Kidlington FC away, that's a long old polk!
FA Vase Second Round
Kidlington FC vs Tavistock AFC
Saturday 16th November
3:00pm
After sucessfully seeing off Winterbourne FC in the previous round, the next test for the lambs was a mouth-watering tie away to Ulhsport Premier League side Kidlington FC.
It posed a real test of a side developing well under interim-manager Paul Blatchford, the assistant manager taking over whilst Ian Southcott is away due to work commitments.
8:00am - An early start...
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It was a bright and early start, an eight o'clock meet at the home of the lambs, Langsford Park.
A handful of loyal supporters gathered to travel in the executive coach alongside the players who for most was their first taste of an experience like this.
This was only the beginning, only 200 odd miles to the ground in Oxfordshire.
10:20am - The toilet stop...
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| Lambs Supporter Eric Pinch |
Half the journey down, the team arrived at a service station full of optimism.
It clearly meant as much to the supporters as it did the players, some of them showing their allegiance more than others, but nonetheless, everyone knew how much of a big day this was for the club.
The players were stocking up on healthy sandwiches and snacks, whilst the majority of travellers enjoyed a luxury KFC feast. The pink and whites then soon set off to complete the second half of their journey to Oxford.
12:40pm - We had arrived...
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| A few players getting to grips with the bobbly surface |
Just over two hours before kick off, we had made it. We were at the theatre of greens as the locals called it, not quite the theatre of dreams.
The poor weather had clearly had an effect on the pitch, it was very brown, both soft and hard in places, and it was very small, an opposite to the flat, luxurious Langsford Park surface.
3:00pm - KICK OFF...
Kidlington rained down plenty attacks in the opening minutes but some less than perfect finishing meant that Dean Smith’s goal remained intact.
With almost half an hour played big Central midfielder Ben Fitzmartin finally broke the deadlock. It wasn’t a pretty goal but some goals never are, and a goal mouth scramble allowed him to fire a shot across goal and it went in via the far post for 1-0.
HALF TIME: Kiddlington 1-0 Tavistock
Lamb's Keeper Smith made a couple of good saves firstly from a Jack Quainton shot across the goal, then from a serious deflection preventing what was surely going to be an own goal .
Smith’s goal was however breached again soon after this when another goal mouth dilemma ended with the keeper dropping the ball and Kidlington's captain Lewis Brownhill blasting it into the net from close range.
Smith’s goal was however breached again soon after this when another goal mouth dilemma ended with the keeper dropping the ball and Kidlington's captain Lewis Brownhill blasting it into the net from close range.
The travellers from Devon then tried to get back into the game which looked to be slipping drastically away from them, good work from wingers Tom Hall and James Phelps presented a few attacking opportunities from corners which in particular striker Ian Rooke couldn't take full advantage of after battling hard with the home defence.
A switch to 4-4-2 for the last 20 minutes helped Tavistock, who were showing signs of getting back into the game, central midfielders Dave Hallett and Stuart Morgan showed desire and great work rate but couldn't do anything to stop the trio of Kidlington opponents playing a great passing game in the middle of the park.
Quainton then added the third and final goal of the game when he latched onto a cross by substitute Joe Caven in the final minutes to settle any chance of a nervy finish.
A great effort by Tavistock but a lack of resources ultimately proved to make it a struggle, and they were sent home by a very well organised home team.
FULL TIME: Kidlington 3-0 Tavistock
Quainton then added the third and final goal of the game when he latched onto a cross by substitute Joe Caven in the final minutes to settle any chance of a nervy finish.
A great effort by Tavistock but a lack of resources ultimately proved to make it a struggle, and they were sent home by a very well organised home team.
FULL TIME: Kidlington 3-0 Tavistock
After the long, tiring match, the lambs started their long journey home, arriving back at Langsford Park around 11:00pm.
TAVISTOCK AFC TEAM
1. Dean Smith (GK)
2. Ryan Moorhead
3. Harry Southcott
4. Dave Hallett
5. Dan Follett
6. Jamie Ahearn
7. James Phelps
8. Stuart Morgan
9. Ian Rooke
10. Jarryd Kelly
11. Tom Hall
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