An injury-time goal from substitute Eben Mortimer-Taylor ensured Larkhall Athletic took a point from their Pitching In Southern League game against Bideford at the Camella Stadium on Saturday 11th April.
Eben Mortimer-Taylor, partially obscured, scores Larkhall Athletic’s equaliser against Bideford following an assist from Dawid Regula, foreground | Photo © Phil Scovell
The Division One South match ended 1-1, Mortimer-Taylor banging in from close range after Dawid Regula squared from the right.
Athletic thumped the Robins 3-0 at the Sports Ground in December in what was manager John Durbin’s first game in interim charge of the Plain Ham outfit.
But Bideford came to Somerset in a rich vein of form, having won their four previous league matches.
And it was not until the 58th minute that Athletic had a clear-cut opportunity, Lewis Graham lashing narrowly wide in front of a crowd of 128.
Dawid Regula goes for goal in acrobatic fashion during Larkhall Athletic’s 1-1 draw with Bideford on Saturday 11th April | Photo © Phil Scovell
The team from North Devon had the better of a drab first half – and they opened the scoring in the 67th minute. Finn Roberts netted from 30 yards after latching onto a kick upfield by Bideford’s former Larkhall keeper Shaun Semmens.
Roberts slammed the ball off the bar seven minutes later and Armstrong produced several fine saves before the Larks levelled.
However, the match was marred for Larkhall by Durbin’s dismissal from the bench in the 83rd minute.
Larkhall Athletic on the attack during the Pitching In Southern League clash with Bideford at the Camella Stadium on Saturday 11th April | Photo © Phil Scovell
Bideford’s point was enough to stave off the threat of relegation.
Larkhall: Liam Armstrong, Lewis Graham (Sam Tisdale, 80), Iestyn Rhys Williams, Sam Boulton, Ewan McMillan, Will Banks, Milo Murgatroyd, Jeff Forkuo, Dawid Regula, Harvey Pritchard (Freddie King, 71), Alex Camm (Eben Mortimer-Taylor, 80). Unused sub: Jack Camm.
The Larks will face another Devon side in the league tonight, Wednesday 15th April, when they visit Willand Rovers (7.30pm).
Athletic will be on the road again for Division One South action on Saturday 18th April. They will travel to the New Forest to take on Bashley (3pm).
Larkhall Development will go into their penultimate fixture of the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League Premier Division campaign with their chances of winning the championship in their own hands.
The second-placed Devs are five points adrift of leaders Shrewton United, who have only one match remaining – against Larkhall at the Recreation Ground on Saturday 25th April.
Before that, Athletic will entertain Pewsey Vale at the Camella Stadium in a must-win game on 18th April (3pm).
The Larks won for the eighth match running in the Premier Division when they overcame hosts Wroughton 4-1 on 11th April, the same afternoon that Shrewton suffered a hugely damaging 2-0 defeat at Shrivenham.
However, Larkhall had two players sent off at Weir Field.
The first half was goal-less but the visitors opened the scoring two minutes into the second period, James Horrocks on target following an assist by Ben Wickens.
Almost immediately, Wickens extended the lead. But Wroughton pulled one back through Matthew Horsell on the hour.
The Larks restored their two-goal cushion five minutes later, when Arlo Stone netted from a Horrocks flick.
Larkhall suffered a blow when substitute James Payton, who had been on the field for only 90 seconds, was sent off in the 70th minute for collecting two bookings.
And within 10 minutes, Athletic’s Harvey Kendrick also received his marching orders for two bookings.
He was followed off the field a few seconds later by Wroughton’s Jamie Pidgeon, also banished for two yellows.
But Larkhall had the final word, Wickens lobbing the keeper to make it 4-1.
