thorverton fc

Elmore host leaders as chasing pack hope to gain ground

Article and photo by Tom Besford.

As some of the teams in our league sneak up towards the half way point of the season already, we have another full fixture list of entertaining games including the second encounter between some sides already this campaign.

The league table is really starting to take shape now as we head ever closer to Christmas and the colder weather. It is also important to remember that, due to the dark nights closing in, the majority of games in the league are now kicking off at 2.15 pm with the exception of North Molton SC v Dartmouth this weekend, who remain with a 3 pm kick off.

Appledore v Bere Alston United:

It is the longest trip in the league this weekend as second from bottom Bere Alston United make the mammoth trip to Appledore for the first meeting between the two teams this season. The hosts now sit third in the division and had gone on an unbeaten run of seven games until their last outing, where they lost 3-0 at second placed Plymouth Marjon. The run of seven games without defeat dated back to August and included a 3-2 win at top of the table Alphington, and the Fishermen will be hoping to start another run of form as they look to close in on the teams above them in the table. The visitors come into this match having lost 1-0 at Dartmouth last weekend, thanks to a very late winner, but are unbeaten in their previous two games prior with a 6-1 win against Ipplepen Athletic and a 2-2 draw against Budleigh Salterton. It will be a tough ask for the visitors to get anything from this game, but as we all know, anything can happen on the day.

Beer Albion v Plymouth Marjon:

The hosts currently sit in ninth spot following some mixed form this season which has seen them win six and lose five of their thirteen games, but they will be hoping for some revenge following a 3-1 loss at the Campus earlier in the season. Second placed Marjon will be looking to get the double over their hosts but will know that the Furzebrake is no easy place to win, as Beer Albion remain unbeaten at home in the league this season. Beer won this fixture 1-0 last season and so Marjon will be hoping to get their first win in East Devon.

Elmore v Alphington:

It has only been just under a month since these two sides last met, going head to head in the ThirstFitness League Cup. It was a very even match that day, and it required penalties for the two sides to be separated. Since then, Alphington have won all three of their games in all competitions whilst Elmore have won 6-0 in the Devon Premier Cup and lost 5-0 at Exeter University in the league. The Eagles have won six of their eight home games in all competitions this season whilst Alphington are unbeaten in their eight away games. Everything suggests that this is going to be another close encounter.

Newtown v Budleigh Salterton:

Eleventh against twelfth in what should be an evenly matched game, as two teams struggling for form come head to head. Both sides have already met this season as Budleigh Salterton won the return fixture 2-1 in September, and Newtown will be looking for revenge as they will hope to pick up their first win since September. The Robins haven’t won in the league since beating Newtown on the 11th of September, so they will be hoping for seventh time lucky. Budleigh Salterton currently sit bottom of the form table whilst Newtown occupy thirteenth spot, both teams will be looking at this game as a winnable match to hopefully give their side some confidence.

North Molton SC v Dartmouth:

The only 3pm kick off in the league this weekend, as North Molton SC will be looking for instant revenge after losing 4-1 at Dartmouth in their last league game. It has been a hard start to the season for the north Devon side who have only managed two wins in their opening twelve games, as they sit just three points above bottom of the table. Dartmouth have had mixed form since relegation from the South West Peninsula League and have won seven and lost six of their first fourteen league games but come into this game having won their last two.

Ottery St Mary v Ipplepen Athletic:

The visitors find themselves bottom of the league so far and have been shy in front of goal with an average of just one goal per game. The Pens make the journey to Ottery St Mary looking for revenge from the opening day defeat, where the Otters won 3-1 at Moor Road, hoping to make the most of the hosts recent mixed form which has seen them win one of their last three. Due to grounds maintenance, the Otters haven’t played many home games this season, but they have won three of the four games they have hosted, including a comfortable victory over the University of Exeter. Although bottom of the league, Ipplepen come into this game on the back of a 2-1 ThirstFitness Cup victory against Budleigh Salterton and a 1-1 draw in the league against Newtown.

Plymstock United v University of Exeter:

Struggling Plymstock United welcome last season’s league champions to Dean Cross hoping to use home advantage to try and pull away from the bottom of the table. Whilst scoring goals isn’t too much of an issue for the hosts, as they have scored in ten of their last eleven league games, defensively they will have to try and work on the average of 2.8 goals conceded per game. University of Exeter have managed to get to fourth in the league table and scoring goals doesn’t seem to be a problem for them either, as they average 3.9 goals scored per game. This game could see plenty of goals.

Topsham Town v Thorverton:

Topsham Town remain unbeaten at home this season with five wins from their opening five home games, as they continue to push near the top of the table. Last time out, Topsham beat Beer Albion 3-1 at home, and they will be looking to add further to their winning streak. Their visitors narrowly lost 1-0 at Alphington last weekend but prior to that won their previous three league games 1-0. This fixture last season saw the two teams play out a pretty uneventful 0-0 draw, but both teams are having a much better season this time around so hopefully we will see some goals. Thorverton (pictured) have already won the return fixture 3-1 back in August.

waldon v thorverton devon premier cup 2024

Marjon v Eagles a Standout Fixture in Late October Fixtures

Article and photo by Tom Besford.

As we come to the end of October we have a full fixture programme in store and plenty more action to come before Christmas which is slowly creeping up on us. So far this season, the weather has been kind to us and long may that continue.

