South Devon grassroots football finally winning the battle against relentless rain

Seventeen games finally beat the weather in the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League, with eleven going ahead on grass.

Only one Premier Division league game went ahead and it was at Poole Lane where East Allington United moved into third place to disrupt the Plymouth dominance with a hard-fought 4-2 win over fellow title condenders Newton Abbot 66.

Ben Tapper scored a brace, there was an unfortunate own goal and a special mention to Finn Bullen who also got on the scoresheet to notch up his 147th goal in his 150th appearance.

The result was not a disaster for Sixes, as they remain within touching distance of second place if they win their five games in hand.

Two league games were played in Division One with Brixham Town returning to pole position with a payback win against Beesands Rovers by 4 goals to 1, and with just two points separating the top four teams, this, like other divisions, will go to the wire.

Mount Gould also got a game played and a 3-0 win versus bottom club Buckland Athletic sees them into fifth place with four games in hand, Bentley Alcantara was a hat-trick hero and the home team were full of praise for the way the visitors approached the game and stated that Buckland were one of the better teams they have played this season and they could do with a win to give them some confidence for what’s left of the campaign.

In Division Two, every team bar Watcombe Wanderers played a game, and in the league the top two fixture turned out to be a one-sided affair with Signal Box Oak Villa running rampant against Babbacombe Corries with a 7-1 win to move 10 points clear at the top.

On target for Villa were Joseph Haslem and Jake Cribb two apiece and singles from Bobby Stone, Coy Breirley and Keiron Roberts. Corries remain in second with a game in hand and will be hoping that Ashburton in eighth place can use their five games in hand to inflict a defeat on the leaders to open it up again.

Drake FC got back to winning ways with a close 2-0 win over Paignton Villa 2nds and remain as contenders with two games in hand and just seven points from Corries. Ivybridge Town hold on to third place thanks to a bruising 8-0 victory over Newton Rovers at Erme Valley and are two points behind Corries having played two more games.

Paignton Saints 2nds had a good result on the day, a 4-1 win at Coach Road versus East Allington United 2nds moves Saints into the bottom of a mid-table group of teams that can beat any team on their day and I am sure there are more rollercoaster results to come in this division.

In Division Three, just two league games went ahead and perennial under-achievers Stoke Gabriel TP moved away from the bottom three with a comfortable 6-0 win versus Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds.

The result leaves Stoke with five games in hand and within touching distance of second place if they can win them, Rangers remain in seventh place in a division that seems to be split in two halves.

Kingsteignton Athletic moved into fourth place with a 3-0 triumph over bottom team Waldon Athletic, goals from squad players Tom Reeves, Kelsey Leach and Ashley Hayworth keeps the Rams in contention in a division where somebody needs to beat the two runaway leaders to open it up.

At the top of Division Four, Chudleigh Athletic 2nds extended their lead to six points as a result of beating Broadhempston United by 8 goals to 1. They were also assisted by Paignton Villa 3rds who beat Teign Village by 2 goals to 1 in a scrappy affair and move within one point of Village into third place.

Another contender at the moment is Bere Alston who had a walkover as Paignton Saints 3rds could not raise a team for the fixture, that leaves Alston just two points from Village but Brixham Town 2nds, Barton Athletic 2nds and Waldon Athletic 3rds, who are still unbeaten, all have games in hand to have a final say in where this division’s honours will end up.

There were seven cup ties that either survived the rain or were played on an artificial pitch and they all went with the form book.

In the Torbay Clearance Services sponsored Herald Cup, the biggest scoreline of the day belonged to Ipplepen Athletic 2nds who put 13 goals past Upton Athletic and end this season’s cup hopes for the Torquay side.

Elburton Villa saw off the challenge from Harbertonford by 6 goals to nil in a game that was played at Plymstock School. There were two other fixtures that paired teams from different divisions and Galmpton United (Division 3) gave Windmill (Premier) a real fright but the Plymouth based team got over the line with a 3-2 victory and a reason to celebrate their place in the quarter final.

WBB (Division 1) switched their tie against Ashburton (Division 2) to the Ashmoor 3G at South Dartmoor School and they needed an 85th minute penalty to seal the game. The Ashes gave up a 2-0 lead but a second-half hat-trick from substitute Jake Cuff sees the Claymen into their second cup quarter final this season.

The Fred Hewings Cup is also at the quarter final stage and the highest ranked reserve team left in the competition, Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds, are safely through with a 5-0 win over Brixham Town 2nds thanks to goals from Zak Carnell, Oliver Bellotti, Nik Garrett and Frank Oyrnik.

Joining them are Totnes and Dartington 2nds who enjoyed a 5-0 win over Newton Rovers 2nds. There was a hat-trick for Owen Osman, with singles from Jake Osman and Jordan Baxter. The teams won’t have long to wait for the quarter finals as they are fixtured for February 21.

Games to catch this weekend

Match of the day is at Lewthorne Cross where Ilsington Villa will be looking to close the gap on visitors Windmill in what should be a great advert for the league.

Elsewhere, Chudleigh Athletic face Newton Abbot 66 who will be looking to get back to winning ways and in the Herald Cup, Kingsteignton Athletic and East Allington United will have some De Ja Vu when they meet at 2pm.

There will also be more of that at Long Lane when Babbacombe Corries meet Signal Box for the second week running and will be looking to put up a better show than last week.

In Division Four, Bere Alston United host Chudleigh Athletic 2nds and Teign Village face Brixham Town 2nds in what should be two great games.

Finally, the SDFL have a number of teams looking to progress in County Cups and all are at the quarter final stage, WBB travel to Tiverton to play Elmore 2nds, Mount Gould face South Zeal and in the same competition and Elburton Villa travel to Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds in an all SDFL tie.

In the Intermediate Cup, Kingskerswell travel up the North Devon link road to face Bampton and in the same cup South Brent welcome Alphington 3rds to Palstone Park.

Good luck to all of the SDFL teams in the county cups. League games start at 2.30pm, Cup games start at 2pm.

Enjoy your grassroots football