Tag: herald cup

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.

newton abbot spurs reserves

Cup glory for Spurs Thirds!

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 11th APR, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves contributed by SDFL

Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds may have been the highest-ranked team to qualify for the Fred Hewings Cup, but Newton Abbot ’66 Seconds not only contributed to a great final, they took the eventual winners all the way to a penalty shootout on Friday night at Buckfastleigh.

The scoreline after 90 minutes was 2-2, with Frank Orynik and Rhys Fewings finding the net for Spurs after Jono Ellis and Russ Ellis had given Sixes the lead. With no further goals in extra-time, the neutral supporters were going to to be the only people who were looking forward to a penalty shootout, and Spurs were more clinical with the kicks, winning 3-1 and being able to have an evening of celebration to offset their league season.

Saturday’s games were full of shocks and bruises, so let’s start with the bruises; in the Premier Division’s knockout Belli Cup, the Plymouth derby between True Blues and Lakeside Athletic lived up to the pre-match billing with True Blues needing to find true grit to come back from three-nil down at the break to force extra-time and then take the tie in a dramatic penalty shootout, where they scored all five spot kicks; Bayley Williams, Ashley White and George Davey were the second half scoring heroes for the Blues, who finished the game with ten players. Lakeside still have another cup semi-final to look forward to next week and will be hoping for better fortune against WBB.

The other Belli Cup game went with the form book when Windmill booked a place in their divisional semi-final for the second consecutive season, with a  3-1 victory over a much-improved Buckfastleigh Rangers side; all the goals came courtesy of Brodie Simpson, who is certainly having a great season when it comes to finding the net.

In the Division One Dartmouth Cup, Elburton Villa Reserves had a bruising home win versus Watcombe Wanderers by five goals to three to add yet another fixture to their gruelling April and May game program, where they are going to have to arrange to play three times each week to avoid not finishing their fixtures. Bovey Tracey Reserves, another team with a lot of league games to play, also had a good result against a Liverton United side that was made up of reserve team players due to non-availability; Bovey ran out 5-2 winners with strikes from Ben Moyle, Ollie Bourne, Owen Caldwell and Rory Wolfe.

Babbacombe Corries progressed in the Division Two knockout with a 4-1 win against Harbertonford thanks to Kieron Sweet, Joshua Hills, Jordan Bradshaw and Jack Cousins.

The Division Three Ronald Cup game between the two runaway leaders went the way of Kingskerswell by one goal to nil. The game would have been every neutral’s wish for the final, and Galmpton United certainly made the home team work for the victory in a game that was a credit to this level of football.

The Division Four cup had just one game, and Barton Athletic Seconds, who have had a great season, came very close to a cup upset versus the league leaders Chudleigh Athletic Seconds; in a very entertaining game at Barton Downs, the game ended 2-2 after full and extra-time, and it was the visitors who were more composed in front of goal, winning the shootout 3-1.

In the Torbay Clearance Services Premier Division, Ilsington Villa’s title hopes were dented in a one-nil defeat to East Allington United in a fantastic game of football that brought out the best in the Pirates and in Finn Bullen, who remains one of the top strikers in the competition. Chudleigh Athletic and Newton Abbot ’66 shared the points in a 1-1 draw in a game that both teams could have felt more comfortable with all three points, but sometimes, you need to keep a full complement of players on the pitch to do that; it was reported to have been a stop-start, messy affair which saw three sin bins. Totnes and Dartington will be no doubt glad to see the back of this season and press the reset button after this week’s 9-1 loss at the hands of Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves (pictured). The Tots have struggled all season to put two sides out, which is such a shame for the Belli Cup holders with a great club ethic to be struggling to attract young players at this time. Spurs are still in with a chance of a top three finish. Paignton Saints remain in a positive mood, and a 2-1 win at Kingsteignton Athletic heaps more worries of a season end relegation battle for the Rams, which would have been unthinkable in any other season.