Alphington v Topsham Town:

Alphington have adapted to live in the Devon League, following promotion from the Devon & Exeter League Premier Division, like a fish to water having won eight of their opening twelve league matches and coming into this game top of the table. Visitors Topsham Town have also enjoyed a great start to the season and sit in fifth spot with six wins and three draws from eleven games. The last time the two clubs met in a league game was in the 2021/2022 season, which ended in a comfortable Topsham Town win as they beat the Alphas 5-0. A home win in this fixture will see Alphington end the day just two points less than they ended the entire 2021/2022 season with!

Appledore v Plymstock United:

It is a long trip to North Devon for Plymstock United as they look for their first league points at Marshfield since the final day of the 2013/2014 season which saw Plymstock win 2-1. The Stockies make the long trip on the back of just their second league victory this season, as they beat Beer Albion 3-2 at home last Saturday. As for their hosts, Appledore won 4-1 on the road at Dartmouth last week and currently sit third in the division; the club have also scored three or more goals in all of their last three fixtures, so the Plymstock defence will have to be at their best to help pick up some points on the road.

Beer Albion v Newtown:

These two clubs have something in common: they are the only two sides who have lost away at Plymstock United this season, as Beer Albion lost 3-2 on the road last week. Beer have now failed to win any of their last three league games, and this includes a 3-2 defeat away at Newtown in September. As for Newtown, their last win in all competitions came against Beer Albion as they have gone on to lose 2-1 at North Molton SC and on penalties at Beesands Rovers in the Devon Premier Cup. A game between two out of form teams who will both be looking to change their luck and get back to winning ways.

Bere Alston United v Ipplepen Athletic:

The bottom two in the league go head to head on Saturday, and the hosts remain the only side in the league without a win to their name. It hasn’t been all bad for the hosts this season though who managed a point against high flying Topsham Town, beat Beer Albion in the ThirstFitness League Cup and took a 2-0 lead against Budleigh Salterton last Saturday, only to draw 2-2. Visitors Ipplepen Athletic have endured some heavy defeats so far this season but also managed a point in their last league fixture, as they drew 1-1 against North Molton SC last Saturday. This will be a tough game for both of the league’s basement sides, and a win for either side could prove to be massive in a bid to pull away from the bottom of the table.

Budleigh Salterton v Thorverton:

The hosts will be looking to improve on their performance from last weekend as they had to battle from 2-0 down to get a point at bottom of the table Bere Alston United. The hosts have failed to win in any of their last five league matches and will be hoping to put an end to that run against a Thorverton team who sit just five points ahead. The visitors have won both of their last two away games 1-0, and whilst they don’t score many goals, they are not a team to knock having already taken several points off the clubs at the top of the division this season. This could be a close game that once again comes down to just a single goal separating the sides.

Dartmouth v North Molton SC:

Following relegation from the South West Peninsula League Premier East at the end of last season, Dartmouth have struggled to hit the ground running this season and have just managed five wins from twelve games. The Darts have lost three of their last four league games, and this includes two 4-1 defeats against Appledore and University of Exeter. The hosts will be looking for a change in form as they host struggling North Molton SC who are third from bottom with just two wins in eleven games, however, the visitors come into this game unbeaten in their last two, as they picked up a point at fellow strugglers Ipplepen Athletic and beat Newtown 2-1.

Plymouth Marjon v Elmore:

Second place host fourth place in the league in what could be the standout game of the day, as both clubs come into this fixture on twenty two points. Last Saturday, both clubs were in ThirstFitness League Cup action and went all the way to penalties to determine the winner, as Plymouth Marjon were victorious against University of Exeter whilst Elmore lost at Alphington. In the league, Elmore have won their last two games whilst Plymouth Marjon have lost two of their last four. This should be a tight match but a very entertaining fixture.

University of Exeter v Ottery St Mary:

University of Exeter have lost their last two games, as they were defeated on penalties in the ThirstFitness League Cup at Plymouth Marjon and lost their last league game 2-0 away at Ottery St Mary. The Students will have this recent defeat to the Otters on their mind and they will be out looking for a quick revenge. The Otters lost 1-0 at Thorverton last weekend but won their last two league games prior to that as they beat Uni and Plymstock United. Recent form suggests this game could go either way as University of Exeter will want to close the gap on the top of the table whilst Ottery St Mary will know that a win could help push them closer to the top five.

alphington fc

Alphas Edge Out Eagles in Entertaining League Cup Tie

Article and photo by Tom Besford.

Current league leaders Alphington entertained third place Elmore at the Chronicles in the ThirstFitness League Cup and the well populated crowd were treated to an entertaining affair that went all the way to penalties.

The hosts started the game strong and controlled the majority of the possession but failed to really create any chances that could possibly lead to goals. The Eagles did well to soak up the pressure and were quick to break, and they had the opening chance of the match, after twelve minutes, when Cody Stansfield beat the home ‘keeper to the ball, but his shot towards an open goal was weak, and an Alphington defender was able to recover and get the ball away to safety.

It was Elmore who continued to have the best of the chances in the first half, and they came close again just before the twenty minute mark when the ball dropped to Brandon Parsons who fired his shot just wide of the post. It would be Parsons that had the next major chance of the game as well, less than ten minutes later, as he saw his effort blocked in the box. Parsons was lucky that the ball bounced back to him but his second goal bound effort was also blocked.

With just five minutes until half time, the deadlock was broken and it was the hosts who took the lead, Jack Mills finding the back of the net. The ball broke free to Mills on the edge of the area who hit his shot low into the bottom corner through a crowded penalty area.

