Tag: babbacombe corinthians

lakeside athletic crest

Herald Cup joy for Lakeside Athletic

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 18th APR, report by Alastair Muirden

Plymouth-based Lakeside Athletic became the first team to book a berth in this seasons Herald Cup Final by beating Watts Blake Bearne by two goals to nil in front of a big attendance at Homers Heath (full match report and photos are on Daves World). The Premier Division outfit were bigger and stronger than their opponents from Division One, and the fact that these two sides may meet in a league fixture next season tells you that there was not much between them. WBB had chances early in the game but failed to take them, and the first goal came about from a goalkeeper error that got him booked, and JJ Honeywell was in the right place to touch the loose ball home, but the second goal that followed soon after was a sublime free-kick that had Jaden Wood doing cartwheels back into his own half. Lakeside must now wait for the other semi-final between Ilsington Villa and Paignton Saints to find out who their opponents will be in the Plainmoor showdown.

The abandoned quarter-final game between Paignton Saints and East Allington United – due to an injury to Robbie Chalk – was finally played, and it went the way of the Saints who pulled off possibly their best result of the season so far by beating the Pirates by four goals to one and will now meet Ilsington Villa in the semi-final. On target for Saints were Jake Powell, Joe Wilden and a young man to look out for in Thomas Ross. In fact, whilst he was on target for the first team, his Dad Simon also found the net for the third team. Unfortunately the result was a bit different.

Midweek results:

In the Premier Division, Ilsington Villa had a tough evening at Chudleigh Athletic, but a Jack Langford goal keeps the Moorlanders there or thereabouts; two of the bottom three met at Buckfastleigh where Rangers and ’66 shared the points in a 3-3 draw, and Sixes will need to turn those games in hand into three point games to avoid the drop. In Division One, Bovey Tracey Reserves lost some ground on the top two with a 2-1 loss to Beesands Rovers, who are well-placed but only have three games left. The result leaves the door open for Mount Gould and WBB to contest the title at the moment. Move forward three days and it’s all change.

Saturday report:

At the top of the Premier Division, Windmill continue to go about their business, and an eight-nil win versus Totnes and Dartington puts them 13 points clear with five games to play and needing ten points to be crowned champions. Brodie Simpson managed to find the back of the net, but the hero, with four goals, was Miles Hunt. Former golden boot winner Corbin Mackin was also on target with Jake Harris and Rimae Darlington-Eyre. Ilsington Villa moved into fifth place and are now one of five teams within two points of second place following a comprehensive 5-1 win over Newton Abbot ’66, who are in real danger of playing Division One football next season unless they start to make good use of those games in hand. Jamie Soper, Matt Warman, Matt Pilkington and Jamie Beer found the net for the Moorlanders. Kingsteignton Athletic gave themselves some breathing space with a 4-2 win at Chudleigh Athletic and are now four points clear of the drop zone. The result for Chudleigh means that they have a ‘don’t lose’ game against Buckfastleigh Rangers next Saturday, who only have three games left to play to stay in the top division.

I had to look twice at the results coming in from Division One as they continue to surprise and shock. Result of the day must go to Barton Athletic who put seven goals past Mount Gould without reply, and it had me thinking ‘has that ever happened before?’ Certainly not since they joined the SDFL. Whilst there are still seven games to play, the result effectively leaves the door open for WBB and Barton to grab the two promotion places if they can hold their nerve. Bovey Tracey are another side that could spoil that party, and they will be pleased to get back to winning ways after a midweek defeat. A 2-1 success over Paignton Villa, who themselves are only three points from second place, was a good result for Bovey, who are nine points behind with two games in hand. There are still six teams that could be promoted from this division, and the team with the most games to play are Elburton Villa Reserves, who have just played only their second league game since 25th October. They have seven games in hand with 15 games to play in seven weeks and a big squad to choose from. They won 2-1 against an improving Buckland Athletic Reserves side, who are going to take some points from opposition in the final weeks of the season with a new management team looking on. Brixham Town remain in third place, and an eight-nil win versus the rollercoaster team in the division – Watcombe Wanderers – will be a tonic for the Fishermen, who have just three games left to end this term. In the battle at the bottom of Division One, the ‘don’t lose’ email was fully read and understood by both teams, as Liverton United and Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds shared the points in a 3-3 draw. Nik Garrett and Rhys Fewings were on target at Halford, and the result leaves both teams with a chance to stay in the division, but there are only two points separating the bottom three, who are eight points adrift from safety.

