Tavistock beat Bideford on penalties after dramatic Devon Bowl clash

Tavistock edged Bideford in a penalty shootout after a fiercely contested St Luke’s Challenge Cup tie at Langsford Park on Tuesday night.

The game finished 1-1 in normal time before the Lambs held their nerve from the spot to claim a 5-4 win in the shootout.

The match brought the two Southern League Division One South sides together again just eight days after their previous meeting in which the Robins edged out the Lambs 0-2 on the night.

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It was Bideford who started the evening the brighter of the two. The Robins took the lead after just seven minutes when Charlie Wright collected the ball on the right, cut inside, and curled a superb finish into the top corner beyond Dan Holman in the Tavistock goal.

Bideford’s early advantage reflected their composure on the ball and strong pressing in midfield. Hearsey and Javan both went close before the break, while Wright saw another effort ruled out for offside after neat link-up play down the left.

Tavistock, meanwhile, struggled to create clear chances in the first half, though a well-struck header from Williams forced visiting keeper Max Semmens into action.

After the restart, Tavistock began to assert themselves and found an equaliser ten minutes into the second half.

A change of formation saw The Lambs play a 4-4-2 for the second period, with Crago returning to a more natural forward position after starting the evening shoe-horned into a central defensive position.

Williams broke through the Robins defence and calmly slotted the ball beyond Semmens to make it 1-1, a goal that sparked the home faithful and shifted the momentum of the game.

The equaliser seemed to jolt Bideford, who responded with a spell of intense pressure.

Wright, Ewing and Winsor all had chances to restore the lead, only for Holman to pull off a series of important saves, including a double stop midway through the half that kept Tavistock level.

Both sides continued to push for a winner in a fast, open contest. Crago headed narrowly wide for the Lambs, while Bideford’s Reay and Hearsey both saw efforts blocked at the other end.

The match took a dramatic turn with just six minutes left when Reay was shown a red card for dissent after an exchange with the referee, leaving Bideford to finish the game with ten men.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Robins almost snatched victory deep into stoppage time when Ewing broke clear, only for Holman to make another sharp save.

With the sides still level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the tie went straight to penalties.
In a tense shootout, both teams showed impressive composure from the spot.

Tavistock’s takers were flawless, converting all five of their penalties, while Bideford’s final effort, taken by Winsor, flew over the bar to settle the contest.

The Lambs’ players and supporters celebrated the hard-fought win, capping off an entertaining and competitive cup tie played in good spirit by both teams.

For Bideford, the night brought frustration after such a strong start and a spirited display despite going down to ten men.

For Tavistock, the result marked another resilient showing at home, with Holman’s saves and Williams’ equaliser proving crucial in taking the match to penalties.

The Lambs are back at home and back in Southern League action this Saturday (25 October) as they face Bashley.