Category: News

kyle doughty waldon athletic herald cup final 2025

South Devon Football League Cup Draws 25/26

Photo from 2024/25 Herald Cup contributed by SDFL

Herald Cup, sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services, Round Three

WBB v Ashburton

Galmpton Utd v Windmill FC

Elburton Villa Reserves or Harbertonford v Chudleigh Athletic

Paignton Saints v Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds

Lakeside Athletic v Buckfastleigh Rangers

Plymouth True Blues v Ipplepen Athletic Seconds or Upton Athletic

Bovey Tracey Reserves v Ilsington Villa

Ivybridge Town Reserves v Kingsteignton Athletic

Games will be fixtured to be played 7th February depending on ground availability.

Fred Hewings Cup, Quarter Finals

Newton Abbot ’66 Seconds v Watcombe Wanderers Seconds

Barton Athletic Seconds v Liverton United Seconds

Newton Rovers Seconds or Totnes and Dartington Seconds v Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds

East Allington Utd Seconds v Brixham Town Seconds or Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds

Games will be fixtured to be played 7th February depending on ground availability.

George Belli Cup. Premier Division

Windmill FC v Chudleigh Athletic

East Allington Utd v Ilsington Villa

Plymouth True Blues v Kingsteignton Athletic

Lakeside Athletic v Totnes and Dartington

Byes: Buckfastleigh Rangers, Newton Abbot ’66, Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds, Paignton Saints

Games will be played 14th February depending on ground availability.

Dartmouth Cup. Division One

Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds v Bovey Tracey Reserves

Watcombe Wanderers v Mount Gould

Brixham Town v WBB

Buckland Athletic Reserves v Paignton Villa

Byes: Barton Athletic, Beesands Rovers, Elburton Villa Reserves, Liverton Utd.

Games will be played 14th February depending on ground availability.

Lidstone Cup. Division Two

Paignton Saints Seconds v Signal Box Oak Villa

Newton Rovers v Harbertonford

Paignton Villa Seconds v Ivybridge Town Reserves

East Allington Utd Seconds v Ashburton

Byes: Babbacombe Corries, Drake FC, Upton Athletic, Watcombe Wanderers Seconds

Games will be played 14th February depending on ground availability.

Ronald Cup. Division Three

Kingskerswell v Totnes and Dartington Seconds

Stoke Gabriel TP Reserves v Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds

Newton Abbot ’66 Seconds v South Brent

Byes: Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds, Galmpton Utd, Ipplepen Athletic Reserves, Liverton Utd Seconds, Waldon Athletic Seconds

Games will be played on 14th February depending on ground availability.

Les Bishop Cup. Division Four

Kingsbridge and Kellaton Utd v Broadhempston Utd

Waldon Athletic Thirds v Newton Rovers Seconds

Bere Alston Utd v Brixham Town Seconds

Byes: Barton Athletic Seconds, Chudleigh Athletic Seconds, Paignton Saits Thirds, Paignton Villa Thirds, Teign Village

Games will be played 14th February depending on ground availability.

the windmill dartmouth cup winners 2025

Signal Box score 17 in one of three games to survive the rain

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 6th DEC, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of The Windmill contributed by SDFL

Only three games survived another Friday downpour with the league issuing a wet weather protocol for the third time in six weeks.

In the Premier Division, Paignton Saints had a great result against East Allington United on the 3g at Coach Road (full report and photos available on Daves World) A 3-nil win, with goals from Cairo Broadway, Billy Reay and Brandon Kelly, moves Saints into fourth place and just three points off second place. A disappointing afternoon for the in form Pirates who remain in fifth place with the same points tally as Saints.

In Division Two, Upton Athletic travelled to the Manadon 3g to face an unforgiving Signal Box Oak Villa team looking to stay in pole position. The visitors travelled with the bare eleven and were reduced to ten early in the game through injury, and the home team went on to score every five minutes ending up with 17 on the score card. There were ten different scorers, but Callum Austin, Jordan Rickards and Finley Comerford scored hat tricks. The result puts Signal Box five points clear of Corries who have two games in hand. Upton remain bottom of the table, but fair play to them for travelling and doing their best in squalid conditions.

Division Four was able to offer Paignton Villa Thirds the chance to welcome Kingsbridge and Kellaton United to South Devon College in what was a game dominated by the wind. Villa secured their third win of the campaign with a fine 6-2 victory over the visitors from the South Hams; goals from Martin McHugh, two from Stuart McCauley and a hat-trick for Tom Bintcliffe leapfrogs Villa above the visitors into sixth place and just five points from second with a game in hand.

Another blank week will have many teams wondering when these games will be played and how many mid-week games will there be in April and May. Well, there are still 23 playing Saturdays until the end of the season, so if we look at the best and worst case scenario in each division to make it clearer: Premier – three teams have only played six games so have 16 still to play. If they do well in the cups, that could add another six games to the list, therefore it is possible that some may not need to rely on mid-week games. It also means that the division could probably take another five wet Saturdays until we need to have a closer look at the calendar. The best case are True Blues who are just one game short of playing half of their fixtures and have 12 league games to play in 23 weeks.

Division One is slightly worse off with three teams still having 17 fixtures to fit into 23 Saturdays. 2 of those teams, Bovey Tracey Reserves and Mount Gould, are likely to have seven or eight cup games as well to manage, so as we stand, those two are fairly sure to be playing mid-week or needing to find another pitch if theirs is not playable. The best placed team is Beesands Rovers who have 13 games left with 23 Saturdays to play them.

Division Two is the best division for games played. Half of the teams have either played half or are one short of playing half, so we don’t see any issues at the moment; only Watcombe Seconds have four more games but plenty of time to fit them into a Saturday.

Division Three is mostly looking fine at the moment with the top four teams having 11 or 12 games to fit in, and as they are the most likely to go further in the cups, they have no need at the moment to be thinking of mid-week games. Only Stoke Gabriel TP have five more games to fit in, but at the moment, this would take them up to 17 Saturdays and leave six free.

Division Four is also fine with seven of the 11 teams ahead of their fixtures, but Waldon Thirds have only played four games and have 16 still to play, and as they are one of two unbeaten teams, a cup run is not out of the question. They may need to switch some games to Windmill Hill to catch up. And whilst I realise that some folk will find this hard to believe, all of the above is subject to mother nature over which the SDFL has no control.

