Tavistock AFC vs Larkhall Athletic 3rd Dec 2022 Langsford Park, Tavistock

 First new stadium for a while. Today we visit Langsford park, home of Tavistock AFC for the game against Larkhall Athletic (up near Bath somewhere)in the Southern League Division One fixture. 7th vs 4 bottom

The is Tavistocks first season in the Southern league Division 1 after being promoted last season  from the Western League premier Division.

The ground is just along from the college, has plenty of parking, which is free and a ticket hut for an entrance, unless you are a player, then there is a big shiny entrance round the back.

The ticket cost £10, not bad

Nice big clubhouse and stand

standing standing in front of the stands

I was (un) reliably informed, that Tavistock were good and woud score 10. Whereas I was doubtful we would see that many goals, league positions suggested a few at least. The reality was something else. Larkhall came fired up and bossed and bullied Tavistock for the whole 90mins. 

I sat in the stands first half and the old blokes behind were quite animated about the poor performance of the home team. Their frustration was compounded later in the first half as Larkhall took a deserved lead.

Tavistocks passing game was off, shooting was off, the Larkhall goal, Alfie, was barely troubled until late on during the second half, the ref awarded a penalty

The Tavistock Ultras (named by Jamie -co-host of QatarHeroes(link below) were giving the poor goalie large amounts of verbals, (some of the abuse came from a few young  Tavistock NEDs who were shouting "You are only 12, back in school tomorow-when they looked barely 10 themseleves) well we all know Kharma is real and the abuse came back swiftly to bite the rear end of the ultras. The  goalie did he job but didnt have to be at his best as the Tavistock #9 took a woeful spot kick.

Tavistock pressed under the floodlights to try and get some consolation late on and it looked like they would get it as the goalie missed a cross only for the ball to somehow not cross the line.

The whistle went and groans rang out among the crowd. XT & I did a few interviews with Jamie for his podcast and left as quick as we coud to get the heating on in the car. It was a typical dry and cold December afternoon in Devon.

Tavistock have built up a successful club with a lot of great facilites, the ground has 2 stands, a cafe(I didnt see the price list (inofrmed by another fan) but a pasty £3 (good value) or a KitKat £2- ouch!!, a club shop and a club house on the other side of the carpark. Today was just one of those days when nothing went right for them and the opposition came there with more grit and determination and got the 3 points.

Would I go back? probably, when its warmer..

For those of you who are wondering where XT has gone, he's now at university, so Bacon Mbappe has been benched. He is however, co-host of Qatar Hereos World Cup Podcast which you can listen to HERE