Cam make short work of Longlevens (From Gazette Series)

Cam make short work of Longlevens

Cam Bulldogs 2 Longlevens 1

THEY may have had to hang on for it in the end, but Cam earned their fourth league win in five games with a gritty display against Longlevens.

On a different day the visitors may easily have taken a point, although in fairness the Bulldogs could have been out of sight after another whirlwind opening.

Barely two minutes had elapsed when Jack Barnfield crossed from the right for Jer Coburn, who was denied only by a terrific defensive header.

However, Longlevens failed to adequately clear the resultant corner and found themselves a goal down thanks to a well-struck 20-yard shot from the left boot of Joe Iatalese.

The home side were well on top in the opening stages and almost doubled their lead when Pete Jagger's long range shot was headed just over his own crossbar by a defender.

From the corner Cam had an even better chance to score but the normally assured Brad Price could not apply a telling touch from inside the six-yard box.

The Bulldogs then wasted a succession of free-kicks, while Ian Cheshire shot over from 25 yards despite having plenty of time to set his sights.

In the ten minutes up to half-time the visitors began to do some attacking of their own.

A striker broke into the right side of the penalty area but his shot was magnificently turned onto the post by Ben Jagger and the rebound from the same player was headed off the line by Price.

With the break imminent, Longlevens had an even better chance to equalise but when the forward went clean through on Jagger he pulled his shot wide.

Cam made a poor start to the second half and gave the visitors ample opportunity to get back into the match.

However, they forced Jagger into just one impressive save and were caught with a classic sucker punch.

Loz Dorman's speculative ball from the left dropped perfectly over the full-back for Barnfield and the Bulldogs' front man had his legs untidily chopped from under him as shaped to shoot.

The referee pointed to the spot and Barnfield netted his second penalty in as many games with a nonchalant side foot into the corner.

Two goals down, Longlevens threw more bodies forward allowing the home side to try and pick them off on the break.

With 15 minutes to go Barnfield picked out Coburn at the far post only for the goalkeeper to make the save of the match in somehow turning his well-hit volley over from point blank range.

Soon afterwards substitute Kris Pritlove went round the goalkeeper but a defender recovered to head the goalbound shot away.

Five minutes from time the visitors grabbed a lifeline with a good headed goal from a corner and should have snatched a draw with seconds remaining.

A ball into the right edge of the Cam area caused mass panic and Jagger fell over as he tried to close down the forward, but when the ball was crossed into the centre the visiting player headed wide of a virtually open goal from six yards.