Retribution for Stoke while Galmpton gallop on – Full SWPL Round-up
Swift Retribution for Stoke but Away Day Woes Continue
by Tom Besford
Stoke Gabriel picked up their second victory on Saturday in what was a tough game against a tough Godolphin Atlantic side who won the reverse fixture 5-2 just seven days earlier.
The hosts took the lead when, midway through the second half, Dave Worthington tapped home a cross from a few yards out after a ball from Nick Rudge on the right. Godolphin were then reduced to ten late in the half when Aaron Dilley, who scored Atlantic’s opener in the away match, got sent off for a two-footed tackle on Steve Bowker which also saw Bowker leaving the pitch injured and both teams having to complete the game with ten men, Stoke having already made all three of their subs. In the final minute of the match, Stoke made all three points certain after Dave Worthington was brought down for a stonewall penalty. Robbie Bowker took the spot-kick, beating the Godolphin keeper from twelve yards to complete the scoring.
A long journey back down to Cornwall for Godolphin, and it didn’t start in the best way as a bust-up between a couple of players on the bus ended with two of them being left behind as the bus drove out the ground and down the lane.
Another much-needed three points for Stoke, but they are yet to secure one away from home, going down to Cullompton Rangers 2-1 on Tuesday night. But it was the visitors who almost took the lead after just under quarter of an hour when a left footed volley by Karl Baker stunned the hands of Sidley Adams in the home goal. Instead it was the hosts who netted first after twenty minutes when a fine cross from the right came flying off Danny Baily’s thigh, finding its way into the top corner past a helpless Dom Aplin.Things went from bad to worse for the Railwaymen five minutes later when an off-the-ball elbow saw the referee reach into his back pocket, only to show the red card to what seemed to be the wrong player, giving the innocent Tom Kelly his marching orders and an early shower. This gave Cullompton a bit more room to move the ball around the park and put the hosts on the front foot until a few minutes before the break when the playing numbers were levelled. It was a stupid red card for Toby Gostling who, in a moment of madness, while already on a yellow card, decided to deliberately intercept a pass with his hand.
Stoke man of the match Nick Rudge shot just wide of the target in the second half as the darkness drew in before Stoke equalised after 65 minutes: a free kick on the edge of the box taken by centre-back Ryan Beattie smashed through the wall and into the top corner, out of the reach of Rangers’ keeper Connor Sidley Adams. The match then died down a bit with a few shots dragged just wide and hit just over. When it looked like the points were to be shared, Cullompton forward Danny Baily won the match for the hosts, slamming the ball into the top corner for his second of the match on 92 minutes, after the Stoke defence had failed to clear.
FT (Sat): Stoke Gabriel 2 – 0 Godolphin Atlantic
FT (Tue): Cullompton Rangers 2 – 1 Stoke Gabriel
Bovey Tracey were in FA Vase action, but their adventure will go no further than the Preliminary Round, the Moorlanders going down to a single goal at Newquay’s Mount Wise.
Division One East:
Spurs Rue Missed Chances as Teigns Stay in Contention
by Martin Jones
Teigns ran out comfortable winners in Saturday’s local derby with Newton Abbot Spurs at Coombe Valley, but things could have been so different if Spurs had taken their early chances. In the first 15 minutes, the visitors created three clear-cut opportunities, their best effort striking the post with home ‘keeper Aaron Ibbetson beaten. Teigns held out and took the lead in the 35th minute, against the run of play, when Sam Chapman played Adam Dyson in; Dyson made no mistake, lifting the ball over the Spurs ‘keeper to open the scoring against his former club with only his first chance. Eight minutes later, Dyson latched onto Chapman’s chipped pass and lashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net to double the lead; two chances two goals.
With the cushion of a two goal lead, Teigns were more composed in the second half but didn’t add to their tally until the 76th minute when sub Ryan Bush received Craig Stonelake’s pass and drove the ball home from the angle of the six-yard box to put Teigns 3-0 ahead. In the 84th minute, Bush’s mazy run into the penalty area was ended with a reckless challenge that saw Teigns awarded a penalty. Hayden Roe made no mistake and calmly stroked the spot-kick home for Teigns’ fourth and final goal.
The win keeps Teignmouth in pursuit of unbeaten leaders Galmpton United, after the set-back of a Wednesday night defeat at Budleigh Salterton. It was their second defeat, Craig Stonelake’s 35th minute red card reducing them to ten men. They battled hard but the hosts scored three second half goals to take the points.
FT (Sat): Teignmouth 4 – 0 Newton Abbot Spurs
FT (Wed): Budleigh Salterton 3 – 0 Teignmouth
[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]
Leaders Galmpton United were the days biggest scorers with a 7-1 thrashing of Budleigh Salterton and they are now the only unbeaten side in the table after Appledore lost 1-2 at home to a Totnes & Dartington side who had not won since the opening day. Brixham AFC had a first home win since the opening week with a 6-0 result against bottom of the table Axminster Town. The University of Exeter completed the set of home victors with a 4-1 win at Topsham Road over visiting Liverton United.
