Portishead Town 7 Tavistock 0
Match Report by Matt Gillett / 6th April
Southern League Division One South
Yet again Portishead Town high-scored, hammering Tavistock 7-0 thereby securing a play-off place.
It was all Posset from the get-go, quick interchanges and switches of play. No surprise they were ahead on 9 minutes, Jamie Adams won possession, Owen Humphries crossed from the left to Jack Thorne who finished well. Just 2 minutes later Humphries again to Thorne who smashed in, 2-0. Mitch Osmond’s 18th minute diagonal pass put Jay Murray clear, taking it early he lobbed narrowly over. A minute later Thorne’s header, from Mason Winter’s cross, brought an acrobatic save from Tavistock’s goalie Thomas Burstow.
A sweeping 20th minute move brought the third: Matt Britton’s ball to Kyle Egan out right, nice footwork past the defender before feeding Murray who curled in. Tavistock, adrift at the bottom and already relegated, had no answer to the onslaught. Continual waves of attacks as Posset created angles all over the pitch.
Humphries, released by Egan, brought another save from Burstow but it was only a respite. Egan’s 26th minute corner was headed in by Thorne for his hat-trick. Then Murray’s trickery on the right, a long cross found Humphries, once more provider as his assist allowed Adams to score low. 5-0 with just 34 minutes on the clock. More slick 38th minute build-up involved Osmond, Humphries, Aron Robbins and Egan before Thorne’s shot rattled the post.
Ethan Feltham and Sam Watkins replaced Osmond and Matt Britton for the second-half, and after 53 minutes Thorne made way for Corey Evans. A relative lull as Posset adjusted to the changes in personnel and players shifting positions. Pressure soon built again: Watkins showed quick feet to put Evans in for a shot. Winter, impressive in both right and left-back roles, linked with Egan before Evans fierce 66th minute drive was blocked.
A lovely Evans pass, outside of his right-foot, released Jaden Neale, on for Humphries. He raced on to it and Burford tipped his shot onto the post. Burford somehow kept out Ollie Woodhouse’s 73rd minute volley from a corner. Tavistock broke but Portishead keeper Jakob Glover reacted well, denying Ryan White. Credit to the visitors whose heads never dropped, sticking to their task.
But Posset weren’t done as substitute Lucas Vowles got in on the act with a late brace. First a clinical 77th minute finish after racing clear. Then Robbins powered forward and found Vowles, he crossed to Neale on the right who returned the favour for Vowles to score atthe far post. After Feltham’s 83rd minute second yellow, Portishead threatened through Adams’ shot, saved by Burford, and Neale, thwarted by a last-ditch tackle.
Four or more goals for an astonishing sixteenth time this season and an eighteenth clean sheet to boot. Posset have certainly adapted to this level – and some.
Darren Vowles