In Division One, Watts Blake Bearne continue to plough through whoever is put in front of them, and a 10-2 demolition of Brixham Town will have a different effect on both teams. Ashton Sowerby was a hat-trick hero for the Claymen, and after a great first half of the season, the Fishermen find themselves struggling to put out two teams each week as players seem to find other activities on a Saturday. That seems to be the way it is at the moment. Mount Gould are also one of the teams to beat in this division, and Paignton Villa came close. The final score was one-nil to the Plymouth-based team thanks to a single strike from Jake McLean that takes them a step closer to another promotion. At the other end of the table, Buckland Athletic Reserves continue to improve, and another three points this time, versus Beesands Rovers, by three goals to one, will give the young Bucks every hope of staying in Division One.

In Division Two, Signal Box Oak Villa moved three points closer to the league title with a comprehensive five-nil win at Bakers Park against Newton Rovers, and Ipplepen Athletic Reserves produced a shock result in beating Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds by three goals to nil. The Pens will be glad to get some more points on the board, but they remain one of five teams that could go down a division. Paignton Villa Seconds and Drake shared a 1-1 draw in a game that was played without a referee, and both remain contenders for a top three spot (full report on Daves World), and Paignton Saints Seconds put a dent in the hopes of Ashburton with a 4-3 victory in a tough game for all.

Finally, congratulations to Kingsbridge and Kellaton United in Division Four, as they picked up another three points in a three-nil home win versus Broadhempston United to put them in contention for a mid-table season, which would be a welcome break from the recent seasons of struggle for the family-run club. Well done to Tina and Andy, and thank you for what you do for South Devon football.

Game to catch this week:

Herald Cup semi-final, kindly sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services: Friday 17th April at Buckland Athletic FC with a 7pm kick off. Can WBB, from Division One, cause a cup shock when they face a Lakeside Athletic side bruised from a Belli Cup defeat in what should be a great advert for South Devon League football. There is plenty of parking, and a full bar and food service will be provided by the host club.

Enjoy your grassroots football.

the windmill dartmouth cup winners 2025

Midweek Premier results from the competition that keeps on giving

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 5th APR, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of The Windmill contributed by SDFL

The much awaited meeting between two of the division’s title contenders did not disappoint, and in yet another game in the Torbay Clearance Services league that could well have been played at a higher level, Lakeside Athletic and Ilsington Villa eventually shared the points in a 3-3 thriller and hand a slight advantage to Windmill who continue to lead the division.

At the other end of the division, the relegation places are far from decided as Buckfastleigh Rangers continue their rich vain of form with a 4-1 win over fourth placed East Allington United at Poole Lane. In Division One, Bovey Tracey Reserves had a big midweek win at home to Brixham Town, by ten goals to nil, and effectively remove the Fishermen from the promotion race.

Last week, I wrote about the joy and pain experienced in playing in the Herald Cup, and that continued into this weekend as WBB had the joy and Chudleigh Athletic had to suffer the pain in the delayed quarter-final. The game ended 4-4 after 90 minutes, and with neither side able to conjure up a winner in extra-time, the dreaded penalty shoot-out went in favour of the Claymen, who scored four times to knock out their Premier Division opponents and progress to the semi-final where Lakeside Athletic lay in wait; the dates for the semis remain to be confirmed as the abandoned Paignton Saints v East Allington Unitted tie has still to be played.

In the Premier Division, Windmill (pictured) continue to lead the pack, and a fine 4-1 victory over Paignton Saints, courtesy of a Brodie Simpson hat-trick, keeps the Plymouth-based team as the team to beat and leaves Saints’ season hinging on that Herald Cup game.

Lakeside Athletic will be glad to see the back of Totnes and Dartington after their latest battle ended in a 2-2 draw; the Tots have taken four points from Athletic this season and dented their title hopes while, of course, picking up a valuable point in their own hopes for survival. Plymouth True Blues got back to winning ways with a comprehensive 5-1 win at Newton Abbot ’66. Five different players got on the scoresheet, and True Blues remain on course for a top three place. Ilsington Villa continue to plug away at the points shortfall between themselves and the top three, and enjoyed a hard-fought 3-2 win against Kingsteignton Athletic, where the referee had a busy afternoon, but goals from Dan Langford, George Dixon and Jamie Soper keeps the Moorlanders chasing a league and cup double.

