Spurs and Teigns edge into Premier Cup Third Round
Throgmorton Devon Premier Cup, Second Round:
Roe Spot-kick the Difference at Ilfracombe
by Martin Jones
Teignmouth made hard work of overcoming North Devon premier league opposition Ilfracombe (although the side were in the Western League until their resignation last year – Ed.) .
Teigns had the perfect start in the 2nd minute; Sam Chapman crossed the ball into the home penalty area and Ryan Bush finished well at the far post to open the scoring. Ilfracombe were there for the taking but Teigns were wasteful in their possession and couldn’t fashion any clear cut chances. Then, with five minutes remaining in the half, Chapman burst through on goal and lashed home Teigns’ second.
A two goal half-time lead should have been the platform on which Teigns could have built a convincing victory but Ilfracombe pulled a goal back in the 48th minute. Liam Jones blocked a long distance shot and a home forward pounced to stab home the loose ball. Five minutes later, the home side were level; confusion in Teigns defence gifted Ilfracombe the equaliser – a simple tap into an unguarded net. Teigns pushed their hosts back on the defensive, and chances went begging, but they were rewarded for their persistence in the 80th minute. Hayden Roe was fouled in the penalty area and the Teigns number nine accurately dispatched the resultant spot-kick to regain the lead for his side and ultimately clinch a deserved victory.
This coming Saturday, Teigns’ first team are back in league action when Sidmouth visit Coombe Valley, kick off time 2.15 pm.
FT: Ilfracombe Town 2 – 3 Teignmouth
‘Jeckyll and Hyde’ Spurs Upset the Appledore Cart
Newton Abbot Spurs’ Jekyll and Hyde form continue as they put two recent league defeats behind them to progress to the next round of the Devon Premier Cup. Spurs reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation that had worked well in the previous round, Tom Sercombe the lone striker with player manager Adam Dyson unavailable. Sean Hooton returned in goal after missing last week’s league defeat to Totnes and Dartington.
The opening half an hour was a very even affair with chances at a premium as both sides looked to gain a foothold. Gary Fisher had Spurs’ first effort on 24 minutes but shot straight at the ‘keeper before the same player headed narrowly over four minutes later from Jake Elms’ corner. Spurs weren’t to be denied for long as they took the lead on the half hour mark through a swift counter-attack. Jake Chisholm’s ball out to the left found Dean Stevens who beat his man before sending in an inviting cross which evaded Appledore’s Mark Thorne, Sercombe on hand to tap home from five yards out. The visitors from North Devon almost hit back immediately but Hooton got his fingertips to Danny Jenkins’ close range effort. Spurs’ Matt Williams extended Appledore’s Ollie Rieler on the stroke of half time but Spurs went in with just the one goal lead.
Sercombe should have extended that lead a minute after the break but could only shoot straight at Rieler after good work from Fisher and Williams. Appledore had their best chance to equalise on 55 minutes, Spurs’ Kevin Dadd bringing down Cory Hynd. But Niall Heeney’s penalty was denied by an excellent save from Hooton. Sercombe again went close to extending Spurs’ lead but could only find the outstretched foot of Rieler 20 minutes into the second half before. The home side finally did extend their lead on 71 minutes to all but seal their passage into the next round. A quickly taken free-kick from Stevens found Fisher ghosting in behind Mark Cann; he controlled on his chest before poking the ball past Rieler. Appledore threw eveything at Spurs in the last ten minutes and pulled a goal back eight minutes from time to set up a frantic finale, Heeney making no mistake from the spot this time after Chris Metters had handled in the area. But Spurs managed to see out the game to gain a morale boosting win and progress to the next round.