Games to catch (weather permitting) Saturday 13th December

There are some big games to look forward to this Saturday, and our Plymouth-based supporters will be spoilt for choice. Windmill (pictured) take on an Ilsington Villa side looking to get back amongst the front runners. This game is at Millennium Fields with a 2.30 KO, and just across the parkway, Lakeside Athletic meet Newton Abbot ’66 who have already taken three points in the home fixture, so Lakeside will be looking to win this game. True Blues are the other Plymouth based team facing decent opposition, in Kingsteignton Athletic, at Millbay Park also with a 2.30 KO. Whilst the Rams may be at the wrong end of the table, True Blues will know that they can beat any team on their day.

My pick of the day’s fixtures though is also in Plymouth, at Tothill Enclosure, where in Division One, Mount Gould welcome Bovey Tracey in what could well be a rehearsal for a Premier Division game next season. Both teams are going well and have plenty of games in hand to catch the front runners.

In Division Two, its third v fourth at Ivybridge Town Reserves, where Babbacombe Corries are the visitors just two weeks after winning the home game 8-1, so the Ivies will be looking for a better outcome at Erme Valley if the water stays in the river.

There is an attractive tie at Broadpark in Division Three, where Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds host a good footballing side in Galmpton United who could do with a few dry days to let them show their skills. but the current wet period could suit the home team.

The big game in Division Four is first v third at Kate Brook where Chudleigh Athletic Reserves face local rivals Teign Village in a no holds barred fixture, where a win for the home team could open up an 11 point gap at the top.

Enjoy your grassroots football.

waldon athletic south devon football league 2024/25

Torbay Clearance Services – South Devon Football League – opening day fixtures

Preview by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Herald Cup holders Waldon Athletic contributed by SDFL

The Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League returns for its 123rd season and in a healthier condition than it has been for some time. In fact, you would have to go back to 2016 to find as many teams competing as there are today.

Whilst all of the teams start as equals, there are some clear contenders, and it would not be the South Devon League without some surprises, and it has been noted that there are even a few clubs that have registered ex-professional players to guide them to end of season honours, or in the case of the Premier Division teams, a c.v. to move into the football pyramid.

The league welcomes three new teams, and all three are expected to do well in their divisions. Signal Box Oak Villa were last season’s champions in the Plymouth Saturday League and have had to take a place in Division Two where they may well be favourites but will be tested at Ashburton, Drake and East Allington United. Paignton Saints had a strong season last time out and they will be looking to go one better this year. Ivybridge Town Reserves have suffered two relegations in two seasons and with an experienced management team, they will be looking to have a better season. There are a few local derbies to look out for: Signal Box v Drake, Saints v Villa, Upton v Watcombe.

Galmpton United have reformed their adult team and created a pathway for their under-16 players into senior football. They have been placed into Division Three, and whilst they may have fitness and speed on their side, they will need the guidance of some senior heads, although I seem to remember a famous footballer who once said, “You win nothing with kids“, just before they won the Premier League. The favourites in Division Three are going to be Kingskerswell who won promotion with a 100% record, although second-placed Templer Way will continue to be a difficult team to beat. This division is looking a bit like a group of death with Newton ’66 Reserves, Kingsteignton Athletic Reserves, South Brent, Stoke Gabriel TP, Liverton United Reserves, Totnes and Dartington Reserves and Waldon Seconds all capable of winning games. Galmpton also have a lovely local derby to look forward to at Stoke Gabriel.

Bere Alston United Seconds have joined the SDFL for the first time and just scrape into the 40 mile radius rule. The club want to keep their under-16 team from last season together and offer a pathway into adult football in a safe and controlled environment. They are an unknown quantity but they are sure to be fit young lads. The club’s first team play in the Devon Football League at Step 7 and have excellent facilities to welcome the opposition. The other teams expected to do well in Division Four are Teign Village, who just missed out last term, together with Chudleigh Athletic Seconds, Broadhempston United, Waldon Thirds and their neighbours Barton Athletic Seconds who both have big squads to pick from. There are not so many local derbies in Division Four, but Teign Village v Chudleigh is always worth a drive through the Teign Valley, and Saints Thirds v Villa Thirds is a good one for the Paignton supporters, and Barton Seconds v Waldon Thirds can be interesting at times. Friday night football also returns for Paignton Saints Thirds v Broadhempston United at Coach Road on 19th December under the lights for a special occasion organised by DCFA as Fair Play Friday.

Division One is looking slightly less daunting for most of the teams compared to this time last year with Phoenix (now Lakeside Athletic), True Blues and Windmill all heading into the Premier Division, replaced by Mount Gould and a resurgent Barton Athletic coming up from Division Two, Beesands Rovers and a young Elburton Villa Reserves side who are used to winning games. These should provide the main hurdles for Bovey Tracey Reserves, Buckland Athletic Reserves, Brixham Town, Newton Spurs Thirds, Paignton Villa, Watcombe, WBB and Liverton United who unexpectedly found themselves being placed in this division having finished last season in third place having beaten Mount Gould twice. This division is once again looking very competitive with several local derbies to look forward to: Bovey v Liverton, Elburton v Mount Gould, Buckland v Newton Spurs and Brixham Town v Paignton Villa will all have that extra spice. Division One also has a Friday night game at Coach Road: Paignton Villa v Beesands Rovers on 31st October for a Fair Play Friday league game under the lights.

It has been said that this season’s Premier Division is going to be the strongest competition for many years. It’s interesting that ten of the thirteen teams are already close to having, or already have in place, the ground facilities that would be acceptable for the football pyramid. The first step is the Devon Football League if that’s the course the club wants to take; the next part of the jigsaw is achieving a place on merit which means finishing in the top five of this competition, whilst bearing in mind there are two other leagues (Exeter and North Devon) who have clubs in the same position, and there is one final rule that the Devon Football League can only take two teams from any feeder league, so finishing third may not be good enough.

As I said at the start, every team starts as an equal but as with all the divisions, there are more than a few contenders for the top prize. The current holders of the Premier Division title are Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds, and their new management team will have a job on their hands to retain the title that came their way under circumstances that were out of their control. The team that lost out as a result of those circumstances were the previous champions Ilsington Villa who will be chomping at the bit to get that trophy back to the Carpenters Arms. We then have what I call the backbone of the Premier Division: Buckfastleigh Rangers, East Allington United, Kingsteignton Athletic, Newton Abbot ’66 and Waldon Athletic. These teams have either won it in recent seasons or gone mighty close, and all have a never say die attitude which makes them very difficult to beat. Paignton Saints have gone through massive changes at their club since rejoining the SDFL from DFL, and you have to tip your hat to any club that attracts so many players which only reflects the staggering amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to run three teams. Hopefully they can enjoy next season not looking over their shoulders. Totnes and Dartington had a surprise placement into the top division and started well. They seemed to hit a brick wall with their results once winter set in but managed to steady the ship with a good cup run and some good results that saw them into mid table which the well run club would be delighted with in their first season back in the top division. As I am sure are Chudleigh Athletic who have become the Premier Division’s annual survivors, and that never say die commitment on the pitch has allowed them to retain their status in the top division. Some folk say there must be a curse on teams that have to play at Kate Brook in the latter stages of the season as that’s when Chudleigh normally pick up enough points to end on a high. Be warned.