In the Division One cup, Barton Athletic slipped up in a 3-1 loss at Watcombe Wanderers; goals from club stalwart Sean Finch, Ollie Dowell and James Smith ensured that the Greens go into the semi-final to save their season. Paignton Villa also bowed out of the Dartmouth Cup at the hands of Elburton Villa Reserves, who are also chasing a league and cup double.  Mount Gould continue to put pressure on the top three, and a good 4-1 victory at Beesands Rovers probably puts the Bees out of the promotion race as they are running out of games to play. Bentley Alcantara, Ray Spear and Billy Eccles won the points for the Mounties. Brixham Town finally won a game after a torrid run of form since the turn of the year. A 2-1 victory at Buckland Athletic Reserves will give the Fishermen some hope of a strong run in to the end of May.

In Division Two, Signal Box Oak Villa are just nine points away from claiming the divisional title following a hard-earned victory at East Allington United Seconds with a 4-2 scoreline. Jordan Richards was a hat-trick hero, not for the first time this season, and there was a single strike from Ryan Willis. Drake FC and Ashburton fought out a 2-2 draw at Manadon, a result that neither of these two promotion contenders would have wanted. Kameron Pouladge was the man of the match for Ashes with both goals. Ivybridge Town Reserves and Paignton Villa Seconds also shared the points in a 1-1 stalemate and remain just outside the top three. In the divisional cup, Babbacombe Corries progressed at the hands of Paignton Saints Reserves with a one-nil scoreline thanks to Kieron Sweet.

In the Division Three and Four cups, Kingskerswell, Harbertonford, Newton Abbot ’66 Reserves, Ipplepen Athletic Seconds, Galmpton United and Bere Alston Reserves all made it through in their respective divisional cups.

Game to catch this week:

As we enter cup final season, the opener is the Fred Hewings final which serves up a Newton Abbot derby game between Spurs Thirds and ’66 Seconds at Buckfastleigh Rangers on Friday evening with a 7pm kick off. Spurs are the highest ranked team in the knockout competition for reserve teams, but they have not had the best of seasons in Division One, currently sitting at the foot of the table; ’66 have had a decent season in Division Three and currently sit just in fifth place but are typical of any side from ’66 and that is that they are difficult to beat; although there are two divisions between the teams, depending on how the divisions finish, this game could in fact be a league fixture next season. There is plenty of parking, and a full bar and food service will be available.

Enjoy your grassroots cup finals.

newton abbot 66 south devon football league 2025

The first week of spring delivers a full program of fixtures for South Devon’s footballers

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 7th MAR, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Newton Abbot ’66 contributed by SDFL

At the top of the Premier Division, Windmill were at full sail to put their Herald Cup disappointment behind them by moving seven points clear with a comprehensive 6-1 victory at in-form Chudleigh Athletic to send out a ‘catch us if you can’ message to the other contenders; Brodie Simpson continues to find the back of the net for the Plymouth outfit.

The Newton Abbot derby game between Spurs and ’66 (pictured) ended in a sharing of the points with a 1-1 scoreline. The result would have been well received by the west area teams who can still be caught by both Newton Abbot teams if they can turn games in hand into maximum points. Paignton Saints remain just three points off the leading pack albeit having played more games, but a 4-2 win at Buckfastleigh Rangers, thanks to strikes from Cairo Broadway, Brandon Kelly and Mike Hernandez, leaves Rangers adrift at the bottom with Totnes and Dartington who were in Belli Cup action, and they faced a tough test at Lakeside Athletic who scored five goals without reply. In the same cup, Plymouth True Blues progressed courtesy of a close 2-1 win over Kingsteignton Athletic with goals from Bayley Williams and a late penalty from William Stringer. There were also two delayed Herald Cup games that went ahead: East Allington United made the short trip up the Erme Valley to face Division Two side Ivybridge Town Reserves, and it was a worthwhile trip as they progressed into the quarter-finals with a two-nil victory thanks to goals from Finn Bullen. Bovey Tracey Reserves gave up home advantage to get a game played and travelled to near neighbours Ilsington Villa. Bovey will be delighted to put another game behind them in a catch-up season, but a 4-1 win for Villa, thanks to goals from Dan Langford and Jamie Beer, puts the Moorlanders into the next round and keeps their season bubbling away.

