Tavistock hit for six as ruthless Hartpury run out victors in Tuesday night clash

The Lambs made the long trip to Hartpury donning their white third strip for the first time this season. Going into the clash, manager Stuart Henderson made two changes from his Lambs side which were defeated comfortably at Falmouth. 

In defence, new signing Craig Duff made his first start, with the experienced man also being joined in defence by the returning Iestyn Harris. Ben Fowles dropped to the bench for the Lambs, where he was joined by Alfie Clark and Elis Aldrich.

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The young Gloucestershire outfit started the game on the front foot, with right-winger Louis Manning looking incredibly dangerous. In the 3rd minute, the winger, wearing his old-school Nike Mercurials, sent left-back Rhys Lindsell inside out. However, the youngster remained strong to get back up and clear the ball to safety. 

Two minutes later, the hosts broke the deadlock and Manning was once again involved. The number seven beat Lindsell and sent a looping ball to the back post. The ball was met perfectly by Noah Coates, who flicked it into the path of captain Billy Osborn, who tapped the ball into the roof of the net from close range. The strike was the forward’s ninth of an impressive season.

In the 12th minute, Jack Crago, looking to win the ball back, mistimed his challenge on Solomon Kent, with the hosts winning a free-kick. The resulting free-kick was taken short to Manning, who once again ran down the right wing before sending a terrific cross that was missed by everybody in the box. 

Three minutes later, a half-chance for the Lambs saw Jacob Bowker pick up the ball in space and find Crago in the box. The winger flicked the ball past Kent, however Hartpury keeper Seth Locke did well to sense the danger and collect the ball.

In the 18th minute, the hosts had an opportunity to make it two after a through ball by Leon Machisa found Noah Coates. The young midfielder made his way into the box before he was closed down well by Dan Holman, who made an impressive save from the number 10. 

In the 22nd minute, the dangerous Manning sent in another cross from the right which found Osborn, whose flicked effort towards goal was blocked expertly by Lambs captain Ben Cross for a corner.

In the 32nd minute, a cross from the hosts by Manning was cleared by Duff for a corner, which was eventually headed by Machisa. However, the header was cleared by the Lambs for a throw-in. This throw-in near the corner flag was taken short by Osborn to Nathan Jenkins. The midfielder did superbly to take the ball past Cross and Josh Baxter before slotting the ball into the far corner past the helpless Holman, for his second in as many games.

In the 37th minute, Manning was once again causing problems, however after slipping the ball in a dangerous position the winger fell to the ground looking for a spot-kick. The referee blew his whistle, however it was only to book the young winger for dissent. 

A minute later, the hosts made it three, and what a goal it was. A long hopeful ball was met expertly by Osborn, who drifted out wide. The captain then sent in a peach of a cross which was met by Coates, who headed the ball home for his second of the week.

The half-time whistle was blown a few minutes later, with the Lambs players shell-shocked after an excellent performance by the young Hartpury side, with Manning and Osborn stealing the show with stellar 45-minute performances.

It was no surprise that going into the second period the Lambs made a change. Forward Brad Williams was replaced after a tough evening, with young Clark taking his place. However, two minutes into the second period it was four to the hosts. The clever Osborn once again drifted to the right, where he sent in another excellent delivery to Coates, who couldn’t miss. The midfielder calmly slotted the ball home for his second and the Acorns’ fourth of the evening. 

The Lambs made their second sub of the evening after the goal, with Fowles replacing Harris. In the 52nd minute, the hosts made their first sub with George Sims replacing Connor Callow.

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In the 53rd minute, it went from bad to worse for the Lambs as Hartpury made it five. Acorn's attacker Vanylson Alexander Da Costa Silva was left with space outside the box, with the forward assessing his options before smashing a powerful shot into the bottom-right corner, leaving Holman helpless. The strike was the number 11’s fifth of the season.

In the 55th minute, the Lambs’ first chance of the game saw both subs combine, with Clark slipping in Fowles, whose powerful effort glided over Locke’s net. In the 56th minute, the hosts made their second change of the day with Keon Sanniola replacing the dangerous Manning, who had an excellent game down the right flank.

Just after the hour mark, man of the match Osborn picked up another pocket of space, this time on the left. The young forward cut inside before smashing a powerful effort which was saved well by a strong hand from Holman, preventing it from being six. After the opportunity, the hosts made a double substitution, with Jacob Towns replacing the lively Coates and Tomos Shyamapant replacing Da Costa Silva.

In the 62nd minute, a ball from Tom Chastey for the Lambs found Crago, whose powerful effort was smashed wide of Locke’s net. A minute later, the hosts had a free-kick in a dangerous position after Duff bundled Shyamapant to the floor. The resulting free-kick was whipped perfectly by left-back Drew Robinson into the far corner, making it six to the Acorns. In the 65th minute, Duff was replaced with Aldrich taking his place.

In the 70th minute, a big chance for the Lambs saw a ball from Bowker find Fowles, who flicked the ball past Locke, however the forward’s effort from yards out was blocked expertly on the line by Kent. Before the corner was taken, the hosts made their last sub, with the brilliant Osborn replaced by Charlie Matthews. From the resulting corner, the Lambs did pull a goal back, with the cross from Bowker met by Crago. The former Helston man’s header left Locke beaten, with the strike being his fifth of the league season. 

The Lambs created opportunities in the last fifteen minutes, with Bowker, Fowles and Clark all causing problems for the Hartpury defence. However, the Lambs didn’t create anything clear enough to trouble Locke in the Acorns net.

The referee blew for full-time, with the Lambs now turning their attention to Saturday as they make the trip back to Gloucestershire to take on Malvern. Hartpury are also in action on Saturday as they make the long trip to Bideford.