Then we come to the three promoted teams who are sure to be there or thereabouts come next May. Plymouth Phoenix have changed their name to Lakeside Athletic and now have facilities to match their ability on the pitch. They definitely have ambition to progress so will be looking for nothing less than top two. Windmill FC managed to beat Lakeside twice last season and also have ambitions, so Glynn and his assistants will be looking to guide his pub team back into the DFL. And finally, Plymouth True Blues, who finished as runners up in Division One last term, will be looking to give their fantastic supporters something to sing about as they too could be heading towards the DFL if they can finish in the top two. Both Windmill and True Blues have reserve teams up their sleeves, so the name may not disappear from the SDFL league tables should they end up in the placings they hope for.

Games to catch on opening day: 6th September.

In the Premier Division, Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves have a tough opening game as champions when they face newly promoted Windmill at the Millennium Pitches in Plymouth. Kingsteignton Athletic open at home to Ilsington Villa which is always a classic Premier Division game.

Division One offers Bovey Tracey Reserves v Elburton Villa Reserves; both of these teams are tipped to be there or thereabouts come May, and the moorland team are desperate to get into the Premier Division; there is also an interesting fixture at Watcombe where the first team welcome Mount Gould in what could be a tough start for both.

In Division Two, Harbertonford’s new line up will be on show when they welcome neighbours East Allington United Seconds in a game that should attract a decent crowd, and new boys Signal Box Oak Villa get their first taste of SDL football as they host Watcombe’s Second team to Manadon 3g.

Division Three looks like it could be a tough competition and Galmpton United’s youngsters will need to keep their cool when they face Waldon Athletic Seconds, and Kingskerswell should have a test against a good Kingsteignton Athletic second team at the ‘Kerswell Bowl.

Division Four is a real unknown quantity this season, with new boys Bere Alston United Seconds opening against an experienced Newton Rovers Seconds and Teign Village, who just missed out on promotion last season, having a home tie versus Kingsbridge and Kellaton United.

All games K.O at 2.30pm, and you can view all of the opening day fixtures on the league’s full time website.

Enjoy your new season of grassroots football.

kingsteignton athletic herald cup winners 2023

Penalty Drama in Both Semi-Finals as Clarets and Rams Make Herald Cup Final

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. HERALD CUP SPECIAL REPORT, by Alastair Muirden. Photo: Kingsteignton celebrating their 2023 Herald Cup win ©Al Macphee/MiraclePR

Tuesday 22nd April: Herald Cup Semi Final – Bovey Tracey 2nds v Kingsteignton Athletic

I think it is fair to say that this anticipated semi-final failed to deliver what was hoped for by both sets of supporters, and as the weather deteriorated just as fast as the missed chances in front of goal, you could probably not got a bet on a nil-nil draw. The first half was a fairly even contest and the divisional difference was hard to see; the second half belonged to the Division One side, and I am sure a few of the Bovey players will have had a sleepness night thinking about those missed chances; in total, I counted nine good scoring opportunities for the Moorlanders and a missed penalty kick. At the other end, Kingsteignton’s first real chance was not until the 92nd minute, and whilst keeping Bovey pegged back, they had a shot cleared off the line a minute later. Extra-time came and went, unlike the biblical rain which affected everybody, and in the penalty shootout, the Rams were the first team to miss and Bovey, having scored their first four, just needed to score the fifth to reach the final; good save by Ellis Rattue; Kings scored next meaning that Bovey were now chasing the game; another good save by the ‘keeper and Kingsteignton Athletic are into another Herald Cup Final

Wednesday 23rd April: Herald Cup Semi Final – Waldon Athletic v East Allington United

If the first semi-final failed to deliver, then this one surely kept the crowd glued to the pitch fencing: six goals, a ‘keeper carried off, a red card, a last minute penalty miss, extra-time followed by yet another penalty shoot out and after all of that, Waldon Athletic have made it through to only their third Herald Cup Final which will be played on Friday 2nd May at Newton Rec with a 7pm KO.

This was a game of two halves and a bit more. When East Allington United sailed into a 2-nil first half lead, with goals from Fin Bullen and Martin Finnerton, the supporters from the South Hams must have been checking their diaries for cup final night plans. But Waldon were doing what Waldon are good at, and they were slowly but surely getting back into the game and when Ashley Grimes pulled one back just before the break, it was definitely game on.

The first big talking point came early in the second half when Fin Bullen challenged the Waldon ‘keeper for a ball for which the referee judged as reckless and reduced East Allington to ten players; as a result of the challenge, the Waldon ‘keeper, Joe Whitehead, had to be replaced and Kyle Doughty volunteered to put on the number one shirt. Ater a lengthy stoppage, Waldon restarted the game and were in control, but they had to wait 20 minutes for Cole Feasby to be in the right place at the right time and he levelled the score. This seemed to give a second wind to the South Hams side who must have thought it’s now or never, and they came back into the game which made for great viewing. Next big talking point in the 88th minute: what appeared to some to be a 50 – 50 challenge were not the thoughts of the referee who did not hesitate in pointing to the spot in East Allington’s favour; up steps Josh Pascoe to put Allington into the final only for stand-in keeper Kyle Doughty to palm the ball onto the crossbar to send the game into extra-time. The extra period continued in the end-to-end play, and East Allington had settled back into playing with ten players and Waldon kept plugging away knowing it would take something special to break the deadlock, and in the tenth minute of extra time, the ball fell nicely for Cole Feasby some 20 yards from goal, and he hit a shot that flew past the Allington ‘keeper and it looked like game over, but with just two minutes left on the clock, Dan Joyce had the ball on the edge of the Waldon penalty box and they had all 11 players defending; he decided to take a speculative shot which seemed to bounce off two defenders and somehow found its way into the corner of the goal, and by the time they restarted, the referee blew for full-time and we had a second penalty shootout. East Allington’s Fred Massey was the only kick-taker to score and Waldon scored all four to put an end to a pulsating cup semi final.

Herald Cup Final 2025

Kingsteignton Athletic versus Waldon Athleic.

Newton Abbot Recreational Trust on Friday 2nd May, 7pm KO

This competition is kindly sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services

south brent fc

WBB in discussions to salvage season

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 25th JANUARY, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of South Brent (Div 3), who almost folded but came back from the brink, contributed by SDFL

It is always disappointing to have to report of the demise of any team and, not for the first time this season, another club, in Watts Blake Bearne, have decided that it’s time to call it a day and have given the SDFL notice to withdraw. The rules state that they must now enter a period of discussion with the league management to try to save the club who have 35 registered players. They will be given four weeks without fixtures to attempt to reset and complete the season.

