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 15^th 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 22^nd 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 2^nd and 3^rd 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 25^th 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 3^rd 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 17^th 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 5^th 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 11^th 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.

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

Enjoy your grassroots football.