Spurs Back to the Top after Win at Exwick
Newton Abbot Spurs edged past Crediton United to retake pole position in the South West Peninsula Division One East. Spurs returned from bottom club Exwick Villa with a 3-1 victory but they were also helped by Brixham AFC who held Creddy at Wall Park.
It was another blistering start for Spurs who put themselves two up within the first ten minutes – not bad for a side which hadn’t kicked a ball since their win over Stoke back on 2nd November! Adam Dyson opened up the scoring after his deflected back-heel, from Liam Jones’ low right-sided cross, beat Josh McLean in the home side’s goal. Jones almost made it two minutes later, but his low drive was saved. It didn’t take the visitors long to notch again though, Jake Chisholm’s strike blocked but Shaun Bowden on hand to set up Dyson for his second, drilled across McLean and into the corner. Exwick Villa regrouped and fashioned a good chance of their own but Levi Edwardson narrowly missed converting a Louis Jagger-Lane free-kick which would have reduced the deficit after 13 minutes. Dyson then had a good chance to extend the margin and claim his hat-trick but his header, from George Dandridge’s cross, was cleared off the line. Dandridge tested McLean’s gloves a minute later but it was the hosts who scored next, Adam Jason-Ryan returning a cleared Jagger-Lane corner with interest, beating Matt Bojar to bring them right back into contention.
In a second half battle, as much against the worsening pitch as their opponents, neither side created much, Jones’ corner headed over by Mark Brooke on the hour mark in one rare chance. As the game wore on, Exwick pressed for an equaliser but were finished off three minutes from time, Joe Andrews clearing a home free-kick to Dyson who put Jones through into the box. The midfielder did well to beat a defender before hitting the ball over the advancing McLean and into the net.
More good news was to filter through from Wall Park as Spurs learned that Crediton United had been held 2-2 by Brixham AFC, a result which put Spurs top of the table on goal difference. Graham Mercieca and Andy Deare scored equalisers in both halves for the Fishermen who were bouncing back from a heavy defeat at Teignmouth.
Elsewhere, Galmpton United were held 1-1 at Axminster Town, Teignmouth enjoyed another 3-0 victory, away at Liverton United and Stoke Gabriel hammered Totnes and Dartington 6-0.
