Post by Dave on Oct 14, 2023 19:41:08 GMT
Match Referee Simon Blair
Final Score Brixham AFC 2nd 0 Beesands Rovers 5
Match Preview
There is a well known song “What a difference a day makes”.as far as Brixham AFC 2nd are concerned, “What a difference a season makes” might be a better title.
On the 11th February 2023 I found myself at the Duckpond to cover a game I billed as the top of the table clash. Buckfastleigh were sitting on the top of the table with Brixham 2nd in second place. Both teams started the game on twenty eight points, but Brixham had played one game more than Buckfastleigh who also have a superior goal difference over Brixham in their favour.
Coming into that game, Brixham AFC 2nd had played a total of twelve games, winning nine, drawing one and losing two. They had scored a total of twenty five goals, conceded eighteen giving them a plus seven goal difference. The game ended in a two all draw so nothing changed as far as the league table was concerned.
Move onto this season and the fortunes of Brixham 2nd have dramatically changed, but why? Firstly their manager, who had been persuaded to stay on an extra season after planning to leave the season before, decided not to continue this season.
For some reason that sparked a mass exodus of a good number of the 2md team squad. Four joined Brixham Town, some went to Newton Spurs and some to Dartmouth.
Last seasons under sixteen manager has stepped up to become the 2nd team manager for this season and my understanding is a good number of the under sixteen squad have stepped up to play for the 2nd team.
A very big ask of such young players, even more so having to play men’s football in the Premier League of the South Devon Football League. Playing against very established sides made up of so many experienced players. A very big steep learning curve for any young player and even more so in a team made up of so many of them.
It has been a very tough start to the 2023/2024 season for the Brixham 2nd side. After four games they find themselves at the bottom of the table on zero points. Their opening game away to Newton 66 they lost by seven goals to nil. Next up at home to Chudleigh Athletic 1st they were beaten by seven goals to one.
A trip to face East Allinghton 1st followed and another heavy defeat, this time by six goals to one. But in their last game away to Watts Blake & Bearne they managed to only lose by three goals to nil. The worrying thing is they have only score a total of two goals and conceded twenty three, so clearly need to find a way to improve at both ends of the pitch.
That is going to be a big ask today against 3rd placed Beesands Rovers. A team who suffered their first league defeat against Morley Rangers last month since the 2021/2022 season.
Rovers kicked off their season away against Elburton Villa 2nd and won the game by two goals to one. Next up at home against Morley Rangers came that fist defeat. A game Rovers managed to pull back to two all, but a 25 yard rocket saw Morley take the three points.
They got back to winning ways away to Chudleigh Athletic 1st winning by three goals to nil. Their last league game was at home against Waldon Athletic 1st which they won by four goals to nil.
I have been told there are some very promising players in the Brixham 2nd side, but they face three very tough games on the trot. Today Beesands followed by Morley Rangers and then Kingsteignton Athletic. Hard to see them getting anything from these three games, but I am sure they will all give their best and learn and grow together.
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Match Report.
It may well have rained the last few days, but I enjoyed another Saturday afternoon sat in sunshine watching a very entertaining match. I was very impressed with this young Brixham side; they play football the Brixham AFC way. They worked hard for the whole ninety minutes, never let their heads drop and enjoyed some good spells in the match. I felt the final score was hard on them and they deserved a consolation goal at the very least for all their effort they put into the match.
Beesands Rovers are a class side and the pace, running and movement of players like Jake Eades is enough to terrorise any defence, even more so a young inexperienced one. Defensive mistakes proved costly for the young Brixham lads today, but they are a team that will learn and grow together. They could do with a few older heads in the side, I hope they all stick together and take these defeats in the chin, the future is bright for them.
Match referee Simon Blair got the game underway and the bees went straight on the attack and took a very early lead in the match. The ball was played forward towards the edge of the Brixham box. Keeper Max Stevens rushed off his line hoping to catch the ball as it came into the box. But before he could Adam Winkworth just got to the ball first and was able to roll it past the keeper and over the goal line.
