PREMIER

WITH leaders Waldon Athletic on cup duty, the chasing five squeezed the gap at the top of the South Devon Football League Premier Division, reports Alastair Muirden.

Ilsington Villa remain in second place thanks to a routine 4–1 home win versus Totnes and Dartington, Matt Warman bagged a brace with Jack Langford and Jamie Soper scoring singles for the Villa.

In the big Newton Abbot derby, Spurs and 66 fought out a 1–1 draw in a very entertaining game at The Rec. Jamie Micklewright was the target man for the home team with Carl Foskett hitting a Beckham-like free kick to get on the scoresheet for sixes.

Kingsteignton Athletic moved menacingly into fourth place following a great 4–2 home win against fellow challengers East Allington Utd, who stay in the bottom half of the table but with three games in hand.

Elsewhere in the top division, Buckfastleigh Rangers are still not far off the pace and a 4–1 win versus the bottom team Elburton Villa, whilst Paignton Saints made a statement with a fine 4–2 win at strugglers Chudleigh Athletic. Gavin Lake and Mathew Cobbold were on target for the Clarets but they could not stop Saints taking home the points.

DIVISION ONE

Division One opens up just slightly thanks to a True Blues 1-nil victory at South Devon College against Paignton Villa- the win moves the Plymouth team 10 points clear of Villa in fourth place.

Watcombe Wanderers managed to hold Windmill to a 2–2 draw in a feisty affair that keeps both teams in the hunt and capable of beating any of the top three. Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds had a good day at the office, a 5-nil win over fellow mid-tablers WBB just shows they also will have a say in how this division ends up.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, it was business as usual for the top four teams. Barton Athletic seem to have found their mojo again after a recent stutter, a 4-3 win at East Allington Utd 2nds is a good result by any standard and keeps them at the top for now.

Just behind them are Mount Gould, who are also pulling one-goal wins out of the hat. Upton Athletic are the latest team to make the Plymouth team work for the points, a 4–3 win at Armada Park with goals from Bentley Alcantara, Joshua Bance, Joe Jasper and Sub Marcisse Campbell sent them back down the A38 with all three points.

Babbacombe Corries stay in third place with a tight 2–1 win at Paignton Villa 2nds.

The big winners in this division were Liverton Utd, who brushed aside Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds 9-1. There were double strikes for Jaimie Passmore, Marco Lekkas and Lewis Teasher whilst Thomas Tayler, Danny Grant and Joshua Passmore Tarpey added singles to keep Livvy nine points off the lead with four games in hand.

Unfortunately, the game between Paignton Saints 2nds and Watcombe Wanderers 2nds had to be abandoned following a leg break to a Saints player sustained in a challenge. A paramedic was present to keep the player as comfortable as possible until the ambulance arrived at Coach Road. We all wish Jack a speedy recovery.

DIVISION THREE

The big game in Division Three went the way of Stoke Gabriel TP in a 5–1 home win versus Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds. Goals from Russell Cooper, Martin Luker, Max Prestwood, Daniel Trezese and Alexander Mckerrell move the Bees into third place and five points clear of Elburton Villa 3rds, who did not have a game.

Plymouth-based Drake FC were the big hitters this week in division three, they scored 11 goals without reply against the bottom team in the league Brixham Town 2nds.

There were two other games played in Division Three that produced no less than 19 goals between them. Waldon Athletic 2nds and Newton Abbot 66 2nds shared 10 goals in their mid-table game and Liverton Utd 2nds came out on top in a 9-goal thriller at Totnes and Dartington 2nds to move away from the wrong end of the table.

DIVISION FOUR

Kingskerswell remain on top of Division Four and are the only member club with a 100% record still intact, this time an 8-1 home win against a decent Chudleigh Athletic 2nd team sets them up nicely for their Herald Cup tie at Premier Division club East Allington Utd.

Teign Village remain in second place without playing but Templar Way closed the gap in third to six points with a fine 8-nil win over Barton Athletic 2nds, there are some prolific goal scorers in this division, Chris Bennett scored another four goals to add to his impressive tally and George Minty added two for Templar Way who must be enjoying their first season in Saturday football.

Newton Rovers 2nds are also having a better season and a 4-nil home win at Bakers Park versus Waldon Athletic 3rds sees them tucked up in mid-table. The final game in Division Four was at Loddiswell where Kingsbridge and Kellaton Utd and Broadhempston fought out an entertaining 2–2 draw, the result takes the South Hams team out of the bottom two on goal difference and allowed Broads to put a point on the board following a run of defeats.

PREVIEWS

Everybody is up for the cup this week with some classic ties that kick off at 2pm and just a reminder, that extra time is played prior to the dreaded penalty shootout if needed.

There are some potential banana skin games that catch the eye. Premier Division East Allington Utd will need to be at their best to beat Division Four high-flyers Kingskerswell, who have not lost yet in the league and are clearly punching below their weight in the bottom division.

Also from Division Four, Teign Village will be preparing a village welcome for Premier Division heavyweights Buckfastleigh Rangers in what could be an interesting game and Harbertonford, from Division Two, are capable of an upset at Premier Division strugglers Chudleigh Athletic.

There are a couple of interesting games in Plymouth, Mount Gould currently 2nd in Division Two, host Ashburton, who top Division Three and Drake FC will welcome Watcombe Wanderers to test themselves against higher league opposition.