The lead was almost doubled in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half as Elmore defender Luke Broomfield sliced a clearance towards his own goal, but thankfully his goalkeeper saved his blushes as Aaron Marks pushed the ball over his crossbar and out for a corner.

Alphington came out looking for a second goal at the restart and had a couple of early chances as they looked to double their advantage. A cross from the right wing was headed just over the bar by Tre Davey, and Jordan Casey Ford tried his luck from distance as his effort from forty yards out had keeper Marks diving backwards to push the ball over his bar.

As the game passed the hour mark, the visitors managed to find an equaliser; Davey lost the ball on the edge of his own area which was gathered by Stansfield beating the goalkeeper and finishing into an empty net. This made for an interesting finale to the game as neither team would want to take the game to a dreaded penalty shoot-out.

The Alphas came the closest to winning the game as Ben Annunziata burst into the box from the right wing and fired over but neither team could win it meaning penalties were required.

Brandon Parsons, Dan Cole, Cody Stansfield and Tom Bedingham scored their penalties for Elmore whilst Rhys Parsons put his wide and Ryan Shrewsbury had his saved by Leon Woodhead. For Alphington, Jack Furzer, Ben Annunziata, Tre Davey, Jack Mills and Rio Potter scored whilst Charlie Dack saw his saved. Alphington progressed on penalties 5-4 as their name goes into the pot for the next round draw.

Alphington team: Leon Woodhead, Jordan Casey Ford, Jack Furzer, Jack Mills, Charlie Dack, Harry Walford, Rio Potter, Jake Pono, John Gaskins, Tre Davey, Jamie Dingle

Subs: Dean Billingsley, Ben Annunziata, Tom Bray, Charlie Gillard, Harry Wellaway

Elmore team: Aaron Marks, Kamil Wojtowicz, Ryan Shrewsbury, Luke Broomfield, Tom Bedingham, Connor Pearce, Dan Cole, Connor Heard, Lewis White, Brandon Parsons, Cody Stansfield

Subs: Luke Andrews, Rhys Parsons, Freddie Ansley

waldon athletic v thorverton devon premier cup 2024

Thorverton Overcome Waldon at Windy Windmill Hill

Article and photo by Tom Besford.

The Devon Premier Cup is always one of the most entertaining tournaments in the local football season, and the first round of this season’s tournament begun with strong winds dominating matches around the county.

Thorverton made the trip to Torquay to take on Waldon Athletic from the South Devon League Premier Division at a very exposed and cold Windmill Hill, and the wind was to be the winner as it dominated the game and made it hard for both teams.

Both teams started the game quickly as Thorverton moved the ball quickly down the wings but couldn’t get the ball in to a goal scoring position whilst down the other end, Waldon blazed a shot over the bar as they broke the back line, but the effort from Jacob Knapman wouldn’t have counted anyway as the offside flag had been raised.

The game was just approaching the twenty minute mark when the deadlock was broken as once again Thorverton broke down the left wing through Nathan Lee, and his cross found its way into the back of the net with some help from a strong wind. The visitors won’t care how the goal came about though as they took the lead against their unbeaten hosts.

Diego Barbero had to pull off a brilliant save as a headed effort from a Waldon corner was heading in, but the ball was tipped over the bar for another corner. Waldon were starting to apply some pressure as they looked for an equaliser, and Thorverton would have to dig deep to stay in front.

With just over five minutes until half time, Thorverton would have been frustrated to not double the lead as Lee had a chance for his second of the game. A Sam Stewart shot was saved by Waldon goalkeeper Kitson Glanville but it was only parried as far as Nathan Lee who fired wide of the target.

The visitors were made to pay for their missed chance as Waldon equalised with their very last touch of the first half. A cross from Sam Heath found the head of Danny Rushe as he guided the ball past Barbero and into the net to send the teams in at the break all square. The game didn’t even have the chance to kick off again as the half time whistle was blown.

As Waldon looked to push on and hopefully cause an upset, their task became even harder after fifty six minutes as they were reduced to ten men as Louie Roberts was given his marching orders for a second yellow card. The Waldon man lunged in on the goalkeeper meaning he was sent for an early shower.

Being a man down didn’t seem to affect the hosts at first and Les Afful, one of the two ex-professional footballers in their side, attempted an audacious shot from over thirty yards out after he saw the visiting ‘keeper off his line. Afful could only watch, though, as the ball went just wide of the target.

Thorverton were pushing to take the lead and their chances came as Chris Powell fired wide in a crowded box. Pressure kept coming down the left wing and a cross into the box was headed on to the far post with ten minutes remaining as Ben Stevens was on hand to fire in from close range to put his side back in front.

Danny Rushe headed a late corner over the bar as the hosts looked for a late equaliser, but it would never come as Thorverton held on to prevent a cup shock from occurring and progress into the next round.

Waldon Athletic team: Kitson Glanville, Olly Moxham, Danny Rushe, Kyle Doughty, Louie Roberts, Sam Heath, Ash Grimes, Harrison Arnold, Sean Finch, Tom Davis, Jacob Knapman

Subs: Keenan Breen, Les Afful, Joe Whitehead, Cal Feasby, Liam McKendrick

Thorverton team: Diego Barbero, Charlie Webb, Paddy O’Loughlan, Pete Hensor, Ben Stevens, Joe Radford, Sam Stewart, Ryan Moody, Nathan Lee, Dylan Isaac, Chris Powell

Subs: Jacob Dack, Piotr Czaja, James Stevens, Ben Mills

bere alston v Plymouth marjon

The Premier Cup Gets Underway on Saturday

Article and photo by Tom Besford.

