Cup fever in the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League

Cup excitement is building for South Devon footballers as most knockouts reach the quarter final stage.

Before all of that, it was a busy weekend in the league and at the top of the Premier Division, the big movers were Lakeside Athletic, who trounced Newton Abbot 66 by 7 goals to nil and slipped into 2nd place, still some nine points off the leaders, who were in cup action.

The shock result that did not go with the form book was at Broadpark, where Kingsteignton Athletic inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Ilsington Villa, who now need to win all four games in hand to resurrect their challenge.

Chris Barnett was the star man for the Rams and the shock scorelines were not restricted to Kingsteignton, as Plymouth True Blues suffered their biggest loss of the season in a 5-1 defeat by Newton Abbot Spurs.

The win moves Spurs up to fifth place and True Blues drop into fourth. The big six-pointer at the bottom went in favour of Totnes and Dartington, who brought Buckfastleigh Rangers back down to earth with only their second win of the season, a close 2-1 triumph that moves them within two points of Rangers and will give them some confidence for the remaining games.

The Windmill opened their defence of the George Belli Cup with a tight 3-2 win over Chudleigh Athletic in a pulsating tie. Brodie Simpson, who knows exactly where the goal is, was on target twice and a single for Ethan Jones was enough for the Plymouth side to go through in the Premier Division’s knockout competition.

WBB opened up a three-point cushion at the top of division one with a 5-3 victory at Beesands Rovers (full report on Davesworld) in another fixture in this division that had the hallmarks of higher league football.

Paignton Villa got back to winning ways with a 7-1 win at bottom club Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds, Yahya Sulliman scored four goals, Liam Jones got two and a single from Tom Evans did the deed for Villa.

Mount Gould were in no mood to lose at Watcombe for the second time in two weeks and they repaid the Greens for knocking them out of the Dartmouth Cup by scoring seven without reply. Tyler Wark, Louie Lawrence, Jack Trigger, Billy Eccles and Abdul Deifa were all on target for the visitors, who slip into fourth place.

Watcombe need to pick themselves up quickly as the two teams below them have games in hand. Barton Athletic continue their run of good form with a 4-2 win over Buckland Athletic and it is incredible that six of the top eight teams are within one defeat of each other with a lot of football to be played.

Brixham Town got back to winning ways with a 4-1 home victory versus Liverton United, who remain in the bottom two but have two games in hand over Buckland and Watcombe.

Well done to Bovey Tracey, who are through to the County Senior Cup semi-final, where they meet fellow SDFL Division One side Elburton Villa on Saturday for a place in the final. The other semi-final being played on the same day is at WBB, who host South Zeal from the Exeter league and let’s hope Wattsies can make it another all SDFL final.

Division Two takes on a new look with the expulsion of Watcombe Wanderers 2nds playing record following their withdrawal from the competition. Signal Box are the big winners from the decision, as they lost to the greens on the opening day, so the Plymouth side are now the only team on paper with a 100% league record.

The biggest losers are Paignton Villa 2nds, who beat the Greens twice, so they lose six points and drop three places.

The games that went ahead in Division Two were in the divisional cup and East Allington United 2nds lost to Ashburton by 3 goals to 2 after the game went to extra time, as did Paignton Saints 2nds and Signal Box Oak Villa, where the score was 1-1 after normal time but the Plymouth side added four in the extra 30 to run out 5-1 winners.

Just the one league game was played at Harbrtonford, who lost 5-1 to Drake FC, moving them into 3rd place, one point behind Corries who did not play.

The top of the table game in Division Three saw Kingskerswell lose their first league game since rejoining the SDFL two seasons ago. As you would expect, the game was not your normal Division Three standard, as both Kerswell and Galmpton United have ambitions to play in a higher division.

For now, the visitors remain six points clear of their rivals with a 2-0 win, thanks to strikes from Cole Feasby and Harley Hooper.

Down at the bottom, Totnes and Dartington 2nds moved out of the bottom two with a 3-2 victory at Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds. Tots are now only two points behind their opponents with four games in hand.

Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds remain in third spot thanks to a 5-1 victory over bottom club Waldon Athletic 2nds but the gap upwards is now eight points.

In the division’s Ronald Cup, Newton Abbot 66 2nds had a comprehensive 4-0 win at home to South Brent, I am sure that with 13 league games still to play Brent won’t be too disappointed with the outcome.

The final game in Division Three was at Halford, where Liverton United 2nds met Stoke Gabriel TP and shared the points in an entertaining 3-3 draw that keeps both teams in mid-table.

In Division Four, the two runaway leaders both won and leave others in their wake. Chudleigh Athletic 2nds had a comprehensive 5-2 victory over Brixham Town 2nds and remain six points clear of Teign Village, who were made to work for the three points at Broadhempston United.

The win keeps the Village seven points clear of Paignton Villa 3rds in 3rd place, who lost 4-1 at home to Waldon Athletic 3rds, who, despite being in 7th, place could well have a say in the two promotion places.

Games to catch on Saturday, March 28:

The cups take centre stage this Saturday with some great 2pm kick offs to enjoy.

Galmpton United, the lowest team left in the Herald Cup sponsored by TCS, take on Premier Division hopefuls Ilsington Villa in a classic banana skin game.

The Plymouth derby game between Lakeside Athletic and True Blues is sure to draw a big crowd, as will the Newton Abbot derby at the Rec between Spurs and 66 in the Belli Cup.

There is another potential banana skin fixture for Premier Division Chudleigh Athletic, who travel to Division One leaders WBB in what could be a tight affair as Wattsies are no pushovers. The final game is an all Premier tie between Paignton Saints and East Allington United at Coach Road.

The semi-finals of the Fred Hewings cup are also being played, Newton Spurs 3rds from Division One take on Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds from Division Three at Ashburton’s Chuley Road and Barton Ath 2nds of Division Four will welcome Division Three Newton Abbot 66 2nds to Barton Downs.

South Devon Football League Cup Draws
Herald Cup, Sponsored by Torbay Clearance Services WBB v Chudleigh Athletic Galmpton United v Ilsington Villa Paignton Saints v East Allington United Lakeside Athletic v Plymouth True Blues

Fred Hewings Cup Barton Athletic 2nds v Newton Abbot 66 2nds Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds v Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds

George Belli Cup (Premier Division) East Allington United / Ilsington Villa v Paignton Saints Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds v Newton Abbot 66 Plymouth True Blues v Lakeside Athletic Windmill v Buckfastleigh Rangers

Dartmouth Cup (Division One) Beesands Rovers v WBB Paignton Villa v Elburton Villa Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds / Bovey Tracey v Liverton United Watcombe Wanderers v Barton Athletic

Lidstone Cup (Division Two) Babbacombe Corries v Signal Box Oak Villa Drake FC v Paignton Villa 2nds Upton Athletic v Harbertonford.

Ronald Cup (Division Three) Ipplepen Athletic 2nds v Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds v Kingskerswell Liverton Utd 2nds v Newton Abbot 66 2nds Galmpton Utd v Waldon Athletic

Les Bishop Cup (Division Four) Chudleigh Athletic 2nds v Paignton Villa 3rds Kingsbridge & Kellaton United v Paignton Saints 3rds Waldon Athletic 3rds v Barton Athletic 2nds Bere Alston United v Teign Village

Enjoy your weekend of grassroots cup football.