WL Brixham AFC V Helston AFC 2nd September 2023

[Dave]

Match Referee Lee Roberts

Referee Assistants Gary Hammon & Stephen Osborn

Final Score Brixham AFC 3 Helston AFC 1

Attendance 129

Match Preview

It is great having a Western League club in the Bay now and long may that continue. I have always enjoyed covering games where a Devon team takes on a Cornish one and this is a game I could not simply miss.

Any new club joining a higher league in most cases hopes for a mid table finish in their first season, anything higher would be a bonus. After already covering two games at Walls Park so far this season, I firmly believe that is very achievable for Brixham AFC.

While Brixham are currently in 12th place in the table on six points, if they had seen out three games they were winning in, they could have been sitting at the top of the table.

They were winning away at Bridgwater by two goals to one and ended up conceding two late goals, one in the 80th minute and one in the 89th minute. At home against Nailsea & Tickenham they came back from a goal behind to leading by two goals to one, only to concede two further goals, one in the 68th minute of the match and the other one in the 75th minute. After going a goal behind against Shepton Mallet they were winning the game by two goals to one, but a very late equaliser in the 91st minute resulted in another two points dropped.

On Tuesday night Brixham were one up at halftime against Saltash United but Saltash scored in the 64th minute to claim a share of the points. It should be noted that away to Torpoint AFC Brixham came back from a goal behind to win the game by two goals to one.

What this shows is Brixham are more than capable competing against any team in this league. In games they have gone behind they have fought to get back onto level terms, to even taking the lead. Turning winning positions into three points is something I am sure the team managers will be working on.

Brixham will need to be at their very best today against a Helston side that put ten goals past Millbrook at home last Saturday. Sitting at the top of the league table on thirteen points, they have been scoring goals for fun so far this season.

Having Grant Fisher back in goal after his recent injury is a big plus for the Brixham defence, if the team has any chance of winning today’s game, they have got to find a way to stop Helston from scoring. Brixham have players who know where the back of the net is, taking any chances when they do come along is going to be crucial today.

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Match report


What a team, what a performance and what a result, pure entertainment from the very fist whistle until the very last one. Brixham AFC are a very special team, they work hard and battle for the ball all over the pitch and for that alone, they fully deserved to win today.

As far as the goals go, it was all about the four, yes that was four penalties awarded in the match. Three well taken spot kicks and another wonderful penalty save by Grant Fisher. It’s no wonder he was awarded the man of the match award, so commanding in the air and when he jumps to catch the ball, he has vice like hands and so unlikely to ever drop the ball.

Let’s make no mistake about it, Helston are not top of the table for nothing, they are a very good side with plenty of good players who during the game looked so pleasing on the eye. Brixham let them all know they were in a game and one in which all three points were staying at Wall Park.

The match referee got the game underway and it was Helston who kicked off. But within seconds they lost the ball and Josh Parry went on a very powerful run, beating every player who dared to get close to him. As Josh entered the box he was tripped over and the referee pointes straight to the spot.

I was pleased to see Charlie Johansen place the ball on the spot as I just felt he would put the ball into the back of the net which he did. This was a dream start for Brixham and being in front so early in the game is not what they might have expected to happen.

As you would expect Helston tried hard to get back onto level terms and were enjoying a good amount of the play. While their approach play was fast and neat up to the edge of the box, the Brixham defence stopped them really creating a really good chance to get back onto level terms.

Charlie Johansen played a beautiful low ball into the Helston box from the right hand side; all that was missing was a final touch from a Brixham player to make it two nil. Brixham then thought they had scored a second goal when a free kick into the Helston box finally found Sean Adderley who headed the ball past the keeper. Sadly up went the lineman’s flag for offside.

Charlie had already had a bit too much to say to the match referee and you just knew he was going to get booked for his very first foul, not really worthy of a yellow card in my book.

Helston had a great chance when the ball was pumped high over the Brixham defence, Tom Payne got his head on the ball but it ended up a very weak header that caused Grant Fisher no issues.

Brixham’s Josh Parry went on another very strong run and got a good shot away that hit the side netting. Then came what could have been a turning point in the game. The ball was in the Brixham box and big shouts went out for handball. I did not see it myself due to all the bodies in the box, but the referee pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Jordan Copp to take the kick for his side, he fired it low and hard towards the right hand post. Grant Fisher guessed the right way and pulled of a wonderful save pushing the ball past the post.

Just that bit of luck Brixham needed and Scott Robinson was played into the Helston box and got a shot away that Kyle Moore in goal was able to save.

From a corner Helston’s captain Harrison Jewell headed the ball well wide of the target, Jordan Copp hit a twenty yard shot at goal that also went wide of the right hand post, were Helston about to even up the score?

Well no as they fell even further behind as the third penalty of the match was awarded to Brixham. A long ball had been played deep in the right hand side of the Helston half. Charlie Johansen went to get to the ball but was running inside the box and his leg made contact with the player running behind him. He took the spot kick himself and blasted it home.

Helston will feel very unhappy they were not awarded a second penalty very soon afterwards. One of their forwards was clearly pushed over in the box, but the referee just waved play on.

That was it for the first half and my only fears were could Brixham this time see a winning position out. Just after the restart there was a long delay when Kyle Moore in goal for Helston went down injured. Thankfully he was able to recover enough to see out the match.

Brixham’s Aaron Wellington hit a good shot from the edge of the box that was not that far over. Then came penalty number four and a chance for Helston to get their first goal of the match. Once again I did not see the offence, but the referee touched the lower part of his leg, so some contact had to have taken place. Tom Payne took the kick sending Grant Fisher the wrong way this time.

Helston pressed hard to get back onto level terms, Tom Payne hit a good shot from the edge of the box that was well saved low down by Grant Fisher. Every time a corner was fired high into the box, Grant was there to pluck the ball out of the sky.

While chances were few and far between for Brixham, Josh Parry went on another good run into the box, only for his shot to be blocked. Cole Harford took a shot from inside the box that was somehow hooked of the goal line.

Brixham then made it three goals to one, but was it a goal? Cole Harford took the shot and from my position the ball seemed to run along the goal line and stayed in play. Charlie Johansen ran into the left hand side of the box and ended up in a pile on the floor. The referee then blew his whistle, at first I thought he must have given another penalty. But he went over to the lineman who must have told him the ball had crossed the line. A goal was given and there was no way back for Helston.

Once again I felt Grant Fisher was harshly given a yellow card for time wasting (his second so far this season) he took no longer than most other keepers do. Not sure where all the extra time came from but it did not matter anyway, Brixham had beaten the league leaders and did so in style.

I foolish tried new settings on my camera today and not that pleased with the photos, back to my tried and tested ones next week. I also made a cock up taking photos of the team sheets and have had to use the Brixham one from their twitter page.