It is County Cup week and this means that ten of our sixteen clubs are in Devon Premier Cup action as they begin their cup runs all hoping to reach the final in May. Beer Albion are the current holders of the trophy following a 3-1 victory against Park United in last season’s showpiece.

Alphington v Totnes & Dartington:

The hosts come into this game on the back of their first defeat this season as they lost 3-2 at home against Appledore on Saturday but will feel confident against South Devon League Premier Division side Totnes & Dartington. The visitors have won three and drawn one of their opening five fixtures in the league below as they currently sit third in their division. This will only be the second away match of the season for Totnes & Dartington whilst Alphington host their fifth home game in their last six matches! The two clubs have history as they regularly met in the South West Peninsula League Division One East and Totnes & Dartington were victorious on the last meeting as they won 3-1 away in February 2017.

Beesands Rovers v Newtown:

South Devon League Premier Division side Beesands Rovers have struggled so far this season and currently find themselves bottom of their division with four defeats from four games, they host a Newtown side who have had plenty of match action this season having already played twelve games. Newtown have only won three of their opening twelve so will be looking at their cup fixture against lower opposition as a welcome distraction. This is the first competitive fixture between the two sides who will both be looking for a win to kick start their season.

Bere Alston United v Plymouth Eco:

The hosts are bottom of the Devon League with just two points from their opening eight games and they will be hoping for a confidence boosting win against lower opposition to help with their league form. Their opponents haven’t had a great start to the season either as they have just two wins from nine matches in the Plymouth & West Devon Football League. The visitors have scored twenty and conceded twenty in their last five matches so supporters in attendance can expect goals.

Budleigh Salterton v Kingsteignton Athletic:

The hosts have won four and lost six of their opening ten games and they face a tough match at home against a Kingsteignton Athletic side who caused one of the biggest shocks of the tournament last season as they knocked out Appledore. It has been a tough start to the season for the South Devon League Premier Division visitors who are yet to win a league game this season and have played every match away from home. The Rams have lost two of their matches 3-1 whilst losing the other matches 3-2 so they will be hoping for that bit of luck to get their first win of the season. Three of Budleigh’s four wins so far this season have come at home and it is proving a tough place to visit.

Princerock FC v North Molton SC

North Molton SC have had a slow start to the new season with only one win and a draw from their opening nine matches and they face a long trip to visit a Plymouth & West Devon League opponent who they have never met before. The hosts are mid-table in their division but have lost their last two matches coming into this 6-0 at Signal Box Oak Villa and 4-3 at home against Plymouth Hope. This will be North Molton SC’s first trip to Plymouth this season and their longest trip so far, the club have struggled on their travels and have only picked up three points on the road.

Elmore v Buckfastleigh Rangers:

Last season Elmore were beaten 2-1 at home against lower league opponents in the first round of the Devon Premier Cup when North Devon League Premier Division side Boca Seniors were victorious at Horsdon Park. The Eagles will be hoping to avoid a similar banana skin as they host South Devon League Premier Division side Buckfastleigh Rangers. Elmore have had a strong start to the season and find themselves fourth with nineteen points, winning six of their opening ten games. For their visitors, this is their first away game of the season following five consecutive home games which has ended in two wins and three defeats.

Ipplepen Athletic v Beer Albion:

The only fixture in this round of the Devon Premier Cup featuring two clubs from the Devon Football League as hosts Ipplepen come into this on the back of a ThirstFitness League Cup victory on penalties just seven days prior. The hosts have struggled for league form with just one win in their opening eight which came on the road at Dartmouth. Beer Albion have had a better start to the campaign with five wins from their first nine but come into this match having lost two of their last three games in all competitions. The two sides are yet to meet in the league this season but shared three points each last season in their matches between each other as Beer won 6-0 away and lost 3-1 at home.

St Martins v Ottery St Mary:

Former Devon League side St Martins welcome Ottery St Mary to Minster Park hoping to pull off a cup shock but they will have their work cut out against an Ottery side who have had a good start to the new season. The Devon & Exeter League Premier Division side sit bottom of their league with four defeats from four games but they won 6-2 in the East Devon Senior Cup two weeks ago against Central. The Otters enjoyed success in the league cup just seven days prior as they beat Plymstock United and they will be hoping for back to back victories in cup competitions.

Waldon Athletic v Thorverton:

South Devon League Premier Division side Waldon Athletic have had a fantastic start to the season as they come into this game with a 100% league record having won their opening five games. Thorverton are the visitors to Windmill Hill on Saturday and they have enjoyed their own successful start to the season with three wins and three draws from their opening nine games, however, Thorverton come into this game on the back of defeat on penalties at Ipplepen Athletic in the ThirstFitness League Cup last Saturday.

Dartmouth v University Of Exeter:

One of two league games due to both clubs receiving a bye in the first round of the Devon Premier Cup and a quick turnaround from last Saturday when the reverse league fixture was played, University winning 4-1 on that occasion. University of Exeter come into this match on a four game winning run which has seen them scoring twenty three goals and conceding just one, against Dartmouth last Saturday. The hosts have had a mixed bag of results so far this season and have lost two of their five home games but they will be hoping for a quick revenge on their opponents.

