Stoke & Torbay Police V Torrington 2nd March 2024

[Dave]

Match Referee Luke Dennis

Referee Assistants Ed Bradshaw & Paul Sharples

Final Score Stoke & Torbay Police 0 Torrington FC 1

Match Preview

When I covered my first Stoke & Torbay Police game this season on the 12th August, I said in my match report Stoke were a team that was only going to get better as the season progressed.

On that day there was a number of players that stood out for me, it was the defence I felt that really needed to be tightened up in order for the team to start winning games. It takes time for any young team to bond and improve and while this Bees side is still a works in progress, the results of all their hard work and effort is there for everyone to see.

I really enjoyed covering their home game against Cullompton Rangers on the 10th February, a game they won by two goals to one and that victory was so well deserved. This season will be about finishing as high up the table as possible, but if they keep improving the way they are, then they will be a force to recon with next season for sure.

Stoke & Torbay Police are a club on the up both on and off the field, for me the feel good factor at the club has returned after it had been lost. This is solely down to the people now running the club and the visions they have for it and the actions they are taking.

The Bees are currently in twelfth place in the league table on twenty seven points. Their record to date is played twenty three, won eight, drawn three and lost twelve, scoring a total of forty five goals, conceded fifty nine giving them a minus fourteen goal difference.



What Do We Know About Torrington FC

Torrington Football Club was founded in 1908, and was originally known to be "a church side", with reverends playing for the club as late as 1914. Torrington have previously played in the North Devon Football League ,Western League, South Western League and the Devon and Exeter League.

The club has far to many honours to list in this report, but notably in the 2002–03 season, the club won their first Western League Division One championship. In the 1984-1985 season, the club also achieved their furthest progression in the FA Vase, reaching the fifth round of the tournament before being knocked out by Steyning Town.

Some interesting Torrington facts. An early form of football, called ‘outhurling’, used to be played centuries ago on the commons. Two sets of stakes placed some half a mile apart, were the designated goal posts and two teams of 25 to 30 men used to play with a pig’s bladder covered with pieces of leather.

In the 1920s each street had its own football team and practised on its own bit of commons: Mill Street on Mill Street common, Calf Street on Quiet Possession, Town Boys at Barley Grove, and New Street on the Old Bowling Green, which was also the location for the annual inter-street finals. In 1931 the ‘Street Shield’ was won by Mill Street.

I covered Teignmouth’s first home game of this season which was against Torrington FC. They looked a decent side and came away from the Valley with all three points after beating Teignmouth by four goals to two.

Torrington comes into today’s game one place and three points behind the Bees in the league table. So this is a six pointer and the Bees will be hoping to put an even bigger gap between the two sides.

Torrington’s record, played twenty one, won seven, drawn three and lost eleven, scoring a total of twenty eight goals, conceded forty two giving them a minus fourteen goal difference.

I am expecting a hard fought game on what will be a very heavy pitch, both teams evenly matched, which one will come out on top?

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Match Report




I left the ground shaking my head as I had just witnessed what can only be called daylight robbery. How can a team edge the first half and completely dominate the second half and lose the match? No head scratching required to find the answer, the Bees simply failed to put away any of the many good chances they created.

Such defeats are hard to swallow and in any game of football you do not always get the result all your hard work deserves, but there were so many positives to take out of today’s game for the young Bees and a few more things to work on in training.

The new dugouts that are still waiting for a final coat of paint had to be used today, as the ground in front of the old ones was in a terrible state and made them unusable. Worked out fine for me as when we were treated to a heavy rain shower I had a whole dugout to myself.

The match referee got the game underway and at the beginning there was not too much to choose between the two teams. The sun was out and while the pitch looked heavy, it was in far better condition than I expected it to be.

Then the sky darkened and we were treated to a wet and heavy winter shower that thankfully did not last two long. The Bees won the first corner of the match, but the ball ended up landing on the roof of the net.

The Bees were slowly getting on top but at this point were not able to create any real goal scoring opportunities. But then Frank Major sent a good ball into the Greens box that was headed away by a defender. Sam Bishop picked up the loose ball just outside of the box and poked the ball well wide of the left hand post.

The Bees were now getting their passing game together and were enjoying a very good spell. The first yellow card of the game was shown to the greens Brad Williams who hacked down from behind a Bees player right in front of the dugouts.

The Bees won a number of free kicks that were all fired high into the greens box, but the greens defenders dealt with any threats and were able to clear the dangers and get the ball away from the danger area.

The greens won a corner that was fired low into the Bees box, Brad Williams failed to make a good contact with the ball and a good chance for the greens to go in front went begging.

Out on the right JJ Evans worked some magic and got the ball into the greens box, it then came back to him on the edge of the box and he got a good shot away the keeper blocked with his body.

The Bees Saul Vanes sent a good ball into the greens box from the left hand side, Ben Aldous rose well but his headed effort went wide of the target.

The greens then had a wonderful chance when lian Martin was played clear in on goal with only Jim Weeks to beat. His effort hit the left hand post and he was quickly on the loose ball. From just a yard out it looked a simple tap in but a Bees defender did ever so well to get back on the goal line and prevent the ball hitting the back of the net.

The Bees Joe Aldous hit a powerful 20 yard effort just wide of the right hand post. The bees then had their best passing and build up play with the final ball being played to JJ Evans who took a shot from the edge of the box that went just wide of the post.

The Bees won two corners on the trot but nothing came from them and then at the other end the greens won a free kick that was fired high into the Bees box. George Nancekivel got his head on the ball but headed it over the crossbar.

The match referee blew up for halftime, while I felt the Bees were slightly the better side in the first half, both sides had chances that were not taken.

The Bees started the second half strongly, Ben Aldous made a good run into the right hand side of the greens box, but Steve Oliver in goal for the greens rushed off his line and blocked Bens low shot. Saul Vanes went on one of his runs to the edge of the greens box and got a shot away that went just wide of the left hand post.

A great ball was played into the greens box to Booby Chancellor who completely missed kicked the ball, another good chance wasted. The Bees won a number of free kicks but once again could make nothing from them. They were now completely in control of the game and nearly all the play was in the greens half.

Sam Bishop who was having a very good game for the Bees hocked a 20 yard effort just wide of the target. JJ Evans sent a great low ball into the greens box from the left hand side, Bobby Chancellor had a golden chance to score but his shoot went wide of the right hand post.

Saul Vanes then created another shooting opportunity for himself, but his effort was deflected behind for a Bees corner. Bobby Chancellor fancied his chances out on the left hand side, but his effort went straight into the arms of the keeper.

He greens won a throw-in in what was a rare outing in the Bees half; the ball was thrown to the edge of the box where Sam Bithell was able to get a shot away that went wide.

Then came the moment that sake the bees completely against the run of play. A long ball went over the Bees defence and Tom Davey beat the offside trap and coolly lifted the ball over the keeper into the back of the net.

Another good ball into the greens box went to Bobby Chancellor who shot wide again, it was not his day in front of goal for sure. The Bees then nearly shot themselves in the foot again after giving the ball away. Liam Martin went on a run to the near post then fired a low ball across the Bees goal line and Tom Davey coming in at the back post was inches away from getting the ball over the line. If that had gone in it would have been even harder of the young Bees who did not deserve to lose this match.

But credit must be given to the greens; they also worked hard and scored that point winning goal when the opportunity presented itself.

A very enjoyable game to cover, thanks to everyone at Stoke for your normal warm welcome and all the help provided.