Injury Blow for Stoke Keeper – Full SWPL Round-up
Dom’s Injury the Low Point of a Miserable Trip South for Stoke
by Tom Besford
Photo (c) Sport South Devon
What was due to be a nice day out in South Cornwall in the summer sun turned out to be a traumatic day for all concerned with Stoke Gabriel as the Devon based club had to travel home again a man light.
Stoke started the stronger, had several good attacks and almost scored a cracking goal when a half-way line effort from youngster Neil Last flew just over the bar after the forward saw the home ‘keeper wandering off his line. The visitors duly took the lead with 40 minutes on the clock when a Matt Micklewright shot took a deflection off the defender before finding its way to the feet of Olly Critchlow who rammed home the loose ball. Stoke doubled their lead 60 seconds later when a superb ball over the top of the defence by Last was hit past the ‘keeper, off the post and in by Sam Dicken.
Stoke didn’t really come out for the second half and were left chasing the Falmouth front men who had attack after attack on the visitors’ goal. All this pressure paid off when they were awarded a soft penalty midway through the half. The referee judged a foul by Dom Aplin (pictured), penalising him with a yellow card. Harry Evans beat the hapless Aplin into the bottom corner.
Tragedy then followed for the visitors as a horror tackle on Aplin left him down on the floor with a suspected broken leg and needing to be carried up the stairs and back into the changing rooms where an ambulance was called for. With a lot of toing and froing between the touchline and the changing rooms, the game seemed to become forgotten with the main focus making sure Aplin was staying nice and calm until the paramedics turned up.
Back to the game and Falmouth managed to get an equaliser with five minutes to go when Rob Wearne converted past stand in ‘keeper Robbie Bowker. The hosts then scored the winner with a minute to go when they were awarded another penalty. A handball from Falmouth frontman Kayne Trevaskis saw the referee give the decision the wrong way. Wearne scored his second penalty of the game, just out of the reach of Bowker, as the referee blew for full time after only a minimal amount of one minute added on.
FT: Falmouth Town 3 – 2 Stoke Gabriel
And it seemed that no Premier points were destined for South Devon this weekend, Torpoint Athletic winning 4-3 away at bottom side Bovey Tracey.
Division One East:
Roe Hat-Trick Helps Teigns Secure Derby Double
by Martin Jones
Having previously beaten Liverton 7-0 at Coombe Valley on 23rd August, Teignmouth completed their first double of the season with a comfortable 5-1 win at Liverton’s Halford ground.
A slow start saw little action until the 20th minute when Hayden Roe set up Craig Stonelake who saw his volley parried over the crossbar by home ‘keeper Behan. The ensuing corner was partially cleared and Scott Baxter drove a 30-yard strike against the foot of the post. On 27 minutes Ryan Bush’s cross was volleyed home from close range by Roe to give Teigns the lead and a minute later Bush beat the home defence and curled a shot against the woodwork. Liverton came back as the half drew to a close and Teigns ‘keeper Aaron Ibbetson was alert to save well at the feet of a home forward.
Three minutes into the second half, Bush doubled the lead, latching onto Isaac Reed’s drive and turning sharply to score from six yards. On the hour, Behan spilled Ian Wilkinson’s stinging 30-yard free kick giving Roe a simple tap in for his second and Teigns’ third goal. Reed made it 4-0 in the 72nd minute with a drilled 25-yard effort which hit the inside of the post before nestling in the back of the net. Roe flick home Reed’s corner in the 80th minute for his hat-trick and Teigns’ fifth before the home side grabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time through their star player Tom Reeves.
FT: Liverton United 1 – 5 Teignmouth
Williams Wins Point for ten-man Spurs as Dyson Takes Charge
Newton Abbot Spurs put in a much better performance against Exwick Villa but had to make do with a point from an end to end encounter at the Rec. In manager Adam Dyson’s first game in charge, Carl Bradley returned to the starting line up while Charlie Robinson started his first game of the season for the first team.
Spurs started brightly but rarely threatened Fred Tonkin in the visitors goal and it was the away side that had the first meaningful efforts of the game, but Spurs’ Shaun Hooton was equal to two Callum Hoare efforts. Spurs’ first real effort came on 21 minutes through Jake Elms but his angled drive was pushed over the bar by Tonkin. Elms was involved in Spurs’ next effort, on the half hour mark; his jinking run created space for a pass to Carl Bradley who beat his marker but saw his drilled effort saved by the legs of Tonkin.
Spurs were dealt a blow just two minutes into the second half as Harry Taylor converted from the spot after Spurs’ Chris Metters had halted Hoare’s run. The goal acted as a wake up call to Spurs as they dominated the remaining minutes of the match. Tom Sercombe shot wide on 50 minutes after good work from the energetic Matt Williams, before Charlie Robinson shot wide seven minutes later from the edge of the area. Sercombe almost equalised just after the hour mark, inches away from connecting to Williams’ low cross, before Elms was thwarted by Tonkin from close range as the hosts sensed an equaliser was close. Thankfully for Spurs, that goal came 16 minutes from time and it was Williams who provided it. Good work from Bradley found Williams latching onto a through ball and, as Tonkin closed the winger down, he passed the ball through the legs of Villa’s number one and into the unguarded net. Spurs were reduced to ten men with eight minutes of normal time on the clock through Joe Andrews’ reckless tackle and Exwick almost made Spurs pay in the first minute of injury time, but Taylor’s curling effort drifted wide of Hooton’s right-hand post.
“As a unit we worked very hard…with the way we have been playing, a point is actually a good result” – Adam Dyson, Newton Abbot Spurs
A disappointing result for Spurs considering the amount of chances they had, but manager Dyson was happy to stop the four game losing streak.
“The effort is there. We have got the players without a doubt to do something this season,” said Dyson. “We need a little bit more quality; we were missing Shaun Bowden today, but maybe we could do with a little bit more diversity in the squad.
“Matty did well today but as a unit we worked very hard. And we had our chances; we really could have scored a lot of goals.
“So perhaps I am disappointed to just get a point, but with the way we have been playing a point is actually a good result.”
Next week Spurs travel to Tavistock in the first round of the Walter C Parson cup. Spurs have already travelled to Langsford Park in the league and were on the wrong end of a 4-1 defeat. Adam Dyson hopes to be available for that game after being ineligible for the game against Exwick Villa.
FT: Newton Abbot Spurs 1 – 1 Exwick Villa
[box] More detailed reports and team info to come from the other South Devon Peninsula sides, but in the meantime, here is the round-up adapted from the League website at www.swpleague.co.uk [/box]
All 18 East clubs were in league action with Galmpton and Teignmouth both winning and pulling further clear of a faltering chasing pack. Galmpton United were made to work hard for a 3-1 win at home to bottom side Axminster Town as they remain undefeated. Plymstock United celebrated playing their first home game of the season with a 3-1 win over Totnes & Dartington at Dean Cross, whilst Crediton United carried on their improved form as they won 3-1 away at Brixham AFC.
