Tag: thorverton

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.

topsham town thorverton devon football league

Match Report: Topsham Town 0 – 0 Thorverton

Match report ©Tom Besford

This Monday night football fixture was the first meeting between Topsham Town and Thorverton this season and it was as tight as the table would suggest with the visitors in twelfth, one point and one place above their hosts. A good sized crowd turned up for what would be an entertaining fixture which just lacked some goals.

The game started slowly and all that either team could manage was tame efforts from distance, Kieran Smith shot wide from the edge of the box for the visitors in the first five minutes and Lee Radford sent a free kick wide of the target with twenty minutes on the clock. It was an end to end start to the game with both sides full of energy but Thorverton were slightly on top but lacked any quality on the final ball.

It took until the last ten minutes of the half for the game to really start and Nathan May went close for the hosts but could only drag his shot wide of the target from the edge of the penalty area. It was a similar story at the other end of the pitch as Smith beat the defender before shooting straight at the home keeper George Richards.

With just a few minutes remaining in the first half it was the visitors who thought they had broken the deadlock, Mattie Cram hit a shot from distance which fired off the post and rebounded straight into the path of Smith who made no mistake in finishing from close range, however, before any celebrations could take place the linesman’s flag was in the air for offside.

The final chance of the first half went the way of the hosts and it was the first chance that really tested either goalkeeper as Connor Saunders broke into the box from the right driving a shot goalwards from an angle which was saved well by visiting keeper Jack McAndrews.

The second half began in the same way the first half ended with both teams working the ball well but lacking the killer pass in front of goal as the game swayed from end to end. It was Topsham who had the best of the early chances as Brad Edwardson hit a shot straight at McAndrews in goal from the edge of the D before McAndrews was called into a great double save firstly preventing Saunders before Tristan Courtney also saw his effort thwarted by the Thorverton number one.

This acted as a bit of a wake up call for the visitors who sprung into action with a couple of chances of their own. Jacob Dack shot across goal following a cross from the left wing by Sam Stewart before the latter had a golden chance of his own as he hit a shot from distance which cannoned off the crossbar.

It was a game where both teams had clearly left their shooting boots behind with Lee Radford shooting wide from close range for Thorverton before Topsham’s Cameron Webb saw his effort from close range well saved by the keeper.

The final chance of the match came through the home side as a cross from the left found Matt Dovedale who could only head over the bar from close range. As both teams desperately went in search of a winner in the dying minutes panic set in with misplaced passes and poor balls frustrating players from both sides.

A goalless draw in a match between two very close teams who although they both had moments of quality, cancelled each other out and defended well. The return fixture at Thorverton in a few weeks could well be a very interesting game.

Topsham Town team: George Richards, Connor Saunders, Brad Phillips, Tom Tricker, Ash Matthews, Mitch Ward, Tom Price, Marcus Howe, Cameron Webb, Nathan May, Tristan Courtney

Subs: James Skinner, Ben Lyne, Matt Dovedale, Brad Edwardson, Ollie Knowles

Thorverton team: Jack McAndrews, Patrick O’Loughlin, Jake Ebdon, Sam Stewart, Joe Radford, Max Oliver, Beckham Pyatt, Mattie Cram, Ryan Moody, Lee Radford, Kieran Smith

Subs: Nathan Lee, Chris Powell, Jacob Dack, Pepe Eixeres

Match Report: Beer Albion 3 – 1 Thorverton

After going down to a shock 2- 1 defeat at the hands of Ottery St Mary 1sts in midweek, Beer Albion bounced back with a convincing 3-1 home victory against Thorverton last Saturday.  In front of 110 supporters, the Fishermen served up a feast of high-intensity, attacking football writes Richard Honnor.

But it was Thorverton, who made the early running, testing Beer’s defence with some brisk direct football. Within the first 6 minutes, ‘keeper Charlie Ledger was called into action twice, first when he saved a well-struck 18-yard shot from their talented number 11, Josh Hole, who had cut through the Beer defence. Then Ledger made a fine save at full stretch, tipping a teasing 15-yard overhead kick over the bar after Beer had only partially cleared a corner kick. 

Gradually, Beer’s midfield trio of Jake Rowe, Finley Rooke and Charley Skilton began to take charge and with Cody Bowditch playing in a more advanced left side midfield role they began to create good chances. On 14 minutes, right wing back Joe Adkin narrowly missed the target from 15 yards after Skilton and Bowditch combined well on the left to create the opportunity. One minute later, Rowe and Brook Wilkins swept down the right wing to present Josh French with a difficult near post opportunity which went wide.

Forward players French and Wilkins were proving a handful, and although the playing squad was weakened by unavailability, the starting line-up selected by manager Mark Rooke blended really well as a team.

After sustained pressure, the Fishermen went ahead on 21 minutes with a well-worked free kick.  Rowe was brought down outside the penalty box after an incisive run. With the visitors’ defence expecting a shot on goal, Bowditch cleverly “dinked” the ball wide to Finley Rooke who cut inside the defender and his low strike was deflected past the Thors keeper at the near post.

Beer continued to pile on the  pressure with Wilkins and Rooke going close, and then French “scored” with a powerful strike but was ruled offside. Thorverton’s ‘keeper made a couple of good saves, but he could do little about Beer’s second goal on 42 minutes. Again, Bowditch provided the assist, getting behind the visitors’ defence down the left and squaring across the goal into the path of Skilton who scored from 10 yards out.

After the break, Beer continued in the same vein with Wilkins and then Rowe foiled by fine saves by the visitors’ ‘keeper early on.

Wilkins, in particular, was finding space and making good runs down the right, and it was he who put Beer 3-0 ahead with a spectacular goal on 54 minutes. Squeezing between two defenders, Wilkins was first to reach a through pass from Bowditch, and then he expertly chipped the ‘keeper, who was off his line, from 25 yards out.

Beer continued to dominate the contest but, throughout the game, Thorverton’s forward line always looked dangerous going forward. They were duly rewarded with a consolation in the 80th minute, an unstoppable free kick from wide left, 25 yards out, scored by Hole who was their outstanding player on the day.

This was essentially a fine team performance from the Fishermen with centre back George Richards in dominating form at the back, but on behalf of match sponsors, the Chapple family-Beer Beach, Brooklyn Wilkins got the man-of-the-match award for his attacking forays and excellent goal.

Next up, Beer are in action on Wednesday away at Budleigh Salterton, and then they travel to Elmore next Saturday.

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)