In the only league game played in Division One, due to start of the Dartmouth Cup, Barton Athletic moved to within two points of the leading pack with an eight-nil win over a Liverton United side that seem to be imploding. The result keeps the Blues on course for a possible return to the top division. In the division’s Dartmouth Cup, the big shock came at Long Lane where Watcombe Wanderers quickly got over losing their second team during the week by beating one of the favourites Mount Gould by two goals to nil. The visitors ended the game with nine players, following two red cards, and no doubt did not have a pleasant trip back down the A38. Paignton Villa took their good league form into the knockout competition with a comfortable six-nil win at Buckland Athletic Reserves. Charlie Thomas hit a hat-trick, with Seb Knight, Sam Omara and Soliman Yaha finding the back of the Homers Heath net. WBB travelled to Brixham Town for the second week running and went one better than last week when they came away with a three-nil victory to grab a place in the hat for the next round. Cam Gill and Jay Orchard were on target for Wattsies. Two SDFL teams came face to face in the county Senior Cup, and it was Elburton Villa Reserves who came out on top against Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds by two goals to nil to set up a semi-final against Bovey Tracey Reserves or Newton St Cyres at the end of March.

In Division Two, Babbacombe Corries just had the edge to hang on to second place in a league that seems to be a one horse race. A 4-2 win over fellow challengers Ashburton keeps Corries ten points behind Signal Box OV who had a free weekend. Drake FC, who are sitting in mid-table, could still play a part in the promotion race thanks to a seven-nil win at Upton Athletic. The visitors can move to within one point of Corries if they win their games in hand. The Paignton reserve derby game between Saints and Villa ended in a 2-2 draw and both teams sitting at the higher end of mid-table. Interestingly, Saints only have five fixtures remaining; I wonder how many teams would like to be in that position – I could name 20!! Newton Abbot ’66 Reserves progressed into the next round of the division’s knockout courtesy of Watcombe Wanderers Reserves’ withdrawal during the week, and Harbertonford will also be in the hat following a 2-1 victory at Newton Rovers.

At the top of Division Three, Galmpton United have moved six points clear of Kingskerswell, who were on cup duty, following a 3-1 win at a strong Liverton United reserve side. The goals were enough to keep the Greens in pole position, but ‘Kerswell have five games in hand to use to their advantage. Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds continue to be in good form, and their five-nil win over Ipplepen Athletic Reserves keeps the Rams in third place but eight points behind the runaway leaders.

In Division Four, it was first v third at White Rock, and Chudleigh Athletic Seconds ran out 5-1 winners against Paignton Villa Thirds to keep a six-point cushion over local rivals Teign Village, who also picked up maximum points with a 3-1 win over Barton Athletic Reserves. In the division’s knockout competition, Bere Alston United Reserves went through with a 5-3 victory over Brixham Town Seconds, and Kingsbridge and Kellaton United had a good day at the office with a two-nil win over Broadhempston United thanks to Alex Piper, who found the net twice. Waldon Athletic Thirds also scraped through with a 2-1 extra-time win versus Newton Rovers Seconds, and here is the other side of the fixture coin: Waldon Athletic Thirds are still unbeaten in the league but have 15 league games to squeeze in before the end of May, which is 12 playing Saturdays.

Games to catch on Saturday 14th March:

At the time of writing, Plymouth True Blues host East Allington United in a game that could change the look of the top three. Only two points separate the sides, and it will be worth a watch. Also in Plymouth, Windmill face Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves, and having lost at the Rec three weeks ago, they will be looking to get some points from them.

My games of the day are in Division One, where Bovey Tracey Reserves host Mount Gould at the Western Counties ground, and WBB travel to Elburton Villa Reserves. With both teams in good form, something has to give, and Paignton Villa face Barton Athletic in a game neither will want to lose. In Division Two, Ivybridge Town Reserves welcome Ashburton, who will be looking to get back to winning ways, and with both teams as outside contenders, it should be a cracker.

All fixtures are subject to change at the moment due to delayed cup games, so please check on the league’s Full-Time webpage before travelling.

