Post by Dave on Nov 18, 2023 11:32:35 GMT
Match Referee David Pinnell
Final Score Barton Athletic 5 Watts Blake & Bearne 0
Match Preview
Due to the high risk of games being called of due to the weather, I decided to play it safe and choose this game. I have to be honest and say this is my least favourite venue to take match photos, the playing surface looks old and tired and the surroundings do not help as well.
But it is a game between two clubs I have a lot of time for and enjoy covering, while at the time of writing both are going through different fortunes on and off the pitch.
After going through two whole seasons without a single win and dropping down from the Premier Division to Division Two, it was wonderful to see Barton at the top of the table in the early part of the season.
I covered what I billed “the top of the table clash “when second in the table Paignton Saints entertained Barton at Coach Road on the 21st October. I was expecting to see my first Barton win in a very long time but it was not to be. Winning by two goals to one at halftime, Barton stopped doing all the good things they did in the first half. A very determined Saints side upped their game and won the game in the end by three goals to two.
Since then Barton have dropped down to forth place in the league table, but are only three points behind the new league leaders East Allington United 2nd and do have a game in hand over them.
That game was the last league game Barton has played to date as they were in County Cup action last weekend at home to Central 1st and lost the game by three goals to one, so they will be hoping for a better result today.
Sadly all is not well at Watts Blake & Bearne, they have been forced to fold their 2nd team this week and are struggling to fill their first team. I personally hope things improve quickly for the club as we do not want to see this club fold again as they did a number of seasons ago.
Early last season on the 24th September 2022, I covered WBB’s away game against Chudleigh Athletic, a game they won by six goals to nil. I made a statement in my report that based on the way WBB played that day; they could end up as the division champions, but it was not to be.
WBB are currently in ninth place in the premier league table on seven points. They have played a total of five games, winning one, drawing two and losing two. They were awarded all three points in their two all draw against Kingsteignton due to the Rams playing an ineligible player.
A big test for the much improved Barton team against a Premier league side, much could depend on what players are going to be available for the WBB manager. I am expecting an entertaining match, may the best team on the day win.
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Match Report
I parked in the car park and as I walked down the steps I was shocked at what I could see. The pitch looked blacker than the tarmac in the car park I had just left. It did not look a very welcoming site, but I am so glad I carried on making my way to it. Simply because I ended up being treated to watching a master class of how football should be played, by the best Barton Athletic side I have ever witnessed before.
Their passing and movement was a joy to watch and a standard far higher then you would ever expect to see from a division two side. Matt Bleakley was a player you could not take your eyes off, what a performance that young man put in, but then every single Barton player played at the top of their own game.
WBB did not look a bad side and had some good moments in the match, they worked hard and never let their heads drop, but even they will know the score line could and maybe should have been much worse.
As I have said, it’s not my favourite venue, but I soon forgot that as such quality football was being played, even my camera must have been enjoying it as despite the dull and damp conditions the shots ended up being far better than I normally capture there.
The match referee got the game underway and Baton started much the better of the two sides. They won a free kick just outside the WBB box and Liam Northcott decided to go directly for goal. But his effort flew high over the crossbar. Matt Bleakley stole the ball off the foot of a WBB player close to the edge of the box and raced into the box and got a shot away that was well saved by Tyrone McVeigh who was in goal for WBB.
WBB then put together a good move down the right hand side of the pitch with a final low ball fired into the Barton box. Kyle Gurney hit a first time shot at goal but his effort just cleared the crossbar.
Barton then took an early lead in the match after some good work down the left hand side by Archie Gubbins. He ended up taking the ball into the left hand side of the box and close to the left hand post where he was met by the keeper. The ball ended up moving towards the edge of the box and Matt Bleakley hit a first time unstoppable shot into the back of the net.
The referee was doing a good job keeping on top of some very strong challenges coming from both sets of players, but Barton always seemed that big quicker to the loose balls and made good use of them.
Archie Gubbins had to go off after he fell on the edge of the WBB box and was replaced by Morgan Steer. He was straight into the action taking a shot from just inside the right hand side of the WBB box that flashed across the goal and just wide of the left hand post.
Tom Davis was then played into the WBB box and got a good low shot away that also just went wide of the left hand post. It was all mostly one way traffic but WBB had a half chance when Mike Tapper went for a overhead kick on the edge of the Barton box that ended up going wide of the target.
Barton’s Zach Norton took a shot from inside the right hand side of the box over the bar. Jordan Gouldthorpe went on a blinding run to the edge of the WBB box and got a shot away that was well held by the keeper. Liam Northcott got as shot away from the edge of the box that sailed over the crossbar.
Barton were playing some top class football, but I was starting to get a bit worried for them as chances were not being put away and they were only winning by the single goal. But Morgan Steer soon put that right when a inch perfect ball played him into the WBB box. He looked up and coolly slotted the ball past the keeper into the back of the net.
That was it for the first half and the lights were put on for the second half. Not that they made any difference, I have sat in brighter outside toilets believe me.
The second half got underway and a good low ball in from the right hand side found Barton’s Zach Norton who got a shot away that the keeper did well to push behind for a corner.
But is was WBB who made the much better start to the second half as they looked to get back into the match, Barton just for now were not doing the same good things they were doing in the first half. Liam Northcott did fancy his chances from twenty five yards out and the ball only just cleared the crossbar.
WBB’s Kyle Gurney hit a good shot at goal from just inside the area that Scott Taylor who was in goal for Barton did well to catch and hold onto the ball. Jamie Orchard also got a good shot away at the Barton goal but his effort went just wide of the left hand post.
We were then treated to another display of magic feet from Barton’s Matt Beakley as he went on a spell binding run past players as if they were not there. He then played a neat one two that put him into the WBB box. But his first touch was too heavy and the ball ran away from him for the keeper to claim.
The threat from WBB seemed over; Zach Norton got a shot away inside the WBB box that was beaten away by the keeper. A great low ball into the box was hit first time by Liam Northcott just wide of the right hand post. But he did not miss with his next effort to put his side three nil up.
Zach was in again close to the right hand post and forced a fine double save from the WBB keeper. Barton then scored their forth goal of the match after the WBB keeper did well to block a shot from the edge of the box. But that man Matt Bleakley was onto the loose ball in a flash and fired it home.
Matt then cleverly beat the offside trap and raced towards the WBB box, only for the keeper to pull off another fine blocking save. Soon it was five nil when a long ball played up field glanced off the head of a WBB defender towards his own goal. Zach Norton was quickly onto the ball and picked his spot.
That was it and have I said yet just how class Barton were today? They just need to make sure they carry this top form into the league matches and if they do then it won’t be long before they are back as the top of the table.
Many thanks to the WBB manager for your help with the team sheet today, special thanks to Ben Kent for all his help and also the match referee. I hope this defeat for WBB does not get to their players, you play for a great club and if you all stick together any problems can be sorted out.
