WE ARE at the business end of the season in both the cup and league campaigns in the South Devon Football League, reports Alistair Muirden.
Kingskerswell got their hands on some silverware with a Les Bishop Cup final win with Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds and Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds also picking up important victories over the Easter weekend.
LES BISHOP CUP FINAL
In the Les Bishop Division Four Cup final, a goal apiece from Charlie, Bailey and Joshua Clarke gave Kingskerswell a league and cup double against their closest rivals Templar Way.
The game was played at a frantic pace from the kick off to the final whistle and produced a great night of entertainment for the 250 spectators who must have been in disbelief that this was a Division Four football match.
Match sponsors Torre Trophies judged Kerswell’s captain Shane Shobbrook to be the man of the match and presented him with a glass memento.
PREMIER DIVISION
At the top of the Premier Division, Newton Abbot Spurs moved to within 11 points of leaders Ilsington Villa with four games in hand and six to play after a hard fought 3–2 win at Chudleigh Athletic. Owen Green, Jack Mitchell and Callum Noyce struck for Spurs whilst Jack Salmons and Matt Cobbold scored the Chudleigh goals.
East Allington Utd have had a good couple of weeks by having six points more than they had just a fortnight ago, a 3–2 win over Paignton Saints moves them 10 points clear of the drop zone and into seventh place with a Herald cup semifinal up next.
Totnes and Dartington and Buckfastleigh Rangers shared a 2–2 draw in what was the last game of the season for Rangers and the point sees them end their season in fourth place at the moment.
DIVISION ONE
In Division One, Phoenix will be cursing the weather, yet another Saturday was lost as JC Park was under water and Brixham Town could not host the favourites so the Plymouth side will add yet another midweek game to their list of games in hand.
In the games that were played, True Blues moved six points clear of Phoenix with a 4-1 win at Millbay Park against WBB and they of course still have two clashes with their Plymouth rivals to come.
Bottom of the table Ivybridge Town had to share the points in an 8-goal fest against Watcombe Wanderers.
DIVISION TWO
The big scorers in Division Two were second-placed Mount Gould, who continue to work away at that gap, a 10-nil home win versus Buckfastleigh Rangers reserves thanks to goals from Bailey Mabin (4), Jack Stephens (3), Daniel Harris and Kingsley Potter. They now have just the seven games in hand.
Liverton Utd 1sts had a close call in a 2–1 win at Coach Rd against Paignton Saints reserves, the result moves Livvy into fourth place, 19 points behind the leaders with six games in hand and seven still to play. Harbertonford enjoyed a good win over Upton Athletic by 5 goals to 1, goals from Seb Looker, David Hatch, Archie Mcwinnie and Sam Fenegan puts the Fords into a respectable mid-table berth.
DIVISION THREE
Just two games were played in Division Three and in the game between the top two, Ashburton came away from Drake FC with all three points following a 2–1 victory, Declan Gower hit the net for the home team but goals from Alan Savage and Derek Cartmill leaves the Ashes in a very healthy position.
It was a game that Drake needed to win and as it was their final game, they will need to watch the results from Elburton Villa 3rds who have four games to play and six points to make up over the coming weeks.
In the other game played, Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds beat the Fred Hewings Cup winners Liverton Utd 2nds by five goals to one with goals from Dan Rankin, Joe Long, Ryan Sanders and Sam Morgan. The Rams occupy fifth place and have three games to play in what has been a very good season for them.
PREVIEWS
Starting with a cup game in the form of the Division Two Lidstone Cup final. This is between Liverton 1s and Watcombe Wanderers 2s at T&D on Friday, April 25, for a 6:30pm kick-off.
Both of these teams are sitting comfortably in mid-table but Liverton still have an outside chance of a top two place if results go their way, they recently cancelled each other out in a 1–1 draw but in their other 16 league games, the teams have scored over 100 goals so they both know where the goals are. The league are expecting a big crowd at this game as both are well supported clubs.
In the Premier Division, there are two games that stand out.
Game of the day at the top there is a Newton Abbot Derby at Osborne Park where 66 host Spurs in a game that the visitors need to come away with something, if not all three points, whilst Sixes will want the town’s bragging rights for the summer and that top three place.
At the other end of the table, there is a relegation six-pointer at Elburton where Villa host Chudleigh Athletic who could confirm relegation for the home team with a win or a draw.
In Division One, there are two Dartmouth Cup semi-finals, one at South Devon College where Paignton Villa can forget about their league position for a week when they take on Phoenix for a place in the final and at Millennium pitches, where WBB travel west in search of a victory against Windmill, both of these games have a 2pm KO.
In Division Two, there is a Paignton derby game at Coach Road, where Saints 2nds take on Villa 2nds who are both now safe from the drop and Division Three offers what could be a great game at Haye Road, where Stoke Gabriel TP travel to play Elburton Villa 3rds in the league cup semi-final, this also has a 2pm KO.