Plymstock United v Topsham Town:

The second league game of the day between two sides who have to wait until the next round to start their Devon Premier Cup run. Both Plymstock United and Topsham Town have already met in the league this season as Topsham won 4-0 in August and the hosts will be looking for revenge as they aim to win just their second game of the season, winning their last match 4-2 at home against Newtown. Visitors Topsham Town currently find themselves third with six wins from their opening nine and will be hoping to take advantage of the top two not in action to close the gap at the top of the table.

beer albion v north molton

Rested teams prepare for weekend action

Article by Tom Besford. Photo ©Danni Hide Photography

The first week of the season without any midweek football means that all the teams will be well rested for some entertaining action this weekend.

With the league table starting to take shape, new boys Alphington remain unbeaten at the top of the table whilst Plymouth Marjon could claim top spot by winning their games in hand. At the bottom of the table, two teams continue to look for their first win of the season following their only wins being taken away following the resignation of Lakeside Athletic.

Alphington v Ipplepen Athletic:

Alphington have adapted to life back in the Devon Football League like a fish to water, nine games played and still without a defeat to their name. Four games into the season and Alphington had to fight hard to continue their form with ten men as they narrowly won away at Ipplepen Athletic who will be looking for revenge. The Alphas haven’t lost a home game in the league this calendar year and they will be hoping to continue that run of games, but they know they will be up against tough opposition. This will be Ipplepen’s first visit to Alphington for a league game, and with Ipplepen having an average of 4.5 goals in their games this season, it could turn out to be a brilliant match for the neutral.

Appledore v Budleigh Salterton:

The Fishermen and the Robins are well known to each other with both clubs having played in the South West Peninsula League Division One East for many years. Appledore have struggled to hit the form which saw them finish as runners-up last season, currently sitting in ninth spot in the table with just three wins from their opening seven games, whilst their opponents sit two points and one spot above them in the table. Last season, the two teams only met once with Appledore unable to raise a side for the trip to Budleigh, and the game in North Devon ended 0-0. The visitors have been a bit inconsistent so far this season and have won four and lost four of their opening eight games.

Bere Alston United v Topsham Town:

Bottom of the table side Bere Alston United welcome an in-form Topsham Town to the Down as they look for their first three points in the league this season. Although bottom of the table, Bere Alston United come into this game on the back of a brilliant win last Saturday in the ThirstFitness League Cup against holders for the last two seasons Beer Albion. Their visitors have been enjoying a great season so far as they have won five of their opening seven fixtures with defeat at Dartmouth and Thorverton the only two losses so far this campaign.

Dartmouth v Ottery St Mary:

Ottery St Mary clearly know where the goal is as they come into this match at Dartmouth having scored fourteen goals in their last three games. It was a slow start to the new campaign for the Otters, but they ended August in style with a 7-2 victory against Bere Alston United and carried that form into September winning 6-2 at North Molton SC. Dartmouth have had a bit of a mixed bag of results so far this season and have only won three of their first seven games but have also conceded four goals on two occasions. This game could have plenty of goals as both teams will be looking for a successful season at the top end of the table.

North Molton SC v Beer Albion:

It is fair to say that North Molton SC have had a bit of a disappointing start to the new season and this is reflected with the departure of their manager Sam Smith during the week. The North Devon outfit have just one win from their opening seven fixtures as they ended August with a win at Newtown. Beer Albion have better form than their hosts as they have won four of their opening seven games, but they know how hard a trip to North Molton is with a 1-0 win and 1-1 draw from their previous two visits. These two clubs also met in last season’s ThirstFitness League Cup final (pictured) which Beer Albion ran out 2-0 winners.

Plymouth Marjon v Thorverton:

Plymouth Marjon have been having a season to remember as they went unbeaten in their first six games which included a win at last season’s champions University of Exeter, however, they come into this fixture on the back of their first defeat as they lost 1-0 on the road at Topsham Town last Saturday. Opponents Thorverton have had a mixed bag of results this season with three wins, three draws and two defeats from eight games, however, they come into this game in form, unbeaten in their last four. For Thorverton, their last four games have included an impressive 4-1 win at Dartmouth and a 3-1 victory over a Topsham Town side who beat Marjon last week.

Plymstock United v Newtown:

With just two 1-1 draws this season from their opening eight games, it has been a tough start for Plymstock United who lost their only victory as Lakeside Athletic withdrew from the league. A 1-1 draw in their last game at Thorverton saw them move a point clear of basement club Bere Alston United with whom they’ve already drawn against this season. Newtown have drawn four of their opening ten games and have only won twice this season but come into this match on a five game winless run. Newtown have only lost one of their six away games this season as they seem to favour the away trips so far this season.

ipplepen athletic fc

Hardy Crowd Rewarded With Goalfest at Moor Road

Match report ©Tom Besford. Photo ©Al Macphee/MiraclePR

As Autumn is officially upon us, the wet and horrible weather decided to set in this weekend but for the small crowd that braved the weather at Ipplepen Athletic’s Moor Road ground they were treated to a goal fest in a very entertaining match.

The hosts, who have only one league win to their name so far this season, started the brightest and they found themselves in front after less than two minutes as skilful winger Tom Kelly received the ball, beat his man and fired into the far corner of the goal.

Elmore didn’t let this early set back deter them and they pushed for an instant response and it took just under ten minutes for the Eagles to find the equaliser. Harvey Hogan delivered the ball to the far post where Lewis White made no mistake heading home from close range.

