Nightmare opening costs Tavistock in Tuesday night away defeat to Bashley

Tavistock were left with too much to do after conceding three goals inside the opening 12 minutes as they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Bashley FC in the Southern League South Division.

Under the lights at the Veho Community Stadium, the Lambs endured a nightmare start as the hosts raced into a commanding lead before the game had barely settled.

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Bashley struck first after just six minutes when a direct ball into the box was not dealt with by the Tavistock defence, allowing Ieuan Turner to react quickest and finish from close range.

The home side doubled their advantage a minute later. 

Brad Morris played a ball over the top which Jack Lovell chased down, timing his run well before finishing emphatically from around 20 yards.

Things went from bad to worse in the 12th minute when Bashley were awarded a penalty, converted by Scott Bungay to make it 3-0 with barely a quarter of an hour played.

Tavistock gradually recovered from the early onslaught and began to see more of the ball as the half progressed. 

A free kick caused problems for the hosts before a follow-up effort from the edge of the area went wide, while Bashley goalkeeper Oscar Glover was also forced into a save as the visitors pressed for a response.

The Lambs did manage to reduce the deficit before half-time when Sergii Ismail found the net for his second in as many games, giving the travelling support hope at 3-1 heading into the interval.

The second half proved a more even contest, though clear chances were limited. 

Bashley created opportunities through Luke Holmes and Joe Freak, while Tavistock worked hard to close down spaces and prevent further damage.

A strong appeal for a Bashley penalty after Lovell went down in the box was waved away by the referee, and Tavistock held firm during a scrappy spell of play in midfield.

Substitutions from both sides disrupted the flow late on, but the home team controlled possession in the closing stages to see out the win.

The result leaves Tavistock still searching for points near the foot of the table, while Bashley claimed a valuable victory in their own battle to avoid relegation.

Attendance at the Veho Community Stadium was reported as 148.

The Lambs return to action tomorrow evening (Thursday 19 March) when they host Melksham Town FC at Langsford Park (7.45pm kick-off).