Thank you for supporting grassroots football in South Devon.

newton abbot spurs reserves

Clubs think outside the box to get games played

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 31st JAN, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves contributed by SDFL

Devon Premier Cup quarter-final

The last SDFL survivors in the county Premier Cup, Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds (pictured), made the trip to Step 7 club Alphington on Thursday evening to play the twice-postponed fixture on the 3g at Exwick, and in the end they just fell short. Goals from Matt Williams and Lewis Jordain-Garner were not enough against the team sitting at the top of the Devon League, and the Exeter side were able to find the net on five occasions leaving the final four teams in the competition all coming from Step 7, and all four could be playing at Step 6 SWPL next season. So well done to Spurs and Ilsington Villa from the Torbay Clearance Services League for reaching the quarter-finals.

Again. the weather spoiled the weekend’s grassroots program making play impossible on grass, and with only four games surviving this week’s storm, Windmill FC became the latest team to hire a 3g pitch to get a game played, and with Chudleigh Athletic the visitors to Ivybridge School, it pitched the two teams in the top division with the meanest defences having both conceded just 12 goals each so far this season. The game, as expected, turned out to be a tight and messy affair; it ended with a 2-1 win for the home team thanks to goals from Miles Hunt and Jack Briscoe, which takes them one point ahead of True Blues at the top of the Premier Division, and for the first time in the league’s history, Plymouth-based teams hold the top three places, as Lakeside Athletic came away from Coach Road with all three points in a very entertaining game versus Paignton Saints. The final result was 3-2, but Saints will be kicking themselves. Had it not been for their missed goalscoring chances, the outcome could have been very different. However, Lakeside can also claim a host of missed chances, but they will be pleased to get David Moore, who scored a brace, and JJ Honeywell back in goal-scoring form and completing a Plymouth one, two and three for the end of January. The only disappointment for the visitors would have been to finish the game with ten players courtesy of a last minute sin bin. Strangely enough, the biggest challengers to the top three currently sit in sixth, seventh and eight place with a number of games in hand, and if they could only get them played, the division should open up again.

In Division Two, Signal Box Oak Villa have opened up a seven point lead at the top albeit having played more games. A 5-3 victory at the Manadon 3g over close neighbours Ivybridge Town Reserves, thanks to goals from Callum Austin, Harley Mitchell, Bobby Stone and a brace for Finley Demsey Comerford, sees Villa extend their lead to realistically leave Corries and Ashburton as their main challengers at the moment.

In Division Four, Teign Village managed to keep the pressure on the leaders with a close 2-1 win versus Paignton Saints Thirds at South Devon College 3g (full report on Daves World). Goals from Alex Easson and Tom Beer sealed the points for the village team in a division that is looking like a two horse race depending on what unbeaten Waldon Athletic Thirds can do with their games in hand.

Games to hopefully catch on Saturday 7th February:

The Third Round of the Herald Cup, kindly sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services, has produced some belters as cup ties go.

There is a moorland derby at Mill Marsh Park (river levels permitting), where Premier Division Ilsington Villa play an in form Bovey Tracey Reserves from Division One. Division Three side Galmpton United host Premier Division side Windmill, who will need to be at their best to beat a team that are upwardly mobile. And then there are two virtual local derbies: Lakeside Athletic face a Buckfastleigh Rangers side with a large Cornish contingent, and Paignton Saints welcome Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves to their Coach Road ground in a fixture that will definitely go ahead. Harbertonford may have to switch their game to Elburton Villa to get it played. Having seen the amount of water on the pitch, I don’t think the RNLI will allow it to be played at the Steve Jane ground.

In the league’s Division Two, Ashburton travel to Ivybridge Town Reserves, and with both teams looking for promotion, it could be a great game.

Enjoy your grassroots football.

Saints and Broads serve up a Christmas feast on fair play Friday

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 20th DEC, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Watts Blake Bearne contributed by SDFL

Was this really a game between two of the bottom three teams in Division Four? The pace and quality of the play had many of the 100 plus supporters scratching their heads for answers.

