Tag: waldon athletic

Drake Scuppered Near The Hoe

Holders Out: Buckfastleigh Rangers (green), pictured here in last season’s final, are out of the Belli Cup following a 2-1 loss at home to Waldon Athletic. ©Al Macphee/MiraclePR

In the game of the day between the top two teams in Division Four of the Torbay Clearance Services League, Chudleigh Athletic Seconds inflicted the first defeat of the season for Drake FC. In an end-to-end game that was a credit to the South Devon Football League, three goals from the visitors, courtesy of Ben Hamilton-Hill, Gavin Lake and Kai Stocker, secured the points to take back up the A38. The win keeps the Maroons well on course for promotion in second place behind Drake but with fewer games to play. Liverton, Kingsteignton, Elburton and Broadhempston can all catch the top two with their games in hand, and none of these teams played last weekend. The only other league game played in Division Four was at the bottom where South Brent Seconds and Barton Athletic Seconds shared the points in a 2 – 2 draw. Two of the delayed divisional cup first round games finally went ahead and resulted in safe passage to the next round for Elburton Villa Thirds, who who had a comfortable 8 – 1 home win against Babbacombe Corries Seconds, and Liverton United Seconds also took the brakes off, winning 5-nil versus Paignton Villa Thirds.

In Division Three, Liverton United moved into one of the automatic promotion places with a 5-nil win on the 3G at South Devon College against Paignton Saints Thirds. As a club, Liverton have certainly been on a rollercoaster of a journey from twice being crowned champions of the South West Pennisula League at Step 6 in the football pyramid to having just one team in the bottom division of the South Devon Football League, and whilst players will always come and go at a whim, or God forbid they have to sit on the bench, it is the people behind the scenes that pick up the pieces and keep football clubs afloat, and full credit to Sue and Chris Stephens, with Norman cutting the grass when he is able, is the main reason that clubs like Liverton United survive, and with both of their teams growing in confidence, the club is in a positive mode.

There was only one game that survived Fridays downpour in Division Two and that was at Whiterock where Paignton Villa Seconds surrendered to Bovey Tracey Seconds who, with a 5-nil win, remain in fifth place but are now only two points off the top with three games in hand. Lewis Perring and Mathew Churchill got two goals each, and Alistair Chuchuk got a single for the Moorlanders who are looking good for consecutive promotions.

In Divisions One’s only game, Upton Athletic rolled back the years in their relegation six-pointer versus Buckfastleigh Rangers Reserves; a 10 – 1 victory moves them out of the bottom two on goal difference. Sam Lamburn scored four, Jamie Lane hit a hat-trick and there were singles for Callum Dunn, Keiron Nixon and Shaun Johhansen.

Just two Premier games survived, one in the divisional cup and one in the league. Brixham AFC Seconds’ recent good run of form was halted at Loddiswell where Beesands Rovers managed to put a halt to their recent run of poor form and produced a 5 – 1 win that puts them in fifth place but leaves the Fishermen with some work to do. Aiden Bovey was on target for the visitors but strikes from Adam Winkworth, on three minutes, and 17 year-old Alex Smith put the Bees on track; Jack Eades and Louis Brace scored singles which secured the points for the the home team.

Jacob Knapman scores the winning goal for Waldon, from the penalty spot, in their 2-1 Belli Cup win. Photo contributed by SDFL.

The other game was a real heavyweight tussle between two of the Premier league’s more solid teams and the conditions certainly helped them live up to their reputation. Full credit goes to the groundsteam at Buckfastleigh for preparing the pitch to be playable, and full credit to the players for trying to play football in very heavy conditions, and they all had to work hard as the pitch did deteriorate as time went on. Louis Roberts scored in the first half for Waldon Athletic and Jacob Knapman scored the winning goal from the penalty spot following a clumsy challenge which probably was not helped by the sticky conditions to put Waldon into the next round of the George Belli Cup with a mouth-watering home game against Ilsington Villa on 16th March.

Games to catch on Saturday 9th March.

In the Torbay Clearance Services Herald Cup, it’s quarter-final stage and Elburton Villa Reserves (Premier) welcome Newton Spurs Reserves (Division One), Ilsington Villa (Premier) welcome Brixham Town (Division One) and hopefully the two delayed games featuring Newton ’66 (Premier) and South Brent (Division Three) and the all-Premier tie between WBB and Morley Rangers will finally get played. Elsewhere in the divisional cups, Ivybridge Reserves host Paignton Saints which should be a great game. There is another relegation six-pointer at Buckfastleigh where the Reserves host Harbertonford.

For all of this weeks games, click TCSSDFL Fixtures on the menu bar.

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.