Womens 1st Team: Tavistock 2-0 Dart

Captain Laura Armstrong scored twice in the first half to give her side the victory in this friendly match against Dart.  Tavistock had a new look side, regulars George Patterson and Emma White were unavailable but Armstrong was able to wlecome back forward Jo Gaspar following injury, midfileder Sarah Payne for her first game of the season as well as giving a first team debut to Mount Kelly College student Olivia Banks.  Tavistock looked confident on the ball and created some good chances early on but were unable to convert them into goals, the Dart keeper was looking in fine form and looked like the Reds would need something special to break the deadlock.  The breakthrough came when Armstrong fired a powerful shot in the bottom corner, the captain doubled her goal tally for the game when she recieved the ball from Becky Lamb with her back to goal before a quck turn and swept the ball past the keeper.  The home side continued to press in the second half and created some half chances in front of goal, Fenwick shooting just wide before having another attempt on goal deflected over the bar following some last ditch defending from the visitors.  Tavistock resume their league fixtures next week at home to Okehampton.

Men; Tavistock 4-1 OPM's

This eagerly anticipated game lived up to the pre match expectation with the home side looking to prove their credentials against their higher league opposition as they keep pushing towards this seasons likely promotion.  OPM's dominated the early possession, despite having the majority of the ball they were unable to create any clear chances in front of goal.  It was the home side who took the lead, the goal was credited to Ollie Richards who had broken through the visitors defence before pulling the ball back only for it to be deflected off a defenders stick and past Steve Payne in the OPM's goal.  SI Fenwick doubled Tavi's lead with a powerful shot that beat Payne at his near post, Fenwick had earlier missed two good opportunities in front of goal.  OPM's came back at the home side and looked to hit them on the break and although at times they were able to break through the Reds midfield they were unable to penetrate the defence which included regular 2nd team players Tom Hanson and club Chairman Phil Honey, both players looking solid in defence and very comfortable in possesion of the ball.  With both teams competitng for the ball in midfield the next goal of the game was likely to prove crucial and when Fenwick found Dom Stanbury in midfield the home supporters were expecting Stanbury to produce another of his trademark solo runs and he didn't dissapoint, beating 4 players before calmly slotting the ball past the advancing Payne.  Although the home side went in 3-0 up at half time the main difference between the teams was that the Reds had been more clinical in front of goal.  OPM's came out the quicker of the two teams and scored within five minutes of the restart, the visitors capatalised on a rare mistake from the Tavistock defence, the half time team talk from West and Helyer had clearly inspired the visitors.  The second half proved to a very even contest and tightly contested in the midfield but it was the Reds who scored the only other goal in the game, there didn't appaer to be a threat when Richards first picked up the ball on the left being forced away from goal but the Tavi forward scored with a well struck reverse stick shot across goal.  The win against a higher league opposition will give Tavistock another confidence boost as they prepare for next weeks double header which includes a trip to local rivals Okehampton in the Devon Trophy Quarter Final.  Okehampton should prove to be another tough test as they play in the league above Tavistock however the Reds will be boosted by the return to the squad next week of Paul Marchant, Pete Hutchings, Andy Berry and captain Tom Honey who were all unavailable yesterday.