FALMOUTH TOWN 1-0 LARKHALL ATHLETIC
Falmouth Town have been defying the odds with their excellent form at the tail-end of their first season in the Southern League, amassing 8 points from the last four games, despite having had to play them in a 6-day period. Two draws against play-off contenders Bristol Manor Farm and Mousehole have been followed by the defeat of Cinderford Town by three goals to two on the Wednesday night, and then this win by the odd goal over Larkhall Athletic on the Thursday night. A punishing schedule but one which this impressively committed squad of players seem to have thrived upon.
Falmouth were missing six players with captain Tom Annear, Bradley Leivers, Cam Hutchison, Luke Barner, Ollie Walker and Jared Sims all unavailable. In came Jack Bray-Evans, and reinforcements from the reserves, Max Everall, James Henwood, Ryan Townson & Scott Yendle.
It was a fairly even first half as Falmouth adapted to all the changes. Larkhall started marginally the stronger with Falmouth having to defend a few corners and attacks within the first half an hour. Albeit that Luke Brabyn had arguably the best chance in that period after breaking down the right and hitting a shot across Dylan John in the Larkhall goal, which just missed the far post.
It was in the 37th minute, and slightly against the run of play, that Town opened the scoring. From a throw in down the left from Everall, he received the ball back short and hit a deep cross which was fielded by Bray-Evans wide on the right. He bamboozled his defender with a double step-over on the by-line and crossed to the fast-arriving Jack Webber, who steered a firm header into the goal to make it 1-0 to Falmouth.
There were no further goals, and the second half started with a cross from Bowker finding the head of Rubin Wilson at the far post, but the pace of the pass meant that he couldn’t generate enough power, and the keeper saved comfortably.
The next chance for Falmouth came after 14 minutes of the restart when determined play down the right flank from Brabyn and Wilson resulted in a cross to Bray Evans, who had took up a position on the edge of the area. He took a touch and unleashed a powerful half-volley which the keeper tipped on to the cross-bar spectacularly. A great passage of play and Bray-Evans was really making a difference in the no. 10 role. He seemed to be able to position himself closer to Wilson in general play and Wilson, who has often looked isolated in forward areas, was capitalising on some clever flick-ons and first time passes. Manager Andy Westgarth, who himself was absent for the evening, may well be keen to secure Bray-Evans services on a more permanent basis, going by his performance in this game.
Larkhall were not giving in though and pushed forward as the half progressed, with Max Williams in the midfield looking the pick of the bunch as he continued to carry the ball forward from defensive areas, and hence get Larkhall up the pitch a little more.
As the game was coming to a close it was from one of these attacks, in the 2nd minute of injury time, that Morgan Coxhead saved the day for Falmouth. With a great effort from Larkhall looking goal bound he leapt to claw the ball from beneath his cross bar to keep his clean sheet for the evening.
Falmouth had secured another great win and now have one game left of their punishing recent league schedule as they entertain Shaftesbury on Saturday. Another win could get them to 9th or 10th place if other results are favourable, which would be a brilliant first season at this level. Shaftesbury are currently appealing against relegation as they have been judged to have not conformed to the league’s ground-grading rules. If they are unsuccessful with their appeal, Falmouth’s local rivals, Helston Athletic, may get a reprieve from relegation back down to the Western League, as they currently sit in the fourth from bottom slot with a vastly inferior goal difference and a 3 point deficit on Larkhall.
Goals:
Jack Webber 37′
Att: 245
Line Ups:
Larkhall Athletic: Dylan John, Jack Goodall, Spencer Dymond-Hall, Samual Boulton, Oliver Price, William Merrett, Max Williams, Edmund Pope, Harvey Pritchard, Callum Chalmers, Keon Sanniola. Subs: Thomas Bradley, Freddy Harvey Larmer, Ethan Hill.