Spurs 3rds take top spot with victory at Coach Road

EIGHT games survived Storm Austen on Saturday, October 24, across the six divisions of the South Devon Football League, reports Alastair Muirden.

There are new leaders in Division Two as Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds took advantage of Galmpton and Kerswell being rained off.

A 4–1 win at Coach Road against Paignton Saints 2nds thanks to goals from Rhys Fewings, Ryan Cossey, Nick Garret and Jake Attard puts Spurs one point clear of Galmpton and four in front of Kingskerswell who both now have games in hand and there is no fat lady in sight for Spurs just yet.

However, they do look good value for a quick return to Division One.

There was an almighty contest at Broadpark in the game between Kingsteignton Athletic and East Allington Utd where the grounds team had clearly gone the extra mile to get the game on, and what a game it was.

End-to-end with plenty of action and entertainment for the larger than normal attendance to enjoy, it looked cosy in the grandstand as everybody was huddled together trying to avoid the rain that came from all sides.

The visitors took the lead early in the second half when the Pirates’ management team made an inspired substitution by bringing on Finn Bullingham and within 30 seconds, he found the back of the net to give the manager a headache ahead of next a big Herald Cup clash.

From the restart, the Rams upped their game and within ten minutes, Tom Reeves had poked home a goalmouth scramble from a corner kick to make it one each.

Both teams could have won the game and when Luke Heard rattled the underside of the crossbar three minutes into stoppage time for the home team, Owen Pound in the Allington goal was glad to see the ball bounce away from the goal line and back into play.

The game ended 1-1 and this was, on the balance of play, a fair result. In a division where three points separate eight teams, the point gained today may well turn out to be a valuable one.

The only other top-flight game to go ahead was at Chudleigh Athletic who were up against Newton Abbot 66 and with both teams in the bottom four, three points would have put either in mid-table and three points from second place but it wasn’t to be.

These two also shared the points in a 2–2 draw, on target for the home team were Taylor Gill and Tom Slocombe with Liam Ashwell and Sol Janecki replying for 66. Both teams stay in the same places and Chudleigh keep their mean record at both ends of the pitch having only scored five goals in four games but conceding only six, which is the second best defence in the prem.

Just the one game survived in Division One and Brixham Town were able to get their first win of the season in a visit to Long Lane to play Babbacombe Corries.

The 2–1 result sees the Fishermen close in on mid table and take the pressure off having had a tough opening few fixtures. Corries have had a nightmare of a start to life at the level following promotion last season but it has not gone unnoticed that they have lost to Bovey twice, Paignton Villa, Buckland and Mount Gould, all of whom are hoping to be in the top division next term.

Whilst Division Three was a washout, top took on bottom in Division Four at Manadon.

Signal Box moved three points clear at the top with a comfortable 7–1 victory over Paignton Villa 3rds. Five of the goals came from Keanu Webb and Jake Maloney while Danny Johnson and Alfie Perks scored one each in their preparation for a big Herald Cup challenge next week.

Windmill picked up their second win of the season with a close 3–2 victory over fellow mid-table side Ilsington Villa 2nds whose goals came from Jack Langford and Ernie Scott but it was the home team that just had the edge in an entertaining game that went ahead at Faulston Park.

Two games beat the rain in Division Five and once again, the grounds team at Broadhempston Utd did a great job by preparing the grass pitch for play and it paid off. The Robins won their first game of the season by beating Newton Rovers 2nds by eight goals to nil to join a group of five teams in the division where just three points separate them.

Newton Albion are hanging on to the coattails of the top three and this week’s 7-nil win over an improving Kingsbridge and Kellaton Utd will give Albion continued belief of a promotion in their first season in the competition. On target for Albion were Owen Taylor and Cam Davis with two each and singles were added by Sam Bryan, William Harrison and Daniel Kenward.

A week prior to other Herald Cup second round ties taking place, Division Four outfit Signal Box Frankfort AFC 2nds welcome top-flight East Allington United to Manadon 3G in what could be a real banana skin and it’s my game of the day!

Meanwhile, in the Premier Division, Chudleigh Ath will be the next team to try to stop Lakeside Ath in their tracks and there is a Plymouth derby game at Millbay Park as Elburton Villa cross the Cattewater for a 2.30pm kick off.

Buckfastleigh Rangers will be eager to get their season up and running when Bovey Tracey visit the Duckspond and there should be a cracker at South Devon College where Paignton Villa take on Watcombe Wanderers.

In Division Two, there is an A38 derby game at Ashburton as they welcome Liverton Utd and if the weather is bad, the reserve teams from Paignton Saints and True Blues meet at Coach Road.

Further derby clashes see Bere Alston United 2nds (Div4) meet Horrabridge Rangers (Div3) in the Herald Cup and Newton Rovers face Newton 66 in Division Three.

There is a top-of-the-table fixture in Division Four at Lakeside Ath 2nds where visitors Buckland Ath 3rds will test the home teams credentials finally in Division Five, not so much a derby but a game between Newton Albion and WBB where a number of Albion players used to play for WBB, should give for an interesting affair.