Post by Dave on Aug 6, 2022 8:09:51 GMT
The Trawler Cup
Match Referee Sid Westcott
Final Score Brixham AFC 0 2nd Brixham Town 1st 0
Brixham AFC 2nd won by five goals to four after a penalty shootout
Attendance close to 100
Match preview
The last Brixham derby game was six years ago, but thanks to Ian N Jayne Munnings from the Trawler pub it will now become a yearly event. The Trawler Cup will be contested by Brixham AFC 2nd and Brixham Town 1st.
When Brixham United merged with Brixham Villa in June 2012 it meant the town went down to have only two football clubs, the newly formed Brixham AFC and Brixham Town FC. Town were reformed and joined the South Devon Football League for the 2020/2021 season that did not concluded due to covid.
Brixham AFC 2nd were the runners up in the premier division of the SDFL last season, Kingsteignton Athletic won the league and decided not to move up to the Devon League. Wanting to go one better than last season Brixham AFC 2nd also decided to remain playing in the SDFL this season.
Brixham Town played last season in the 3rd division of the SDFL and won the league title and remained unbeaten all season. They also won the Ronald Cup when they beat Totnes & Dartington 2nd by three goals to two in the final.
Report on that game here
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/998/rcfinal-brixham-town-totnes-dartington
I covered a number of Brixham Town and Brixham AFC 2nd games last season and they can all be found in the Sports Room on Davesworld, neither team suffered a defeat in any of those games.
Brixham Town were promoted to division 2 of the SDFL for the 2022/2023 season and taking on last seasons runners up in the Premier League will be the biggest challenge they have faced since reforming. Both teams are very good sides and it should be a fantastic game to watch.
Playing for the pride of Brixham and the bragging rights, a game that will have so much interest for the football loving folk of Brixham and hopefully will draw a decent crowd.
Match Report
Brixham can be very proud because it has not one but two very good football clubs that are full of quality players. Lets be honest it is just too hot to play football, but both teams gave everything they had to produce a very entertaining match. It was a game that promised goals, but none came but both sides came so close on a number of occasions.
Brixham Town can hold their heads up high; they matched Brixham AFC 2nds all over the pitch and were unlucky to loose in the manor they did in the end. They could have been two nil up in the early part of the first half. Hitting the post and a wonderful opportunity missed when it had goal written all over it were the reasons they weren’t.
That match referee blew up for the start of the match and seconds later Towns Kyle Hazlewood was played into the Blues box. Ben Evans in goal for the Blues was able to make a fine blocking save.
The play switched to the other end and Alex Harding took a shot from just inside the Town box that went wide of the left hand post.
Town then came so close to taking the lead after a wonder run by Shane Pike. On his route to the Blues box he beat three players with ease then hit a powerful shot that beat the keeper but crashed against the right hand post. The ball ended up being cleared for a corner. The ball came into the box from the corner kick and Macca Dallow rose the highest, but his header flew over the crossbar.
The Blues were reduced to having to take shots from too far out, Alex Harding hit a wild effort that ended up going well wide of the right hand post.
Then came the second great chance for the fishermen, the ball was played low into the Blues box from the left hand side and was hit first time by Shane Pike, I was expecting the ball to fly into the back of the net, but he pulled his effort just wide of the left hand post.
Blues Ryan Walton fancied his chances from all of 25 yards, but his shot went high over the crossbar. But shortly afterwards it was the Blues who nearly took the lead. The ball was played up to Mark Griffiths close to the right hand post. Cam Atkinson in goal for town came out to try and win the ball. But Mark was able to get it past him and from a tight angle got a shot away. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar and came back into play.
The final effort on goal for the first half was another shot from outside of the town box by Liam Mccauley that flew over the crossbar. The ref blew up for halftime, the blues stayed out on the pitch and the Town players headed back to the dressing rooms.
The blues started the second half well, and town were struggling a bit to get the ball up to their front players. Blues 15 ( not on team sheet) found himself inside the Town box with the ball at his feet but he screwed his shot wide of the post.
A few of the tackles were getting a bit feisty but thankfully normal service was soon restored. Blues 14(not on team sheet) hit a good 20 yard effort that was well held by the town keeper.
A great low ball was fired into the Blues from the right hand side, at the far post Jack Thompson was rushing in to get on the end of the ball, but was inches away from making contact and scoring what would have been a certain goal. Jack Turak then hit a shot from the edge of the Blues box that flew over the crossbar.
Town were now fully back in the game, Ricco Marzoni hit a very powerful shot from 20 yards out that the keeper fumbled but managed to make the save. From a corner there were three efforts on goal, all blocked on the line, I was convinced one of the efforts had to go in, but credit to the blues defence must be given.
Just before the match referee was about to blow up for fulltime, there was a handbag moment over the far side of the pitch, not sure what started it but it was soon over.
There was a moment of confusion as no one knew what was going to happen next, while this was a preseason friendly there was a cup to be won.
It was finally decided to settle the game by having a penalty shootout. I won’t list the players, who took them, but the blues scored all of theirs and one was missed by a town player. Not the way you like to see a game decided but in the heat extra time was never going to be an option. Two very good sides who will both do well this season and I am looking forward to seeing them both in action during the season.
Many thanks to Lee and Ben for doing a team sheet for me, it was really appreciated
