Town started the game playing down the slope, and with Cameron unable to play lined up in a 2-3-1 formation showing Harry and Joe playing behind a midfield of Jack T, Jay and Thomas with Matt again upfront. Harry Haskell started on the bench.
In the early stages Town looked to play some attractive passing football, but it was some direct football that created the first chance for Matt who showed a great strikers instinct to produce a cool finish. Minutes later some more good passing football saw Town attack to devastating effect and Matt again kept a cool head to make it 3 goals for the season for Towns in-form front man.
As the half wore on Totnes came back into the game with some excellent passing and individual ball skills, and Town were now certainly on the back foot. Some excellent goalkeeping from Jack Clarkson and a few slices of luck prevented the Town goal from being breached, with Thomas and Jay working hard to close down the opposition midfield.
Into the second half and the game had become fairly open, with the Totnes number 10 causing havoc for Town with his running on the ball, although Joe and Harry had started to up their game in defense and were still making life hard. Jack T was battling for possession at every opportunity, and looking to play intelligent balls forward and get Town back on the attack.
However eventually Town conceded a goal that the visitors play had deserved, and shortly afterwards it was all level through another well crafted Totnes score. Town were now looking tired and their cause wasn’t helped when Jack Clarkson had to leave the pitch having taken the full force of a goal-bound shot just below the eye. Harry Haskell stepped in to the keepers jersey, but Town were now without a substitute as the legs grew wearier.
The one player who never stopped running was Thomas, and as the game reached the final stages it was his energy and determination that were keeping Town moving. With just minutes remaining Town were hit by an injury to the hard working Jack Tomlinson, meaning the game had to be reduced to 6 players a side. A couple of great saves by Town’s stand in keeper looked to have secured a draw for Town but right at the death Totnes found a way through and scored the decisive fifth goal.
Town looked shattered, and almost straight from the resulting kick off Totnes won the ball on half way and ran straight through to score another. The final whistle blew and that was that.
Town’s Man of the Match was awarded to Thomas for his non-stop running which helped Town at both ends of the pitch. However all credit to Matt for 2 well taken goals, and Jack C for some brave goalkeeping before his injury. |