Next week, Spurs return to league action when they travel to Okehampton Argyle; 2.15pm kick off
FT: Newton Abbot Spurs 2 – 1 Appledore
Cards Galore as Exmouth Earn a Draw Against 10 Man Stoke
by Tom Besford
After going a goal down against St Austell after just two minutes, seven days previously, Stoke looked for a strong start against an Exmouth side who cruised to a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture earlier this season. No-one could have expected what was to follow as an Exmouth opener after just three minutes kicked off a flowing end-to-end match with plenty of off the ball battles as well. James Ansell was the Exmouth man who put his side one up early on as he tapped home from close range. This early goal really started Stoke’s engines as some fantastic flowing football was produced, and in time this paid off. Only a couple of minutes later the hosts were awarded a free kick; Robbie Bowker whipped the set piece into the box only for Dan Boere to put past his own keeper while under pressure from Steve Bowker. This led to numerous complaints from the Exmouth players who were all claiming that Bowker had fouled Boere but the referee stuck with his decision as he made his way back to the halfway line with a crowd of red shirts following him. This is where the game started to turn for the worse as off the ball battles led to mini scuffles including several bookings being dished out as the ref tried to regain control before consulting his linesman to ask who had done what in the aftermath. When the action turned back to the football, it was Stoke who had the better chances as Dave Worthington, trying to repeat the magic of his long range lob on the opening day of the season against Launceston – the team’s first premier league goal, saw his effort headed on to the bar and off the line by ex-Exeter City player Barry McConnell. The Railwaymen took the lead for the first and only time in the match after 23 minutes; a Jake White pass out to Tom Kelly on the right wing was launched forward as the right back sprinted past all the players in red to receive the ball again and cross into the box where Worthington received. His goalbound effort was deflected off the defender and past the ‘keeper Jordan Hockhold. It was a right wing partnership which was working magic for Stoke, leaving the Exmouth defence turned inside out as they tried to stop them from exploiting the flanks. Exmouth almost equalised ten minutes before the break when Dan Boere, trying to restore parity after his own goal, headed an Ace High cross just over the bar as the visitors pushed for an equaliser. The game then turned bad for Stoke as Steve Bowker, who had already picked up a suspension after receiving his fifth yellow of the season earlier in the game, got sent off after picking up his second booking of the match. The ball brushed past Bowker as the Exmouth players all appealed for a hand ball and the referee reached into his back pocket to produce a red. This rather angered the home players as they felt that the red card had been produced on the shout of the visiting players and the game was held up for another couple of minutes as more handbags were going on between the two teams. Town made that man advantage count as they scored the equaliser in the last minute of the half; a mistake by defender Frazer Clark meant the ball dropped to Ace High who headed past a helpless Nathan Murphy in the Gabriel goal.
The second half produced more of the same end-to-end football but it was the ten men of Stoke that still looked most likely to win; but the Exmouth back line held strong to deny lone striker Olly Critchlow any shots. Stoke had a few penalty shouts in the second half as man of the match striker Critchlow, who gave 110 per cent effort, was getting bullied up top, but both penalties were turned down. The first shout was denied as the linesman claimed the foul was outside of the box, while the second appeal went against Critchlow as he and ‘keeper Hockhold both slid for the ball in a fifty-fifty challenge. The referee gave the foul against the forward and booked him for his troubles. After many Stoke attempts were denied by the Exmouth back line, it looked like it was going to be one of those days where both teams would have to settle for the draw; but Ace High had different ideas as the clock ticked into the 96th minute. Ace shot from range, out wide, but could only watch as the ball smacked against the post with the last kick of the game leaving the goal shaking as the players shook hands and left the field.
It was a game that Stoke will very much be thinking they deserved to win, as a strong Exmouth back line prevented everything in the second half, Stoke giving a full-hearted performance.
Stoke Gabriel: Nathan Murphy, Jake White, Ryan Beattie, Frazer Clark, Mark Ashworth, Steve Bowker, Rob Bowker, Dave Worthington, Tom Kelly, Olly Critchlow, Ryan O’Callaghan, Sam Dicken, Ben Brown, Scott Beattie, Matt Micklewright, Kernius Zakaras
Exmouth Town: James Hockhold, Ian Packett, Ben Clay, Kevin Hill, Barry McConnell, Dan Clay, Carl Rickard, James Ansell, Ace High, Dan Boere, Jordan Hopkins, Tyler Dobinson, Jamie Moore, Alex Greening,
FT: Stoke Gabriel 2 – 2 Exmouth Town
[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]
Premier Division:
On Tuesday night, Leaders Ivybridge Town had a 5-1 home win over Cullompton Rangers at Erme Valley whilst at the opposite end of the table, Elburton Villa pulled themselves clear of danger with a narrow but vital 2-1 win over bottom side Bovey Tracey.
Then on Saturday, Ivybridge moved an incredible 12 points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played more than their rivals, after a 4-1 win away at second placed Bodmin Town. Callington Town moved up a place to 12th after a 2-1 win away at bottom of the table Bovey Tracey.
Throgmorton Devon Premier Cup, Second Round/Division One East:
In the Premier Cup, the University of Exeter won 3-2 away at Galmpton United in an all-East tie. With most sides on Cup duty there were just two Division One East fixtures. Okehampton Argyle climbed into the top ten with a 3-1 win over Brixham AFC at Simmons Park, whilst Liverton United climbed two places to 15th after they won 3-2 away at South Devon rivals Totnes & Dartington.
