Larkhall Athletic 3 Bristol Manor Farm 1
Overall Larkhall were worthy winners of this New Years Day tussle at Plain
Ham. It’s a result that sees the Bath-based club rise to 7 th in the table, just a
point off of 5th place and a promotional play-off spot.
The Lark’s were quickly out of the traps – going ahead in the 3 rd minute when
Charlie Wiles-Richards found himself in plenty of space down the right as the
‘man over’ in an attack that had started from the left. The winger kept his head
before whipping a fierce shot high past Ben John via a slight deflection.
In a largely well-contested first-half, two midfielders – one from either team –
stood out from the hurly-burly of the game – Dale Evans for the home side and
Jamie Adams for the visitors. It was Adams who relentlessly drove the visitors
forward in search of an equaliser and Evans who calmly directed traffic through
all of Larkhall’s transitions.
Chances came and went for both teams with Manor Farm now finishing the half
strongly. Two minutes before the break an Ashley Kington free-kick was
flicked on by the head of Alan Griffin and onto Adams who further directed his
own header past Shaun Semmens between the sticks for Larkhall.
Having fought so hard to regain parity in the game, Farm will be disappointed
not to have gone in at 1-1 with the momentum now changed in their favour.
Barely sixty seconds after Adams equaliser the home side were back in front
when Evans got the decisive touch at the near post to a free-kick swung in deep
from the left.
With Manor Farm chasing the game in the second half and committing men
forward there always remained the danger of being hit on the counter attack and
the game was virtually settled this way in the 77 th minute. Following a fourth
Farm corner in succession, Thomas Hilman ran on to a long clearance from
defence before skipping away from his marker and lifting the ball over the
advancing Ben John to make it 3-1.
It was John’s opposite number Semmens however who continued to defy and
deny Manor Farm – making smart saves from Griffin, Tumelty and substitute
Mehew on more than one occasion to ensure all three points for The Larks.
STAR MAN (Shaun Semmens, Larkhall Athletic)