This Is North Devon
07:00 - 28-August-2008
Andrew Jones
ILFRACOMBE TOWN boss Barry Yeo got the improvement he asked for — but saw his side go down to a fourth successive defeat.
Dawlish Town maintained their 100 per cent start to the Toolstation League Premier Division season with a 3-1 home win over Yeo's side on Tuesday night.
After James Mayne had put Combe on level terms at 1-1 midway through the second half, it appeared Yeo would be proved right in his belief that Ilfracombe would "get something at Dawlish".
But Combe goalkeeper Steve Oliver was punished for a scuffed goal-kick for Dawlish's second goal, and a breakaway third saw the South Devon side go back above Bitton — 4-0 conquerors of Ilfracombe on Saturday — at the top of the table with four wins out of four.
Yeo said: "We're really disappointed but absolutely delighted with the performance.
"We just made two mistakes and got punished for both [for the first two Dawlish goals].
"If we perform like that week in, week out, we'll be OK. We deserved something from the game — a draw would have been a fair result against a side that are one of the favourites for the title. We matched them."
There were few chances before the break, but Dawlish took one of them midway through the first half when the Ilfracombe defence failed to attack a ball into their penalty area.
"We were still in the game at half-time, which was the plan," said Yeo, whose side took the game to their hosts in the second period.
They were level when a Karl Madge free-kick was finished by James Mayne. "We were well in the game then," added Yeo. "I fancied us to get something."
But keeper Oliver, who had impressed in Combe's previous two matches despite conceding eight goals, paid a heavy price for failing to get distance on his goal-kick. The miskick invited pressure from Dawlish and eventually the ball was headed in at the far post.
Even then, Ilfracombe were not out of contention as Leon Taswell fired over from 12 yards and Ricky Marinaro hit the crossbar. But any hopes the visitors had of snatching a point were dashed when Dawlish broke away for their third goal in the dying minutes.
"We still lost and that's disappointing, but if we show that dedication week in, week out we won't go far wrong. We've got to perform against everyone like that," said Yeo, who hopes to tie up Holsworthy defender Mayne on a more permanent arrangement.
Ilfracombe: Steve Oliver, James Mayne, John Vooght, Steve Hobbs, Karl Baggaley, Scott Huxtable, Ricky Marinaro, Mike Heddon, Ross Middleton, Karl Madge, Leon Taswell.