Storm Eowyn also played a part in this weeks grassroots football, knocking out 12 of the 25 games that were due to be played, but in the 13 that were played, there were plenty of goals and talking points. It’s as you were at the top of the Premier Division position-wise, but Ilsington Villa were held to a 1 – 1 draw by Waldon Athletic in a game that would not have been out of place in the pyramid; Jack Langford was again on target for the Moorlanders, but it was not enough to win the game, and the Torquay-based team remain in 3rd place just 2 points off the lead. In fact, only 4 points separate the top 4 teams in what is turning out to be a very tight title race. Sandwiched between these two, on goal difference, are Newton Abbot ’66 who had a massive scare at Beesands Rovers; in the end, goals from Ashley Dove, Callum Foskett and Joe Clarke Farley cancelled out the 2 home team goals to keep Sixes in the mix. Buckfastleigh Rangers have also moved into a challenging position with a 2-nil win at Paignton Saints; Tyler Wark was the Rangers hero with both goals. The win puts Rangers into fourth place just 4 points shy of ’66, with a game in hand. East Allington United finally secured their first win in 2025 by beating Elburton Villa Reserves by 6 goals to 2 in a game where the venue was switched on Saturday morning, by the hosts, to ensure that it went ahead, so well done to the management at Villa for being proactive; Finley Bullen moved up the golden boot ranks by netting 4 goals with singles from Dan Hurrell and Fred Massey. This puts the Pirates towards mid-table and should help the Weeks family avoid any squeaky bum time this season.

In Division One, only two games survived and both were mid-table games; Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds continue on their rollercoaster of a season; this time, they were on the up with a 3 – 2 win at Paignton Villa thanks to a Toby Pullman hat-trick; and Buckland Athletic Reserves, who lead the mid-table pack, had a good 3 – 2 victory at Watcombe Wanderers, but they remain 7 points off the top four. Interestingly in this division, Paignton Villa only have 7 games left in the league and Plymouth Phoenix have 13 plus interest in 3 cups; one reason is that Phoenix have been fixtured twice to play Brixham AFC Reserves and WBB who are both on a short leave from league games as they continue to work with the league to keep their teams afloat.

In Division Two, Babbacombe Corries moved into second place with a fantastic 5 – 3 victory against league leaders Barton Athletic; Keiron Sweet bagged a brace and there were singles from Jack Cole, Joshua Easterbrook and James Thompson; that put Corries 6 points from top spot with 2 games in hand, and Barton only have 8 games to play, so they could need to win 7 of them for a top two place. Mount Gould remain favourites with 14 games remaining and were victims of the wet weather. East Allington Seconds are also in contention and have games in hand; a comfortable 5 – 1 home win versus Newton Rovers sees them move up to 6th place. At the other end of the table, Ipplepen Athletic Seconds and Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds remain a few points from safety; the Pens lost 5-nil at home to Paignton Saints Seconds and Rangers put up a fight at Watcombe Wanderers Seconds but lost 4 – 3 in the end.

The big game in Division Three saw Ashburton and Stoke Gabriel TP share the points in a 2 – 2 draw; Daniel Treseze scored both the goals for the home team who also had a substitute sent off in what must have been a short spell on the pitch. In the only other game to be played in this division, South Brent picked up a valuable win that gives them a bit of a cushion over the bottom two, Paignton Saints Thirds and Brixham Town Seconds, who were both rained off.

In Division Four, Templer Way closed the gap at the top but used another game; they are now 5 points from Kingskerswell who have played two games less. They had to work hard to overcome Kingsbridge and Kellaton United, a 4 – 3 scoreline with goals from Bradley and JJ Breslen, with another single for Alfie Moffatt, keeps Templer in the mix for second place; they also finished the game with ten players. Paignton Villa Thirds also had a good win; a 4 – 3 victory at home to Broadhempston United sees them safely into mid-table and Broadhempston just 6 points above the bottom two, and Kingsbridge have 3 games in hand. Earlier, I mentioned the number of games that some teams have left to play; in Division Four, Waldon Athletic Thirds have just 2 league games to play to complete their season whilst Templer Way and Barton Athletic Seconds have 3 games left.

The Fixture Secretary has reported that compared with recent seasons, the league fixtures are in a fairly healthy position with only 3 or 4 teams out of 59 two or three fixtures behind.

Games to catch on Saturday 1st February:

The divisional cups get under way providing all clubs with the shortest route to winning a trophy.

An absolute belter in the Belli Cup, and my game of the day is a repeat of last seasons Herald Cup semi-final and a local derby at Osborne Park where Newton Abbot ’66 and Newton Abbot Spurs lock horns at 2pm.

In Division One’s Dartmouth Cup, can Watcombe Wanderers overcome The Windmill in what will be a tricky test for the Plymouth outfit?

The Division Two, the knockout competition offers another local derby in Barton Athletic versus Watcombe Wanderers Seconds at Paignton Community College.

The Ronald Cup for Division Three teams sees Liverton United Seconds travel to the Manadon sports hub to play Drake FC in a fixture that normally keeps on giving.

And in the Division Four cup at Bakers Park, Newton Rovers Seconds meet Templer Way in what could be an interesting game as the visitors are looking for some silverware in their first season in the competition.

All cup games kick off at 2pm. Enjoy your grassroots football.

ilsington villa torbay clearance services sdfl charity shield winners

Silverware for Villa in SDFL opener

The big kick off has arrived as quickly as summer came and went. 60 teams and 2,000 registered players start the long campaign of another football season hoping to bring honours and silverware to their clubs.

For last season’s league and cup winners, the challenge is clear: retain those honours; for the promoted teams, can you make a mark in a higher division? For relegated teams, win some games and rebuild confidence and, for the new teams joining the league, remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

When looking at the divisions, the Premier and Division One are very strong, if not equal, and the new teams that have joined from the Plymouth and West Devon league have added some extra spice to what should be a strong competition. No teams from the South Devon League moved into the football pyramid last season, but that could change over the next two years as the competition improves and the players get used to travelling a bit further afield on a Saturday.

