Stoke Seal Title with A Game to Spare
Stoke Gabriel were crowned champions of the South West Peninsula Division One East tonight after their 8-2 win at Liverton United put them above Teignmouth who had finished their games.
The win means that Saturday’s trip to the University of Exeter can be a relaxed affair in sharp contrast to last season’s final day drama which saw them relegated from the Premier Division. Ollie Critchlow set the Railwaymen on their way with an 8th minute strike, Ollie Booth with the second nine minutes later. Sean Finch’s double in the 30th and 35th minutes saw the visitors cruise towards half-time with one hand already on the trophy although the Lillies did pull one back before the break.
Stoke repeated their first half achievement in the second although it did take a while longer for goal number five to arrive, Lewis Woodmore with that strike. Neil Last pulled a second back for Liverton before Finch, who had of course played for the home side earlier in the campaign, completed his hat-trick with 73 minutes on the clock. Three minutes later, Critchlow hit his second of the match and there was time for one more goal before the end to complete a convincing 8-2 final scoreline which confirms the club’s return to the Premier Division for 2017/18.
At the other end of the table, Exwick Villa live to fight another day after beating Totnes and Dartington 3-1 at home.