Ipplepen reacted to this set back and they soon found themselves back in front just three minutes after being pegged back. The ball into the Ipplepen box was cleared only as far as Olly Critchlow who was on the edge of the box and hit a wonderful first time effort past the visiting keeper.

The thrilling start to the game continued and it wasn’t long until the fourth goal was scored within the opening twenty minutes of the match, this time Elmore once again levelling. Brandon Parsons dinked the ball past Billy Courtier as the keeper came out to retrieve the ball.

It had been a thrilling start to the game and a great advert for local non-league football but unfortunately there would be no more goals in the first half even though Elmore came close on a few occasions. Lewis White heading just wide of the target from a Fin Crocker cross and just before the half time interval Mason King had time to turn and shoot in the box but could only fire narrowly off target.

A thrilling first half and if the second half matched the quality of the first, all in attendance would’ve been in for a treat. Thankfully, the second half was equally as entertaining.

The home side found themselves going down to ten men for a period in the second half as Olly Critchlow was sent to the sin bin and the visitors made sure to make the extra man count as they took the lead for the first time in the match. Parsons scored his second of the game with a massive helping hand as his free kick took a wicked deflection to leave Courtier with no chance in between the posts.

Elmore continued to put pressure on the Ipplepen back line as they looked to add more gloss to the score and could’ve scored twenty minutes into the half but an outstanding fingertip save by Courtier tipped the ball onto the bar and out for a corner.

It wouldn’t be long before the visitors managed to extend their lead and it was Parsons once again as he completed his hat-trick as he was released through on goal before cleverly lobbing the outrushing goalkeeper.

As the match entered into injury time there was still plenty of drama to come and it begun with Elmore adding another goal to their tally. Harvey Hogan fired a shot from the edge of the box through the legs of Drew Gove and into the back of the net, however, celebrations were cut short as Billy Courtier in goal for the hosts appealed for offside claiming that an Elmore attacker was impeding his view. A short chat between the referee and the linesman later and the goal was disallowed.

A couple of minutes later and Ipplepen managed to cut the deficit to one as a cross from the right found Critchlow who headed home into an empty net. Was there still chance for Ipplepen or was it too little too late as time was running out?

There would still be time for another goal though as in the sixth minute of time added on Elmore managed to score a fifth, Freddie Ansley completing the scoring for the Eagles. A long range shot past Courtier hit the post and Ansley had the easiest job of tapping the rebound into an empty net.

A brilliant match in awful conditions and one that will last long in the memory. Elmore showed why they have started the season so strongly whilst Ipplepen could count themselves unlucky, a performance like that could quite easily have been three points on another day.

Ipplepen Athletic team: Billy Courtier-Train, Josh Pagett, Josh Hurren, Derek Bridgman, Lee Fenner, Joe Wilden, Oliver Critchlow, Tom Kelly, Mason Joint, Charlie Cuss, Nick Edmunds

Subs: Drew Gove, Zak Carnell, Kieron Collings, Billy Robbins

Elmore team: Luke Philips, Kamil Wojtowicz, Harvey Hogan, Luke Broomfield, Connor Pearce, Dan Cole, Lewis White, Matt Pengelly, Fin Crocker, Mason King, Brandon Parsons

Subs: Cody Stansfield, Freddie Ansley, Joe Barry, Luke Andrews

thorverton v bere alston untied dfl

Fishermen Derby Among This Weekend’s DFL Action

Photos © Tom Besford

The final match day of a busy August sees a full fixture list with sixteen teams in action with Thorverton receiving a day off due to being the seventeenth club in the league. The opening month has been full of entertainment and goals and hopefully the rest of the season continues in this form.

Beer Albion v Appledore:

The hosts come into this Fishermen derby unbeaten at home this season with their only defeat on the road at Budleigh Salterton whilst visitors Appledore have had some mixed form so far this season. Two wins and two defeats from Appledore see them currently in tenth and they will be looking to bounce back from defeat last Saturday against University of Exeter. Last season Appledore finished as runners up whilst Beer Albion finished third and just three points behind the North Devon club, however, there wasn’t much more the East Devon club could do as Beer won both games 4-3 at home and 2-0 away. Beer Albion and Appledore joined the league at the same time prior to the 2022/2023 season and since then Beer Albion have a 100% record against Appledore having won the four previous league meetings.

Budleigh Salterton v Plymstock United:

Plymstock United picked up a point in midweek as they drew 1-1 at home against Bere Alston United whilst Budleigh Salterton lost 2-1 at home to Ottery St Mary. Both teams will be looking to bounce back in this fixture to pick up a vital three points having both had a rather slow start to the season. For the visitors, the Stockies have only won once in their opening six matches and would’ve been gutted to not at least get a point at Elmore last Saturday following a 4-3 defeat. Budleigh Salterton have lost their last two games at home and have only won one of their four home fixtures, a record which they will be hoping to improve in this fixture. Plymstock last won at Budleigh Salterton in 2014 winning 2-1 in the South West Peninsula League, however, both clubs drew 4-4 at Deans Cross last season.

