Post by Dave on Apr 29, 2023 9:36:02 GMT
Match Referee Nigel Lawrence
Final Score Brixham Town 3 Watcombe Wanderers 1
Match Preview
With the small number of teams in each of the divisions in the South Devon league; it has made perfect sense to run each league cup in a group stage format. It has given all the clubs a few extra games this season and has meant even if a club lost its first game in their divisional cup, there was still a chance they could progress to the semi-final stage.
Brixham Town were in group A of the Lidestone cup, but due to Dartmouth AFC Reserves not taking part in the cup for what ever reason, Town were required to play only three qualifying matches.
On the 4th March Town were at home against Newton Rovers 1st and the game ended in a one all draw. On the 8th April they faced Watts Blake $ Bearne 2nd away and won the game by three goals to nil. Their final group game was played on the 15th April away to Newton Abbot Spurs 3rd which they won by two goals to one. It resulted in Town topping the group on seven points.
Watcombe Wanderers were in group B and were required to play four games in total. Their first game played on the 4th March was away to East Allington United 2nd which they won by three goals to two. On the 18th March they were at home against Totnes & Dartington SC 1st and won they game by four goals to two. This was the last game I was able to cover before being taken ill.
Match Report On That Game
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/1087/watcombe-wanderers-totnes-dartington-march
their next game should have taken place on the 25th March away to Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police Reserves
but they ended up being awarded an away walkover. On the 8th April they were home to Paignton Villa 2nd who turned up with only eleven players and also without their first choice keeper. Watcombe took the lead but ended up losing the game by two goals to one. Watcombe ended up topping the group on nine points.
Brixham Town come into the game on very good form, they have been undefeated in both April and march in league and cup games, their last defeat was back on the 4th February against Totnes & Dartington SC 1st in a league match.
Watcombe sit at the top of the division two table and are the only unbeaten team in the league this season. But Paignton Villa 2nd showed they are beatable and Brixham Town will take heart from that result. In the Watcombe game I covered I saw a very strong and physical Watcombe side and Town will have to match tem all over the pitch to give them the best chance of making it through to the final.
The two teams last met on the 28th January in a league match played at Long Lane.
Brixham Town are trying to raise funds so changing rooms can be erected at the JC Park to enable them to play their home games there next season. If you are able to help please click the link below, many thanks
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ab2f4154b3d3bd47ead3c63531a940a6?fbclid=IwAR3koXe0j7a9NJ1FarnsySvHH1sa81cGdRuD47EPAYZeqXJV8xs1uQzINSw
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Match Report
A dry sunny afternoon and a pitch that was unbelievably rock hard. Thanks to the council cutting the pitch far too early in the week, the grass was longer than it should have been. I had to remind myself during the whole game that the Brixham Private Festival was on and we were not under attack from the Russians. Loud explosions and gunfire boomed up to the green from the harbour side.
Brixham Town were very worthy winners today, they played the better football and created so many goal scoring opportunities and maybe should have won by a greater margin. As a result of so many first half chances not taken, they made the game harder for themselves than it might have been.
To be honest I was expecting more from Watcombe Wanderers than they offered, not sure why that was the case, but maybe down to no more that how well Town played and controlled the game.
The match referee blew up for the start of the match and with just a minute on the clock Town came so close to taking the lead. A long high ball was fired to the edge of the Watcombe box, Elliot Mccintosh looked unsure what to do and then headed to ball backwards hoping to find his keeper. The header dropped well short and Towns Paul Christie got to the ball and lifted it over the keeper. The ball hit the right had post and came back into play, a resulting follow up shot went wide of the goal.
One or two Watcombe players were too busy moaning at the referee rather than getting on with their own game, thankfully some strong words from fellow team mates soon put an end to it.
Another good long ball picked out Paul Christie on the edge of the Watcombe box, but he ended up hooking his shot well wide of the target. He then played a neat ball into the box from the left hand side to the feet of Jack Turak who got a good shot away that was well saved down by the right hand post by Oscar Wax in goal for Watcombe.
Paul Christie burst into the left hand side of the box again and from a very tight angle got a shot away that flew past the right hand post. Next Towns Jamie Warren hit a good shot from the edge of the box that the keeper did well to block with his feet.
I was starting to wonder of Town would end up paying the price for all the missed chances, but then they finally made one count. Watcombes Elliot Mcguiness really should have done better, but a mistake by him let Jack Turak get onto the ball in the right hand side of the Watcombe box. He hit a good clean shot passed the keeper into the back of the net.
Towns Ricco Morawzzoni was the first player to have his name taken after he jumped into the keeper when the ball was not there to be won by him.
Watcombe did not have one shot on goal for the whole of the first half, but right at the end of the first half they were gifted a lifeline by Brixham. A Watcombe player was hacked down in the box and Charlie Uniacke took the spot kick, sending the keeper the wrong way as he placed to ball low inside the right hand post. When the halftime whistle went, Town must have been wondering how Watcombe were still on level terms when they could have all but put the tie to bed in the first half.
Watcombe started the second half much better than they did the first half, but still looked unlikely to take the lead in the match. In fact it was Town who took the lead again from a corner kick. The ball was fired high to the back post and knocked down to Paul Christie to fire home.
Paul then earned himself a silly booking after being flagged odd side and then ignored the referees whistle and went on to take a shot at goal. “sorry ref did not hear the whistle “ fell on deaf ears.
Watcombes Sam Pyne did hit a good shot from just outside the Town box that only just cleared the crossbar. Charlie Uniacke found himself in the Town box a number of times, but was unable to find the space to get a telling shot away as the Town defence got as tight to him as possible.
Towns sub number 15 headed just wide of the target, their other sub number 11 turned well on the edge of the box but his effort flew high over the crossbar.
Town then put the game to bed when they scored their third goal, I do not do a man of the match but if I did I would have given it to Paul Christie. His first effort looked like it was blocked, but he was back onto the ball in a flash and fired an unstoppable shot home.
One or two Watcombe players lost the plot and were guilty of some very strong unnecessary challenges that resulted in bookings. Thankfully no Town players reacted to what had gone on.
That match referee blew up for the end of the match and its Brixham Town who made it through the final. They were much the better team on the day and the joy on the mangers face and his players was there for all to see.
The afternoon took a bit more out of me than I expected, but I will take it easy all next week to give myself the best chance of covering a game next Saturday. My main concern today was taking photos as it is my left eye that is still having the most problems, but on the whole looking at the shots I did get I am happy with them
Many thanks to both clubs for filling in the team sheet correctly for me and good luck to Town in the final.