In Division Two, the pre-season favourites Signal Box Oak Villa moved to within three points of the title with a four-nil win at Ivybridge Town Reserves; they have three games remaining. It’s their first season in the SDFL, and having only lost two league games and three cup games all season, the challenge of finding new towns and villages up the A38 has been as enjoyable as their form on the pitch, and they can look forward to the challenges that Division One will throw at them next season. A win for Oak Villa at Harbertonford on 25th April will secure the trophy. Babbacombe Corries have also had a great season and have pushed Oak Villa all the way, and a nine-nil win over a struggling Upton Athletic almost seals second place but not quite. Keiron Sweet was again on target for Corries, with four goals, and there were singles for Jack Cousins, Curtis Marshall, Lee Mcarthur, Oliver Riches and Jordan Bradshaw. Drake FC could catch Corries should results go their way, and the two sides meet in the divisional cup final next Friday at Dartington, which should be a great game. Harbertonford increased the gap at the bottom to 11 points by beating Newton Rovers 4-1; goals for Billy Bright, Isaac Phillips and Kyle Northcott looks to have condemned Rovers to Division Three football next season where undoubtably they will have a better season. Paignton Villa Seconds moved up a place to seventh with a 4-1 victory over East Allington United Seconds which inflicted a 4-1 double loss for the South Hams outfit on a day to forget for them. Villa should be happy with a mid-table berth in what has been a tough division with some good teams.

The runaway leaders in Division Three continue to plough through their opposition. Galmpton United remain on top having played three games more than Kingskerswell, who must still be considered favourites for the title. Galmpton had a five-nil win at Buckfastleigh Rangers Reserves, and ‘Kerswell scored ten goals without reply against a South Brent side who still have ten games to play in what is becoming an annual event at Palstone Park in keeping the neighbours awake on a Tuesday and Thursday evening in May. There are just two points separating the bottom four teams, and one of them is Ipplepen Athletic Reserves. They lost 3-1 at Stoke Gabriel TP Reserves, and with five games left to play, they could do with finding a win from one of their four remaining home games. Newton Abbot ’66 Reserves have had a great season, and with eight games still to play, they will be looking for a top three finish. This week, they won five-nil against a good Kingsteignton Athletic second team who remain in fourth place with six games to play.

In Division Four, the top two places have been nailed on for some time, but Chudleigh Athletic Seconds and Teign Village have not got the job done just yet. Chudleigh did their bit this week by winning 6-1 at home to Waldon Athletic Thirds and now need just four points from four games to win promotion, depending on lots of permutations from Waldon Athletic Thirds, Bere Alston United Reserves and Barton Athletic Seconds who are in a bit of form at the moment. Barton won 12-2 at Paignton Saints Thirds to remain very much in the mix. Charlie Uniacke and Nathen Crook both scored four goals each to keep the pressure on the top two for now.

Games to catch:

This Friday evening the 24th April sees the Division Two Lidstone Cup Final being played at Totnes and Dartington’s ground Foxhole. This season’s finalists are Drake FC and Babbacombe Corinthians. The teams sit in fourth and second in the league, and Corries won the only league encounter three-nil. The game has a 6.30pm kick-off, and the host club will have a full bar and food service available, and there is plenty of parking. The weather forecast is looking good, so get yourself along to Dartington to watch a great game of football in the sunshine.

Enjoy your grassroots football.

paignton villa v babbacombe corinthians torbay clearance services sdfl division one

Three in a Row for Elburton with Narrow Win at Poole Lane

Villa thrash Corries as Paignton sides clean up in Division One. Photo © Al Macphee/MiraclePR. Report by SDFL.

The weather was the big winner this week in the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League washing out all but 7 games. A big thank you is due to the groundstaff volunteers that managed to get the pitches prepared at those clubs that played on grass this weekend.

In the Premier League, only 1 game survived the weather: Elburton Villa continued their run of good form by beating East Allington United by 5 goals to 4 at a windswept and wet Poole Lane. This win moves them up to fourth place in the division whilst leaving the hosts looking over their shoulders at the 2 teams below them.

