WESTERN PREMIER Saltash Utd 1 Torpoint Athletic 1

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Created on Sunday, 01 October 2023 10:51

Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 October 2023 10:56

Published on Sunday, 01 October 2023 10:51

Written by KEVIN MARRIOTT at KJM Sports

It says something about the progress Saltash have made in the last month that they were disappointed not to beat title contenders Torpoint at the Waterways on Saturday.

The young Ashes side were cheered off at the end of an enthralling east Cornwall derby which could have gone either way.

After a goalless first half in which Saltash were the dominant side, the visitors took the lead two minutes into the second half with a typical finish from former Ashes favourite Ryan Richards.

The home side had an immediate chance to equalise but Ethan Wright sent his 51st minute penalty crashing against the bar.

But Saltash’s persistence paid off with man of the match Tylor Love-Holmes firing in a 63rd minute leveller.

All of which left Saltash boss Macca Brown with mixed feelings.

He said: “I’m so disappointed we’ve not won the game because I think everyone in the ground thought that should have been the outcome.

“But honestly, I was so pleased with our performance, we were outstanding and for the first 40 minutes we tore them apart time and again, but we just didn’t have that killer touch or that bit of luck to finish them off in that period.”

He went on: “As I said to the lads it’s where do you judge success? Of course we all want to win the game and are disappointed when we don’t.

“But when you’re a side like us in this league you can flip a coin most weeks for the result because it’s so close, so all you can do is perform like we did and base your success on that so on that front I’m delighted.

“Some of those 200-odd supporters that were there are at every game, so they’re paying about £30 a month to watch a group of lads kick a ball around which in these times is a lot of money.

“I think they got value for money to watch our young side regardless of the result, and I think given their reaction at half-time and full time that they recognised we were brilliant at times.

“We were relentless in that first half but I’ve seen it many times against Torpoint over the years. They have such experience in their side if you don’t put them to bed then they’ll always pose a threat.

“They hung in there so credit to them, and had a couple of good chances over the course of the game albeit mainly from our mistakes but Crebbs made some outstanding saves when called upon.

“There’s a reason why I feel they should be up there challenging for the title, in football it’s about what happens in both boxes and they’ve got one the best goalkeepers around and he proved that again yesterday in key moments, and one of the best strikers.

“When they’re around the box you’ve always got a problem because Ryan is so clinical and that’s what happened about a minute or so after the break when he does what he does and you think it’s just typical.

“But it was a brilliant response from us. Initially to win a penalty, and then to bounce back once that was missed, to equalise.

“The lads have been stunned a few times this season and not dealt with it well, but they are becoming robust, resolute and more composed in those moments now and I didn’t think there was any way we wouldn’t equalise, and most importantly neither did they.

“It was an excellent goal, Jordan and Aaron combining a few times before finding Tylor who smashed it in, it reminded me of that classic last minute Stan Collymore goal in the famous Liverpool v Newcastle 4-3 game back in the 90s.

“Tylor was unbelievable yesterday, he’s coming into great form and becoming someone that really excites the supporters at Waterways, as is Ethan on the other side.

“They’re 18 and 16 respectively and they’re showing a mentality beyond their years at the moment and were fantastic yesterday.

“I have to be honest though, Torpoint edged the last 10 minutes, and possibly looked like they may nick it going down the slope but we dug deep.

“They hit the bar with a free kick and we struggled to get out of our half in the closing stages so at that stage I was happy to get the end with a point even though if the previous 80 minutes or so deserved more, we didn’t put them to bed like we should have.”

Saltash: J Mead-Crebbin, T Love-Holmes, E Wright, E Goodman, T Badcott, L Murray, K O’Melia (B Goulty 85), T Huyton, J Ewing (J Johnson 68), A Goulty (J Preece 80), J Toulson.

Torpoint: J Duffey, D Hicks, J Richards, S Hillson, E Crawford, D Jones, J Wood, S Thomson, R Richards, O Haslam.

Subs: M Lucas, D Murray, A Cairo, J Rowe, L Rooney.

SWSN Stars: Saltash Tylor Love-Holmes. Torpoint Jordan Duffey.

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