Boxing Day bonanza for Devon football
Fabulous festive football
Before the rain returned to dampen our festive spirits, a blissfully dry Boxing Day ensured all eight Christmas derbies went ahead as planned in the South West Peninsula League.
The biggest crowd of the day (423) in the SWPL came at Donnacroft in North Devon, where Torridgeside and Torrington also shared a 2-2 draw. Liam Martin bagged a double for Torrington but the T-Siders salvaged an important point down the bottom, thanks to goals from Shaun Copp and Ryan Davies, plus a worldie save from Elijah Clarke.
It was honours even for the East Devon derby at Manstone Lane, where Sidmouth Town were held by draw specialists Honiton Town. Bizarrely, the two sides swapped own goals before Nathan Cooper headed the Vikings in front on the half-hour but the Hippos earned their point on the road when Taylor Rooke nodded in a leveller midway through the second period.
Axminster Town battled to a 0-0 draw at Bridport and there was also a stalemate between Crediton and Okehampton, while goals from Jacob Smelt, Connor Rush and Chris Wright gave leaders Ivybridge a hard-fought 3-2 victory at Elburton Villa.
The other games saw Cullompton cruise past Bishops Lydeard with a 3-0 win, Teignmouth beat in-form Newton Abbot Spurs 1-0 and lowly Dartmouth lost 3-1 at home to Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police. Holsworthy went down 1-0 at Bude Town in the West Division.
The two Devon derbies in the Toolstation Western League ended in 2-2 draws. Daniel Wilson scored a brace for ten-man Ilfracombe Town at Barnstaple, for whom Tommy Rogers and Torr Swann were on target.
There was a cracking South Devon clash at Wall Park, where Brixham AFC and Buckland Athletic entertained a crowd of 363. Twice the Bucks led through Jared Lewington, the second a sumptuous volley, but Brixham came back both times with goals from Scott Robinson and a last-minute leveller by Ewan Howarth.
In the Southern League Premier, an equaliser deep into stoppage time rescued a point for Plymouth Parkway at home to Tiverton Town, while Bideford are up to third in Division One South following their 2-1 victory at Tavistock, Mattie Buchan scoring both goals.
Willand hobbled to a 3-0 defeat at Bristol Manor Farm but Exmouth Town are showing real fight at the bottom, earning an excellent 2-2 draw with Mousehole.