Tag: morley rangers

harbertonford fc flooded

Former Grecian Afful puts 5 past Morley as Waldon start 2004 in style

TORBAY CLEARANCE SERVICES, SOUTH DEVON FOOTBALL LEAGUE. WEEKLY MATCH REPORTS 6th JANUARY, report by Alastair Muirden. Photo of Harbertonford’s flooded pitch contributed by SDFL

The South Devon Football League resumed play following a winter break, but the recent wet weather took its toll, and a large number of teams had an extra week off. In fact, it has been so wet the league management allowed clubs to call off their games 2 days prior to the Saturday. Harbertonford FC reported that not one blade of grass was visible above the water level and a swimming gala would be more appropriate (pictured).

In the games that did take place, Morley Rangers were given a new year shock by Waldon Athletic who put 7 goals past the Plymstock team to move themselves into fourth place in the Premier Division; former Exeter City player Les Afful scored 5 of the goals, and with singles from Josh Clarke and Lewis Eaton, this was certainly a happy New Year for Steve Breed and his Torquay outfit. Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Kingsteignton Athletic have moved into third place and must be considered serious contenders again. Billy Bristow scored twice for the Rams in a close 2 – 1 home win over rivals Newton Abbot ’66 who, following a good run of results, now find themselves just 3 points above the drop zone. The only other game in this division was down in the South Hams at Loddiswell where Beesands Rovers slipped up against Buckfastleigh Rangers who were playing their first game since 25/11; a single strike from Tom Weymouth secured the points and both teams remain mid-table.

In Division One, Paignton Saints moved back to poll position following an excellent 7 – 1 win against promotion rivals Brixham Town; Curtis Clarke scored 2 and the others were spread between Max Burrows, Ben Clarke, Jamie Micklewright, Joshua Pagget and Lewis Walton. The result drops Brixham to fifth place, but all the challengers have games in hand over the leaders. The big game at the bottom of this division saw Upton Athletic take 3 valuable points from Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds who have yet to win a league game; Alfie Slough, Shaun Johannsen and Jake James were on target for the Torquay team, and Bucks could do with some of their cup form turning up for a league game as their cup quarter final is looming.

In Division Two of the Torbay Clearance Services league, two of the promotion candidates met at on the artificial pitch at Coach Road; Paignton Saints Seconds ended the game with 9 players on the pitch following some disagreements with the referee. The game itself ended in a bore draw, but the point each keeps East Allington Seconds top for now. A big well done to Paignton Villa Seconds who won their first game of the season against fellow strugglers Ipplepen Athletic Seconds, and Waldon Athletic Seconds also picked up a rare win versus Brixham Town Seconds who have found the step up from Division Three too much of a challenge. These four teams remain the bottom four in Division Two.

In Division Three, Watcombe Wanderers Seconds hired an artificial pitch to get their game against Kingsbridge and Kellaton played and it paid off; the Greens stay top with a 4-nil win thanks to a Simon Ross hat-trick and a single from Harvey Hickman. Totnes and Dartington Seconds moved into second place with a 3 – 1 home win against Teign Village; the Tots are now 6 points behind Watcombe with 2 games in hand; Ben Davies, Joshua Squires and Jordan Baxter were the men on target.

Only two games were played in Division Four; the big game at the top saw Plymouth based Drake FC hold on to their unbeaten start in adult football; a 2-nil win at Chudleigh Athletic Seconds, with goals from Callum Collings and Ben Webster, keeps them on course and in second place behind Kingsteignton Athletic Seconds whose game was off. The other game was at South Brent where the reserves won 5 – 2 against fellow strugglers Newton Rovers Seconds; both teams remain in the bottom three.