Brixham were making some good searching runs out on the left hand side and deep into the Bees half, but were unable to find the final pass that was needed.
Bees Brad Williams hit a good shot at goal that only just went wide of the left hand post. A good ball played into the Brixham box from the right hand side was met by the head of Josh Clarke. But we was unable to get enough power on it to trouble the keeper who ended up making a very simple catch.
Brixham’s Tom Hopper took a shot at the Bees goal from forty yards out that went well wide of the target. Up the other end and Brad Williams hit a good dipping shot from the edge of the Brixham box that only just cleared the crossbar.
Brixham won their first corner of the match but could not make it pay, but moments later Harvey Davis hit a good goal bound shot from the edge of the Bees box that was well held by Rob Came in goal for the Bees.
The Bees passing and movement going forward was excellent and I felt it was only a matter of time before they added to their lead. Brad Williams turned very neatly inside the Brixham box and his shot on goal that only just cleared the crossbar.
But that second goal came very soon afterwards, Jack Eades was in the left hand side of the Brixham box, it looked to me he took a shot at goal, but the ball went across the goal and was picked up by Ashley Yeoman. Ashley moved towards the right hand post and from a very tight angle, fired the ball in between the post and the keeper into the back of the net.
Jake Eades then had a really big chance to put is side three nil up. A defence splitting pass played him clear in on goal with just the keeper to beat. I would have put money on him scoring from such a position, but he pulled his shot wide of the right hand post. Every time Rovers came forward they were looking for the runs of Jake and found him most of the time.
The referee blew up for halftime, the Brixham lads headed back to the dressing room while the Bees stayed out on the pitch. It was a half where the extra quality of the Bees players showed, but also the potential there is in this Brixham side.
The second half got underway and soon afterwards Brixham’s Luke Thomas found his name going into the referee’s notebook, I believe it was the only booking in the whole match. Out done for pace out on the right hand side, he hacked a Bees player down from behind and was correctly shown the yellow card.
The Bees won a free kick just outside the left hand side of the Brixham box. The shot was fired directly at goal and Max Stevens made a fine diving save pushing the ball away to safety.
The Bees won a corner and it was not the best one I have seen taken, but the Brixham defence were unable to clear the ball away from the danger area. The ball was headed back into the centre of the goal and there was that men Jake Eades to bicycle kick the ball into the back of the net.
The Bees soon made it four goals to nil after more good work out on the left hand side by Jake Eades. He played an inch perfect low ball into the Brixham box to Louis Brace who hit a first time shot passed the keeper. From a corner Bees Josh Clarke headed over, were there more goals to come? A ball over the Brixham defence fell to Jake Eades who tried to lob the keeper from some way out, but his effort went high over the bar.
Then came Brixham’s best chance of the whole match to get a goal back. A great ball played in Owen Birkett with just the keeper to beat. Rob Came rushed off his goal line and Owen failed to get any power on his shot that ended up being blocked by the keeper.
Brixham were now enjoying their best spell in the match with some neat passing and approach play, but the Bees defence stood strong. Bees Alfie Prowse robbed the ball off the toes of an advance Brixham player close to the halfway line. He raced down the right hand side of the pitch and got a good shot away that only just went wide of the post. Bees Ashley Yeoman then hit a good shot that crashed onto the right hand post and stayed in play.
Bees then scored their fifth and final goal and it was a gift from the Brixham keeper. He had fumble a number of balls during the match and on this occasion seemed to have caught the ball cleanly but it fell out of his grasp. Alex Smith said thank you very much as he headed the loose ball home.
That was it the final whistle went and Beesands were worthy winners, but make no mistake, the young Brixham players played their part making it a very entertaining game to watch and cover.
My thanks to both team managers for all your help today and a special thanks to many of the Beesands players who took the time to come over and talk with me.
Also thanks to match referee Simon Blair, one of the nicest people you will ever meet and first class ref into the bargain.
Time for me to end this report and go and blow out those sixty nine candles on my birthday cake, enjoy the rest of your weekend and see you all again next Saturday.
