SDFL Newton Abbot Spurs 2nd V Paignton Saints 16th Dec 2023

[Dave]

Match Referee Mark Hickson

Final Score Newton Abbot Spurs 2nd 5 Paignton Saints 1st 3

Match Preview

My final game for 2023 and where better to cover a game than where it all began for me over sixty three years ago, yes at the Rec in Newton Abbot.

Before I started writing this I sat here and closed my eyes just for a short while. The players were calling me over and waving their arms frantically as the Herald Express photographer was waiting to take the latest team photo.

Uncle Les had just finished the warm up and over in the tea hut, Uncle Ted and Auntie Win were busy boiling up the water and unpacking the pasties and cakes they had baked the night before.

A look through the door of the club house under the condemned wooden grandstand, dear Granny Best was feeding the one armed bandit with sixpenny pieces hoping to win the jackpot.

A lifetime ago, but a place where so many memories were made, where my love of football began and even while today’s Rec looks nothing like the Rec of old, it still feels like coming home when ever I am there.

So many memorable games have been played there, so many Herald Cup finals, but today it is a top of the table South Devon Football League Division One clash between Newton Abbot Spurs 2nd and Paignton Saints 1st.

Two clubs both playing in the Devon League last season and two clubs both upset that the South Devon League put them in Division One and not the Premier Division where they surly belonged.

Two clubs both expected to go up this season, but the question is which one will finish in the higher position come the end of the season. Will one of these two teams be crowned the Division One champions, or could it be Ivybridge Town 2nd?

Before the start of today’s game Paignton Saints are the team sitting in first place in the table on twenty one points from the eight league games played so far. Winning seven with just the one defeat, scoring a massive thirty nine goals and conceding just nine has given them a plus thirty goal difference.

Ivybridge Town in second place are on the same number of points with an identical record, but their goals difference is only plus nine. Newton Spurs 2nd are in third spot on fifteen points, but they do have two games in hand over the two clubs above them. Their record, played six, won five and lost one, scoring a total of thirty goals, conceding nine giving them a plus twenty one goal difference.

While a win for Spurs today would not move them into second place in the table, a defeat for Saints could see them knocked off the top spot. Ivybridge Town 2nd are away to Babbacombe Corinthians, a game they would be expected to win. For Spurs it will mean being three points closer to the Saints in the table if they win and a nine point gap if they don’t.

Newton Spurs 2nd were last in league action on the 25th November away to Ivybridge Town 2nd a game they ended up losing by five goals to four. Saints were in league action last weekend at home against Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nd and won the game by six goals to one.

Both teams are free scoring, but both have mean defensives, it could turn out to be a very tight game and one that is hard to predict who will come out on top. May the best team win.

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Match Report.


It might have been a very dull and grey afternoon as far as the weather was concerned, but it was all action out on the pitch. We were all treated to an eight goal thriller and some very special goals. Saints as good as lost the game in the first half; it was the worst defensive display I have ever seen from a Saints side. They battled so hard in the second half, but there was never going to be enough time for Saints to get anything out of the game. Spurs were worthy winners in the end, but credit must go to both sets of players who put everything into the match.

The match referee got the match underway and it was Saints who had the first strike on goal. From just outside of the Spurs box Matt Micklewright got a good shot away that cleared the crossbar.

Spurs Olly Critchlow hit a shot from the edge of the box over and his next effort also from the edge of the box was well caught by Travis Rowlands who was in goal for the Saints. But Olly was not to be denied on his third attempt and it came as a result of the Saints failing to clear the ball away from danger when the ball was in their own box. The ball was hooked away but only to the edge of the box and Olly Critchlow said thank you very much and blasted the ball into the back of the net.

The game was end to end and Saints had a chance to quickly get back onto level terms. Jamie Micklewright burst into the right hand side of the Spurs box and got a good shot away that flashed across the goal mouth and just wide of the far post. Jake Powell who actually started in the match( on team sheet as a sub)due to Tom Kelly being injured in the warm up, hit a powerful shot from the edge of the box that Adam Feaver could not hold. The ball dropped down loose but their was no Saints player close enough to fire the ball home and the keeper was able to reclaim it.

Saints Josh Pagett made a good run into the right hand side of the Spurs box, but his shot went wide of the right hand post. Chances not taken in a game often prove costly and that was the case for the Saints.

Spurs won a corner that was fired into the Saints box, but once again was only cleared to just outside the box. One pass back into the box picked out Jake Mitchell who turned neatly and slotted the ball into the back of the net.

Spurs really it should have made it three goals to nil when Joe Buslin was played into the Saints box with just the keeper to beat. But his low shot ended up going wide of the left hand post. From just inside the Saints box Tom Lobb took a shot at goal that was well held by the Saints keeper.

The ball was in one box one moment and the tehm the other the next, Jamie Micklewright hit another good shot from the edge of the Spurs box just over the crossbar. A good turn in the box by Jake Powell resulted in a shot being well saved low down by the right hand post. Jake then ended up being the first player to be shown the yellow card by the match referee.

Saints James Spence was played into the box, but he hooked his shot wide of the left hand post. Eden Cresswell-Cluer took a shot from just inside the left hand side of the Spurs box that hit the side netting. Saints Ben Clarke was then the second player to receive a yellow car.

That was it for the first half, only two goals in it and the big question was could the Saints turn the game around. The floodlights were turned on for the second half and were badly needed.

Saints soon found themselves even further behind when Olly Critchlow hit a spectacular shot from outside of the box that almost burst the back of the net.

The Saints were working as hard as they could to try and get back into the game. Tom Kelly headed the ball goal ward from a cross into the Spurs box that the keeper did well to push high over his crossbar.

Spurs made it four goals to nil after another incredible goal, this time from Jack Upsher, another rocket from outside the left hand side of the Saints box that gave the keeper no chance of making a save.

Things went from bad to worse for the Saints when they went either further behind. Ollie Critchlow was in the Saints box with two defenders in front of him. He turned this way and then that way before picking his spot and firing the ball home.

The score line shocked me to be honest and it most certainly did the Saints manager. He was doing all he could from the dugout to encourage his players out on the pitch. Saints gave themselves the slightest glimmer of hope when Jake Powell pulled one back for them.

Curtis Clarke entered the Spurs box from the right hand side and there seemed no danger. But somehow he managed to get a low shot passed the keeper that ended up going in close to the left hand post.

The Saints were now in overdrive and while the Spurs attacks were not so plentiful, they did look dangerous still when they did. Ollie Critchlow got another good shot away from the edge of the Saints box that went just wide of the right hand post. Spurs Riccardo Moranzon shortly afterwards was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes. Jake Evan went into the book for needlessly kicking the ball away.

Jamie Micklewright did score again for the Saints with a shot from inside the Spurs box, but it was all too little two late. As I said the Saints defence was not at its best today and the Spurs strikers were. You can not give any team a five nil lead especially one as good as Newton Spurs 2nd.

With Ivybridge Town 2nd beating Babbacombe Corinthians 1st by five goals to nil, the Saints defeat sees them drop down to 2nd place in the table. A good result for Spurs as the gap between Saints and Spurs is now down to three points and remember Spurs have to games in hand over them.

Many thanks to both clubs for your warm welcome today and all the help with the team sheet, also many thanks to match referee Mark Hickson for all your help. You did a first class job today as always.