PL Brixham AFC V Sidmouth Town 3rd September 2022

[Dave]

Match Referee Karl Meckaniuk

Assistants Andrew Chislett-McDonald & Brian Johnston

Final Score Brixham AFC 4 Sidmouth Town 0

Match Preview

My third visit to Wall Park this season, a ground I always feel very much at home at. My first visit was on Saturday 16th July a preseason game between Brixham AFC and Liskeard Athletic. It was a scorcher of a day and the pitch showed the effects of the very hot weather, I expect it will look very much the same today. The game ended in a one all draw, an enjoyable game to watch but lacked goal action.

Report On That Game

davesworld.proboards.com/thread/1031/brixham-liskeard-athletic-16th-july

The second game was on the 6th August and billed as the Trawler Cup between Brixham AFC reserves and the Brixham Town First team. On chances created Town maybe should have won the match, but at the end of full time neither team had been able to score and Brixham Reserves won the penalty shoot-out.

Report On That Game

davesworld.proboards.com/thread/1035/brixham-afc-town-august-2022

Three quarters way through last season I felt Brixham were in with a chance of overtaking league leaders Torpoint and being crowned as the champions. But a few results did not go their way and Torpoint won the title and finished with eight more points than Brixham. Mind you Torpoint have found it tough in the Western League and after completing six fixtures to date, have yet to record their first win.

Brixham have made a good start in the new season winning three of the four league games they have played. While they sit in eight place in the table, they do have games in hand on all the teams above them.

Brixham’s last league outing was away to Plymouth Marjon on the 24th August and they won the game by two goals to one. On the 20th August they were in FA cup action away to Shepton Mallet who are in third place in the Western League, a game they lost by four goals to nil. No shame in that result as Buckland Athletic played Shepton Mallet three days later away and lost by three goals to nil.

Before today’s game Sidmouth were in sixteen place in the league table on four points after completing five fixtures, winning just the single game, drawing one and losing three. Their last game was at home on the thirty of August against Okehampton Argyle a game they lost by four goals to nil.

While Sidmouth will be looking to kick-start their season, they will find it tough at Wall Park if Brixham play to the high standards they are capable of, on paper Brixham must surly start as the favourites.

Late news -  Brixham AFC announced yesterday afternoon that they signed Charlie Johansen. I have watched him play many games for Buckland Athletic in the Western League and he will add great fire power to the Brixham team. He comes straight into today’s squad.

Match Report


A very different afternoon as far as the weather was concerned, unlike the heat waves we have got used too, today was windy, dull with a wet second half. As expected the pitch looked brown but was still very playable.

What would any new player joining a club like on is debut? Score your first goal for them? Well if your name is Charlie Johansen only a hat trick will do. Very impressed with his performance today, worked so hard, was full of running and took his chances when they came along.

If I had been asked before the start of the game what I thought the final score would be, I would have said three nil to Brixham. But with just five minutes left of the first half, I was sat there wondering if I would see any goals at all. While failing to create any decent chances for the whole match, Sidmouth at least in the first half looked a better side then I imagined they would be.

The match referee blew up for the start of the match and for a good while both teams cancelled each other out. Sidmouths approach play looked good but those final killer passes were missing. They did have one rather outrageous attempt on goal from the halfway line. Grant Fisher was well off his goal line and a high ball was fired at the Brixham goal. Grant had to back peddle in over drive mode; he was able to jump high enough to catch the ball just after it sailed over his head.

Charlie Johansen showed his intent right from the start; he was outside the right hand side of the Sidmouth box and hit a powerful shot that Mike Searle in goal for Sidmouth only just managed to tip over his crossbar. Aaron Wellington hit a good shot from the edge of the Sidmouth box, but it turned out and easy save for the keeper.

Brixham’s captain Kieron Parkin was the first player to receive a yellow card. The game was held up while a new ball was found for a Sidmouth throw-in, I can only imagine Kieron must have made a remark the referee did not like.

With just five minutes left of the first half Brixham took the lead. Charlie Johansen was in a similar position that he took his shot from that was tipped over the bar. The keeper came to the near post, but the shot was so powerful the ball went between his legs and into the goal. On the balance of play Brixham just about deserved to go in at halftime one goal to the good.

As the second half got underway so did the light rain, could Brixham add to their lead or could Sidmouth get back onto level terms? They did create a half chance and from the edge of the Brixham box Ash Hudd hit a good shot but it went wide of the left hand post.

Brixham then doubled their lead after wining a corner the ball was fired low towards the goal and Tom Dunlop steered the ball over the goal line.

The Sidmouth defence seemed to fall apart and it did not take long for Brixham to find the back of the net again. Another low ball across the box to the back post was tapped over the line by Charlie Johansen. Moments later they scored again. Scott Robinson was belting down the right hand side of the pitch, the Sidmouth keeper came running well out of his area to get to Scott. Scott was able to knock the ball past him but he was out wide and the keeper was able to get close another to block the shot on goal. But the ball fell to Charlie Johansen who got it under control and steadied himself before firing a powerful shot into the back of the net.

Charlie Johansen thought he had scored again with another simply tap in, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Ryan Keats also got the ball into the back of the Sidmouth net, but that goal was also ruled out for offside.

Up the other end and a big shout went out for hand ball on the Brixham goal line, but nothing was given. That was it, a good win for Brixham against a side that could not really get their game going and were poor defensively.

Many thanks to match referee for your help with the team sheets, an enjoyable game to watch and the best team won on the day.