The season officially kicked off last Friday with the Torbay Clearance Services sponsored Charity Shield fixture at Homers Heath that turned out to be a very tight affair that swung one way then the other to the enjoyment of the large crowd. An end to end first half ended in a stalemate, but just as Ilsington Villa stepped up a gear in the second half, they got caught with a breakaway from the Newton Abbot ’66 forwards; the first shot on target produced a great save from the Ilsington Villa ‘keeper, but he could not hold on to the ball and Liam Ashwell was first to the rebound and put the Sixes in front. From the kick off, the Moorlanders stepped up another gear and began to take control of the game, and it did not take game changer Luke Pilkington and last season’s club top scorer Dan Langford very long to put Ilsington in front, and whilst Sixes were still in the game, victory seemed beyond them, and they were not able to add the Charity Shield to the Herald Cup that was won last season. So the South Devon League charity shield sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services will no doubt be on display at the Carpenters Arms. Of course, the big winner on the night was the players’ Benevolent Fund which benefited by some £500, and the league would like to thank everybody that supported this great event as the season opener.

ilsington tcs south devon football league charity shield winners

At the start of every season, most people make predictions and give their thoughts on how their teams are going to finish, so for what it’s worth, here are my thoughts for the top five in each division. And in no particular order:

Premier. Ilsington Villa. Newton Spurs Second. Kingsteignton Athletic. Paignton Saints. Elburton Villa Seconds.

Div One. Plymouth Phoenix. Plymouth True Blues. Ivybridge Town Seconds. Windmill FC. Bovey Tracey Seconds.

Div Two. Mount Gould. Watcombe Wanderers Seconds. Barton Athletic. Liverton United. East Allington United Seconds.

Div Three. Ashburton. Liverton United Seconds. Stoke Gabriel TP Seconds. Drake FC. Waldon Athletic Seconds.

Div Four. Kingskerswell. Chudleigh Athletic Seconds. Waldon Athletic Thirds. Teign Village. Broadhempston United.

Looking through the opening day fixtures it is hard to pick a game that is not worth watching but here are some that catch the eye.

In the Premier Division, Paignton Saints host Buckfastleigh Rangers at Coach Road, and Waldon Athletic welcome Newton Spurs to Windmill Hill; both are tough games to call. Champions Ilsington Villa have to wait until 7th September to get their defence of the title underway, and last season’s runners up Morley Rangers have disbanded.

In Division One, every fixture has quality written all over it, but Windmill versus Plymouth True Blues will be a colourful affair, and at Bovey Tracey, where the visitors WBB, freshly relegated from the Premier Division will be looking to get some early points on the board.

Division Two gives newly joined Mount Gould the chance to lay an early marker for their intent when they visit relegated Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds, and at Halford, newly promoted Liverton United host newly relegated Upton Athletic.

Division Three looks like having a competitive season, and the stand out games on opening day are Drake versus Totnes and Dartington Seconds at Manadon all weather pitch and Elburton Villa Thirds against Liverton United Seconds at Haye Road.

In Division Four, Barton Athletic Seconds host new boys Templer Way, who are testing out Saturday football for the first time, at Barton Downs, and there is a local derby at Teign Village where Chudleigh Athletic are the visitors and have already won a pre season game at the village by 3 goals to 2, so it should be a close affair. All games kick off at 2.30pm, and the full fixture list is available on the menu above.

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Summer Update

WE’RE BACK! The Windmill F.C., who reached the Herald Cup final in 2022, are rejoining the SDFL for the new season. Main photo ©Al Macphee/MiraclePR

Report by Alastair Muirden

The South Devon Football League continues to buck the trend in adult Saturday football. At the annual general meeting held at Buckland Athletic football club, 6 new teams were voted into the growing competition by the current member clubs.

Plymouth Pheonix, last season’s champions from the green city, have decided to test themselves against stronger opposition and the teams that finished in second and third behind them have also switched allegiance. The Windmill rejoin the South Devon League after a 2 year stint in the football pyramid and Plymouth True Blues, who are a branch of the Glasgow Rangers supporters club and have a fantastic support, are sure to add to the colour and occasion of a Division One football game.

Also joining them, but in Division Two are Mount Gould FC who disbanded their Devon League team after a mass player exodus to Ivybridge Town who will be playing in the Western League this coming season; the club have had to press the reset button and start from scratch in Division Two.

Kingskerswell FC have also reformed an adult team after a two year absence, and Sunday league outfit Templar Way will try their skills in Saturday football; both will play in Division Four.

The league will operate with 60 teams, which is an increase of 11 from two years ago, and cements its place as the second largest football competition in the county. It has also become an England FA accredited league during the last 12 months which is a credit to the league management committee who oversee the competition.

In addition to the five divisions, the league will have 7 cup competitions, one for each division and one for all reserve teams plus the Herald Cup which is the league’s flagship knockout competition. The league will have 2200 registered players that will be chasing trophies, and the first trophy they will be interested in is the traditional season opener, the Torbay Clearance Services Charity Shield; this seasons invitees are Herald Cup winners Newton Abbot ’66 who will face Premier Division champions Ilsington Villa at Buckland Athletic F.C. on Friday 16th August with a 7pm kick off. This will be a repeat of last season’s Herald Cup final which ’66 just edged, so the Moorlanders will be looking for revenge, and both teams will want to get their hands on some silverware to boost their hopes for the season ahead.

Most other teams will need to wait for the official first weekend of fixtures on Saturday 31st August.

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23/24 Premier Division winners – Ilsington Villa. Photo contributed by SDFL.
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23/24 Division One winners – Newton Spurs Reserves. Photo contributed by SDFL.

The league also had their presentation evening at Dainton Golf Club where an array of trophies were handed out by sponsors to league winners Ilsington Villa, Newton Abbot Spurs, Bovey Tracey, Watcombe Wanderers and Elburton Villa. Sporting trophies were won by Buckfastleigh Rangers, Harbertonford, Paignton Villa, Newton Abbot ’66 and Newton Rovers.

newton abbot 66 herald cup winners 2024

Sixes Lift Herald Cup for First Time in 24 Years

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 11th MAY, report by Alastair Muirden

As the midweek games ramp up for most clubs, and some are having to play twice as well as Saturday to get their season complete, squads of players are sure to be used which can affect outcomes both positively and negatively.

In Division One Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves continue to turn their games in hand into points. A 10 -2 win versus Babbacombe Corries moves them into fourth place, 7 points behind with 3 games in hand; Kye Drinkwater, Joe Bushin and Jack Upshire got two goals each and there were singles from Ross Beer, Aiden Blackie, Callum Noyce and Jason Jones. The result also leaves Corries perilously close to the drop.

In Division Three Watcombe Wanderers Seconds had a great result at in form Totnes and Dartington Seconds; a 4 – 1 win puts them 9 points clear with 4 games to play, and depending on results this weekend, they could clinch the title next week. Casey Cooper, Keiron Dale, Jamie Smith and Kye Graham were on target for the Greens.

