It was top v bottom of the Premier League for this League Cup tie and it was league leaders Tavistock that made light work of Bridport, writes Eric Pinch.
Langsford Park welcomed groundhoppers, Daniel Turner and Richard Brock from Braintree in Essex for this first round cup tie and allowed them to choose Tavistock’s Man of the Match.
Such is the strength in depth of the Lambs that Dan Koita, Callum Watson, Josh Robins and Warren Daw were completely rested from the game. The team still had a familiar line up with George Tucker starting in midfield alongside Dave Hallett.
The match kicked off slightly late due to a little bit of bad navigation at Exeter taking the visitors down to Plymouth and they arrived just 30 minutes before kick-off.
Early chances went begging and Josh Grant had the ball in the net on 15 minutes but was adjudged to be offside.
Josh Parry’s contribution to the game ended abruptly moments later picking up an injury that saw him replaced by Tallan Burns and soon after, he was played into space by Liam Prynn to send the ball into the bottom corner.
Further chances went begging, Grant saw an effort blocked by the goalkeeper and then glanced a header just wide from a Hallett corner. Bridport’s ‘keeper, Josh Lucas, was a busy boy as he then blocked Ben Cross’s effort before the Lambs doubled their lead just after 30 minutes. It was Burns again as he fired in a shot from an acute angle, Lucas could only parry the effort for the ball to drop kindly for Grant to fire in the rebound.
Bridport rarely troubled the Lambs defence, but keeper Josh Oak saved a snap shot on the stroke of half-time to maintain a clean sheet.
The second half would see the Lambs continue as the first as they took complete control of the game. It was on 50 minutes, when great build up play would allow Cross to cross for Prynn to stab home from close range to give the Lambs their third goal.
Five minutes later, and it was 4-0 as, again, Burns would see an effort parried by the goalkeeper and this time, Grant was on hand to slot home.
On the hour, Tucker picked up a loose ball in the area to find space and get his shot off to see it hit the far post to come back across goal and fly into the net off a defender.
On 65 minutes and the Lambs completed the scoring when a handball resulted in a penalty for the home side. Up stepped Prynn to coolly send the keeper the wrong way to make it 6-0 and complete his hat-trick.
Surprisingly the Lambs failed to find the net again despite creating several chances but it was a very convincing all round display as they cruised into the next round.
Sovereign Wines Man of the Match was George Tucker, chosen by and presented by our Groundhoppers, while the Jack Chams Player of the Month for January went to Josh Parry and was presented by Mike Trebilcock.
The Lambs will now face Helston Athletic at Langsford Park in the next round with the match scheduled to be played on Tuesday, March 15 (7.45pm).
