Spirits were high after Tuesday night’s big win over Clevedon in a top-of-the-table clash, and the Robins headed back down into Cornwall on Saturday with real momentum behind them. Lux Park promised another stern test against a Liskeard team who sat in 3rd place.
The squad, unfortunately, was stretched thin. Injuries and other factors meant we travelled light, with only three names on the bench, one of them belonging to manager Dave Pearse himself. Things got thinner still before a ball was kicked, with Stayt picking up an injury in the warm-up, and Miles Quick coming into the starting eleven in his place!
FIRST HALF
We made the first meaningful move of the afternoon. On eight minutes the ball was fizzed into Beresford, who flicked it over for Collins, but Will scuffed his volley and the keeper gathered comfortably.
Liskeard’s first real threat came on fifteen. Their winger chopped inside his man and went for the far corner with the inside of his foot, and it curled just the wrong side of the post.
It was an even contest, with Bridgwater edging possession and Liskeard happy to sit off and look for the long ball on the counter.
The best of our chances came in a busy few minutes before the break. On thirty-five a Miles Quick throw was flicked backwards by Spence, and Beresford was waiting to poke it in, only for the goalkeeper to hold on. Two minutes later Tom Llewellyn delivered from deep, Lawrence flicked it on, and Horton picked it up in the box, his shot blocked behind for a corner. From that corner Lawrence rose highest again, and his header flashed just wide.
HALF TIME: LISKEARD 0-0 BRIDGWATER UNITED
A competitive half with very limited chances, and a fair scoreline so far. Liskeard had not offered a great deal going forward, but neither had we quite done enough to make our possession count.
We had perhaps just edged it, looking solid, and dangerous from set pieces.
SECOND HALF
The home side came out fast, looking lively from the outside. Five minutes into the half, their winger broke our line and squared the ball across the box, and for a moment it looked destined to break the deadlock, until Horton got back just in time to block.
It was a warning, and five minutes later it came true. Bridgwater were disappointed with the referee’s decision to start counting a throw-in, despite no one being on the ball. We had to throw quickly, and while remonstrating, we were caught on the counter, the ball was squared, and Liskeard finished it off to take the lead.
The second arrived not long later. A through ball split our defence, and under pressure their striker still managed to flick it over the incoming Saunders and it trickled into the net. After some good work in the first half, we now had a mountain to climb.
From there, the lack of options began to tell. Bridgwater looked a tired side, and Liskeard kept finding the gaps. Our defence continued to be split, and it only looked like the home side would add to their lead. On seventy they were through again, but Saunders came out quickly to smother. On seventy-five our lines were broken once more, and only a last-ditch block kept the third out. On eighty Saunders was called upon again, rushing out to save another one-on-one. Without him, the scoreline could have been a lot heavier.
There was one late twist. In the last minute of the game a long throw dropped into the box, and Jason Quick headed home to give us a fleeting chance. It was too little, too late, and the whistle went only a minute later with no further reply.
FULL TIME: LISKEARD 2-1 BRIDGWATER UNITED
A disappointing afternoon, especially as the game had looked so even in the first half. The eleven men on the pitch competed well for forty-five, but only four days after a hard-fought win over Clevedon and a lack of depth, the legs told, and Liskeard, to their credit, capitalised on that.
For an hour, we matched Liskeard. The first half was even, and we had the better of the chances before the break. But once the home side found the opening, our tired legs could not keep up, and they could, and maybe should, have added more. That they didn’t was down to Ollie Saunders, who rushed from his line time and again to deny Liskeard one-on-one. He was the clear choice for Man of the Match, and a bright spot on a difficult day.
Next up is a break the lads have more than earned and clearly need after a busy schedule. There’s no game for ten days, and Bridgwater return to action on Tuesday 27th October with a trip to Bath City in the Somerset Premier Cup.
Thank you to those who made the long trip to support us.
#WeAreUnited
