TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 24th OCTOBER, by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Signal Box contributed by SDFL
There was an almighty contest at Broadpark in the game between Kingsteignton Athletic and East Allington United where the grounds team had clearly gone the extra mile to get the game on, and what a game it was: end-to-end with plenty of action and entertainment for the larger than normal attendance to enjoy. It looked cosy in the grandstand as everybody was huddled together trying to avoid the rain that came from all sides. The visitors took the lead early in the second half, when the Pirates management team made an inspired substitution by bringing on Finn Bullingham, and within 30 seconds, he found the back of the net and gave the manager a headache for next week’s Herald Cup team selection. From the restart, the Rams upped their game, and within ten minutes, Tom Reeves had poked home a goalmouth scramble from a corner kick to make it one each; both teams could have won the game, and when Luke Heard rattled the underside of the crossbar three minutes into stoppage time, for the home team, Owen Pound in the Allington goal was glad to see the ball bounce away from the goal-line and back into play. The game ended one each and on the balance of play, a fair result. In a division where three points separate eight teams, the point gained today may well turn out to be a valuable one.
The only other Premier game to go ahead was at Chudleigh Athletic, who were up against Newton Abbot ’66 and with both teams in the bottom four, three points would have put either in mid-table and three points from second place, but it wasn’t to be: these two also shared the points in a 2-2 draw; on target for the home team were Taylor Gill and Tom Slocombe with Liam Ashwell and Sol Janecki replying for ’66; both teams stay in the same places and Chudleigh keep their mean record at both ends of the pitch having only scored five goals in four games but conceding only six which is the second best defence in the Prem.
Just the one game survived in Division One, and Brixham Town were able to get their first win of the season in a visit to Long Lane to play Babbacombe Corries. The 2-1 result sees the Fishermen close in on mid-table and take the pressure off having had a tough opening few fixtures. Corries have had a nightmare of a start to life in Division One following promotion last season, but it has not gone unnoticed that they have lost to Bovey Reserves (twice), Paignton Villa, Buckland Reserves and Mount Gould, who all are hoping to be in the top division next term. And it does not get any easier as next week they travel to Mount Gould!!
There are new leaders in Division Two as Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds took advantage of Galmpton and ‘Kerswell being rained off. A 4-1 win at Coach Road against Paignton Saints Seconds, thanks to goals from Rhys Fewings, Ryan Cossey, Nick Garret and Jake Attard, puts Spurs one point clear of Galmpton and four in front of Kingskerswell, who both now have games in hand, and there is no fat lady in sight for Spurs just yet. However, they do look good value for a quick return to Division One.
In Division Four, it was top versus bottom at Manadon, and Signal Box (pictured) moved three points clear at the top with a comfortable 7-1 victory over Paignton Villa Thirds. Five of the goals came from Keanu Webb and Jake Maloney while Danny Johnson and Alfie Perks scored one each in their preparation for their big Herald Cup challenge next week. Windmill picked up their second win of the season with a close 3-2 victory over fellow mid-table side Ilsington Villa Seconds whose goals came from Jack Langford and Ernie Scott, but it was the home team that just had the edge in an entertaining game that got played at Faulston Park.
Two games beat the rain in Division Five, and once again the grounds team at Broadhempston United did a great job by preparing the grass pitch for play, and it paid off: the Robins won their first game of the season by beating Newton Rovers Seconds by eight goals to nil to join a group of five teams in the division where just three points separate them. Newton Albion are hanging on to the coat tails of the top three, and this week’s seven-nil win over an improving Kingsbridge and Kellaton United will give Albion continued belief of a promotion in their first season in the competition. On target for Albion were Owen Taylor and Cam Davis with two each, and singles were added by Sam Bryan, William Harrison and Daniel Kenward.
Games to catch on Saturday 31st October (at the time of writing):
There is an early Herald Cup Second Round game being played a week before the others, when Division Four outfit Signal Box welcome Premier Division East Allington United to Manadon 3G for a real banana skin game that kicks off at 2pm and is my game of the day.
In the Premier Division, Chudleigh Athletic will be the next team to try to stop Lakeside Athletic in their tracks, and there is a Plymouth derby game at Millbay Park as Elburton Villa Reserves cross the Cattewater for a 2.30pm kick off. Buckfastleigh Rangers will be eager to get their season up and running when Bovey Tracey visit the Duckspond, and there should be a cracker at South Devon College where Paignton Villa take on Watcombe Wanderers. In Division Two, there is an A38 derby game at Ashburton as they welcome Liverton United, and if the weather is bad, the reserve teams from Paignton Saints and True Blues meet at Coach Road. Division Three also has a couple of local derbies. For our supporters in the west, Bere Alston United Reserves (Div Four) take on Horrabridge Rangers (Div Three) in the Herald Cup at 2pm, and in Newton Abbot, Rovers take on ’66 at Bakers Park with a 2.30 start. There is a top of the table fixture in Division Four at Lakeside Athletic Seconds where visitors Buckland Athletic Thirds will test the home team’s credentials and another derby game, this time in Torquay, when Barton Athletic take on Waldon Athletic at 2.30, and finally, in Division Five, not so much a derby but a game between Newton Albion and WBB where a number of Albion players used to play for WBB should give for an interesting affair.
Enjoy your grassroots football.