NEWTON Abbot Spurs 3rds hoisted the Fred Hewings Cup aloft at the home of Buckfastleigh Rangers after their penalty shootout success against Newton 66 2nds, reports Alastair Muirden.

The score was level at two goals apiece after 90 minutes on Friday night, Frank Orynik and Rhys Fewings scoring for Spurs and Jono & Russ Ellis notching for 66.

After a goalless extra-time, attentions turned to penalties with Taylor Breslan standing tall as the hero. The Spurs shot-stopper kept out three spot-kicks and his side won 3-1.

Saturday’s games were full of shocks and bruises so let’s start with the bruises. In the Premier Division’s knockout Belli Cup, the Plymouth derby between True Blues and Lakeside Ath lived up to the pre-match billing.

True Blues showed grit to come back from 3-nil down at half-time to force extra time and then win on penalties.

The other Belli Cup game went with the form book when Windmill booked a place in their divisional semi-final for the second consecutive season, Brodie Simpson notching a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over a much-improved Buckfastleigh Rangers side.

In the Division One Dartmouth Cup, Elburton Villa beat Watcombe Wanderers by five goals to three to add yet another fixture to their gruelling April and May schedule

Bovey Tracey are another team with a lot of league games to play and they also had a good result, running out 5-2 victories over a weakened Liverton United. Goals came from Ben Moyle, Ollie Bourne, Owen Caldwell and Rory Wolfe.

Babbacombe Corries progressed in the Division Two knockout with a 4-1 win against Harbertonford. Kingskerswell beat Galmpton United by a single goal in the Div Three Ronald Cup and Div Four leaders Chudleigh Ath 2nds edged Barton Ath 2nds out of their cup clash via penalties.

In the Torbay Clearance Premier Division, Ilsington Villa’s title hopes were dented in a 1-nil defeat to East Allington Utd in a fantastic game of football that brought out the best in the Pirates and in Finn Bullen who remains one of the top strikers in the competition.

Chudleigh Ath and Newton Abbot 66 shared the points in a 1-1 draw in a game that both teams could have felt more comfortable with all three points, but sometimes you need to keep a full complement of players on the pitch to do that. It was reported to have been a stop-start messy affair which saw three sin bins.

Totnes and Dartington will no doubt be glad to see the back of this season and press the reset button after this week’s 9 -1 loss at the hands of Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds. The Tots have struggled all season to put two sides out which is such a shame for the Belli Cup holders with a great club ethic to be struggling to attract young players at this time.

Spurs are still in with a chance of a top three finish. Paignton Saints remain in a positive mode and a 2-1 win at Kingsteignton Ath heaps more worries of a season end relegation battle for the Rams which would have been unthinkable in any other season.

In Division One, Watts Blake Bearne continue to plough through whoever is put in front of them and a 10-2 demolition of Brixham Town will have a different effect on both teams.

Ashton Sowerby was a hat-trick hero for the Claymen and after a great first half of the season, the fishermen find themselves struggling to put out two teams each week as players seem to find other activities on a Saturday. That seems to be the way it is at the moment.

It wasn’t just the football that caught the eye at Abbrook Park either with a late stoppage in play required to help a hedgehog back off of the pitch. The WBB player who took off his shirt to deal with the intruder was not booked by the referee.

Mount Gould are also one of the teams to beat in this division and Paignton Villa came close. The final score was 1-nil to the Plymouth-based team thanks to a single strike from Jake McLean that takes them a step closer to another promotion.

At the other end of the table Buckland Ath continue to improve and another three points, this time versus Beesands Rovers by three goals to one, will give the young Bucks every hope of staying in Division One. Ben Clark and Ben Jolly both scored for Buckland and there was an own goal in their favour too.

In Division Two, Signal Box moved three points closer to the league title with a comprehensive 5-nil win at Bakers Park against Newton Rovers.

Paignton Villa 2nds and Drake shared a 1-1 draw in a game that was played without a referee and both remain contenders for a top-three spot (full report on Davesworld) and Paignton Saints 2nds put a dent in the hopes of Ashburton with a 4-3 victory in a tough game for all.

Ipplepen Ath produced a shock result in beating Kingsteignton Ath 2nds by three goals to nil. The Pens will be glad to get some more points on the board but they remain one of five teams that could go down a division.

In the only other Division Three game played, Stoke Gabriel TP 2nds enjoyed a 6-2 home win in a South Hams derby clash against Totnes & Dartington 2nds.

Finally, congratulations to Kingsbridge & Kellaton Utd in Division Gour as they picked up another three points in a 3-nil home win versus Broadhempston Utd to put them into contention for a mid-table season.

This would be a welcome break from the recent seasons of struggle for the family-run club, Well done to Tina and Andy and thank you for what you do for South Devon football.

Buckland Athletic’s Homers Heath is playing host to a Herald Cup semi-final on Friday, April 17, kindly sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services.

Can WBB from Division One cause a cupset when they face a Lakeside Athletic side bruised from a Belli Cup defeat in what should be a great advert for South Devon League football?

There is plenty of parking and a full bar and food service will be provided by the host club.