Dartmouth and Roselands Start the New Year With Wins
Two South Devon games survived the weather on 2nd January, both in the South Devon Football League, but they delivered the goals – 14 between them.
In the Premier Division, a hat-trick in each half for Dartmouth AFC hot shot Karl Baker (pictured) saw the unbeaten Darts come away from Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves with a 6-0 victory, moving them two points behind second placed Buckland Athletic Reserves with a game in hand.
In Division Two, table-toppers Roselands met Newton United for the third time this season hoping for three points to extend their lead. But United had other ideas and almost spoilt the party, pushing the league leaders all the way. In fact, the visitors led the game twice, at 1-2 and 2-3, and could have scored more but for a good save from Roselands stopper Brad Corderoy. Instead, Roselands dug in and completed a 5-3 victory.
The first half saw Roselands wing-back Jerrad Routledge put them into an early lead, ten minutes in. The home side fashioned two more chances as they looked to extend that lead, but Newton United ‘keeper Wayne Pearce was in good form, keeping out Roselands striker Luke Steward. This seemed to inspire United, who had looked dangerous on set pieces, and a 15 minute spell saw Jamie Lock and Jordan Ewing score from good free kicks delivered into the Roselands box to give the visitors the half-time edge.
A few positional changes were made by the Roselands management and they duly upped their game. On 58 minutes, midfielder James Beech poked the ball over the line to level the scores. But Newton once again came back with yet another set piece into a dangerous area resulting in Ewing notching his second goal for Newton. Roselands launched an onslaught for the remaining part of the game, despite inspired keeping from Pearce, and the goals came thick and fast courtesy of talented Tom Dunlop’s brace and a second goal for Beech.
The win extends Roselands lead over Watcombe Wanderers Reserves to six points and maintains their status as the only SDFL side yet to drop a point in this campaign.
