A DREADED penalty shootout was needed to separate Waldon Athletic and Buckfastleigh Rangers in the Herald Cup, reports Alistair Muirden.

It was one apiece after 120 minutes and Waldon then held their nerve to win 3-2 from the spot.

Joining Waldon in the semi-final draw are Plymouth Phoenix- David Moore and Taylor Owen were both on target for the visitors at Kingsteignton Athletic where a big attendance enjoyed a tight game that could have gone either way but a 2–1 defeat for the Rams leaves them concentrating on that runners-up spot with five games to play.

Bovey Tracey 2nd XI advanced to the Herald Cup quarter-finals meanwhile with a 2-0 win at home over Ivybridge Town 2nd XI. John Agpoon scored both goals for the Moorlanders at Mill Marsh Park.

There were two league games played in the top division, Beesands Rovers won the basement battle and leapfrogged Elburton Villa with a fine 2-nil victory at Haye Road thanks to goals from Louis Brace and Matt Tilley.

The result still leaves the bottom three eight points adrift of East Allington Utd who had the points in their pockets when they were 2-nil in front at home to Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds before they had their pockets well and truly picked by Callum Noyce who scored a second-half hat-trick as his side won 4-3.

Spurs stay in fifth place with four games in hand on leaders Ilsington Villa who themselves were made to work for a 3-1 win over Paignton Saints.

In Division One, Windmill have finally managed to top the table, a 6-nil home win versus Watts Blake Bearne was good enough for the Plymouth-based side.

Buckland Athletic picked up another three points in a mid-table affair with Paignton Villa, it ended 2–1 to the Bucks and both teams look safe in Division One for another season.

Down at the bottom, Brixham Town ended their period of drought with a 4–2 home win against a Watcombe Wanderers team that seem to be in free fall. The result puts Town one point behind the team above them and only four points separate the next five teams.

There was a massive shock in the Division Two Lidstone cup where favourites Mount Gould were knocked out of a second cup competition in two weeks, losing 1-nil to a visiting Liverton Utd side that have ambitions of their own. In the league Liverton still have a lot of work to do as they are 20 points off the lead with seven games in hand.

Paignton Villa 2nds stay well placed in second spot for now, a good 4-nil win versus Upton Athletic brought home the points but they only have four games left to play in what has been a good season for them whatever the outcome.

East Allington Utd 2nds, who are also in contention, had to settle for a 3–3 draw versus Paignton Saints 2nds, in fact they equalised with the last kick of the game to earn a point which keeps them in fifth place, five points from second with three games in hand.

Babbacombe Corries were also held to a draw, a 1–1 result versus Harbertonford who scored through Seb Looker and it will be a disappointing result for the home team who are in third place, three points from second, with a game in hand.

Watcombe Wanderers 2nds, who occupy 7th place, had a good 3–1 home win against Newton Rovers and whilst they hover in mid table, they are just seven points behind second place Paignton Villa with four games in hand and Division Two remains any two from seven for the honours when the season concludes.

Whilst the Division Three leaders Ashburton were on Ronald Cup duty, winning 6-2 against Newton Abbot 66 reserves, the chasing pack had an opportunity to close the gap.

In the second versus third game at Stoke Gabriel TP, it was the visitors Drake FC who came away with the spoils, a 4–1 victory thanks to a hat-trick courtesy of Kacper Gorecki and a single from Ollie Sheldon keeps the Plymouth-based team on course for a second promotion in two seasons.

Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds also remain well placed in fourth place following a 3–1 win at Liverton Utd 2nds thanks to strikes from Sam Morgan, James Stafford and Billy Bristow. Elburton Villa 3rds continue to impress although Totnes and Dartington 2nds are probably fed up with the sight of them after playing them last week in the cup- the win keeps Villa in fifth place, six points off of second place with three games in hand and a big squad to use in the run in.

In Division Four, Waldon Athletic 3rds became the first team in the league to complete their season, unfortunately for them it ended in defeat to Kingsbridge and Kellaton Utd by two goals to one, but a massive well done to Waldon Athletic as a club for putting out three teams in the same competition. It is not an easy thing to do and it would not happen without a team of volunteers who give up their time to make it happen.

Chudleigh Athletic 2nds became the latest team to attempt to spoil the party at Kingskerswell but to no avail, a 3-nil home defeat takes away their chances of a top-three finish and leaves Templar Way and Teign Village to play their final fixture in a couple of weeks knowing that a win for Templar guarantees them the runners up spot, anything less and Village can move above them with a win.

There are a couple of big games in the Premier Division that should draw a big crowd. Waldon Athletic face Newton Abbot 66 at Windmill Hill and Ilsington Villa travel to Buckfastleigh Rangers, both games promising to be classics.

It should be a colourful event at Bovey Tracey, who welcome Plymouth True Blues in what should be a great game with a big attendance.

There are two tasty games in Division Three, one at Elburton Villa who will be looking to stop league leaders Ashburton in their tracks and at Liverton Utd, who play Drake FC in a do-not-lose fixture for both teams.

However, my game of the day is down in Plymouth at Mount Gould where the visitors are top-of-the-table Barton Athletic who will be trying to extend their lead and put a dent in the prospects of their biggest rivals.

All of these games start at 2.30pm and all other fixtures can be viewed on the full-time SDFL website.