Larkhall Athletic bowed out of a cup competition on penalties for the second time this season when they lost to Taunton Town at the Camella Stadium on Wednesday 8th October.
Larkhall Athletic went down 2-0 here at Didcot Town in the Pitching In Southern League on Saturday 4th October | Photo © Richard Briggs
The Larks were beaten 4-3 on spot-kicks, following a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes, when they received the Peacocks in the Francis Hillier Premier Cup – formerly the Somerset Premier Cup – first round.
Taunton, who are hovering just outside the play-off zone in the Step 3 Pitching In Southern League Premier South, made seven changes from the side that lost to AFC Portchester on Saturday 4th October in the Isuzu FA Trophy. But their scalp would still have been cause for major celebration by Larkhall, who had been ahead in the shootout.
The team from the county town broke the deadlock with a cracking goal in the 55th minute. A Taunton corner was cleared only as far as Bailey Croome, who brought the ball forward and unleashed a deadly 25-yarder.
But Athletic forced the game into penalties when, after 81 minutes, substitute Max Williams fired home low from an angle eight yards out.
Unfortunately for the hosts, they suffered their second cup exit of the season on penalties, having lost to Tavistock on sudden death in the FA Trophy.
Larkhall were defeated 2-0 at Didcot Town in Southern League Division One South on Saturday 4th October. The Oxfordshire outfit’s success – in front of 162 spectators – lifted them out of the relegation area.
Early on, Athletic keeper Liam Armstrong saved a Didcot penalty. But Owen James gave the hosts a 16th-minute lead, firing in from an angle after getting in behind the Larks’ defence.
And it was almost 2-0 four minutes later, Felix Robertson shooting from the edge of the box and seeing his effort cannon off the Larkhall bar.
However, Jack Camm almost levelled in the 24th minute, Didcot gloveman Leigh Bedwell denying him with a fine save.
After that, the game was dull until the 75th minute – when Armstrong denied Robertson, who had been set up by Cam McNeill.
But seconds later, the home team sealed the points when Adam Learoyd beat Armstrong with a low drive from 12 yards to make it 2-0.
And in injury-time, the Railwaymen had two further chances to score. First, Tyger Hall jinked his way through the defence but Armstrong saved with his legs. Then substitute and debutant Billy Glover shot narrowly over the bar.
Larkhall starting XI: Armstrong, Williams, Dymond-Hall, Boulton, White, Beckinsale, Murgatroyd, Bowman, Flippance, Regula, J Camm.
The Larks will return to league action on Saturday 11th October, when they entertain Mid Devon side Willand Rovers (3pm).
And on Tuesday 14th October, Athletic will make the trip to Worcestershire to face Sporting Club Inkberrow – who have experienced a meteoric rise with three promotions in three seasons – in the league. However, Inkberrow have found life at Step 4 tough and are second-bottom of Division One South.
A depleted Larkhall Development side including five debutants crashed out of the Somerset Senior Cup when they were beaten 4-1 at home by Wells City Reserves on Saturday 4th October.
In their next game, on Wednesday 15th October (7.45pm), the young Larks will face Bishops Cannings at the Camella Stadium in the first round of the Fountain Trophies Senior Cup, the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League’s knockout competition.
While Larkhall are chasing the Premier Division title, Bishops Cannings are currently in sixth place in Division One.
