PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL

Tavistock AFC 3 Ivybridge Town 2

IVYBRIDGE Town completed their programme of pre-season friendly fixtures with a 3-2 defeat away to Southern League side Tavistock on Tuesday, July 22, writes Graham Hambly.

Tavistock took the lead in the 11th minute with a goal from Iestyn Harris, but Ivybridge hit back to equalise through Owen Howard after 22 minutes.

Ryan White restored the Tavistock lead on the stroke of half-time and Jack Crago, who created the two first half goals for Tavistock, scored a goal of his own four minutes after the interval.

To their credit, Ivybridge kept battling and were rewarded when Dan Tate reduced the arrears with ten minutes remaining.

Ivybridge joint manager Brad Gargett said: “Tavistock had a reasonable side, and it was a competitive game which was just what we needed with the season starting in five days.

“We were guilty of not taking some of the chances we created but it was good for us to get some more minutes in the legs of our players.”

Looking ahead to the start of the new Jewson Western League season with a visit to St Austell on Saturday (July 26), Gargett admitted: “They are a bit of an unknown quantity.”

Following the trip to St Austell, Ivybridge face another away fixture with a match against Sidmouth in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup on Saturday, August 2.

However, the tie has been switched from Sidmouth and will be played at Buckland Athletic’s Homers Heath ground in Newton Abbot.