LAMBS  boss Stuart Henderson cut a frustrated figure after watching his side suffer their second defeat of the season in the Toolstation Western League to Bridgwater United.

The Lambs took a deserved lead through Josh Grant, but the visitors equalised with their only genuine chance of the first half. An uncharacteristic error by goalkeeper Josh Oak, who let a long-range shot slip through his fingers and into the net, put Bridgwater in front and despite late pressure and plenty of chances, Tavi just could not force an equalising goal that their play deserved.

“I think Tuesday took a lot out of the lads, to be fair, and we didn’t look to have a tempo, intensity or energy in our play,” Henderson said. “We scored a good first goal after 20 minutes or so, but I don’t think they were really any better than us.

“Obviously their first goal came just before half-time, it was a good cross from their lad and a good header; Josh has saved it, but we haven’t reacted and it was a simple tap in for 1-1.

“We talked at half-time, but we never really got going in the second half, which was disappointing. And then matey hits a speculative shot from distance, Josh is one of the best goalkeepers in the area, but he’s held his hands up, he lost the flight of the ball and it went in.”

It took that goal on 75 minutes for the Lambs to really step it up and they did everything but score in those final 15 minutes. Tallan Burns and Jason Vincent were both denied by outstanding saves by visiting goalkeeper Jake Viney, while the Lambs missed the attacking threat of Teigan Rosenquest, who was unavailable and had played so well in the 3-0 win over Mousehole.

His absence led to a debut for Jake Cribb, who showed some promising signs, while Warren Daw was replaced by Dave Hallett in midfield due to injury. Captain Lewis Daw played despite struggling himself, although he was replaced by Calum Davenport on the hour mark.

Striker Dan Jennings was named on the bench after signing dual-registration forms from Bodmin Town.

“I don’t know why it’s take that goal to wake us up but, in the last 15 minutes or so, we have created two or three great chances, there were scrambles in the six-yard box and their keeper has pulled off some great saves and there was another one off the line, but you expect to finish at least one of them.

“I don’t think we were great on the night, a draw would have been a fair result, but we have to take it on the chin. I said at the start of the week if we could get four points, that would be a good return and I actually thought Mousehole was the harder game of the two and that was the one we ended up winning.

“I am not making excuses because it will happen to all the teams, but we’ve had injuries, lads missing because of Covid and things like that, so it is frustrating because we can’t get a settled side. Hopefully that will come, it is still early days, but it is frustrating we didn’t get anything tonight.”

The Lambs are back in action on Tuesday when they make the short trip across the River Tamar to take on Millbrook. They were 4-0 winners over Bridport on Saturday.