Rovers have no answer to Town's early blast

CLYST ROVERS 1

Clyst Rovers, making their first visit to Bickland Park for 16 years, must have wondered what hit them as they found themselves two goals down after just four minutes of this Carlsberg SW Peninsual League premier division clash.

Town captain Rob Francis opened the scoring in the first minute when he tapped home from two yards after Lee Langmead's near post flick-on from Matt Cusack's left wing cross.

Three minutes later, following some good work from Jamie Morrison-Hill, Glen Squires had his shot blocked, but Matt Cusack reacted quickly to lash the ball into the net via a defenders leg to put Town 2-0 ahead.

Clyst gradually recovered from this early onslaught and put together a couple of good moves which culminated in a 15th minute corner which saw Matt Hesford hit a shot just over the bar from 18 yards.

Ben Goldring and Matt Cusack were combining well on the left flank and after 20 minutes Morrison-Hill joined in a move with them which saw Cusack's high cross headed away by visiting skipper Tim Whiteoak before Langmead could get to it.

Five minutes later Clyst's leading goalscorer Nick Murray burst away from Town's defence and went on a 20-yard run, trying to shake off his marker and eventually hit a stinging shot which Nathan Murphy did well to tip around the post for a corner.

Play was fairly even with neither side able to put together a successful attack due in no small part to some good defensive covering, especially by Hesford and Whiteoak who weren't allowing Langmead and Squires any room to manoeuvre in front of goal.

The game was virtually over as a contest a minute before the interval when Langmead headed down Morrison-Hill's cross and Squires belted home Town's third goal.

Five minutes into the second half Matt Godfree fed the ball to Morrison-Hill and he hit a defence-splitting ball through to Langmead who smashed it past Moyse from close in.

Following this Lee Beer came on to replace Rob Francis, with Brinton Nute, who along with Neil Bettis had a near flawless game in the Town defence, taking over the captain's armband.

Matt Cusack forced a corner following a good run onto a through ball from brother Aaron and Moyse did well to punch away the corner kick under heavy pressure in the six yard box.

Liam Collings played a good ball out of defence to Murray, who was always a threat to Town's defenders, but this time he hurried his shot and Murphy gathered it comfortably.

Glen Squires hit high free kick into the area where it suddenly dipped and Moyse did well to push it off the goal line and then scramble it away.

With seven minutes left on the clock Murphy suffered a moment of madness when, under no pressure, he miss-hit a clearance to Clyst substitute Andy Whiting and he raced forward to blast the ball into the net to give the visitors some consolation.

A minute later Langmead was brought down on the edge of the box by 'keeper Moyse who was lucky to escape with just a yellow card.

Three minutes from the end Ben Goldring scored his first goal for Town when he shot home from Aaron Cusack's cross to wrap the game up and lift Town into second place in the table.

Town will be hoping to continue their winning ways when they travel to Cullompton Rangers on Saturday (kick off 2.45pm).

Town: N. Murphy; R. Francis (L. Beer 51m), B. Goldring, N. Bettis, B. Nute, A. Cusack, J. Morrison-Hill, M. Godfree, L. Langmead, G. Squires (A. Bowker 72m), M. Cusack. Subs (unused): D. Burchell and F. Nevin.