FINAL SCORE:

Modbury........................2 Tantamount FC........... 0

Report by Sam Charman

After last weeks heroic draw, The Mount new this would be a completely different and tougher challenge. Modbury sitting second in the table are a bright attacking side and from the off The Mount’s goal was under assault. Spencer was called upon immediately and replied in the affirmative, pulling off save after save in what became almost a one man show. Modbury didn’t have it all their own way though, The Mount’s back three of Charman, Howarth and Rose were resolute and covered each other well, Howarth especially became a vocal presence on the pitch organising the defence and ensuring positions were filled. There was some good link up play down the right hand side between Jacobs and Charman and Rose provided his usual strength down the left. On several occasions some link up at the Modbury end created half chances, but nothing of real note.  By contrast Spencer was called upon more and more at the other end and after a string of world class saves, took a vicious shot square in the face, resulting in a nose bleed and blood substitution with reserve keeper Olly Howarth.

O. Howarth then continued the excellent work of Spencer and made several more quality saves to deny Modbury, who were becoming increasingly frustrated. At half time it was 0-0 Tantamount hadn’t been the better side but had defended well and deserved the draw. Second half saw two players have to stay on due to Spencer’s injury and tiredness slowly began to tell. Pilcher tightened up the middle of the park, yet Charman and Rose were visibly exhausted on the wings and as such the link play to Moody was not what it could have been. All this considered Modbury’s eventual goal was hotly disputed, the shot appeared to enter from the side netting and the ref gave it, Olly had been unbeatable until this point yet the Mount were victims of yet another terrible decision. A goal down The Mount pushed forward, yet the space this inevitable provided Modbury resulted in another goal for them. By the final whistle the Mount were thoroughly exhausted but had played their best defensive football of the season. A 2-0 defeat thanks mainly to two heroic goalkeepers.

Spencer - took a vicious shot to the face

LINE-UP: Spencer; Charman, B.Howarth, Rose; Jacobs SUBS: O.Howarth, Pilcher, Moody

SCORERS: None

Manager's Comments:

"We gave them a good game and we are really starting to look competitive. In the last 3 weeks, we've drawn 1-1 and lost by just two goals to the teams in 2nd and 3rd, so we're definitely improving. Modbury had a stroke of luck with their opener; Sam and I were convinced it went through the side netting rather than in. I think the "scorer" knew it too, but I'll have to see what Olly's take on it is. Losing James so early was a blow, he had already made two great saves, and the whack he took looked pretty nasty. He assured me it wasn't as bad as it looked and he was feeling fine on the journey home. Olly came in as keeper and played a blinder, pulling off save after save, and didn't deserve to be on the losing team. Ben also had a great game, he marshalled the defence and put in some good tackles, and had probably his best game to date.  Alex and Modders did well in their strikers roles, with Modders unlucky with a late chance that went just wide after he fooled a defender with some silky skills. We have a real test next week, with back-to-back games, three absentees and two debutants. The first game against Sunday Session could take it out of us but we have seven players at our disposal, so I'm hoping we can run Dynamite closer than in the two previous meetings. I would like to say a big thank you to our fan base for today, we had seven in today which is probably a record for any of the teams. The increase in numbers is no doubt down to word spreading of our increased level of competency, and people want to be there to witness our imminent first win!"