Bideford 0 Bristol Manor Farm 2
Having been exclusively involved in Cup matches over the previous four weeks,
Bristol Manor Farm finally turned their attentions back to a League campaign
which saw them starting the day in bottom place – albeit with a number of
games in hand over all of their divisional rivals.
Travelling to North Devon on a Tuesday night with an injury-ravaged squad
didn’t, in truth, look like an ideal game with which to re-launch the season but
actually this was as comfortable and thoroughly professional a victory as Farm
are likely to have this season against a Bideford side who rarely troubled Ben
John’s goal all night. Manor Farm were organised and disciplined without the
ball and lively and often exciting when they had possession of it.
Bideford had the first chance of the game in the 4 th minute when Domenico
Panesar-Dower rose at the back post but could only head wide. Bideford
instantly rued the missed chance when Farm sprung forward to take the lead just
a minute later.
With Joe Tumelty walking back from an offside position The Robins failed to
track Jamie Bird’s excellent 20-yard run from a midfield position and Jordan
Metters duly sent an exquisite little through-ball in behind the back four into the
young forward’s path. Bird advanced alone into the area before coolly lifting a
neat finish over the advancing Liam Kingston’s dive.
Five minutes later Farm doubled their lead when Bird won a loose ball in
midfield and fed Joe Tumelty who took the ball into the left hand side of the
box before finishing with great composure.
Some of Farm’s one-touch football was a delight to behold, going through
midfield and getting behind the back four on a regular basis – Tumelty had a
good run and shot saved by Kingston, a great, marauding run by Tyler Ashmead
saw the young Farm full-back (again pressed into emergency service as a right-
winger) get to the by-line and lift a dangerous cross to the back post where Bird
volleyed over the bar.
On 30 minutes the best flowing move of the game – involving Ashmead,
Metters and Lloyd Mills – ended with Tumelty putting the ball in the net again
but the Assistant flagged for a tight offside decision and the score stayed at 2-0
to the Farm.
Bideford had their best spell of the game following the restart with Theo
Simpson volleying wide and Steve Kingdon, twice in quick succession,
producing goal-saving blocks with his head and body respectively.
Just before the hour Manor Farm almost made it 3-0 in unusual circumstances
when Bird chased down a seemingly lost cause with Kingston coming well out
of his box to clear. The Bideford keeper however blasted his clearance straight
against Bird and the ball caromed and curled a full 30 yards before striking the
foot of the post and away for a goal-kick.
Ben John produced a great block at the feet of Simpson when the striker was
dangerously set deep in the Farm penalty area and up the other end Metters had
a shot deflected just wide.
Metters almost got on the scoresheet with just under twenty minutes to play
when his beautifully struck free-kick was punched out from under the crossbar
by Kingston.
Young Keiron Ireland impressed when he replaced Tumelty in the games latter
stages as Farm pressed forward for that elusive third goal.
A very fine away performance then from Lee Lashenko’s men – a victory and 3
welcome points that hoists The Portwaymen off the bottom and up six places to
fourteenth in the table. Not a bad night’s work at all, all things considered…
STAR MAN (Joe Tumelty, Bristol Manor Farm)