With the weather forecast looking good for the week ahead, hopefully the grounds volunteers will be able to work off those mince pies and we should have a full program of fixtures on Saturday 13th January. Some great games to watch on Saturday are – and in no particular order as the Herald Cup takes centre stage – Beesands Rovers hosting Ilsington Villa in an all-Premier game, there is a potential giant-killing at Brixham Town who host Waldon Athletic and Division Three Stoke Gabriel TP Seconds welcome Premier League strugglers East Allington United. Just a reminder that these games start at 2pm as extra time and the dreaded penalties are used in this competition. You can view the other games being played on full-time (click the link on the top right of this page). Have a good weekend supporting grassroots football.

newton rovers v watts blake bearne reserves

New Boys Continue to Set the Pace in the Premier

Newton Rovers (purple) will face a tough test at fellow unbeaten side Bovey Tracey Reserves in Division Three. Photo © Al Macphee/MiraclePR.com

Report contributed by SDFL.

Two of the promoted teams continue to set the pace in the Torbay Clearance Services SDFL Premier League in the form of Morley Rangers and Ilsington Villa.

Dalton Brammer and Corbin Mackin were again on the score sheet, inflicting a first defeat in 12 months on last season’s Division One champions Beesands Rovers by 3 goals to 2. Just up the A38 at the Duckspond, Ilsington Villa won a 9 goal thriller against Buckfastleigh Rangers; Daniel and brother Jack Langford were on target with Matt Warman and Jamie Soper. Both these teams meet each other this weekend in the league at Plymstock School which should be on your calendar as game of the day.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Newton Abbot ’66 continued their unbeaten start with a fine 4 goals to 2 win down in the South Hams at East Allington United. The local derby between WBB and Kingsteignton Athletic ended with a share of the points in a 2 – 2 draw, and Chudleigh Athletic got their first win of the season with a fine 7 – 1 victory at Brixham AFC Seconds.

In Division One, 5 teams remain unbeaten with Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds setting the pace; Calum Noyce hit a hat-trick and Calum Fyce added himself to the scoresheet in a 4-nil win at fellow new boys Buckland Athletic Seconds. Ivybridge Town Seconds got their second win of the season, following relegation from the Premier League, with a 3 – 1 win against Buckfastleigh Rangers Seconds, and Brixham Town are in good form, winning 3 – 2 at Totnes and Dartington. Watcombe Wanderers remain in third place with a comfortable 4 – 1 win at home to a young Paignton Villa team who are rebuilding following the departure of last season’s manager, and Paignton Saints finally got their league season up and running with a hard fought 4 – 2 victory at Windmill Hill against Babbacombe Corries. A mention must also go to Harbertonford who, thanks to Sebastian and Daniel Looker, took the points against a hot and cold Upton Athletic to get their season up and running.

In Division Two, 3 teams remain unbeaten: Bovey Tracey Seconds had the stand out win with a 4 – 2 victory against Paignton Saints Seconds who, last season, were in the Premier Division, Ryan Stanbridge and Ceesay Mballow on the scoresheet for the Moorlanders. Newton Rovers also got their second win of the season in a 9 goal thriller at Bakers Park against an Ipplepen Athletic Seconds team who should be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. Newton Abbot Spurs Thirds remain well-placed with goals from Deven Webb, Jack Tayler, Nathen Cole and Luis and Owen Green helping them to a 6 – 3 win at home to WBB Seconds.

In Division Three, after 3 games its only Watcombe Wanderers Seconds and Ashburton with a perfect record. Simon Ross scored 7 goals in a 17 -1 thrashing of Paignton Saints Thirds who are yet to put some points on the board. Ashburton had a tighter game winning 3 – 2 at Osborne Park against Newton Abbot ’66 Seconds. Liverton United, Waldon Athletic Thirds and Teign Village added some league points for themselves with good wins on the day. I am told that Tom Beer enjoyed his first hat-trick for Teign Village in their 6 – 2 home win versus Kingsbridge and Kellaton.

