Bright start for the Bees who top the SDFL Premier Division after three games. (c)MiraclePR
Torbay Police have made a strong start to the 2019/20 WBW (Solicitors) South Devon Football League with three wins out of three in the new-look Premier Division.
Jamie Bayliss has already bagged his second hat-trick of the campaign as he put three past Broadmeadow STFC within 25 minutes on Saturday afternoon en route to a 5-2 victory at Churston Grammar School. He almost made it four but his one-on-one with the visiting ‘keeper went against him and paved the way for a Broadmeadow rally. Todd Ballman scored a good goal to narrow the deficit and the same player profited from a long ball just before the break to give the visitors yet more hope.
Instead, the Bees consolidated and restored the two goal cushion when Max Prestwood put the finishing touch on a short corner routine in the second half. Marc Hagland then ensured there would be no way back for the Teignbridge side as he netted a fifth.
Having beaten Plympton Athletic Reserves 7-1 (Bayliss and Sonwabile Mlenze with hat-tricks) and Brixham 5-1 in their opening two games, the Police have proved they know where the goal is. The only blot on the copybook so far for the leaders was last Wednesday evening’s Throgmorton Devon Premier Cup game at Cullompton Rangers where opponents Whipton & Pinhoe dispatched them at the first hurdle, 3-1 the final score.
A Dan Frazer strike was enough to see Meadowbrook Athletic maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign at the expense of Brixham AFC Reserves. Brook had also beaten Ivybridge Town Reserves by the same scoreline after drawing with Ipplepen Athletic 1-1 in their opener.
East Allington United make up the early top three after winning both of their first games. Their opener was a 5-4 thriller at Salcombe Town and the Pirates followed that up with a 4-1 victory at Buckfastleigh Rangers. New signing Finley Bullen seems to be settling in well with four goals already. The South Hams side’s winning run came to an end on Saturday though as Beer Albion won 1-0 in the first round of the Premier Cup.
Newton Abbot ’66 will be sick of the sight of Salcombe Town already this season after consecutive defeats to the Crabs. Salcombe had already won 3-1 at Osborne Park the previous Saturday and followed this up with a 1-0 victory in the Premier Cup.
After narrow losses to Buckfastleigh and Broadmeadow, Buckland Athletic Development enjoyed their first win of the season on Saturday with a 3-1 triumph at Plympton Athletic Reserves. Owen Coldwell was a nuisance to the hosts from the off, sending in a low corner for captain Finlay Pearse to poke home after ten minutes and then forcing the home goalkeeper to spill his shot into the path of Calum Fyfe for Bucks’ second. Plympton’s Matt Mazzoni collected a good through ball before finding the net to halve the deficit on 25 minutes. The experienced Matt Briant scored the third for the visitors with 20 minutes remaining. He won the ball in midfield, beat a defender and fired home with his right foot.
Beesands Rovers are yet to taste victory after losing their opening three games. League losses at home to Brixham and Plympton were followed by Saturday’s 4-2 home defeat to Ivybridge Reserves in the Premier Cup. The Ivies and Salcombe will be joined by Buckfastleigh in Round Two as Rangers defeated Chagford 3-1.
Hat-tricks from Cam Gill and Matt Battishill helped Watts Blake Bearne to a thumping 11-1 win at Watcombe Wanderers Reserves. WBB lead Division One with three wins out of three. Kingskerswell & Chelston, who beat Chudleigh Athletic Reserves 4-1 on Saturday, and Barton Athletic complete the top three after two straight league wins; Barton also won 3-2 in the Devon Senior Cup, knocking fellow SDFL side Stoke Gabriel Reserves out.
A Rui de Garces brace saw Upton Athletic maintain their perfect start in Division Two with a 2-0 victory over Dartmouth AFC Reserves. Bishopsteignton United top the Division Three table after winning their opening two fixtures.