DPC 2nd Rd Galmpton Utd V Upton Ath 5th Nov 2016

[Dave]

The Throgmorton Devon Premier Cup 2nd Round

Galmpton United V Upton Athletic

Saturday 5th November 2016 Kick-Off 2pm

Venue……Galmpton Memorial Ground

Match Referee…. Simon Mann

Final Score Galmpton United 6 Upton Athletic 0

Match Preview

I was contacted earlier in the week by Galmpton United who asked if I could attend this match and provide some profile pictures of some of their players and a team photo for use on their club website.

I did not need to be asked twice as I’m one of the many who are so glad the club found a way forward when it looked very likely the club would fold just before the start of the new season. I covered Galmpton’s pre-season game against Elburton Villa, a game they lost by three goals to nil and on that day one could feel the very dark cloud that was hanging over the club back then.

Tony Bowker struggled to even put out a side and the result was somewhat inevitable and we soon found out shortly afterwards the club was so close to folding. Thankfully it didn’t but the team really struggled in its games at the start of the season.

I have been following the club on facebook this season and have been so impressed with the attitude of the players and the manager. Each defeat has been taken firmly on the chin and the will to improve and turn the results around has been amazing to read,

Slowly but surely narrow defeats have been turned around and if the improvements continue, it won’t be too long before Galmpton start climbing up the league table. Last Saturdays two nil home win against Bovey Tracey would most certainly boost the player’s confidence for today’s cup game.

Upton Athletic season so far has been a bit of an up and down one; they have won four league games but also lost four. Last Saturday they were surprisingly knocked out of the Herald Cup by division one side of the South Devon League, Paignton Villa by two goals to nil.

A shock result when you consider that Upton Athletic knocked out Buckland Athletic 2nds in the first round of this cup, will they be able to put last Saturdays results behind them and pull off a shock result of their own today against Galmpton United ?

Galmpton’s first round match was at home against Roborough 1st from the Plymouth & West Devon Football League, a club that has established themselves as one of the top teams in Plymouth who won the PWD Division One League title in the 2011/12. season. After ninety minutes the score was one all with Galmpton finally winning by three goals to one after a penalty shoot-out.



match Report

The camera I used to take pictures of the team sheets( not the one I used during the match) has washed out all the details, so my report will be missing a few names until I can get the correct names.

Galmpton may well have won by six goals to nil and could have won by an even bigger margin if that had take all their chances, but I felt Upton played well today and deserved a consolation goal at least.

Upton started the game the better of the two teams and looked to have plenty of pace upfront, but were unable to create any clear goal scoring opportunities. Almost against the run of play, Galmpton took an early lead. A long ball caught out the static Upton defence and Stuart Bowker found himself behind the last man with just the Upton keeper to beat. From a tight angle close to the left hand post he hit a clean low shot into the back of the net.

Stuart Bowker came close to getting a second goal for his team when he hit a snap shoot on the edge of the Upton box that only just cleared the crossbar. Soon after this he was fouled out on the right hand side of the pitch and the free kick was aimed towards the back stick where it was headed home by Galmptons number 11 Jon Thomson.

It was soon three nil to Galmpton when Upton pushing up looking to get back into game got caught on the break. Two neat passes by Galmpton players played in Harry Shwenn Who once inside the right hand side of the Upton box picked his spot and fired the ball into the back of the net.

Stuart Bowker got goal number four for Galmpton; the ball was played to him deep in the Upton box and just beyond the left hand post. The keeper came out to try and narrow the angle but Stuart coolly slotted the ball past him.

That was all the action for the first half and Upton who so often look so neat and tidy on the ball with plenty of good passing were a tad unlucky to go in at the break four goals behind.

The second half got underway and Upton once again started the half well and came close to getting any early goals back when their number seven hit a shot from the edge of the Galmpton box that only just went wide of the post. But try as they might they were still unable to really test Kenny Griffiths in goal for Galmpton.

Galmpton may well have taken their foot of the peddle a bit but always looked so dangerous on the break. From one corner they won they should have gone further in front when their number four Tom Shwenn just yards out somehow managed to scooped the ball up and over the crossbar.

They did not have to wait to much longer for goal number five, a players was hacked down in the box and the ever dependable Matt Backwell made no mistake with his spot kick. Tom Batchelor for Upton hit a long range effort that was on target but just a bit to high.

Upton won a corner and the ball was headed out to the edge of the box and drilled goal ward by Lee Chamberlain that forced Kenny Griffiths into making a fine save tipping the ball over his crossbar.

Upton gave the ball away cheaply on the halfway line and Galmptons sub number twelve raced towards the edge of the box and neatly laid the ball off to his team mate Jon Thomson who coolly fired the ball home for his second goal of the match.

An enjoyable game to watch and thanks Galmpton for your warm hospitality and good luck in the next round of the cup.