Saturday, October 12

Buildbase FA Vase (first-round)

Buckland Athletic 2

MAREK Panacek had a late header controversially ruled out for offside as Camelford were knocked out of the FA Vase by Western Premier League outfit Buckland Athletic on Saturday.

The opening exchanges were fairly even before the hosts conceded two poor goals before half-time to give them an uphill task.

Josh Insley’s header early in the second-half reduced the deficit, but the Camels rarely troubled Ken Griffiths in the Buckland goal.

Both sides lined up in a 4-3-3 formation although the Camels, who had won their last five league games in the Premier West division of the South West Peninsula League, including a remarkable comeback from 4-1 down to beat Bodmin Town 6-4 in midweek, had to do without the influential Andy Boxall due to a holiday.

His replacement, Ed Harrison perhaps should have scored in the opening five minutes. However, he couldn’t quite make connection to a superb driven ball from Bobby Hopkinson and Griffiths collected.

Buckland’s two wingers Richard Groves and Lloyd Gardner were a constant threat but it was Hopkinson who twice went close, first seeing his shot from the edge of the box saved, before he should have done better when he blasted over after good work down the left-hand side.

Buckland missed a glorious chance to take the lead on 22 minutes as Groves found himself one-on-one with Luke Gwillam, but the Camelford keeper stayed big to make the crucial block.

However it didn’t take long for the Yellows to go in front.

After an initial corner was half cleared, the ball was worked down the left-hand side for Gardner to get to the byline and stand up a superb cross which was headed in to the roof of net at the near-post by centre-half Dan Harrison.

This visibly lifted the sizeable away following and they doubled their lead on the half-hour.

A long free-kick from Griffiths saw a miscommunication between centre-half Leighton Carhart and Gwillam, which allowed former Bodmin Town striker Stuart Bowker to nip in and tuck the ball into an empty net from a tight angle, after Carhart’s chest back gave Gwillam no chance.

Groves was a constant menace drifting in off the right-hand side and it took another fine Gwillam save to keep it at 2-0 as he parried away Groves’ 25-yard strike.

Despite being second best following the first goal, the hosts went close to pulling one back before the break as a superb run down the right by winger Kian Burns ended with his shot being deflected over the bar by a great block from centre-half Chris McGrath.

Buckland knew that a third goal straight after the restart would all but seal their passage into the next round, and they were inches away from doing so as Gardner’s stood up cross to the back post just eluded Bowker.

However on 52 minutes Camelford pulled one back. After referee Stephen Reed penalised right-back Joe Belsten for obstructing Burns down the left, Hopkinson’s free-kick was nodded in by Josh Insley.

Hopkinson’s passing and crossing ability is superb and he nearly provided an assist shortly after, but Jack Lawrence couldn’t make a clean enough connection at the far post.

Buckland went straight up the other end and were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. However Groves’ effort went just wide with Gwillam given no chance.

Gardner should have put Buckland 3-1 up on 63 minutes as Bowker played him in, only for him to sky his effort way over the bar.

Bowker then missed a good chance of his own shortly after as he could only hit the inside of the post from close range, with only Gwillam to beat.

Despite being tidy in possession, the Camels struggled to seriously test Griffiths.

Manager Reg Hambly brought on Sam Brown and Panacek with a couple of minutes to go and the hosts were awarded a free-kick just inside Buckland’s half.

Hopkinson drove in another ball which Panacek headed past the advancing Griffiths with his first touch, but the linesman raised his flag.

The visitors went close to a third late on but it didn’t matter as they moved into the next round.

Camelford manager Reg Hambly admitted his side weren’t at their best.

He said: “I felt after the Bodmin game we were on a high but we never quite got going. We missed Andy Boxall’s drive in midfield. He sets the tone for us with his energy, but we just lacked a bit of zip.

“That said, Buckland are a good side with some quality players, and sometimes you can only play as well as you’re allowed to.

“We competed but just lacked the quality in our passing. We didn’t play as well as we can, but I can’t fault the commitment.

“We were always in the game but for a close decision and a mistake in the first-half, it’d have gone right to the wire.

“Overall it was a good day for the club, played in front of a decent sized crowd. There was a bit of drama at the end but I just wish we performed a bit better. It’s disappointing not to have gone through.”

Camelford —

Gwillam; Haynes, Sleep (captain), Carhart, McLachlan; Insley, Hambly, Harrison; Lawrence, Hopkinson, Burns.

Substitutes: Brown, Panacek, Gusterson, Andrew, Cherrill.