It took just two minutes for Saints to get the opening goal from Keiron Seatherton who went on to get the Man of the Match award, but they could only hold on to that lead for nine minutes until the other contender for Man of the Match, Dan Wells, equalised with a goal that would grace any fixture in any division. Saints were under a lot of pressure, and their full-backs were not up to speed with Broads’ Ben Muller, and just four minutes after, they drew level; Muller ran past three defenders and pulled the ball back to the edge of the box, where Dan Wells side-footed a curling shot into the top right-hand corner, and both sets of supporters could do nothing else but applaud the finish. With just 12 minutes on the clock, and the score already at 2-1, it was turning into a great game. With play end-to-end and and two more Saints goals from Keiron Seatherton and Darren Millea and, in first-half stoppage time, yet another equaliser from Stuart Hanney sent the supporters for a welcome hot chocolate, and at 3-3, all the talk in the clubhouse was about the quality of the goals, and it had the writer checking to see if his pre-match prediction of 6-6 was actually on his super six selection.

The dynamic of the game seem to change in the second half as Saints were clearly more used to playing on a 3g pitch, and the legs of the Broads players seemed to be getting heavy, and one or two challenges were either too early or too late depending on your speed. but the referee kept good control and did not need to show any cards to either of the two best teams on the discipline charts. Then came a managerial masterclass from Saints when Dylan Cousins was introduced from the bench and he not only upped the pace of the game for Saints, but went on to score two great goals to seal the win 5-3 for the home team in what was a night to remember for both outfits. The result puts Saints one of three teams on nine points, and whilst still third from bottom, they are the second highest goal scorers in the division. At the other end, they are the league’s highest conceders of goals having let in 58 which is 22 more than Broadhempston United who remain second from bottom, two points behind Saints but with four games in hand. Just one other stat is that Saints only have eight league games remaining to finish the season.

The only other league game played was in Division One where Watts Blake Bearne (pictured) climbed onto the top of the table for Christmas with a well-earned 4-nil win at Bovey Tracey Reserves; Jake Cuff, Cam Gill, Ashton Sowerby and Fraser Hossack were all on target for the Claymen who were good value for the win. Bovey lost their goalkeeper in the 51st minute with a red card following a moment of madness which gave them a mountain to climb. Bovey remain in fifth place. seven points off the lead but with three games in hand, and Wattsies leapfrog Brixham Town and Paignton Villa to lead the division by one point going into the Christmas break. This remains a very competitive division with eight teams still in the mix to gain promotion to the Premier Division

The second round of the Herald Cup has thrown up some great ties that will be fixtured for 3rd January with a 2pm kick off.

  • Newton Rovers (Div 2) v Ilsington Villa (Premier)
  • Ashburton (Div 2) v Bere Alston United (Div 4)
  • Paignton Saints (Premier) v Babbacombe Corries (Div 2)
  • WBB (Div 1) v Signal Box Oak Villa (Div 2)
  • Bovey Tracey Reserves (Div 1) v Paignton Villa (Div 1)
  • Kingsteignton Athletic (Premier) v East Allington United (Premier)
  • Buckland Athletic Reserves (Div 1) v Galmpton United (Div 3)
  • Kingsbridge/Kellaton (Div 4) v Ivybridge Town Reserves (Div 2)
  • Newton Abbot ’66 (Premier) v Chudleigh Athletic (Premier)
  • Broadhempston United (Div 4) v Windmill (Premier)
  • Barton Athletic (Div 1) v Lakeside Athletic (Premier)
  • Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves (Premier) v Teign Village (Div 4)
  • Ipplepen Athletic Reserves (Div 3) v Upton Athletic (Div 2)
  • Plymouth True Blues (Premier) v Stoke Gabriel TP (Div 3)
  • Harbertonford (Div 2) v Elburton Villa Reserves (Div 1)
  • South Brent (Div 3) v Buckfastleigh Rangers (Premier)

Enjoy your grassroots cup 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

kingsteignton athletic herald cup semi finalists 2025

Spurs Stay on Course for the Double

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 29th MARCH, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Kingsteignton Athletic, who drew 4-4 with East Allington this week, contributed by SDFL

The game of the day in the Premier Division George Belli Cup went the distance in the favour of Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves who edged out the current champions Ilsington Villa in a pulsating cup tie that needed extra time; 3 – 1 was the final score with goals from Jack Upshire, Luis Green and Lewis Jordain-Garner seeing Spurs into their first cup final since joining the league following a stint in the football pyramid. They will be joined in the final by Totnes and Dartington who, on the day, were too good for a weakened Paignton Saints side who made hard work of their afternoon. A 2 – 1 victory, thanks to goals from Ryan Walton and James Blackshaw, was more than enough to put Tots in the top division cup final on the 15th May, also for the first time since rejoining the competition from the football pyramid.

