute. The former Metropolitan Police forward made his way infield before smashing a powerful effort that flew past Aaron Dearing’s far right post.

In the 13th minute, the Lambs picked up the first card of the game with midfielder Tyler Elliott booked for a challenge on Kyle Daniel-Spray, near the Thathcam corner flag. The yellow at first glance seemed harsh, with the challenge the former Tiverton man’s first of the afternoon.

Three minutes later, Tavistock had a great chance to take the lead after a Matt Pullinger clearance was intercepted by Jack Crago. The clearance of Crago fell to Elliott, who smashed a powerful effort towards the goal but was denied well by the returning Pullinger, who got his bearings back between the sticks.

Chances were coming at either end and it was the hosts who opened the scoring. Callum Willmoth picked out Portbury in the box who took a touch and then smashed a thunderous effort into the top-right corner. This was a goal worthy of opening any game and one that Dearing could do nothing about.

1-0 remained the score at the break and in the second half, Henderson was the first manager to turn to his bench. With attacker Elliott on a tightrope, Tom Symons was sent on to take his place.

Thatcham were next to make substitutions and moments after, they nearly had a second. The lead would have been doubled if not for an expert, clawing save from the Lambs’ number one.

Dearing came up trumps once again, with similar acrobatics, only for his resolve to eventually be broken.

The on-top home side added a second, with the lively Johnson getting a goal his all-round play deserved. A through ball by Wilmoth found Johnson, who flicked the ball past Iestyn Harris, before rolling an effort under the body of Dearing, who was left disappointed with the effort going in.

A couple of efforts on goal followed for Tavistock as they went in search of a lifeline but to no avail.

Instead, tensions rose and Crago was carded in the 88th minute, after a late challenge on Pullinger on what was a frustrating afternoon for the forward. In additional time, the home side created a few opportunities with a Matthews header from a Daniel-Spray cross smashed over the bar, before Mansel’s shot was flicked wide of Dearing’s far post.

Not long later, the referee blew for full-time and for the final time in the 24/25 season, with the Lambs securing Southern League football for the fourth season on the bounce.

After a difficult season that ended in relegation, Thatcham will now drop into step-five for the first time since the 17/18 season.