Taunton 10 Larkhall 2
More Southern League Div One South & West action tonight as I headed to Taunton Town FC's Viridor stadium. Taunton is also home to Somerset County Cricket Club. The town's football team have long been in the shadows of their more famous neighbours, who have been served by such household names as Botham, Richards and Trescothick. This season however, the footballers have enjoyed some lime light themselves. The Peacocks made it is far as the First Round proper of the FA Cup, always a great achievement for an 8th tier team, narrowly loosing to National League Barrow after a replay. In addition, going in to tonight's game they had clocked up an impressive 10 league wins in a row including their most recent, an away victory at Hereford in front of 3000 fans which was a first defeat of the season for the run away league leaders.
301 people were in attendance tonight at the Viridor stadium. It's a decent ground for this division and they seem to have the infrastructure to manage at a higher level. The pitch is a good size and whilst it's in a built up area, there is space around the stands should they wish to expand. Behind the goals were two fair size terraces, both partially covered. On entering the ground I made my way to the side of the pitch where I found a club shop in the corner along with the bar, club offices, and a tea and food hut with plenty of helpful stewards on hand to keep things ticking over. On the same side is also a lovely old stand that sits on the half way line, 3 rows of seats deep and about 20 long. It's roof is supported by concrete pillars and dips down over the pitch giving plenty of shelter from the elements. On the other side of the ground was another all seater, 3 rows deep. This was a longer, more modern and crude affair, stretching most of the length of the touch line. Also worth a mention was the pitch itself, it looked in good nick and was very neatly cut. I wasn't surprised to find out that the chief groundsman is also the chairman. Drainage and rolling is obviously a high priority down at the Viridor.
Taunton's ground is on Wordsworth road. I'm not sure if this road is named after the great 18th century poet. It might be named after a giant cat, as unusually for this level, Taunton had a 7 foot feline mascot in attendance in full kit with Wordsworth emblazoned on his back.
The Larks came in to this game in poor form. Whilst Taunton had won ten in a row, the away team in turn hadn't won in ten and had recently lost their captain and centre back Ollie Price. There has also been a recent management change and in addition their first choice keeper was suspended for this game following an eye brow raising 4 red cards so far this season. This was not the ideal preparation for a visit to the leagues form team.
Just a couple of minutes in to the game however, the Larks were to take the lead. Taunton's defenders appeared flat footed and allowed a cross to come in from the left which was met by an unmarked Ben Brooks who nodded in from close range.
I once played in a under 12 club game where my team went in to a 1-0 lead only to loose 16-1. The experience was very confusing and painful my young self and took a while to recover from. What was to unfold here was not quite so total a humiliation, but not far off.
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| Larkhall take the lead |
Larkhall managed to keep the Peacocks out until the 18th minute though had a lucky escape a few minutes earlier when Jordan Rogers saw a shot from the edge of the area come back off the post. The equaliser came when a high cross came in from the left was nodded down for captain Shane White to drive past the keeper from outside the box. A few minutes later it was 2-1 after Owen Irish picked up another nod down with his back to goal before turning his defender and finding the net.
It was soon 3-1 after Rogers flicked on a long ball for Staley to run on to and finish in a very quick counter attack. Next Rogers took centre stage as he scored the fourth with his right foot before adding the fifth almost immediately with his left.
Shell shocked Larkhall had one good chance to pull one back before the break but their number 5, Hobbs saw his powerfull header go just over the bar. 5-1 at the break.
After I enjoyed a competitively priced pasty from the bar and did a lap of the ground, play resumed:
In Jordan Rogers Taunton had a player composed on the ball and dangerous with both feet who Larkhall who just couldn't contain. I heard a few home fans saying he'd scored a couple of braces this season and hoped that this would be the game in which he got his hat-trick. When he went off injured 5 minutes in to the second half, the away team must have breathed a sigh of relief. There was to be no let up though and it wasn't long before more misery was heaped on the Larks.
Most of the Taunton fans had sensibly positioned themselves behind the Larkhall keeper, Humphries, to get a good view of all the goals flying in. The tall keeper was having a torrid night, the defence in front of him lacked the strength and aerial power to offer him much protection and he inevitably bore the brunt of the home fans banter.
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| The forlorn Humphries retrieves the ball from the back of the net again |
It was soon 9-1 when White and Palmer combined again from a corner with the same result. Meanwhile Larkhall had made a couple of subs and to their credit were still trying to string passes together. It came as a shock though when they scored their second of the night. It seemed like an age since Brooks had opened the scoring but here he was again to drive past the keeper who touched it on to the bar before it crossed the line. This goal was understandably 'celebrated' with possibly the least amount of enthusiasm I have ever seen at a football match.
Humphries then had a rare bright moment when he pulled off a great save from a close range volley to ironic cheers from the home fans behind him. A few minutes later, with the score at 9-2 the ball went out for another Taunton corner. I heard a Larkhall defender ask the ref how long left, "3 minutes" came the reply. The defender responded with just one word, but the way he uttered "Ref" spoke volumes. It begged for mercy, pleaded and berated the man in black all at the same time. The ref was unmoved and the Larks were to concede a tenth goal from another header from a corner before the game was finally bought to a close.
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| Shane White gets ready to swing in another corner |
10-2 at full time. A remarkable performance from a very strong Taunton team who made it an impressive eleven league wins in a row tonight. Despite their games in hand it would take Hereford to implode spectacularly for them to be knocked of the top spot. Taunton will probably have to settle for a place in the play offs. If this form continues they will fear no one.
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