Tag: newtown

newtown v university of exeter devon football league 2025

Gill hat-trick not enough as University fire in five at Newtown

Article and photo by Tom Besford.

Newtown hosted a University of Exeter team who are trying to close the gap at the top of the table, at a chilly Newton St Cyres Recreational Ground and put on an entertaining match for the small crowd in attendance. Jamie Dingle was making his debut for the hosts following his signing from league leaders Alphington and he would’ve been looking to add to his two goals so far this season.

The hosts had the first chance of the match to break the deadlock with the game less than five minutes old as Noah Hitchmough curled an effort just wide of the target from the edge of the box. The game was a bit of a slow burner with both sides cancelling each other out for the majority of the opening twenty minutes with the best chance for the visitors coming when Ollie Kavanagh fired straight down the keeper’s throat from the edge of the box.

The deadlock was finally broken inside the first half an hour when a Liam Morritt pass into Kavanagh on the edge of the box was finished with a smart looping effort over the head of Zach Tait in the home goal. The opening goal would lead to some added confidence in the University side leading to a flurry of attacks as they looked to add a second to their tally.

With just over five minutes until the interval Morritt was released through on goal and managed to fire across the keeper and into the opposite corner to double the lead.

Just moments later and University came close to a third as Joe Zamir was played through on goal as he ran into the box, took the ball around the out rushing keeper and put his effort wide with an open goal gaping. His blushes were saved though as he looked back to see the offside flag raised in the air.

Newtown had their work cut out for the second half if they wanted to try and salvage something from the game as a strong University of Exeter side had given themselves a comfortable lead at the break.

The second half was just two minutes old when a third goal was added to the tally as University forward Jake Faul converted a twenty five yard free kick into the top left corner out of the reach of Tait. University had started to show their dominance and now had a three goal lead to show for their efforts so far.

With Newtown pushing forward looking for a way back into the game it left several gaps at the back where they could be punished further and when a Faul cross to the far post found Zamir it looked likely to be four but a great save by Tait with his feet prevented further damage. Damage limitation would only last a few minutes later though as a break from the half way line by Jack Smith resulted with the ball being squared to Kavanagh to tap in from close range for his second.

University further tried their luck with a couple of long range efforts as Sam Wade struck the bar from thirty plus yards whilst Zamir hit his shot from distance narrowly wide.

The hosts never gave up, even at four nil down they were pushing for a way back into the game, and the continued efforts were rewarded with a goal. Jamie Dingle hit a shot from distance which was spilt by the University keeper and out for a corner. From the resulting corner Dan Gill headed home at the far post from a Ryan Gilpin delivery. Was this the start of an impressive comeback by the hosts with fifteen minutes to go?

The answer was no as just two minutes later the visitors added a fifth as Tait lost the ball resulting in Jack Smith having the easy task of walking the ball into the back of an empty net.

Just like before Newtown kept going and with three minutes left on the clock Gill had found the back of the net again, this time a long range effort flying into the top corner.

With the game entering injury time Gilpin sent a thirty yard effort just wide and the game had enough time for Gill to secure his hat-trick. Kavanagh brought down Noah Hitchmough in the box for a penalty and up stepped Gill with the last kick of the game sending the ball into the bottom right corner.

A hard fought performance from the hosts who, on another day, would’ve done enough to share the points but University punished them at the back to secure all the points.

Newtown team: Zach Tait, Harry Hitchmough, Noah Hitchmough, Jon Smith, Brad Butterfield, James Ansell, Jack Gill, Dan Gill, Cody Cox, Ryan Gilpin, Jamie Dingle

Subs: Theo Herbert, John Smith, Ben Howard

University of Exeter team: Ben Roberts, Sam Thomas, Seb Limon, Jack Smith, James Wakefield, Ben Harris, Joe Zamir, Ollie Kavanagh, Saman Ahmadi, Liam Morritt, Jake Faul

Subs: Sam Wade, Matt Steer, Adam MacPherson

Match Report: Beer Albion 3 – 2 Newtown

Match report ©Tom Besford

On a wet and horrible Saturday afternoon, Newtown made the trip to Beer Albion in what would be an even battle between two mid-table sides.

The away side found themselves behind within the first couple of minutes but levelled before the break. An early goal in the second half from the hosts and a third soon after secured the three points would remain in Beer, but Newtown scored a penalty to push the home side right till the death.

If you turned up late to this match, you will have missed the first goal as the game was just three minutes old when Beer Albion took the lead. The Fishermen tested their visitors from kick off, and Tony Pinder found the back of the net from the edge of the box to break the deadlock. The home side continued to come forward as they dominated the opening exchanges and with the game less than ten minutes old, could have doubled the lead when good interchanging play down the right wing ended with Aaron Daniels putting the ball over the bar.

The visitors started getting back into the game and created a few chances going forward, but their best chance to get back into the game came after twenty two minutes. After playing the ball down the right hand side, Cory O’Donoghue burst into the box and struck low against the post, the ball came back out to Ryan Gilpin, but he couldn’t keep his effort down and the ball went over the top of the crossbar for a goal kick.

Newtown continued to look for a way back into the game as the half passed the thirty minute mark. Joe Mackensey pulled the ball back from the right wing for Josh Gresham who put his effort wide of the far post. The away team didn’t have to wait long for an equaliser though, and on their next attack they were level. After Charlie Ledger, in the Beer goal, and one of his defenders failed to get the ball clear, Billy Turl was left with an easy finish into the net for 1-1.

Gilpin sent a curling effort just over the bar, from the edge of the box, as he looked to put Newtown in front, but the scores remained level going into the half time interval. An even first half with the majority of it played in heavy rain.

It didn’t take the Fishermen long in the second half to retake the lead as they found themselves in front after three minutes of play, just like in the first half. A corner was crossed into the box and found the head of Finley Rooke who guided a head past the visiting ‘keeper.

The next goal would be crucial and it was Beer who scored it to add to their lead as the second half neared the twenty minute mark. Matt Berry beat the offside trap and was played through on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat. Newtown custodian Laurie Martin saved the original shot but could do nothing as the rebound fell back to Berry who finished into the empty net.

Newtown continued to push for a way back into the game, but as the pitch got heavier in all the rain, the chances came fewer and further apart, and with ten minutes remaining, the game looked like it could have been in doubt. The match referee became increasingly worried about a puddle of standing water on the pitch that had grown and so a pause in play was required to fetch some brushes and try to clear the puddle.

When the game eventually restarted, it was the visitors who reacted the quickest and they were awarded a penalty with five minutes to go as the Beer Albion defender slipped and handled the ball in the area. O’Donoghue calmly finished down the middle to make a tense end to the game.

An entertaining and even game came to an end after almost ten minutes of time added on, and for the first time in almost three hours, the players and officials could go and dry off!

Beer Albion team: Charlie Ledger, Matt Berry, Liam Cox, George Harwood, George Richards, Finley Rooke, Josh Lund, Charley Skilton, Josh French, Tony Pinder, Aaron Daniels

Subs: Joe Adkin, Harry Lawrence, Barnaby Down, James Melville, Jack Prior

Newtown team: Laurie Martin, Joe Mackensey, Evan Murry, Ryan Gilpin, Jack Gill, James Ansell, Cory O’Donoghue, Dan Gill, Josh Gresham, Billy Turl, Joel Greenslade

Subs: Ant Bowen, Theo Herbert, Ben Howard, Josh Daines

Do you want to see your club’s match report on the DFL website? Send it to tom.besford@uwclub.net and we will post it (posts may be edited for grammar and style)