Report

This was Cullompton Ranger’s second visit to Priory Park within ten days, after having played their Throgmorton Cup quarter final on the Wednesday of the previous week, which Bodmin Town won by four goals to one. The home side would have been happy with a similar result in this League match to keep their quest for League honours on track. Shane Krac, recently signed from Plymouth Parkway, made his second debut for the Club, having played at Priory Park for a short spell a few seasons ago. With the news that Danny Bance will be out of action for the remainder of the season due to a recurrence of his knee injury, Krac became available at an opportune time as cover for the unfortunate Bodmin midfielder.  

Krac was immediately in the action when, after only two minutes he got his head to a corner, which forced Joe Moore in the visitor’s goal to make a good save. Five minutes Later Huw Morgan combined with Krac to setup Olly Brokenshire with a curling shot from 15 yards which went just wide of the target. After 13 minutes Brokenshire had another effort go close when Neil Slateford found him after gaining possession on the edge of the 18 yard area. Five minutes later Bodmin opened the scoring when a cross into the area was knocked down by Adam Carter to BEN SMALLRIDGE who slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. On 20 minutes Carter almost made it 2-0 when Chris Luxton found Smallridge wide on the right, sending the ball into Carter who had the ball whipped off his toe as he was about to shoot. With half an hour gone Kevin Miller had his first save to make when he pushed out a shot from Josh Luxton. Three minutes later Cullompton broke with Luxon outpacing Bodmin’s defence to fire into the corner of the net from 12 yards for an unlikely looking equalising goal. Three minutes later it was almost 2-0 to the visitors when a free-kick from just outside the penalty area by Brett Worbey struck the home crossbar before being cleared to safety. Two minutes before the break a high ball into the Cullompton area was pushed away by Moore, but a goalmouth scramble that followed ended with the ball bouncing off a Bodmin player at the far post and out for a goal-kick.

With only five minutes of the second half played Bodmin retook the lead after NEIL SLATEFORD took possession on the edge of the penalty area before beating two defenders and rounding the stranded ‘keeper to slot the ball into the empty net. Four minutes later Slateford struck a shot from 30 yards which hit the Cullompton crossbar before being cleared up field. After 65 minutes the visitors made loud appeals for a penalty after they thought a defender had handled the ball, but the referee waived play on. With 20 minutes to play it was Bodmin’s turn to appeal for a penalty when, following constant pressure around the visitor’s goal which saw Tom Chambers’ header strike the crossbar, a shot from Sam Matthews appeared to be handled on the line, but again nothing was given. After 78 minutes Bodmin virtually sealed the points when a cross from the left by Krac was met by CARTER with a glancing header, sending the ball into the bottom corner of the net. With the finally whistle imminent Bodmin added a fourth to record the same score against Cullompton that they had in their Throgmorton Cup tie, as Krac again was involved in the build-up, sending the ball across for Carter whose shot was beaten out by Moore but SLATEFORD followed up to fire into the back of the net to complete another excellent performance from the home side.