Totnes & Dartington 2nd v Ipplepen 29th Dec 2010

[Dave]

South Devon League Premier Division fixture ,Venue Coach Road Newton Abbot under floodlights with a 7pm kick-off

Totnes & Dartington 2nd v Ipplepen 29th Dec 2010

Well I finally got to see a game of football over this festive period, actually saying I got to see was not maybe the right thing to say, as the first half I hardly saw anything due to the fog.

I had been hoping all day this game would be on and as Ant was working today, I decided to wait until he came home to find out if the match was going ahead. Looking out of my window before he got home, I was worried the very thick fog around would mean the game would have been called off.

I was upstairs when he came home and Carol must have told him I was planning to go to Coach Road and watch the match. I came down stairs and when I went into the kitchen Ant turned and said to Carol “no need to rush tea as I was going to a game at Coach Road tonight and it’s been called off” I only went and believed him until Carol gave me a little look that told me the bugger was having his little bit of fun with me.

“Going over in your car are we Ant” I asked him, “No I’m going with me mate and picking him up” as his Z3 only has two seats I knew that meant I would have to go over on my own in my car.

I got to Coach Road and paid my one pound to go in and decided I would really struggle to take any pictures due to the conditions and the best chance of getting any would be standing close to one of the goals. I had to whack the ISO up to a ridiculous 6400 knowing full well the pictures would be as grainy as hell.

The pitch was like a sponge to walk on and I heard a few players complaining about it, but as most will know that pitch has always had drainage problems and when it gets wet, it soon gets very soggy indeed.

Ipplepen were sitting 4th in the table before the start of the match and Totnes & Dartington were in 12th place and it was Ipplepen who were on top for most of the first half. They were doing well when they got the ball out wide to both flanks, but failed to create many clear cut chances.

Ipplepen had a good shout for a penalty but the ref must have felt the Pen player look a bit of a dive, but from my angle it looked like there was clear contact made on the Ipplepen forward.

Ipplepen did take the lead shortly after their penalty claim was turned down and it came from a free kick taken just out side the box. One of Totnes & Dartington players committed a needless foul and the kick was taken by Ipplepens number four. The Totnes & Dartington keeper shouted out that he wanted three in the wall, but he could have asked for ten as it would have made no difference to the end result. Pens number four hit a cracking free kick that flew into the top corner giving the keeper no chance of making the save.

Onto the second half and amazingly as the half wore on, the fog started to lift and clear completely near the end of the game. It did mean I was able to see more of what was going on up the other end, unlike the first half.



Totnes & Dartington had the better of the second half, but were guilty of not making the greater possession they enjoyed, ending up creating any really good chances to get the game back on level terms. Most of that was down to the very commanding display in his box by the Ippelepen keeper. Every ball he called was his, he made it his and it certainly was an impressive display by a keeper at this level of football.

Against the run of play Ipplepen went and got a second goal and it was a very lucky goal as it turned out. Once again their number four stepped up to take a free kick, only this time it was a bit further out than the one he took in the first half.

He thumped the ball goal ward and the ball took a wicked defection of the back of a Totnes & Dartington defender, the keeper was going the other way and was unable to react to the change in direction of the ball and all he could do was watch it loop into the top left hand corner.

There was a bit of handbags going on after one not so nice challenge, but thankfully it all clamed down and the ref as far as I know, did not book any of the players.

I enjoyed taking the chance to go out for a few hours tonight and enjoyed the game, just a shame the weather conditions of late, seem to really have it in for the game of football.

Just a few pictures to give you a feel of the evening match.