UP FOR THE CUP: Newton Rovers Reserves and Liverton United Reserves battled it out at Bakers Park in the Coast and Country Estate Agents Division Three Cup. ©MiraclePR
The TCSSDFL’s long-awaited Champions League style divisional cup tournaments kicked off last Saturday afternoon with 46 teams all hoping to lift the trophy for their division in a few week’s time. The winners will also receive £100 prize money as a gesture from the league.
Buckfastleigh Rangers, Newton Abbot ’66, The Windmill FC and Elburton Villa Reserves top their respective groups in the Manor Building Company Premier Division Cup after picking up three points each.
The Windmill had the easiest start to the tournament with Salcombe Town unable to field a side for their Group C clash. In Group A, Buckfastleigh returned from Broadley Lane with the points after scoring three without reply against Torbay Police. Declan Cowley, Russell Jones and Zachary McLean found the net for Rangers.
Newton Abbot ’66 also scored three times in a lively Group B game at Osborne Park which saw both themselves and visiting Plympton Athletic Reserves reduced to ten men after an altercation at the start of the second half. The Sixes’ goals came from Tom Lowe, Gordon Stevenson and Callum Foskett with Ryan Webber on target for the visitors.
The highest scoring game in the Premier Division Cup was in Group D where Elburton Villa Reserves beat East Allington United 5-3 at Haye Lane. Jake Beer scored twice for the hosts and was joined on the score-sheet by Alex Photiou, Dan Barnes and Dylan Merchant. Luke Forward also managed a brace, for the Pirates with Finley Bullen their other goalscorer.
Meadowbrook Athletic earned a decent point away at Ipplepen Athletic in Group A. Brook’s Liam Collings opened the scoring in the first half but Pens got back on terms before the break. The biggest incident in the second half was an acrobatic clearance off the line from Meadowbrook’s Myles Chalcraft as the game ended 1-1.
Following a successful return to competitive football, league chairman Phil Smith said, “I hope that the League’s goodwill gesture of funding prize money of £100 for each of the winners of the four cup competitions will give an added incentive to clubs to do their best to progress.
“After many years of service on the League Management Committee and even longer as a player, manager and referee, this is the first time I know of the League doing this. We hope it adds some extra excitement and a much needed ‘feel good’ factor.”
Smith and League Secretary Alastair Muirden also thanked Manor Building Company, PKF Francis Clark, Bettesworths Estate Agency and Coast and Country Estate Agency for their sponsorship which will pay for the new cups and medals.
Galmpton United and Ashburton picked up where they had left off in 2020 with comfortable wins in the Francis Clark Division One Cup. Will Baker, Toby Edmundson, Samuel Massey, Callum Nightingale and Max Prestwood all got their names on the score-sheet as Galmpton defeated Chudleigh Athletic Reserves 6-1 at the War Memorial Ground in Group A. The Ashes put Kingskerswell and Chelston to the sword in Group B with a 7-1 away victory.
Beesands Rovers also had a productive away day in Group B, storming into a four goal lead at Abbotskerswell with Joe Craig scoring twice, Jamie Watts heading home a corner and substitute Louis Brace curling home a fourth with his first touch of the ball. Abbots pulled one back through a freak own goal before Lewis Foot’s free-kick crashed against the bar and in for the Bees’ fourth. Abbotskerswell had the last word with a goal from the penalty spot as the game finished 5-2.
Chudleigh were back in action on Tuesday evening, taking on Kingsteignton Athletic at Kate Brook. Alistair Chuchuck scored twice for the home side with Benjamin Hamilton-Hill also finding the net. The Rams battled their way to a point though thanks to strikes from Harry Payne, Dan Eustice and Jason Jones.
Upton Athletic got off to a winning start in Group A, away at Harbertonford. After knocking on the door few times in the first half, Bart Karkau and Kevin Orrell produced second half goals to claim the points. Between those goals, Jordan Baggott put away a penalty for the Fords but the Torquay side were deserving winners.
Torquay Town and Ipplepen Athletic Reserves won their openers in Group A of the Bettesworth Estate Agents Division Two Cup. A Simon Ross hat-trick helped Town to a 5-2 home triumph over the Robins of Broadhempston Town while a single first half goal at sunny Shinners Meadow was enough for the Pens to overcome Dittisham United.
In Group B, East Allington United Reserves and Bishopsteignton United shared eight goals at Poole Lane. Meanwhile, Ilsington Villa were held to a 0-0 draw by Watcombe Wanderers Reserves who had a goal chalked off in the first half.
Brixham Town swept aside the challenge of Teign Village in Group A of the The Coast and Country Estate Agents Division Three Cup. There were braces from Lewis Booth, Harry Chastney and Macauley Dallow as Town won 7-0. Jordan Dowsett scored a hat-trick for Totnes and Dartington Reserves as they beat Torquay Town Reserves 4-1 in Group B.
In Group C, Ben Drinkwater scored both of Watts Blake Bearne Reserves’ goals as they won 2-0 at Babbacombe Corinthians Reserves. Liverton United Reserves were rewarded for a quick start at Bakers Park; Ryan Duke’s tidy third minute finish against Newton Rovers Reserves was the only goal of the game.