Post by Dave on Oct 22, 2022 7:02:11 GMT
Match Official Stephen Osborn
Final Score Brixham Town 2nd 1 Kingsbridge & Kellaton 3
Match preview
I needed to cover a game close to home this week due to a commitment in the morning. But I wanted to try and pick a game featuring a team I had never covered before. This game ticked both boxes for me so it was an easy choice.
Whenever I bump into a few of the Brixham Town 2nd lads, they always ask me the exact same question. “Dave when are you covering one of our games again? We ALWAYS win when you do”. Town’s first game I covered was way back in 2010 and it is true they have won every single game I have covered since then. That is also true for the Town 1st team.
I have had some clubs call me their lucky charm, (looking as my small stature pixie might be a better description) but I am sure many other clubs might disagree. It is more likely the case that Brixham Town sides have a winning mentality and I have just turned up on the right days. I most certainly would not want Kingsbridge & Kellaton turning up for the game thinking it was already lost because that bloke from Davesworld was there.
Brixham Town 2nd were in the forth division of the South Devon Football League last season and finished in 4th in the league table. They won thirteen of the twenty league games played, drawn one and lost six. They scored ninety three goals and conceded sixty four. The league placed the club in division three for the 2022/2023 season.
Brixham Town 2nd have made a good start this season, winning three of the four league games they have played losing one of them. They are currently in 4th place in the league table on nine points. They have already scored eighteen times this season (they did put eleven past Barton Athletic 2nd on the 24th September) and conceded a total of six goals.
The two clubs met on the 1st October, a home tie for Kingsbridge & Kellaton which Brixham Town 2nds won by two goals to one. Last weekend Town 2nd were at home against Ipplepen Athletic 2nd and won that match by three goals to one.
I spend a great deal of time yesterday afternoon trying to find out some more information on Kingsbridge & Kellaton with very little success.
It is clear to me they once were separate clubs, but what year did they join forces? The club badge they use now, shows the club was founded in 1968, but is that correct. I would image the date refers to when Kingsbridge was formed, but a Kingsbridge United side played in the 1968 Herald Cup final against Brixham Villa, unless there were two clubs in Kingsbridge, then the club would have to have been founded at least a year earlier.
I did find a photo taken at a Kellaton FC presentation evening in the late 70’s which I believe would have been a long time before the club joined Kingsbridge
Malcolm Elliott collecting top goalscorer of the year and Stuart White possibly player of the year?
Kellaton is a place I have never heard of before, a village so much closer to Beesands and Hallsands than it is Kingsbridge. If I do find out and further information I will add a further post on this thread.
On to what I do know, Kingsbridge and Kellaton are currently in 6th place in the league table. Their record to date is played four, won two and lost two. Scoring twelve goals along the way and conceding eight. Last weekend they played Barton Athletic 2nd away and won the game by six goals to one.
With just three points separating the teams this is a real six pointer. If top of the table Newton Abbot 66 2nd beat 2nd in the table Waldon Athletic 2nd today, then a win for Brixham Town 2nd would see them jump into that second place spot, so all to play for.
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Match report
Due to the heavens opening up during the game, both I and my notebook got soaking wet. So I will not be able to produce my normal detailed match report today. It’s the price you have pay when you choose to sit in an open park to cover a game, rather than a game at a club that has shelter for its fans. Also a challenge weather wise to produce match shots, but I did ok in the end.
I think it will be Kingsbridge & Kellaton who will be saying “Dave can you cover our games every week and no longer Brixham Town 2nd. But the plain facts are the Kings were just that bit better, passed the ball better and stood up to some very strong bullying type play from some of the Brixham lads.
Brixham’s first team had robbed a few players from the 2nd team. I have heard it said before, players play for the club not one team in it. But it is often the case results of the 2nd team can and often do suffer when they are then unable to field their best eleven.
Before I attempt to try and write any sort of match report I just want to mention one young Brixham player. Zach Jeffries is just sixteen years old and not the biggest lad you will ever meet. I covered an under sixteen game he played in at the Bovey Tracey Ground last season and he caught my eye then.
He has made the step up to men’s football and was the smallest player on the pitch today. But he took all the knocks and showed his class with his control and vision for a good pass. He will beef up with age and has to be a player to watch in the future.
Match referee Steven Osborn who did a first class job in a game that was at times over physical, got the game underway. Both teams started in a very lively fashion and I could see from the start this was going to be an all action game.
The first real chance fell to the Kings Alex Piper when he was played into the Brixham box. He got a shot away that went past and behind the keeper and looked to be going in. But Pat Buntam managed to get to the ball before it crossed over the goal line and clear it away.
We were then treated to a very heavy belt of rain and that was the end of my note taking. Not long after the Kings took the lead. A free kick was taken out on the left hand side of the pitch and headed on at the near post. The ball landed near the right hand post for a simple tap in by Alex Piper.
There then followed a number of very physical challenges by a few Brixham players. Iian Sloman was guilty of such a challenge and was the first player to have his name taken. As a result we had one of those handbag moments that thankfully did not get out of hand. A few strong words from the referee got it all sorted out.
But Cody Dyer did not have his listening ears on and made another silly and unnecessary challenge of a Kings player and rightly also had his name taken.
Plenty of battles going on all other the pitch but few more chances on goal during the first half and the half ended with the Kings one nil up.
The second half got underway and it was all Brixham as they looked to get back into the game and charm their lucky pixie. But the first chance fell to the Kings. They won a free kick that was fired towards the left hand post. Jake Soper was in a good position but sliced his first time shot wide of the goal.
Brixham’s hard work and pressure finally paid off, Iiam Sloman was played into the Kings box with just Samual Bond the Kings keeper to beat. He came off his line to try and narrow the angle, but Iiam coolly rolled the ball past him and into the back of the net.
I have covered Brixham 2nd games before where they were behind in the first half and stormed the second one. Now back on level terms and still very much on top, I was expecting to see Brixham score again.
They had another good chance when they won a free kick out on the left hand side of the pitch. The ball was fired high into the Kings box towards the back post. Cody Dyer rose well but his headed effort went wide of the post.
But it was the Kings who scored the next goal after they won a free kick just inside their own half. The ball was fired at goal and from my angle it looked as if it was going to sail over Mark Clifford in goal for Brixham. I lost the flight of the ball and the next I saw it was being tap home by the left hand post.
Brixham kept battling away but could not find those killer passes after some neat approach play. But they then gave the ball away cheaply on the halfway line and a first time pass over the Brixham defence played in Alex Piper. He kept his cool and ran towards the Town box and hit an unstoppable shot into the back of the net.
He then did some very neat work outside the right hand side of the Brixham box and got another shot away that flew across the goal and wide of the left hand post. Miles Hurt took a shot from the edge of the Brixham box that also went wide of the target.
Will O’Sullivan came so close to getting a goal back for Brixham, but the long grass was to blame for the ball not crossing over the goal line.
The Kings then won a corner, the ball was fired into the box and Jack Soper got a very powerful head on it which produced the save of the match from Mark Clifford. Mark was able to quickly react and push the ball over the crossbar.
That was it and the referee blew up for the end of the game. Brixham did not lack effort but I have seen them play much better. Credit must be given the Kingsbridge & Kellaton, they battled the storms and plenty of strong challenges and took their chances when they came along.
Despite getting myself and my camera gear very wet( it’s a pro camera and well weather sealed) I really enjoyed the match and am pleased with the choice I made today. Many thanks to both managers and the match referee for all your help with the team sheet today.
