This game probably epitomised why we all love and are involved in football. It had excitement, commitment, controversy and drama.
Told to meet at the club at 11.30 sharp, most of the lads trudged into the club car park several minutes late. It was not a game that some were looking forward to as it would be their third in four days. We had had a league cup game on the Thursday night in Shaftesbury and most had played the day before for various men’s or college academy teams. The trip down the M5 and A38 from Tiverton was uneventful and finding Tamarside’s ground was fairly easy though the mini-bus’s sat nav did insist on taking us into the housing estate over the road from the ground – which was unexpected!
The ground itself was quite tidy and at two levels. It is on the side of a hill with views of the River Tamar and Cornwall. The club house and bar is at the higher level over looking the pitch and changing rooms below.
The game was closely fought with Tamarside’s more physical approach meaning that Elmore couldn’t play their usual passing game as much as they would have liked. A period of Elmore pressure midway through the first half saw Jamie Colman’s volley hit the near post, roll along the goal line and hit the other post before coming back out and being cleared. However, shortly after, Mike Benyam opened the scoring with a well hit close range shot from a sharp angle. At half time the score was 1 – 0 to Elmore though Tamarside were pressing at the end.
In the second half, Tamarside had most of the pressure though Elmore had the better of the chances. The Elmore back four looked comfortable against the Tamarside attacks. The inconsistent referee did not make life easy for either side and with five minutes to go, following a corner, he gave a hotly disputed penalty for handball. The conversion of this penalty gave the home–side added belief and with about a minute left they scored a well taken goal to win the game 2 -1.
The Elmore man-of-the-match was undoubtedly Tom Puffit, closely followed by Nathan Dale, who was both superb in the centre of the defence.
All club officials, players and supporters of Elmore wish Tamarside all the best in the next round of the cup.