Loddiswell Reserves 1 Torbay Christians 4
Saturday 23rd January 2010 - LES BISHOPS CUP RND 1

Loddiswell Reserves left the pitch totally dispondent last Saturday when a chance to progress to the next round of their Divisional Cup was lost after two ligitimate first half goals were wrongly disallowed.

Visitors, Torbay Christians, started the brighter but having enjoyed the majority of the possession in the opening 15 minutes, hadn't actually threatened Richard Teague in the Loddiswell goal. Slowly Loddiswell started to gain the upper hand; in particular Dan Hardy and Luke Bateman were linking up well on the left, with the latter causing the Christians defence all sorts of trouble with his pace. This was short lived however, when Bateman was crudely brought down after one such run towards the visitors box. With Bateman no longer able to continue Dom Farleigh was brought on in his place.

Lodd's back four, made up of Rowe, Elliott, George and Hardy had by now got to grips with the Christians attackers, which in turn gave licence to the Stathers brothers, Tim and the returning Dan, to push forward and support strikers Chris Guard and Andy Edmonds.

This forced several corners of which one struck the post before being cleared. Eventually though the pressure told and as Chris Guard, challenging for a high ball, was sandwiched between a defender and the flapping 'keeper, the ball fell into the path of the on coming Andy Edmonds who passed the ball into the empty net. The visitors manager was not impressed with his 'keeper who had just presented Loddiswell their first goal, however, as both teams got ready for the re-start the visitors linesman raised his flag and unbelievably the goal was disallowed.

Shrugging this disappointment off Loddiswell again put pressure on the Christians' goal, which in time saw the ball in the back of the net. This time it was Dan Stathers who ran from deep to beat the on coming 'keeper to the ball and net his first of the season. Only it wasn't as once again the flag had been raised!

Somehow it was 0-0 at half time and Lodds knew it was only a matter of time before a goal they scored would be allowed to stand. Chris Guard almost got the goal early in the second half when he latched on to a through ball, only to see the 'keeper make a great save. Dan Stathers then had the chance to open the scoring when the slightest of touches would have seen Dan Hardy's free kick diverted past the 'keeper.

It was however, the visitors who opened the scoring when they broke away after another Loddiswell attack. This stunned the Green's and before they could recover they had conceded a second. Christians' third was not long in coming as Loddiswell pushed forward to try and get back in the game, and it was from another break away that they scored their fourth.

As if the scoreline wasn't enough Loddiswell then lost their 'keeper, Richard Teague, to injury when he clashed with one of the Christians strikers, leaving the hosts to play out the remaining ten minutes with only ten men.

There was some consolation for Loddiswell however, when substitute Mike Williams crossed the ball to Tim Stathers who looped his shot over the 'keeper to finally register a goal for the Greens.

In Football they say things even themselves out, Lodds have had four goals not given in the last two games, so the reverse of this fortune would certainly be very welcome some time soon.