Saturday 29th October 2022
Isuzu FA Trophy First Round
Beaconsfield Town 2 Truro City 0
Holloways Park - Attendance - 138
Ram of the Match - Liam McDevitt
Kyel Reid, who saw his penalty saved during the defeat by Winchester City, showed his quality and character bagging a first half brace including a 36th minute penalty which he calmly slotted home banishing any lingering memories of Monday’s miss.
His goals lead The Rams into the Second Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy for the first time in club history at the expense of Southern League Premier Division South front runners Truro City, unbeaten pin the League with only one cup defeat at the hands of Merthyr Town in the FA Cup so far this season.
Last season The White Tigers reached the Third Round and were confident of matching that record this season but, with one eye on the League, Paul Wooton made wholesale changes from the team that defeated Salisbury in midweek. Gary Meakin stuck to his strongest team available making two changes to the side which started against Winchester City. Elliott Buchanan came in for the suspended Eitel Goueth and skipper Toby Little was restored to his place on the right of midfield with Dan Bradshaw and Olly McCoy dropping to the bench, where they and Callum Webb were joined in the enlarged cup day squad by youngsters Oscar Lucey, Ben Peters and Kai Allsop.
The visitors, despite their changes, began with the confidence of a team used to winning, moving the ball with pace, retaining possession and showing energy and organisation. The mercurial Dan Sullivan was as usual at the heart of everthing just as he has been for the last three seasons when tormenting The Rams from the heart of the Taunton Town midfield.
Ravan Constable was largely untroubled though as the excellent Liam McDevitt and Keano Robinson dealt well with the physical challenges of Ryan Brett, Matt Wright and Jack Rice-Lethaby as the visitors probed.
As The Rams settled to their task, with Sam Granville and Sam Togwell driving them forward, it was White Tigers keeper James Hamon who was forced into early action, turning away efforts from Nathan Minhas, who wriggled through a crowd of defenders to send in a low shot and Sam Granville. When a Kyel Reid cross shot beat the keeper he was happy to see Kyle Egan on hand to clear off the line and the same defender was on hand to block another Minhas effort after good work from Charlie Smith on the right.
Truro continued to threaten on the break but their approach play flattered to deceive as good openings were spurned by poor finishing with Rice-Lethaby failing to extend Constable when well placed at least twice.
It was no surprise when The Rams took the lead in the 22nd minute. Reid found space just outside the box and unleashed a rising right foot drive which beat Hamon and fizzed off the underside of the bar bouncing over the line before spinning back out where Sam Granville beat Elliott Buchanan to the rebound to remove any possibility of the goal being chalked off. The assistant and photographer were in no doubt. It was Reid’s goal.
The Rams continued to press, Granville and Toby Little creating opportunities for Buchanan and Minhas before Nathan brought another save from Hamon from the resulting corner Toby Littles cross was met by Granville under pressure and a combinatrion of defender and Hamon diving to his right kept the ball out. The Rams were incensed, sure that their had been more thsn a suspicion of handball but Mr Blair was unmoved. Almost before the appeals had died down Nathan Minhas and Will Dean tangled just inside the box. As the striker went to ground Mr Blair did not hesitate in pointing to the spot.
Having missed one on Monday Reid could have been forgiven for passing penalty duties to someone else, especially with Toby Little on hand, but Reidy did not hesitate, calmly waiting while Mr Blair completed the preliminaries, before stepping forward and striking a nerveless low effort beyond Hamon and into the bottom corner.
As halftime approached Sullivan fashioned a chance to get Truro back into the contest. Taking a quick free kick and eventually created an opening for Rice-Lethaby at the near post but although he beat Constable he could not beat the covering defender Olly Sprague who slid in to keep the effort out at the near post.
Half Time 2-0
The second half was something of a joyful non-event for The Rams who kept their shape and their discipline and defended well, happy enough to sit in and keep the visitors at arm's length. A task they managed fairly comfortably.
This was far from a rear guard action though, with McDevitt and Robinson winning more than their fair share and reducing Truro to long range efforts and the occasional set piece. Smith and Sprague on the flanks were quick to spring into the counter and capitalise on the greater space as the visitors pressed.
With Granville driving forward at every opportunity and Minhas and Buchanan linking with Reid and Little, The Rams continued to create the better chances and when Hamon was called upon he was equal to the task, brilliantly on occasions. Particularly when turning away Reid’s hat trick effort low to his right.
Then at the death, when Kai Allsop, given a senior debut from the bench, played in Minhas whose well-struck cross-shot was finger-tipped narrowly wide by the big keeper.
That was that. The Rams move on to the Second Round draw for the first time in their history.
Spare a thought for the traveling fans some of whom left home at 7am They can at least console themselves with their outstanding league form on the long drive home.
The Rams now head to Aylesbury Vale Dynamos for the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup on Tuesday
But before then on Monday evening at Holloways Park The U18’s entertain Maidstone United in the First Round proper of the FA Youth Cup.
Beaconsfield Town
Ravan Constable, Charlie Smith, Oliver Sprague, Liam McDevitt, Keano Robinson, Sam Togwell, Toby Little©, Sam Granville, Nathan Minhas, Elliott Buchanan [sub: Dan Bradshaw 81], Kyel Reid [Sub Kai Allsop 87]
Subs Not used –, Callum Webb, Olly McCoy, Jacob Munting, Oscar Lucey, Ben Peters,
Truro City
James Hamon, Simeone Okoro [Sub Andrew Rocky Neal 75], Charlie Madden[Sub Ben Adelsbury 69], William Dean, Kyle Egan, Osanebi Okoh, Ryan Brett©, Adam Porter, Jack Rice-Lethaby [Sub Connor Riley-Lowe 46], Daniel Sullivasn, Matthew Wright
Subs not used - Edward Palmer, Tyler Harvey,