WALDON Athletic win the battle at the top of the Premier Division and last season’s Premier champions are knocked out of the Herald Cup by Division One opposition, reports Alastair Muirden.
HERALD CUP
This week was all about the cups and there were some major upsets in the Herald Cup.
Division One side Brixham Town caused the biggest upset of the week by beating last season's losing finalists Ilsington Villa 3-2 at JC Park, Luc Pilkington and Jack Dixon were on target for Villa but goals from Mark Griffiths, Macca Dallow and Hugo Griffiths brought Town back from 2-nil down to record an outstanding win and secure their place in round two.
Another Division One team, Plymouth Phoenix, gave Premier Division opposition Totnes and Dartington a lesson at Devonport High School, not by the odd goal but 9-0 with seven players getting on the scoresheet in what was a one-sided affair.
Buckfastleigh Rangers secured their place in the hat with a comfortable 4-nil home win versus Elburton Villa who can now concentrate on gaining some league points.
Another team safely making it into round two were Bovey Tracey. A 7–2 win versus Babbacombe Corries thanks to strikes from Bradley Rooney, Ryan Stanbridge, Oliver Clifford Bourne, Ben Moyle and Rory Wolfe made for a good day at the office for the Moorlanders.
FRED HEWINGS CUP
In the Fred Hewings Cup 1st round, Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds won the big first-round tie against Chudleigh Athletic by two goals to nil thanks to Finlay Lumgair and Mark Prowse finding the target for the young Rams.
Cup favourites from Division One, Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds, had a big 7-nil win against Division Three Waldon Athletic 2nds. Goals from Dominic Osbourne, Louis Green, Rhys Fewings and an Oliver Belotti hat trick saw Spurs safely into the hat for the next round.
Joining them will be Totnes and Dartington 2nds overcame Newton Abbot 66 2nds 2-1, Jordan Baxter and Ryan Turner finding the net for Tots. Paignton Saints 2nds also secured a place in the 2nd round by winning 4-nil at Bakers Park where Newton Rovers 2nds were still in the game with 15 minutes to g,o but could not penetrate the Saints' defence. Szymon Brzezinski, Darren Millea, Konrad Wozniak and Michael Hernandez were on target for the Saints.
East Allington Utd 2nds also recorded a 4-nil win versus Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds at Poole Lane, Daniel Bastin, Lee Prestage, Sam Quick and Aden Corcoran finding the net for the Pirates.
PREMIER DIVISION
The top two in the Premier Division met at Osborne Park, and Waldon Athletic were 3-nil in front before Newton Abbot 66 pulled two goals back, to make for an exciting last 10 minutes for the supporters.
Tom Lowe was the man who gave 66 some hope when he found the net but earlier strikes from Les Afful (2) and Jacob Knapman did too much damage to the sixes. The result puts Waldon six points clear of Ilsington Villa who leapfrog 66 on a goal difference of one and the Torquay side are now the team to beat in the top division.
In fact, Newton Abbot Spurs, who had a free Saturday, could go second if they win their two games in hand.
East Allington Utd continue to improve, a 2–1 win at Chudleigh Athletic moves them up to fifth from bottom but with a positive goal difference, Finley Bullen and Dan Hurrell with the goals.
Paignton Saints finally got a good result for all of their hard work, a 2–1 home win versus Kingsteignton Athletic thanks to goals from Jake Powell and Eden Cresswell Cluer. This moves them away from the bottom three and inflicts the first defeat on the Rams in six weeks.
DIVISION ONE
In one of only two Division One games, WBB and Buckland Athletic shared the points in a 1–1 stalemate and both are cemented safely in mid-table.
DIVISION TWO
In Division Two, Mount Gould have lost their unbeaten crown and a 2–1 victory for Liverton Utd has kept the possibilities alive for a number of teams who are there or thereabouts in this tight division.
I would imagine that Barton Athletic will be sending Liverton Utd a Christmas card this year as they returned to top spot following Liverton’s win and their own victory at home to Newton Rovers, Zach Norton and Oakley Hunt sharing all the goals in a 5–2 win.
DIVISION THREE
Division Three is also hotting up at the top, although Ashburton were never in doubt of keeping their unbeaten record intact when they hosted bottom club Paignton Saints 3rds at Chuley Road. There were hat tricks for Derek Cartmill and Brandon Hext but the top scorer of the day was Kameron Pouladdej with five goals in the game. Full credit is due to the Saints team that kept their heads up and contributed for 90 minutes.
Ashburton’s near neighbours South Brent can also expect a Christmas card this year, they got back to winning ways by defeating Drake FC by one goal to nil at Palstone Park, Brent have now won 3 out of 4 games since regrouping and the future definitely looks orange.
The other team that have slowly been going about their business is Stoke Gabriel TP, up to third in the table with games in hand following a 4–1 win in an ill-tempered game at Liverton, where both teams ended the game with 10 players on the pitch. Adam Blackburn bagged a hat-trick and there was a single from Daniel Trezise to win the points for the Bees.
DIVISION FOUR
Division Four also only had two league fixtures because of the cups and the top two continue to move further away from the rest.
Kingskerswell beat Waldon Athletic 3rds by 10-1 and they now have a goal difference of +77 and have only conceded seven in nine games. Teign Village remain level on points with them having played three games more and having to work harder for the points, they just had enough to get past Kingsbridge and Kellaton by three goals to two. Strikes from Alexander Easson, Thomas Beer and Jake Attard won the points for Village who seem to be enjoying their football again.