Wednesday night in the Premier Division focused on the relegation battle. Chudleigh Athletic’s 3 – 1 win versus WBB guarantees the Clarets Premier Division football next season and confirms that both Brixham AFC Reserves and WBB will be playing in Division One next season. Brixham, who have a very young team, will no doubt benefit from winning more games next season and will no doubt return to the Premier Division as some at the club are keen on pyramid football for the reserves as the first team consolidate at step 5; as for WBB, it has been a nightmare season for manager Andy Moore who has worked miracles just to put a team out, and I am sure that once he takes a break and presses the reset button, they will be a force in a tough Division One.

Buckfastleigh Rangers moved into second place with just 2 games to play. A 2 – 1 win over Waldon Athletic means that 1 of 3 teams could clinch the runners-up spot which will go to the wire.

And now on to the big game of the week and the flagship fixture for the South Devon Football League calendar. The Herald Cup Final was played on Friday evening at Stoke Gabriel TP where the volunteers at the host club certainly know how to put on a show, and the 300 plus spectators and the teams and their officials were well looked after.

Newton Abbot ’66 went into the game as underdogs; a poor run of form in their league fixtures has caused them to be in the bottom half of the Premier Division. Whilst most teams have players out with injuries at this time of the season, ’66 seem to have suffered more than most, and it did not go unnoticed that long-serving ’66 player Marc Graham was named as a sub; for those of you who do not know Marc, in age years he is north of 49 and south of 51, but what an achievement to be good enough to be part of the team on the biggest game in the season. For Ilsington Villa, they came into the game full of confidence; only last Saturday they were crowned Premier League champions for the first time in their history having only been beaten once this term and have already got the better of their opponents tonight by 4-nil and 3-nil.

With 8 of the top 18 goalscorers in the Premier Division playing in this final, the stage was set for a goal-fest; the truth of the matter was that Newton Abbot ’66 did not read the script and the homework and tactics that were put into place by Ian and Kurt certainly played a part in the outcome. The game itself was by no means a classic but there were lots of thrilling moments at both ends although none were on target. It was noticeable that ’66 must have felt that the main threat was going to be Jack Langford so they put a man on him for the whole game, and he was simply not given any time on the few occasions that he got the ball. The first main talking point on the sidelines was when Ilsington Villa had to replace their goalkeeper Tom Watson through injury, and despite having a substitute ‘keeper named on the team sheet, they replaced him with top scorer Daniel Langford; you could see the disbelief and delight from the ’66 bench. It was not until the 67th minute that the breakthrough came but it was well worth the wait: an innocuous cross from Ashley Dove fell a bit short for the only ’66 forward in the penalty box and he was surrounded by 4 defenders, but as it was short, it allowed Tom Lowe to chest it away from the defenders and volley the ball into the top of the net to send the team into the corner to celebrate and the travelling ’66ers up on the patio to possibly spill their drinks during the celebration.

Within 20 seconds of the restart, Ilsington Villa had their best chance of the game when Jamie Beer really should have equalised, but Jack Callum in the ’66 goal made him shoot wide. In the last 20 minutes there were 7 substitutions made in an attempt to freshen things up for Villa and to slow things down for ’66, and for a team that have been here many times before and are becoming experts at closing down cup games when they are one goal in front, ’66 knew what they had to do against all odds to win the Herald Cup for the first time in 24 years, and I am told the celebrations continued until 4am. Big congratulations to Newton Abbot ’66.

Final score. Newton Abbot ’66 1 – 0 Ilsington Villa.

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The Newton ’66 skipper lifts the Herald Cup presented by Torbay Clearance Services
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Sixes celebrate their victory
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Goalscorere and Man of the Match Tom Lowe with sponsors Torbay Clearance Services

With the Premier Division title wrapped up, the race for the runners-up spot will go to the wire for 4 teams: Kingsteignton Athletic, who lost out to a resurgent Beesands Rovers by 3 goals to 1 but remain third; Buckfastleigh Rangers, who won 2 – 1 at home to Chudleigh Athletic, thanks to a brace from Steve Sutton, and remain in second place; Morley Rangers, who still have 4 games to fit in and remain fourth, although they have not played for a few weeks, and Elburton Villa who are in top form with enough games in hand to nick second place; they had the stand out result of the week in the league by winning at WBB by 11 goals to 6; I wonder if both teams forgot to take a ‘keeper!! So to sum up this division, Ilsington Villa are champions, second place will be Kingsteignton Athletic / Buckfastleigh Rangers / Morley Rangers or Elburton Villa. The 2 relegated teams are WBB and Brixham AFC Reserves.

Division One is also going to the wire. Paignton Saints returned to pole position with a 9-nil win at Harbertonford. In the big game between the top two, Totnes and Dartington and Ivybridge Town Reserves shared the points in a thrilling 2 – 2 draw; the Ivies were 2-nil up at one point but let the visitors back into the game, a result which helps Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves who seem to be using all playing resources available to them as they continue to chip away at those games in hand. Callum Noyce, who is one of the top goalscorers in the football pyramid at step 6 and banged in 4 goals to add to the 3 he scored last week, has certainly helped their cause and leaves them 6 points behind with 3 games in hand but in fourth place. On the 23rd May, Ivybridge Town visit Newton Abbot Spurs in a game that will decide who goes up. At the bottom, Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds are already relegated and will be joined by Babbacombe Corries, who have 2 games to play, or Upton Athletic, who have finished their fixtures and will be watching Corries’ results to see if they can get the 1 point needed to survive the drop.

Division Two is almost complete with Bovey Tracey Reserves as champions and Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds runners up. Spurs cannot be promoted unless their Seconds win promotion out of Division One which they wont know for 2 weeks; Paignton Saints Reserves will finish a disappointing third but will be hoping Spurs Seconds in Division One slip up. At the bottom, Brixham Town Seconds will return to Division Three after volunteering to fill a vacancy last season and will be joined by Waldon Athletic Seconds unless Ipplepen Athletic Reserves concede more than 15 goals in their last 2 games in which case they will accompany Brixham Town into Division Three.

The promotion race in Division Three is now between 3 teams; Watcombe Wanderers Reserves, who won the Devon Intermediete Cup this week by beating Railway FC from Exeter by 3 goals to 2, remain at the top and need 4 points from 4 games to clinch the title. Should they not get the required number of points then Liverton United or Ashburton could win the division. South Brent are also in the race for second place but don’t have enough games for the points needed to top the division. At the bottom, Kingsbridge and Kellaton United will have a better season in Division Four and will be joined by either Paignton Saints Thirds or Teign Village who need 3 points from 2 remaining games to stay in this division and condemn Saints to Division Four. Unfortunately for them, they have Watcombe and Ashburton to play.

