Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police 2, Ivybridge Town 3
- Details
- Created on Sunday, 15 October 2023 09:25
- Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 October 2023 09:30
- Published on Sunday, 15 October 2023 09:25
- Written by GRAHAM HAMBLY with Ivybridge Town
A confident first half performance saw Ivybridge take a deserved 2-0 interval lead. But injuries to Connor Rush and Fletcher Williams resulted in a number of changes early in the second period and Stoke Gabriel took advantage to draw level.
Ivybridge recovered, however, with leading scorer Luke Forward grabbing an 84th minute winner and his 15th goal of the season.
Midfielder Rio Daly, who was man of the match for the second successive week, had a hand in the two Ivybridge first half goals, both scored by Bailey Mabin in the 24th and 39th minutes.
At that stage, the game was looking comfortable for Ivybridge, and they were well set to extend their current winning run to 11 league and cup games.
The start of the second half saw substitute Connor Rush replace Chris Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, and five minutes after the restart Ivybridge freshened things with the introduction of substitutes Forward and Brody Pawley.
Within another three minutes, however, Rush and Williams both departed with injuries and Ivybridge began to lose control of the game.
The problems were compounded in the 58th minute when a simple back pass from Jake Lane caught goalkeeper Kane Gregory off guard and the ball trickled into the net.
That goal lifted Stoke Gabriel, who took advantage of more uncertainty in the Ivybridge defence four minutes later, allowing Will Hughes to equalise.
The home side were reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute, however, with Alfie Collings sent off for a foul on Lane.
Then, with extra-time looming, Forward settled the issue when he cut in from the right and sent a fine angled shot into the far corner of the home goal.
Ivybridge joint manager Wayne Gamble admitted: “We were not at our best today and made a game out of it with a couple of mistakes but that’s cup football and it came out all right in the end.
“I thought we struck the ball around really well in the first half and scored great goals. In general, we played some good stuff in the first half.
“Because of the injuries, we ended up making five substitutions in five minutes and then conceded two goals, which put a spanner in the works. But everything panned out well and we are in the next round.”
Commenting on the injuries, Gamble explained: “Connor Rush came off in the Bovey Tracey game (on October 4) with his quad and probably rushed back a bit too quick today and has pulled up with the same injury. Fletcher Williams also has the same sort of quad injury.”
Ivybridge went into the game without skipper and centre half Scott Pocock, who is suffering from an ankle injury.
They are without a match on Saturday (Oct 21) as scheduled opponents Okehampton are involved in the FA Vase.
The Ivys next fixture will be a league match away to third placed Crediton on Saturday October 28.
Gamble says: “We are a little bit battered and bruised at the moment, but we now have two weeks off and we will be ready for the match at Crediton. That will be a big game and we are looking forward to it.”
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