BACK ON TOP: Torbay Police came out on top of a seven goal thriller to reclaim their spot at the Premier Division summit. (c) MiraclePR
The battle between the top two in the WBW (Solicitors) SDFL Premier Division could be an exciting one as Torbay Police ended East Allington’s short tenure at the top with a narrow 4-3 home win over Ivybridge Town Reserves, the team who lost to the Pirates a week earlier.
The Bees opened up the scoring when Bobby Chancellor set up Max Prestwood to volley home but the Ivies capitalised on some poor defending to equalise. The last word of the half went the home side’s way when the battling Zac Chancellor put his brother through to edge the Police into a 2-1 lead. Ivybridge were gifted a second equaliser after the break when home ‘keeper Chris Bashford misjudged a cross-cum-shot and the ball nestled into the net for 2-2. The home side then retook the lead for the third time when substitute Marc Hagland’s free-kick was headed in by Prestwood. When Liam Walton set up the industrious Curtis Clarke to fire home a left-footed belter, it looked to be all over for the visitors but they were rewarded for their efforts when a deflected shot went in to bring the game back to 4-3 and set up a nervy final minute.
The only other Premier game saw Newton Abbot ’66 end a four game losing streak with a 2-0 victory away at third-placed Plympton Athletic Reserves. Tom Lowe and Gordon Stevenson scored the goals which mean the Sixes have now completed the double over Plympton.
Five Premier teams were in Herald Cup action against lower division opponents and all of them made it through unscathed.
Meadowbrook Athletic made the lightest work of their task by smashing nine past Division Three side Bishopsteignton United without reply. Thoms Comyn led the scoring for Brook with a hat-trick and there were braces for both Myles Chalcraft and Liam Collings; Ben Field and Jack Johansen completed the rout.
Joshua Harris netted twice for Salcombe Town who dispatched Paignton Saints Reserves 5-0 at the Malborough Playing Fields. There was also the obligatory goal for Ash Yeoman along with strikes from Charlie Barnes and Fred Massey.
East Allington also progressed into the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Galmpton United. Mattias Bodman, Rob Tapper and Finley Bullen scored the Pirates’ goals with sub Kieran Dart on target for the Greens. Joshua Clarke scored the only goal at Armada Park as Buckland Athletic Development knocked out Upton Athletic.
Division One leaders Watts Blake Bearne are also in the last eight after a 6-2 triumph at Riviera United. Cam Gill claimed a hat-trick with Matt Elmore scoring twice and Jakeb Haywood-Cann also on target. WBB join Divison Two outfit Babbacombe Corinthians as the only non-Premier representatives in the quarter-finals.
Broadmeadow STFC completed the quintent of Premier winners in their delayed Third Round match at home to Barton Athletic. Barton pushed their hosts all the way in a 3-3 draw over 90 minutes but Broads netted an extra-time winner to set up a Fourth Round tie against the Torbay Police.