The biggest attendance of the day, and perhaps the season for a league game, was at Coach Road where over 100 spectators were made to wait by Paignton Saints until the 45th minute of the game against Harbertonford to see any real goal mouth action, and it came courtesy of a penalty kick that Jamie Micklewright despatched; it was, in fact, the last kick of the half and saw the players running to the changing rooms to get a deserved break from the constant rain. Prior to this, Harbertonford did have some half chances but just could not penetrate a well organised Saints defence, whilst up front, it’s fair to say that Saints were poor and more balls went out of the ground than on target. The Saints manager must have said some choice words at the break as Saints went on the attack from the kick off, and when Ben Clark scored a 30 yard screamer 3 minutes after the restart, that effectively put the game to bed. The Fords’ heads started to drop and they never really got going in the second period, and whilst most of the players were now cold and soaking wet, it proves that it is easier to play when you are winning and Saints were now playing some of their best football, Jamie Micklewright finished off a lovely move from close range, and a further goal by Ben Clark sealed the points and moves Paignton Saints level on points with Brixham Town and Newton Abbot Spurs at the top of Division One. The other game played in Division One was on the artificial pitch at South Devon College where Paignton Villa hosted Babbacombe Corries (pictured) in a one sided affair that Villa won by 7 goals to nil.

There were no surviving fixtures in Divisions Two and Three, but in Division Four, incredibly, 4 games were played; the biggest shock came in the A38 derby where Liverton United Reserves surrendered their unbeaten start to the season with a 5 – 1 home defeat by Chudleigh Athletic. Gavin Lake scored twice for the visitors with Ben Hill, Joe Potter and Daniel Martin adding singles to complete a great afternoon for the Clarets. Babbacombe Corries Seconds are the latest team to fire blanks when Drake FC visit the bay; the Plymouth outfit, who look nailed on for honours in their first season in the Torbay Clearance Services league, ran out 8 – 1 winners, a result that keeps them top of the division, but right on their heals are Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds who came out on top in an 11 goal thriller at Broadpark against South Brent Reserves; Ashton Hogarth did the damage with a hat-trick and Ashley Hayworth and Tom De Young made sure the points were staying with the Rams. The result moves Kingsteignton Athletic up to second place in the table. The final game played in this division saw Barton Athletic Seconds win their second game of the season and move away from immediate danger by beating mid-table Broadhempston United on the 3g at Paignton Community College ( Tweenaway to people of a certain age !! ) the game was almost over at 2-nil, but Mathew Carroll scored a late consolation for the visitors before they ran to the changing rooms.

Recommended League games to catch next week, before two weeks of cup football with the Second Round of the Torbay Clearance Services Herald Cup on 11th October and the Fred Hewings cup on the 18th. Those cup draws are on the Full Time website.

Premier Division: its first versus third when Beesands Rovers have a trip up on to the moors to face Ilsington Villa in what should be a great game not only to watch but also for the referee as both teams have an exemplary discipline record.

In Division One: at the wrong end of the table, Harbertonford entertain Totnes and Dartington with both teams looking to move away from the danger zone; this could be a close game.

Division Two sees fourth placed East Allington United Seconds take on the leaders Paignton Saints Seconds where a home win will see the Pirates leapfrog Saints to the top. The groundstaff will no doubt be working hard on the pitch to get this game on.

Division Three fixtures have bottom of the table Kingsbridge and Kellaton, who have yet to pick up a point, host Waldon Athletic Thirds, who are just two places above them. The Kingsbridge camp will no doubt be hoping that the Waldon lads suffer a bit of jet lag on their journey into the South Hams.

The stand out game in Division Four is at Kinsgteignton Athletic Reserves who host a wounded Liverton United Second team who will be looking to bounce back following their surprise defeat last weekend.

If the weather is poor, there is one fixture that will definately be played and will be worth a watch. One of the many County Cup games taking place on Saturday is the clash between Paignton Saints and Bovey Tracey Reserves at Coach Road in the Senior Cup. Bovey, the Intermediate Cup holders, and Saints, one of the favourites to win it this season, should provide a cracking fixture that kicks off at 2pm.

Whichever game you decide to watch thank you for supporting grassroots football in South Devon.