Divisional cups in the South Devon League

It was the turn of the divisional cups to kick off this week in the South Devon Football League, offering all teams the shortest route to glory as, if you get through the first round, you are in the quarter final and just two wins from a cup final.

Just four games were lost to the midweek rain, so a big well done to all the volunteer groundstaff who worked their socks off to get their pitches playable.

The George Belli Cup is for the Premier Division teams and there were some mixed results in the first round. Paignton Saints navigated a way past a determined Chudleigh Athletic side by 2 goals to 1, the home team struck the woodwork twice and had a shot saved on the line but goals from Matt Read and skipper Aaron Knapman put Saints into the quarter final.

Also safely through are Newton Abbot Spurs, who overcame their neighbours Newton Abbot 66, 3-0, at a boggy Osbourne Park. Aiden Blackie, Jack Upsher and an own goal were enough to end Sixes interest.

Bottom Club Beesands Rovers enjoyed a win at last but they had to play extra time and penalties against Elburton Villa, who lost their goalkeeper to injury during the week. The game ended 4-4 but Rovers won the shoot-out with a perfect five.

Ilsington Villa came out on top in a gargantuan 3-2 home win versus Buckfastleigh Rangers. Daniel Langford bagged all three goals for the Moorlanders, who stay on course for a league and cup double.

In the only Premier League game played, Kingsteignton Athletic had a great win against Waldon Athletic. Nick Garrett and Tom Reeves secured a 2-0 home success for the Rams and puts them just four points off the top with plenty of football still to play.

There was only one Dartmouth Cup game played in Division One due to pitch availability. This gave the lads from Bovey Tracey a trip to the seaside to take on Brixham Town and the game went to form, a 2-0 win for the visitors with goals from Matt Churchill and Ben Moyle. This keeps them on track for a successful season and allows Town to concentrate on moving up the league table.

In the league, True Blues dropped some more points, this time they were held by an improving Buckland Athletic side to a 2-2 draw at the Heath, Caleb Needham was the target man for True Blues. They remain six points clear of Phoenix, who have four games in hand and still in three cup competitions with a fixture backlog looming.

Windmill and Bovey Tracey remain in 3rd and 4th, and are the only realistic challengers to the two Plymouth teams that have led the division all season.

In the Division Two Lidstone Cup, top of the table Barton Athletic suffered a shock first round exit to local rivals Watcombe Wanderers 2nds in a dramatic penalty shootout, where both teams missed but Barton missed more.

East Allington United 2nds are also safely through, a 2-0 home win against Paignton Saints 2nds thanks to strikes from Daniel Bastin and Jake Blamey saw the young Pirates continue with their impressive season.

Liverton United had a close call but overcame Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds by 3 goals to 2 at Halford, following 2 goals for Rangers from John Bovey.

In the only league game in Division Two, Paignton Villa 2nds moved into fourth place by beating Newton Rovers 3-0 and effectively announced themselves as challengers to Barton, Corries and Mount Gould. Xander Narvidge scored twice and there was a single for Josh Bird, and not forgetting a shout-out to the man of the match Jakob Horrahine, who I am told controlled the game for 90 minutes.

In the Division Three Ronald Cup, the three games all went to form with three of the top five teams in the league progressing to the quarter finals. Elburton Villa 3rds made the biggest statement with a 5-1 win against a Waldon Athletic 2nd team that was full of players that once upon a time played at a higher level and just proves that football games are not won on paper.

Another Plymouth-based team also made it through, Drake FC enjoyed a 3-0 win over an experienced Liverton team with goals from Stan Roberts, Oliver Hodgson and super-sub Aaron Sherlock.

Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds join the two Plymouth teams in the next round, courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Totnes and Dartington 2nds. Strikes from Harry Bannister, Mark Prowse and Ryan Sanders keeps the young Rams on course for a great season.

The only league fixture to be played in Division Three saw the top two go head-to-head in a pulsating game that ended up a 1-1 draw and the top of the table remains as it was, with Ashburton on top with 34 points from 14 games and Stoke Gabriel TP second on 27 points from 14 games, these two have now played each other twice and shared the points in both games.

In the Division Fours Les Bishop Cup, the two games that were played also went the way of the form book with Kingskerswell scoring nine goals without reply against Broadhampston and Templar Way had a taste of their first cup success with a 3-1 victory versus Newton Rovers 2nds at Bakers Park.

In the only league game played in Division Four, Teign Village won 5-1 against Kingsbridge and Kellaton United and in doing so moved within a point of Templar Way. They have a game in hand with just four games to play and one of those is at Kingskerswell this Saturday

Games to catch on Saturday, February 8.

In the Premier Division, two of the in-form teams meet at Newton Rec, where Spurs take on East Allington in what should be a great game. Division One has a repeat of last season’s Dartmouth Cup final at South Devon College between Paignton Villa and Buckland Athletic - this could be a high-scoring fixture with both teams looking for a top five place.

In Division Two, there is a local derby at Armada Park where Upton Athletic welcome Watcombe Wanderers 2nds and Division Three offers a fixture for our Plymouth friends at Manadon, where Drake FC take on South Brent, with both teams in need of three points.

Finally, my game of the day is in Division Four. It’s top versus 3rd at Kingskerswell, where Teign Village will attempt to be the first team to take points at the league leaders.

Enjoy your grassroots football.