In the Premier Division, with two of the top three on cup duty, Newton Abbot ’66 had the chance to close the gap to just 3 points at home to bottom side Beesands Rovers but they got well and truly stung by the Bees: a 3 – 1 win for the South Hams team moves them off the bottom and gives them real hope of a great escape; strikes from Alfie Prowse, Jack Eades and Alex Smith has put a dent in the ambitions of ’66 and, following this latest defeat, Ilsington Villa only need one more victory to make sure that Sixes cannot catch them. In the other relegation fixture, Chudleigh Athletic and Elburton Villa Seconds shared 6 goals in a very entertaining game where a draw was a fair result, but not one either team wanted, and leaves them both teetering with Division One next season. East Allington United and Kingsteignton Athletic also ended with four goals being shared, and with a point apiece, both would probably be happy with a mid-table berth knowing that anybody can beat anybody in this division. I also would like to give a shout out to Finn Bullen of East Allington United who scored his 137th goal this week in 133 appearances for the Pirates; well done Finn. The final shock result in the Prem was at Windmill Hill where ambitious Waldon Athletic lost 2-nil to Buckfastleigh Rangers who themselves could finish in the top three. The Clarets are now 9 points from fifth place and, whilst they have a few games in hand, they desperately need to find some form.

Two Division One teams served up a classic at Bovey Tracey Reserves where the home team prevented the last standing Plymouth-based team from reaching the jewel in the SDFL cup program. A 3-2 win over promotion rivals Windmill is a great result, and goals from Ben Moyle, Ryan Stanbridge and Ben Goble sets up a Herald Cup semi-final against Kingsteignton Athletic on Tuesday 22nd April at Newton Rec with a 7pm kick off.

Plymouth Phoenix continue to be unbeaten and they crushed Buckland Athletic Reserves 11-3 thanks to a double hat-trick by David Moore who set them on their way to their first Dartmouth Cup semi-final since joining the South Devon League from the Plymouth and District competition; they will meet the winners of the Bovey Tracey Reserves v Paignton Villa game that gets played this weekend.

In the league, True Blues continue to be unbeaten after their 7 – 2 home win against a Watcombe Wanderers team who must be looking at the league position and asking how did that happen: they are level on points with Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds, third from bottom, and Paignton Villa together with Brixham Town could pulled back into this relegation scrap, and Villa only have two games to play against six for the other two. WBB have recovered well after their disbanding scare, and they continue to win the games against the teams around them; this week was a character-building exercise having been 2-nil down at the break to Newton Spurs Thirds, who went ahead thanks to Jack Taylor and Domanic Osbourne, Wattsies fought back with three second half goals to take the points and move safely into mid table.

The top of the table game in Division Two drew a big support and ended in a complete reverse of the scoreline when the teams clashed just seven days earlier; this week, it was the turn of Barton Athletic to inflict only the second loss of the season for Mount Gould in a 4-nil win that continues to make this division as open as it has been all season; goals from Zach Norton, Liam Walton, Dom Lavalee and an own goal takes the Torquay side 18 points clear at the top and reduces Mount Gould’s games in hand to nine. Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds had a great result in upsetting promotion contenders East Allington United Seconds by 3 goals to 1; Matt Maller, John Bovey and Isaac Potter were on target for the Rangers who won for only the second time this season, and with only four games to play, they will need to continue the same form to avoid the drop. Elsewhere, second from bottom club Ipplepen Athletic Reserves picked up their third win of the season at Bakers Park in a 4-2 win against Newton Rovers. The win brings them within touching distance of Upton Athletic who did not play. The situation at the top of this division is getting clearer by the week, but it is still between five or six teams: Barton Athletic, Mount Gould, Liverton, Watcombe Seconds and East Allington Seconds could all still finish top, but 2nd and 3rd placed Paignton Villa Reserves and Babbacombe Corries are running out of games with only 4 to play, so it looks like this competition will go to the end of May. In the division’s league cup semi-finals, Liverton United and Paignton Villa Seconds ended in a 2-2 draw and it was Liverton that held their nerve in the penalty shoot-out to progress to the Lidstone Cup final on Friday 25th April where they will meet Watcombe Wanderers Reserves who won 2-nil at Long Lane against Babbacombe Corries.