Division Four has also been a great competition this season and the top spot could go either to Liverton Utd Seconds or Elburton Villa Thirds; both had good wins on Saturday; Liverton won 4 – 1 at Kingsteignton Athletic Reserves who themselves have had a great season and will get a top 4 place; Villa, who won 5 – 1 at Newton Rovers Reserves, remain in second place 7 points behind with 3 games in hand, so they will need to win them all. Drake FC have also had a great season in their first venture into adult football; whilst they did not play on Saturday, they need 6 points from 3 remaining games to secure third place in what has been a very competitive competition.

Game to catch this week: Friday 17th May, with a 6.30pm kick off. The George Belli Cup Final at Foxhole Ground, Totnes and Dartington. This is the Premier Division league cup and features the in form team in the premier division, Elburton Villa, who will be looking to win their first silverware since joining the league three years ago, and Newton Abbot ’66, who will be hoping to add the Belli Cup to the Herald Cup which will allow Geeman to buy another shelf – all shelf-installers are asked to contact the club directly!!

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Weekly Match Reports 23rd March

ON ANOTHER CUP RUN: 2023 Herald Cup runners-up Newton Abbot ’66 are into the last eight. Photo contributed by SDFL

Farewell to a Brixham Legend

I start this weeks report with the sad news that Brixham football stalwart Bill Harris has passed away. Bill was secretary of the Brixham Villa club for over 50 years and was the driving force in the merger with Brixham Utd in 2012 to create the Brixham AFC that we have today. And what a merger it turned out to be with the first team now playing football in the Western League, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Buckland Athletic, Clevedon and Falmouth to name a few, and the second team playing in the South Devon Premier League where both Villa and United used to play. Bill also received a services to football award from the FA for the work he had done for football in the county; as a player, he won the Herald Cup and the South Devon Premier Division with Brixham Villa. Bill will also be remembered for setting up the Brixham AFC lottery which funds the club to this day. The current secretary of the club Mark Buley, who provided the above information, described Bill as an absolute legend and a man that has done so much for football, and he will be sorely missed. Bill’s funeral is at All Saints Church, Brixham at 10.30am on Thursday 28th March.

South Brent’s Herald Cup Run Ends –

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JOURNEY’S OVER: Division Three side South Brent were dispatched from the Herald Cup.

In the games played on Saturday, there was no fairytale ending for South Brent in the Herald Cup Third Round against Premier Division Newton Abbot ’66. The home team ran out 9 – 1 winners, but it was not plain sailing in the first half. ’66 scored in the first minute and added a second with a penalty, but it was not until manager Ian Clennehan made sweeping substitutions that ’66 started to click. Three goals in a two minute period put the game beyond the Division Three side who did manage a consolation goal with the last kick of the game to prevent a clean sheet. Tom Lowe and Jamie Groves scored two each after coming on as subs, and there were singles for Callum Foskett, Joe Clark Farley, Ashley Dove and Liam Ashwell.

In the Torbay Clearance Services Premier Division, Ilsington Villa remain two points clear at the top after a 5 – 2 home win against bottom club WBB. Daniel Langford notched up a hat-trick with Jack Langford and Jack Dixon adding singles. Just behind them are Plymouth based Morley Rangers who played a home game in Newton Abbot versus Brixham AFC just to guarantee the game would be on, and the move proved profitable as they ran out 3-nil victors. Matt David, JJ Honeywell and James Melluish were the target men for Rangers. Buckfastleigh Rangers opened up a gap into fourth place with a 6 – 4 home win against Beesands Rovers whose season has stalled since December. East Allington United slipped to third from bottom despite holding Kingsteignton Athletic to a nil-nil draw at Broadpark, and that’s because Chudleigh Athletic had a great result, running out 4 – 1 winners over Waldon Athletic at Kate Brook. They are now eight points clear of the drop zone. Joe Potter scored two with Gavin Hammon and Jack Edward Salmons adding singles that could keep the Maroons safe from the drop.

In Division One, it was the quarter finals of the Dartmouth Cup, and Buckland Athletic Reserves booked a semi final slot with a 2 – 1 home win versus Brixham Town, and there was a real heavyweight tussle at South Devon College where Paignton Saints knocked out top of the table Ivybridge Town Reserves by 4 goals to 1; Jamie Micklewright scored twice with Ben Clarke and Jake Powell adding singles. There was also a big result for Watcombe Wanderers who defeated Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves by 2 goals to nil, and Spurs finished the game with 10 players, a result that may be costly for Spurs come the end of May. Totnes and Dartington have now moved into third place, four points clear of Spurs in fourth. Jack Whitby scored in each half for the Tots to secure the points. Paignton Villa moved into the safety zone with a 3-nil win at Upton Athletic who remain at the wrong end of the table and in desperate need of a win; they wont need to wait long for that opportunity as on Easter Saturday they play fellow relegation candidates Harbertonford at Steps Cross.

In Division Two, the top four all won and it remains very tight as we move into the business end of the season. Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds stay top with a 5 – 2 win over Paignton Villa Seconds; East Allington United stay in second place after a 4 – 1 win at home to Newton Rovers and in third place, Bovey Tracey Reserves had a comfortable 7-nil home win against Waldon Athletic Seconds. Pre-season favourites Paignton Saints Seconds remain in fourth place, three points off second and seven points off the top following their 4 – 1 victory at bottom side Brixham Town Seconds. Billy Reay, George Keats and Syzmon Brzezinski were the heroes for the Saints. There are three points separating four of the bottom five, and Ipplepen Athletic, Paignton Villa Seconds, Newton Rovers and Waldon Athletic Seconds could all do with winning a game.

In Division Three, Watcombe Wanderers Seconds beat third placed Totnes and Dartington Seconds by 2 goals to nil to remain three points ahead of Ashburton who had a comfortable afternoon by inflicting an 8-nil on Kingsbridge and Kellaton United, and Stoke Gabriel TP moved into the safety zone with a 7 – 1 win at Teign Village; Adam Blackburn, Max Prestwood, Paul Christie and Ian Sloman were all on target for Stoke.

Elburton Villa Thirds continue to improve and make inroads into their games in hand on their rivals; a 5 – 3 win at Broadhempston United puts them into fifth place but only eight points off the top with two games in hand. Their neighbours Drake FC were given a walkover as Watcombe Wanderers Thirds could not raise a team.

