IT MAY have been Grand National day but it was also the day that the Premier Division became a two-horse race in the South Devon Football League, reports Alistair Muirden.

PREMIER DIVISION

With just three games to play, Ilsington Villa are six points clear after their 2–1 win at East Allington Utd thanks to a Dan Langford double strike. This result leaves the Pirates with work to do at the other end, especially after Beesands Rovers won at Waldon Athletic to move within four points of their South Hams neighbours. The Bees have six games to play and of course two of them are against East Allington.

Newton Abbot Spurs moved into third place with a 2-1 victory at Kingsteignton Athletic in a busy game for the referee. On target for Spurs were Louis Green, Callum Noyce and Ricco Moranzonie prior to seeing red- Spurs are 11 points off the lead but have four games in hand.

The team currently sitting in second spot are Newton Abbot 66, who had a comfortable 4–1 win over bottom club Elburton Villa with goals from Stijn Brussen and a Carl Foskett hat-trick leaving Sixes six points off the lead, but they only have 2 games left to play.

The only other game in the Premier Division was at Coach Road where Paignton Saints and Totnes and Dartington shared four goals and remain safe in mid table.

South Devon Football League Premier Division. Kingsteignton Athletic versus Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds. The Rams went down two goals to one to their Newton neighbours
South Devon Football League Premier Division. Kingsteignton Athletic versus Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds. The Rams went down two goals to one to their Newton neighbours (Steve Pope/MDA)

DIVISION ONE

Whilst a 5-1 win sees Phoenix retain their unbeaten form in Division One, Watcombe Wanderers eased their relegation worries with a 3-nil win at Homers Heath against a Buckland Athletic team who are also safe in mid table. On target for the greens were Laurence Macloud, Ollie Dowell and Zach Steele.

In the division’s Dartmouth Cup, all three games produced eyebrow raising results. Windmill overcame True Blues 3-1 and will play Ivybridge Town in the semi-final, who overcame WBB courtesy of a penalty shootout after a 2-2 game.

Paignton Villa produced one of the results of the day in beating Bovey Tracey in the other quarter final, 2–1 was the final score in another entertaining game and Phoenix await them next.

DIVISION TWO

In Division Two, Barton Athletic played their penultimate game of the season and they were made to work for the points by bottom team Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds. A 3–2 win for the Torquay side keeps them 18 points clear of their main challengers Mount Gould who moved back into second place with a routine 7–1 win at Newton Rovers.

Liverton Utd remain serious challengers as well, a 4–1 win versus East Allington Utd 2nds, whose heads must have been on their upcoming cup final against Liverton’s 2nd team, certainly puts a dent in the promotion ambitions of the South Hams team but keeps Livvy’s hopes alive.

DIVISION THREE

With just two games left to play, Drake FC remain two points ahead of favourites Ashburton following a 5-nil win at Waldon Athletic 2nds. The story doesn’t end with the result though as the hosts had three players sent off in this bad-tempered game, the first after just 17 minutes, effectively ending their respective seasons.

Ashburton picked up another 3 points in a close 3–2 home win versus A38 neighbours South Brent. Brandon Hext, James Martin and Kameron Pouladdej were the target men for the Ashes who can afford to lose one of their remaining five games and still win the title.

Also worthy of a shout out this week are Newton Abbot 66 reserves, who won 1-nil at Totnes and Dartington reserves courtesy of a Cody Monk strike. Whilst they sit in eight place and are safe from relegation and will not be challenging for honours, the last time they lost a league game was mid-September.

The only other game played in Division Three saw Fred Hewings Cup finalist Liverton warm up with an 8-1 thrashing of Paignton Saints. Oliver Kendall scored a hat trick, Lee Chamberlain, Aaron Underhill, Jacob Snell and Troy Riley scored singles and super sub Harvey Kendall added two goals to complete the rout.

DIVISION FOUR

Congratulations go to Kingskerwell, who ended their league season with a full house and now have the league cup final to look forward to on Thursday, April 17. A 4-nil home win against Newton Rovers reserves was enough for Kerswell to produce a perfect first season back in the Torbay Clearance Services League since disbanding a few years ago.

The end result was a goal difference of 116 and in 18 games, they only conceded 11 goals, giving them an average scoreline of seven and conceding one goal in every other game.

Broadhempston lost 4–2 at Chudleigh Athletic 2nds, who still have one game to play which is my game of the week on Saturday, April 12.

PREVIEWS

The South Devon League’s first cup final of the season is on Friday 11 at Newton Rec with a 7pm KO. The Fred Hewings Cup final is the knockout competition for reserve teams only and this season it will be contested by East Allington Utd 2nds (Div 2) and Liverton Utd 2nds (Div 3).

Meanwhile, my aforementioned pick of the bunch is in Division Four, at Chudleigh Athletic, where the 2nd team play their last game of the season at home to Templar Way.

Who would have thought that back in August when the league kicked off that the promotion places would be settled with the last game of the season? And yet here we are! The maths is simple for one of the league’s new teams, who made the switch from Sunday league to Saturday league, and it is fair to say they have enjoyed the ride.

Win the game and Templar get the runners up spot to put alongside their league cup final- any sort of result for fourth-placed Chudleigh could do their neighbours at Teign Village a favour should they win at mid table Newton Rovers 2nds, as it would be Village that leapfrog Templar into 2nd place.

All I can say is good luck to both teams and thank you for making Division Four a great competition.