Post by Dave on Jan 27, 2024 9:37:27 GMT
Match Referee Dave Corderoy Chuck Schwinn
Final Score Stoke & Torbay Police 2nd 3 Liverton United 3
Match Preview
It always amazes me we still have local grassroots football clubs still in existence over a hundred years since they were formed. Both Stoke & Torbay Police and Liverton can proudly boast that fact. Sure both clubs have enjoyed many highs and lows over the years and somehow against all the odds, they found a way to keep going.
In my report on the Stoke & Torbay Police first team game against Crediton United played on the 25th November 2023, I included some history about Stoke which can be read here.
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/1150/stoke-torbay-police-crediton-november
While the original Stoke Gabriel club was formed in 1905, Liverton were formed three years earlier in 1902, the same year the South Devon Football League was formed. It is where Liverton started off their football journey and where they find themselves today.
In 2007 they moved up to the newly formed South West Peninsula League, becoming founder members of Division One East. After finishing third in 2009–10, the club were Division One East champions in 2010–11, also winning the Devon Premier Cup with a 1–0 win over Budleigh Salterton.
The 2011–12 season saw Liverton retain the Premier Cup and win the league's Charity Vase They were also Division One East champions for a second successive season, earning promotion to the Premier Division. However, despite finishing in mid-table in the Premier Division the following season, the club were demoted back to Division One East for failing to meet ground grading requirements.
In 2019 the club were founder members of the new Devon League, but like many clubs who joined the Devon League are now back in the South Devon League where it all began way back in 1902.
The last time I covered a Liverton 1st team game was a Peninsula League game away to Galmpton on the 11th March 2017. Justin Yeates was doing his best to try and turn Liverton’s poor season around, but it did not happen this day as Galmpton won the game by five goals to nil.
Report On That Game
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/621/swpl-east-galmpton-liverton-march
You have to go way back to the 21st September 2013 for the last Stoke Gabriel V Liverton United game I covered, a Peninsula League Division One East fixture. With so many problems going on at the club at that time, it was Liverton’s lowest point in their history. Stoke won the game by twenty three goals to nil, the clubs biggest ever victory in their history.
Report On That Game
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/337/east-stoke-gabriel-liverton-21st
On To Today’s Game
After a very promising start to the season for the Bees 2nd team, the wheels seem to have come off during November and December. After beating Waldon Athletic 3rd away on the 14th October by seven goals to one, they lost their next four league games on the trot.
Last weekend they did put and end to their losing streak when they drew two all at home against Teign Village. Before today’s game the Bees are in seventh place in the league table on thirteen points from the nine games they have played so far. Winning four drawing one and losing four scoring a total of thirty two goals, conceding twenty eight means they currently have a plus four goal difference.
Liverton are currently in forth place in the table on fifteen points from the eight games they have played to day. Their record is won five, drawn 0 and lost three, scoring a total of thirty two goals, conceding twenty four giving them a plus eight goal difference. The two teams have already met once in the league this season on the 16th September 2023. Liverton won the game by seven goals to three with Jamie Passmore scoring four of Liverton’s goals.
The Bees will be looking for their first league win since mid October and a win that would see them leapfrog Liverton in the table. While Liverton will be hoping to do the double over the Bees, we could be all treated to a goal feast.
May the best team win.
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Match Report
Non football people in my life can never understand why at my age I go out in the cold and rain to cover a game of football. But I do and even more so when I cover a game like today, pure entertainment from the very first whistle until the final one.
I stood on the pitch and watched the Liverton lads come out, they all looked so big and strong and I knew the Bees were in for a very tough match. Even more so as their manager Gary Drew was struggling to be able to put eleven men out on the pitch. While running the line for a good part of the game, Gary was forced into naming himself as the one and only sub the Bees had today.
On the balance of play a draw was the correct result and if the Bees had of lost the game it would have been very hard on the players who pulled on a shirt today. With such a class player as Saul Vanes in the side I felt from the off the Bees always stood a chance of getting something from the match and that proved to be the case.
A late change in the match referee and I do not think I have ever covered a game with Chuck Schwinn ? in the middle. I do my very best never to comment on match referees, but I have to say in my opinion he was far to card happy and a good number of Liverton players were booked for fouls that never even came close to warrant a yellow card.
