They thought it was all over…

The Larks bettered last season’s 2-2 comeback away at Paulton Rovers with an extraordinary turnaround to win the Somerset derby 3-2.

After a bright start by the Larks, the home side took the lead towards the end of the first half with a powerful header off a corner and should really have been 2-0 up at the break had they not wasted a penalty which ex-Lark Will Hailston blasted way over the bar.

The second period saw Paulton win a second penalty which also failed to count as it hit the post and was hastily cleared away by the Larks defence. Emboldened by the opportunity to level the Larks pressed in earnest but although it hit the back of the net Josh Jones’s effort was flagged offside. Rovers took advantage and broke, with a strike from Dan Cottle doubling their lead.

At 2-0 down with less than 10 minutes to play one might have expected the Larks’ heads to drop, but in fact at this point the team’s character really showed. Joe Tumelty came on for full back Leon Greenland to bolster our attack, and much to the delight of the away support Matt Britton was also introduced for his first game for a year after a cruciate ligament injury.

The last few moments of the game more than made up for a sub-par first half as the Larks won corner after corner. It was another set piece that got us back into the game as captain Mike Baker kept up his scoring form with a superb looping left-footed free kick.

2-1 and with only moments to play the Larks produced the comeback of the season. Ginge launched a ball from long range that looked to go nowhere but the Rovers keeper fumbled the catch and could only watch as it trickled past him to give us parity. As the Larks continued to seek a winner, and with time running out, centre-half Jake Thompson got on the end of an Alex Lambert corner and headed powerfully home only seconds before the final whistle.

Squad:

GK Semmens; Warren; Greenland (c); Thompson 1; Baker 1; Jones; Demkiv; Hillard; Lambert; Powell; Camm. Subs used: Tumelty; Britton 1