In Division Four, only new boys Drake FC, Elburton Villa Thirds and Liverton United Seconds have yet to drop any points. Drake turned around a half time deficit with goals from Callum Thomas, Ashley Walker and Harrison Jones to win 4 – 2 at Barton Athletic Seconds. The young Elburton Villa lads had a close call at South Brent Seconds but came out on top with a hard fought 2 – 1 win, but result of the day in this division must go to Broadhempston United who picked up their first win of the season with an impressive 8-nil win at home to Watcombe Wanderers Thirds; Marcus Hilditch, David Alford, Joseph Kneen and Micheal Tuff got on the scoresheet whilst the match ball went home with Daniel Wells for his hat-trick. I expect they will need it back for next week!

There are some great games of South Devon League football taking place on Saturday 23rd September, so why not get out in the fresh air and support a local team; all games are on the South Devon League’s Full-Time page (click the relevant buttons on this page) and all kick-offs are at 2.30pm.

Pick of the games are Morley Rangers versus Ilsington Villa at Plymstock School, Kingsteignton Athletic versus Buckfastleigh Rangers and Newton Abbot ’66 versus WBB at Osborne Park. In Division One, Paignton Saints take on Ivybridge Town Seconds on the 4G pitch at Coach Road in Newton Abbot; both teams are yet to drop any points so it should be a great game. The stand out game in Division Two is at Bovey Tracey Seconds where the visitors are Newton Rovers, both unbeaten and looking to continue their good starts to the season. The top two teams in Division Three meet at Long Lane where Watcombe Wanderers Seconds take on Ashburton in what will be a cracking game. The final pick of the week will be at Broadhempston who will welcome Drake FC from Plymouth who no doubt will enjoy the open space at the Headlands in Division Four.

newton abbot 66 v ivybridge town reserves herald cup

Morley Upset Rams in SDFL Opening Day Surprise

SIXES AND SEVENS: Newton Abbot ’66 make the perfect start to their SDFL Premier campaign. Photo ©Al Macphee/MiraclePR.com

The opening weekend of the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League season provided 153 goals and plenty of shock results that were worthy of a double take. Highest scorers of the day were Newton Abbot Spurs Seconds in Division One. Fresh from a poor season in the Devon League, Spurs managed to put 11 goals past a newly built Harbertonford team that will need to dust themselves off and start again. In this division, both Brixham Town and Ivybridge Town got their season under way with solid 4–1 wins, and one of the favourites, Watcombe Wanderers, also started well.

But it really was all about the new teams, as all but one enjoyed an opening day win: South Brent Seconds, Elburton Villa Thirds and Drake F.C. all scored 5 goals with Watcombe Wanderers Thirds going 2 better with 7 against Paignton Villa Thirds. In Division Three, Ashburton F.C. just scraped past Paignton Saints Thirds by the odd goal in 7, and the only new team not to win on opening day was Teign Village who lost 4–1 to Newton Abbot ’66 Seconds. The season did not get off to a good start for Matt Shepherd of Stoke Gabriel TP who broke his leg in two places and had to be taken to hospital in the back of an estate car as there were no ambulances available. The game was delayed for some time as a South Brent player broke his wrist in a separate incident; we wish both players a speedy recovery. Stoke Gabriel TP went on to win the game 6–3. Watcombe Wanderers Seconds completed a hat-trick of wins for the club, and Liverton United got off to a winning start following promotion from Division Four.

The biggest shock results came in the Premier Division where the expected ‘Ramsfest’ at Plymstock failed where champions Kingsteington Athletic lost 6–2 to newly-promoted Morley Rangers, and at Ilsington Villa, who are playing in the Premier Division for the first time in their long history, and got the better of a strong East Allington United side in a 7 goal thriller on the moor. Beesands Rovers, who are back in the top league following an unbeaten season in 22/23, continued the theme with a 2–1 victory at Elburton Villa Seconds. Last season’s runners-up Buckfastleigh Rangers got off to a solid start by beating fancied Watts Blake Bearne 6–2 at the Duckspond. There was a tighter affair at Windmill Hill between two of last season’s relegation candidates, but it was Waldon Athletic who took the points against Chudleigh Athletic, Pete Summerfield rolling back the years with the only goal. The final result was at Osborne Park where Newton Abbott ’66 put 7 goals past a young Brixham AFC Seconds team without reply.