In Division Three, Drake FC took advantage of leaders Ashburton being on cup duty by leapfrogging them into pole position by beating a good Kingsteignton Athletic Reserves side by 3 goals to 1; Ben Ayre, Louis George and Kacper Gorecki were the points winners at Broadpark. Stoke Gabriel TP moved into 3rd place with a 10-3 demolition at Brixham Town Seconds who will be looking forward to a better season in Division Four; Daniel Tresize (3), Max Prestwood (4) and Adam Blackburn (3) did the damage at JC Park. Elburton Villa Thirds, who could also win this division, continue to be upwardly mobile; a 7-nil thrashing over a decent Liverton United Reserves side, who must have had their minds on an upcoming cup final, keeps Villa in fourth place with six games to play. Two teams in mid-table met at Windmill Hill where Waldon Athletic Seconds and Totnes and Dartington Seconds shared four goals and the points that keeps them both in the safety zone.

With Division Four almost done and dusted, thoughts turned to the Les Bishop league cup semi-finals that were closer than the form book predicted; Paignton Villa Thirds took Kingskerswell all the way in a pulsating game that ‘Kerswell just edged by 3 goals to 2 to reach the final on Thursday 17th April where they will clash with Templer Way who edged out Chudleigh Athletic Reserves by 5 goals to 4 in a game that went to extra-time; and Chudleigh had to play out the game with ten players. It is a credit to both of the finalists who have a different story to tell from making the step from Sunday morning football to disbanding to reforming and most importantly enjoying playing football again; well done to both team.

Games to catch on Saturday 5th April.

As you would expect at this part of the season, there are games to catch that would appear to have more riding on them, but at the end of the day its just another 3 points towards the team objective to win.

My pick of the games this week is at Broadpark where a Kingsteignton Athletic side will be licking their wounds and looking forward to stopping Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves surging towards the top of the table. There is also a tasty local derby at the Millennium Pitches where Windmill come up against an unbeaten True Blues team in the Dartmouth Cup; this is one of two chances for the Rangers boys to get their hands on silverware in their first season in the Torbay Clearance Services League. In Division Two, Liverton United meet East Allington Seconds at Halford in a fixture where both are in the mix for promotion and defeat for either could confirm another season in the same division. And in Division Four, Kingskerswell play their final league game at home to Newton Rovers Seconds where a win for the home team will secure a 100% record in their first season back in the South Devon Football League.

Cup Finals are on the horizon and the first is on Friday 11th April at Newton Rec with a 7pm kick off. Liverton Utd Seconds meet East Allington Utd Seconds in the Fred Hewings Cup. There is limited parking on site, but a full bar and food service will be available.

The following week, we have two fantastic games to offer: first up on Tuesday 15th April, again at Newton Rec, is Herald Cup semi-final number 1. Waldon Athletic versus East Allington United will kick off at 7pm; further details to follow in next week’s issue.

This is followed by the Les Bishop Final on Thursday 17th April; what a way to start your Easter weekend: Templer Way versus Kingskerswell with details to follow next week.

Enjoy your grassroots football.

herald cup final 2022 windmill v kingsteignton

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.

ilsington villa torbay clearance services sdfl premier division winners 2023 2024
23/24 Premier Division winners – Ilsington Villa. Photo contributed by SDFL.
newton abbot spurs torbay clearance services sdfl division one winners 2023 2024
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.

newton abbot 66 herald cup final 2024
The Newton ’66 skipper lifts the Herald Cup presented by Torbay Clearance Services
newton 66 herald cup final 2024
Sixes celebrate their victory
tom lowe newton abbot 66 herald cup final 2024
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!!