Dartmouth v Alphington:

Dartmouth have had mixed form in their opening few Devon Football League fixtures with two wins and two defeats and come into this match on the back of a 1-0 defeat against Ipplepen in midweek. The visitors have been in fine form this season following their promotion from the Devon & Exeter League and remain unbeaten from their first five matches, however, a 0-0 draw at Beer Albion last week saw them lose their 100% record. This will be the first time the two clubs come head to head in a league fixture since the 2006/2007 season when they were both in the Devon County Football League, Dartmouth won both matches that season 4-1 away and 2-1 at home and you have to go back to 2000 to find the last time Alphington won against the Darts. The visitors will be hoping to continue their unbeaten form into September.

Elmore v Lakeside Athletic:

It has been a tough start to the season for Lakeside Athletic who find themselves as the basement club in the division with three defeats from three, it will be a tough match as they make the long trip to an in form Elmore side who currently sit third. Three wins, a draw and defeat so far this season for Elmore who come into this game on the back of a 4-3 victory against Plymstock United last Saturday. Elmore won their home game against Lakeside 6-2 in April last season as the visitors were going through some bad form and that made it six points from a possible six for the Eagles as they had already won the away game 2-1.

Ipplepen Athletic v Topsham Town:

Last season only one point separated these two sides at the end of the season as Topsham finished slightly better as they finished in eleventh spot. This season the two clubs are having completely different form as Ipplepen find themselves near the bottom of the division with their 1-0 midweek win at Dartmouth being their only three points to date. As for Topsham Town, the club have won three of their opening five matches and are currently fourth in the league, they come into this match though on the back of a midweek 3-1 defeat at Thorverton. Although we’re still in August, this is the second meeting of these two sides this season already and Ipplepen will be hoping to get revenge for a 3-0 defeat earlier in the season.

Newtown v North Molton SC:

North Molton SC have really struggled to repeat their fine form from the last two seasons which saw them finish fifth last campaign and second in the North & West Division the season prior. With just one draw in their opening three games, the North Devon side find themselves second from bottom and will be hoping a little run of form could pull them up the table a little. It will be tough for the visitors as they visit a strong Newtown team who are unbeaten since the opening day of the season, a run which has seen two draws and two wins. In this fixture last season Newtown ran out convincing winners as they won 8-1, however, North Molton managed to get revenge winning their home fixture 3-0 before beating Newtown in the semi-final of the ThirstFitness League Cup 4-3 thanks to a dramatic late winner.

Ottery St Mary v Bere Alston United:

The hosts bounced back from defeat last Saturday at Plymouth Marjon by winning 2-1 in midweek at Budleigh Salterton. Bere Alston United were also in action in midweek as a 1-1 draw at Plymstock United put an end to their three game losing run. Last season Bere Alston United picked up four points against Ottery St Mary with a 3-2 home win followed by a 1-1 away draw, a record which Ottery will be hoping to change in this fixture. This will be the first home game of the season for Ottery St Mary and they will be wanting to start their home campaign with a valuable three points.

University of Exeter v Plymouth Marjon:

The battle of the University’s as University of Exeter play their first home game of the season against an unbeaten Plymouth Marjon side. University of Exeter have only played once so far this season and they won the game 2-1 at Appledore to start their hunt to reclaim the league title. Plymouth Marjon are currently top of the division with four wins and a draw from their opening five games and already have an impressive goal difference of +16, eleven goals better than the next best goal difference. The University of Exeter claimed bragging rights last season as they won both games 3-1 and 4-0, a record which Plymouth Marjon will need to change if they want to continue their unbeaten run.

bere alston united v plymouth marjon

League Champs Get Their Season Underway in Another Busy Week

Photos © Tom Besford

It is another busy week in the A&S Interiors Devon Football League this week as all but three teams play which includes University of Exeter playing their first league game of the season.

Dartmouth, Ipplepen Athletic and Budleigh Salterton are all without a game. The games continue to come thick and fast in August as the league table slowly starts to take shape, two teams remain unbeaten whilst three clubs remain winless, it’s proving to be a competitive division already.

Appledore v University of Exeter:

Last season’s champions University of Exeter start their new season with a tough match on the road at last season’s runners up Appledore in what will be a competitive and entertaining match. Appledore won the home fixture 2-0 last season whilst University won their home match 3-0 as the two teams battled it out at the top of the table for the majority of the campaign. The hosts have won two and lost one of their opening three fixtures this season but come into this match on the back of a 2-1 local derby victory against North Molton SC in midweek.

Beer Albion v Alphington:

Alphington have adapted to life back in the Devon Football League extremely well and are the only team with a 100% record having won all four of their opening games. The Alphas’ 100% record was put to the test on Tuesday night as they needed to come from behind with ten men to secure victory at Ipplepen but two goals from Jack Furzer helped the Alphas to the points. Beer Albion have won two and lost one prior to this game and had to work hard in midweek to pick up the points against an Ottery St Mary side who never gave up. This will be the first league meeting between the two sides since the 1991/1992 season when both clubs featured in the Devon & Exeter League Premier Division.

Bere Alston United v Newtown:

These two sides come into this game in contrasting form as Bere Alston United have lost their last two whilst Newtown are unbeaten in their last three league matches. Bere Alston won this fixture 2-1 last season and with the return game finishing in a 1-1 draw, Newtown will be hoping to pick up their first league win against Bere Alston at the third time of asking. Both clubs have visited Thorverton in the last week as Bere Alston lost 2-1 on Saturday whilst Newtown battled hard for a 3-2 win in midweek. The hosts will be hoping to recover from a heavy midweek defeat against Plymouth Marjon.