The game underway at a frantic pace as both teams battled to get on top. The Bees were awarded a free kick just outside of the Liverton box. Jake Ellis was shown the yellow card and the ball was placed down for the free kick to be taken. The ball hit the wall and lopped up towards the goal line and try as hard as they might no Bees player was able to force the ball over the goal line.
In and end to end game the Bees were slowly getting on top and looked the most likely to get the first goal. Saul Vanes burst into the right hand side of the Liverton box and twisted one way and then the other before getting a good shot away that hit the side netting.
The Bees Shane Pike was played into the box with just the keeper to beat and looked certain to give his side the lead. But Niall Herbert in goal for Liverton who was already on the deck robbed the ball of the toes of Shane with an out stretched hand.
Liverton’s Ryan Duke was the next player to get booked, the Bees were not able to make anything from the resulting free kick.
Liverton then took the lead in the match after a long ball high ball was played forward. Adam Blackburn in goal for the Bees started to come but Jamie Passmore got to the ball first and was able to lift it over the keeper and into the back of the net in off the left hand post.
The Bees went searching for an equaliser and from just inside the Liverton box, Ian Sloman got a shot away that just went wide of the right hand post. Luke Rogers then became the next Liverton player to be booked in a game that had plenty of strong challenges but non of them dirty..
The referee blew up for halftime as both sets of players headed back to the dressing rooms, Liverton one nil up, but the Bees were still very much in the match.
Right from the off Liverton had a golden opportunity to double their lead. Their number 15(maybe a sub no numbers on the team sheet for them) was played close in on the Bees keeper and maybe should have scored. But Adam Blackburn made himself big and made a fine blocking save.
The Bees got back onto level terms after Max Prestwood made a fine run into the Liverton box and was hacked down and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Paul Christie took the spot kick and blasted the ball home.
The Bees then took the lead after some pure magic by Saul Vanes. Just inside the Liverton half he was clipped but fought to stay on his feet. He played the ball past the next defender and ran past him as if he was not there. He then ran at full pace into the right hand side of the Liverton box drawing the keeper towards his near post. Saul then hit a power driver across the keeper into the bottom left hand side of the goal.
From the restart Liverton’s Ryan Duke went on a very long run down the right hand side of the pitch and got a good shot away that just cleared the crossbar. Liverton’s number 15 was shortly booked afterwards and he was not to be the last one.
The Bees went looking for a third goal; Daniel Beech hit a 20 yard shot well over the crossbar and his effort even made him laugh. More magic feet from Saul Vanes resulted in him getting another low shot away that just went wide of the post.
Liverton’s Graham Merieca hit a 30 yard effort over the crossbar and shortly afterwards Liverton levelled the score up. A Bees player handled the ball just outside of the box and a direct free kick was awarded. Jamie Passmore took the kick and it was so good the Bees keeper never even moved and all he could do was stand and watch the ball hit the back of the net.
Liverton then made it three goals to two after a wonder shot from Luke Rogers that would have been goal of the match, hit the crossbar. The only player that had followed the ball in was Jamie Passmore and as the ball came back down off the crossbar he had a simple unchallenged header that he put away.
Up the other end and Max Prestwood was played into the Liverton box again with just the keeper to beat. But Niall Herbert made a fine blocking save to protect his sides lead. Oh, then Liverton’s Callum Ford was booked.
As neutral as I try to be a part of me just wanted the Bees to get something out of this match, after all the odds were against them due to a lack of players. It was once again those magic feet of Saul Vanes that earned his side a hard fought point.
Inside the right hand side of the Liverton box he had two defenders to deal with. He as clipped again and stayed on his feet and made enough room to fire and inch perfect ball towards the back post. Max Prestwood was there to head the ball home. Liverton won another free kick right on the edge of the Bees box, that was taken by Graham Mercieca. He got the ball over the wall but straight into the arms of the keeper. For the final three minutes of the game the Bees were down to ten men, but they held on and a final booking for Liverton's Lee Goodenough.
Well done to both sets of players for producing such and entertaining match. My thanks go to both team managers for all your help with the team sheets. Special thanks to Tim Perrin for all his help and a lovely warm drink. Plus always a joy and pleasure to be able to chat with the one and only Raymond Frank Tucker