Games to catch on Easter Saturday in the South Devon Football League include the Premier Division clash at Buckfastleigh where Kingsteignton are the visitors; there is a relegation battle for Brixham AFC who host Elburton Villa Reserves. Who does not like a local derby? At Coach Road, Paignton Saints entertain Paignton Villa and there’s a relegation six-pointer at Steps Cross where Upton Athletic play Harbertonford. In Division Two, there is a promotion six-pointer when Bovey Tracey Reserves welcome East Allington United Seconds. In Division Three, there are two big cup quarter finals at Ashburton who host South Brent in an A38 derby and at Totnes and Dartington Seconds who play Liverton United. The big game in Division Four is first versus third in the form of Drake FC versus Liverton United Seconds which could have a big say in who is in the top two come May.

Thank you for supporting grassroots football in South Devon.

fin bullen east allington united v sgt police reserves herald cup 2023

Ilsington Villa Maintain Perfect Start with Win at League Leaders Morley

BULLEN BULLIES BRIXHAM: East Allington marksman scores three in 6-1 victory over Fishermen. Photo © Al Macphee/MiraclePR.com

Report contributed by SDFL.

With the divisions starting to take shape after 3 weekends of league football, it’s interesting to see that 3 of the top 4 teams in the Torbay Clearance Services SDFL Premier Division were promoted from Division One last season.

In the game of the day, Tony Lacey’s Ilsington Villa team beat Morley Rangers by 2 goals to 1 at Plymstock School. Jamie Soper scored both goals to secure a valuable 3 points against a Plymouth team who will be there or thereabouts next May. Morley remain top of the table by virtue of goal difference, and they have played a game more than their rivals. Beesands Rovers, the other promoted team, had a comfortable afternoon against a young Chudleigh Athletic team with a 3-nil victory. Newton Abbot ’66 complete the top four but were held at home by an improving WBB team with a 2 – 2 draw. Elsewhere in the Premier Division, East Allington United got their season up and running with a fine 6 -1 win versus Brixham AFC Seconds; Finley Bullen scored a hat trick; Dylan Coates, Martin Finneron and Ben Taylor made sure the points were going to the South Hams. Waldon Athletic stay in 5th place having beaten Elburton Villa 3 – 2 down in Plymouth. Last season’s heavyweights Kinsgteignton Athletic and Buckfastleigh Rangers settled for a 3 – 3 draw at Broadpark; Alex Harding, Tom Reeves and Mark Voisey were on the scoresheet for the Rams.

In Division One, only Newton Abbot Spurs 2nd, Brixham Town and Paignton Saints have a 100 % record as Watcombe Wanderers were held to a 3 – 3 draw at Totnes and Dartington. Spurs continue their impressive start to life in the SDFL with a 6 – 1 home win versus Upton Athletic; Aiden Blackie and Joe Bushin scored 2 each, Ricardo Morranzonie and Alastair Nixon both got in on the act to keep their team top of the table. Paignton Saints won’t want to let Spurs get too far ahead in the race to the Premier League. A 5-nil home win against a fancied Ivybridge Town Seconds keeps them well placed. Goals from Jamie Micklewright, Ben Clarke, Charlie Cuss and Eden Cresswell Cluer keeps them 6 points behind with 2 games in hand; Brixham Town have also had a good start to the season, and a 3 – 1 victory at South Devon College, against Paignton Villa, keeps them in 2nd place on goal difference. Harbertonford enjoyed their 2nd win in as many weeks; Alan Hammet scored the only goal of the game for the Fords which sees them in mid table. Buckland Athletic Seconds also secured their second win in the SDFL since moving from the DFL. A 2-nil victory at Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds puts them nicely placed in mid table.

Bovey Tracey Seconds look like they are continuing their fine form from last season; a 7 – 1 demolition of unbeaten Newton Rovers makes them the team to beat in Division Two. Barton Athletic, who are enjoying winning games again, are remaining on Bovey’s heels; a 3 – 1 win at WBB Seconds keeps them unbeaten. Zach Norton, Liam Nothcott and Daniel Tyler got the goals that secured the points. Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds also remain well placed, but their defence may have to look at themselves having conceded 4 goals to Brixham Town Seconds. It took goals from Luis Green, Tom Slocombe, Nathen Cole and game changers (used to be called subs) Luke Selley and Deven Webb to secure a 7 – 4 victory. East Allington Utd Seconds have also started well with a fine 5-nil win at Waldon Athletic Seconds. Tyler Littlejohns, Alister Selby, Sam Quick and Lee Prestage found the net at Windmill Hill.

Can anyone stop Watcombe Wanderers Seconds in Division Three? A convincing 3-nil home win against pre-season favourites Ashburton put them 6 points clear at the top and the only team with a perfect record. Looks like this division could be a race for second place. Totnes and Dartington currently hold that place, and a 5 – 3 win at Teign Village with goals from Ben Towl, Scott Troth, Ben Harnett Davis and Jordan Baxter secured the points and provided plenty of talking points in the village club where they still charge for beer in pounds, shillings and pence!!! Liverton United Seconds, Stoke Gabriel TP Seconds and Newton Abbot ’66 Seconds also had good wins to keep them in the top half of the table.

In Division Four, only Elburton Villa Thirds and Liverton United Seconds have 100 % records. Previously unbeaten Plymouth side Drake FC came unstuck at Broadhempston United who held them to a 2 – 2 draw in a well contested game; David Alford scored both goals for the home team while Louis Thomas and Jordan Potter replied for Drake at Headlands. Liverton United remain in 2nd place following an 8 -1 demolition at Babbacombe Corries Seconds and Elburton Villa Thirds scored 6 against South Brent Seconds. Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds have also had a good start to the season and move up to 4th place with a 2 – 1 win at Barton Athletic Seconds; Joshua Snow and James Stafford were on target for the young Rams while Thomas Smith replied for Barton.

Recommended fixtures for 30th September.

The top two in the Premier Division meet at Ilsington Villa where Newton Abbot ’66 are the visitors in what should be a great game. Beesands take on Waldon Athletic; both have had a good start to the season and will be looking to keep up with the leaders or there is a Plymouth derby where Elburton Villa meet Plymstock based Morley Rangers who will be looking to bounce back after their first defeat.

Two massive games in Division One: both unbeaten Brixham Town and Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds clash at J.C. Park in a game that could put a claim on one of the promotion places early in the season; another game that has the same importance is at Long Lane where Watcombe Wanderers meet Paignton Saints in what will be a highly contested fixture.

The stand out game in Division Two is Bovey Tracey Seconds versus Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds at the Western Counties Ground where the top two go head to head.

In Division Three, South Brent will be looking to stop Watcombe Wanderers Seconds running away with this group at Palstone Park, and in Division Four, Drake will be looking to getting back to winning ways when they welcome South Brent Seconds, and Liverton United Seconds host an improving Broadhempston outfit.

Plenty of great local football to support, so get out in the fresh South Devon air and support South Devon League Football.