Elmore v Plymstock United:

It has been a week of mixed results for an Elmore side who have started the season strongly, a fantastic 4-1 home win against Dartmouth on Saturday grabbed the attention of most local football fans but this was followed by a midweek loss at home against Topsham Town. Their opponents Plymstock United have struggled a bit so far this season with three defeats in their opening three games before winning 4-0 at Lakeside Athletic in midweek. Plymstock United have never beaten Elmore in a league game with the Eagles winning both matches last season 4-1 and 3-2.

Lakeside Athletic v Topsham Town:

It has been a tough opening few games for Lakeside Athletic who have lost all three of their games so far this season and sit bottom of the division. Their opponents Topsham Town are enjoying some fantastic form at the moment and have won their last three games, all without conceding as well. Lakeside won both fixtures last season 4-1 and 3-2 and so Topsham Town will be hoping it will be third time lucky and win a league game against Lakeside for the first time.

North Molton SC v Thorverton:

This will be the first away game of the season for Thorverton who have played their first four games at home with one win and one draw alongside two defeats, including a 3-2 loss against Newtown in midweek. The hosts are yet to get going this season and have lost both of their opening games, a 3-1 home loss to Alphington followed by a 2-1 defeat at Appledore midweek. Thorverton won both fixtures last season but lost both games during the 22/23 season.

Plymouth Marjon v Ottery St Mary:

Plymouth Marjon hit six without return in midweek at Bere Alston and look like a strong team in the division already as they remain unbeaten after four games. Marjon don’t seem to be shy in front of goal and have so far scored eighteen goals in their first four. Ottery St Mary worked hard in midweek at Beer Albion but ultimately returned home with no points to show for their efforts. One win, draw and loss from the opening three for Ottery who will be hoping for a better season than last year. Ottery were unbeaten in the league against Plymouth Marjon last season drawing 1-1 at home and winning 4-3 away, however, a second trip to Plymouth in the ThirstFitness League Cup ended in a 5-1 defeat.

bere alston v plymouth marjon

Second Half Goal Blitz for Marjon at Bere Alston

Match report and photos by Tom Besford

Plymouth Marjon are on fine form this season and came into this match at Bere Alston United looking to add to their already impressive goal tally against a home side who were looking to bounce back following defeat on the road at the weekend.

It was a real game of two halves in South Devon but an entertaining game for those in attendance on a chilly Tuesday evening in August.

Both teams started brightly playing quick attacking football and it didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken as Plymouth Marjon took the lead after just seven minutes. A low cross from the right by James Bridges found Lee Coxon at the far post who had the simplest of tasks with tapping the ball into the back of an empty net.

The home side played some good attacking football as they looked to get back into the game but the final ball just seemed to be lacking with the attack often petering out and resulting in a goal kick to Plymouth Marjon. The visitors were still searching for a second goal of their own which led to an end to end game and Liam Donovan struck a shot on the turn which was fumbled by Michael Moore in the home goal but he was quick to react to gather the ball and prevent any further danger.

The best chance the home side had in the first half came in the last ten minutes as Jak Plummer got the better of the visiting defence before hitting a shot low towards the corner, however, Dom Richards was equal to it and managed to push the ball out for a corner.

The second half was less than a minute old and Marjon should’ve doubled the lead when Donovan squared the ball across goal to Coxon who fired over the bar from inside the six yard box, a chance which looked easier to score.

The visitors didn’t have to wait much longer to double their lead as two goals came in quick succession within the first six minutes of the half. Firstly Coxon turned provider as he played a far post cross for Donovan to fire home before Donovan added another moments later as got on the end of a ball from Jake Anderson.

What was already a hard task for Bere Alston had become even harder within a blink of an eye and they now had to come back from 3-0 down. The home team showed good spirit and never gave up as they looked for a way back into the game. Harry Eaton came close to starting a come back as he shot from the edge of the box but Richards pulled off a great save to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

The game was pretty much confirmed as over as a contest moments later as Donovan completed his hat-trick in fantastic fashion. Thirty yards out, the Marjon front man saw the home keeper stranded off his line and sent the ball over his head and into the back of the net, a goal that will live long in the strikers memory.

With just over quarter of an hour to play Bere knew luck was against them as Ryan Brimacombe hit a fantastic shot from the edge of the box leaving Richards with no chance of saving but could only watch as his shot cannoned off the post and back into play.

As the game drew towards a close Plymouth Marjon found time to add two more goals as George Warren tucked a penalty into the bottom left corner before Connor Trewin caught the home keeper in possession of the ball before rounding him and finishing into an empty net.

Plymouth Marjon will be a tough team to beat this season with their quick attacking football and they are already show they are capable of scoring goals this season, as for Bere Alston United, their attacking football will cause problems for several teams and they were unlucky not to score on the night.

Bere Alston United team: Michael Moore, Ryan Moorhead, Tom Martin, Robbie Court, Josh Monk, Ryan Brimacombe, Callum Massey, Ben Clarke, Jak Plummer, Harry Eaton, Jordan Williams

Subs: Connor Johnson, Darren Phillips, Liam Wheeler, Soul Pengelley, Theo Standing

Plymouth Marjon team: Dom Richards, James Bridges, Tom Wakeham, Mitch Hosking, Luke Suttcliffe, George Warren, Lewis Jago, Adam Smietanka, Liam Donovan, Jake Anderson, Harvey Tomlinson

Subs: Ben Jenkins, Lee Coxon, Ryan Dawe, Connor Trewin, Liam Tylor