Throgmorton Cup - Round Three

TAVISTOCK 1 - CREDITON UNITED 2

CREDITON made the daunting trip to Tavistock on January 2 for a bank holiday Monday cup clash, where the winners would progress to the last 16.

The hosts are also flying this season, currently sitting second in the Peninsula Premier League, so this was always going to be a tough place to come and get a result.

Trenaman shuffled his pack once again, largely due to unavailability. Adopting their preferred 4-3-3 formation, Dan Robbins was handed his full debut at centre-half, with Perry Carpenter and Danny Harvey coming in alongside Lee in the middle of the park.

Waring came in between the sticks, Harris was handed a rare start up front, and Stone was given a starting role on the right wing.

The game started at a slow tempo, with both sides trying to ease themselves into it. Tavvy were looking towards talisman Hobbs as often as they could, but he was getting very little change out of Groom and Robbins at centre-half.

Crediton were happy to concede possession in deep areas, allowing The Lambs back four to have plenty of the ball.

However when the ball got past the halfway line Crediton’s desire to win the ball back was superb and they began to grow into the game in an attacking sense, with Morish and Stone getting joy down the flanks.

Both sides exchanged chances as Hobbs fired over for Tavvy when in a great position and Harris headed inches over from a corner.

On the stroke of half-time Crediton took the lead, a free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box was expertly converted by Carpenter, leaving the Tavvy ‘keeper no chance, and the underdogs took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.

Tavvy tried to up the tempo in the second 45 minutes but Crediton managed to stifle any momentum, taking the sting out of the game at every opportunity and looking increasingly dangerous on the break, largely due to Morish’s pace.

The Crediton midfield trio were dogged and managed to regain possession time and time again, which began to frustrate the hosts as they went more and more direct. The back four looked solid as a rock and rarely looked in trouble.

Tavvy looked lost of ideas and Crediton’s game plan was working perfectly, the cupset looked even more on the cards in the 60th minute when Crediton doubled their lead, Harvey slipped in Morish down the left channel, he ghosted away from the trailing defenders, rounded the ‘keeper and cut the ball back to Stone, who stroked home into an empty net.

Tavvy did get back into the game in the 70th minute. Hobbs wriggled free on the right and cut the ball back from the byline for Crago to tap home.

The expected wave of pressure didn’t seem to arrive as Crediton superbly held their opponents at bay, they even had a chance to go further ahead as Bilcock went through one-on-one. His lob was under hit and the opportunity came and went.

A couple of half chances were created as Tavvy threw bodies forward in search of the equaliser but Kirton held on for a quite brilliant away victory, after a tremendous performance.

A superb result for Crediton, who now face another tough test in the next round, away at St Austell in the last 16.

Attentions now turn back to the league, where Crediton travel to Teignmouth in search of another vital three points on January 14, which is sure to be another big test for them.

This result really shows how far the team have come this season and the future certainly looks bright if this group of players can stick together and maintain performance levels of this kind.

Dave Lee