BCFA Division One

Thornbury Baptist Church FC 3

Edge Church FC 1

THIS was a game that will live long in the memory of Thornbury striker Ash Tuck, who endured contrasting fortunes in a 3-1 win over Edge Church.

Tuck’s first-half wonder goal was followed by a 40-minute interruption in the second half while he awaited ambulance transportation to hospital for a dislocated shoulder.

Despite another abnormally mild Saturday morning in December, Thornbury are becoming accustomed to fierce winds playing their role, and skipper Jimmy Cooke chose to play into another strong wind as his side lined up against an in-form Edge Church team.

Thornbury started the stronger though and Stu Kelly and Tuck both had chances for the hosts.

Dave Lane was not troubled too much at the other end with Jonny Skinner and Nick Tymko dominant in their defensive duties in front of him.

Tuck gave Thornbury a deserved lead on 38 minutes with surely the best goal of his football career and a goal-of-the-season contender.

John Cordle linked up with Phil Loadwick down the left flank and his chipped cross was met acrobatically by Tuck whose immaculately timed overhead kick found the bottom-left corner of the net giving the ‘keeper no chance.

It was a crucial lead for the Baptists to take into half time, but little did they expect what would happen next.

Just three minutes into the second half, Tuck chased a ball into the corner and as he challenged the defender, he was left spread-eagled in clear discomfort by the corner flag.

It didn’t need a medical practitioner to identify the deformity in the shoulder.

And such was the source of the pain, the teams had no option but to halt proceedings and await the ambulance.

With the game moving ever-closer to abandonment, one eventually did arrive and by early afternoon Thornbury received news it was a clean dislocation and his shoulder was reset.

When the game eventually resumed Thornbury capitalised quickly.

Cooke had a goal ruled out when he was adjudged to have handled in the build up, but within minutes he had added two more to his growing tally for the season.

The first was direct from a corner with the wind whipping the ball inside the near post.

His second was a neat finish at the far post after James Hancox had combined with Jon Braid, whose cross found Cooke at the back post.

Edge Church managed a late consolation goal, but the three points puts the Baptists second in the league for Christmas.