Post by Dave on Nov 6, 2024 14:03:18 GMT
Match referee Andy Chislett-McDonald
Final Score Waldon Athletic 1st 2 Paignton Saints 1st 0
Match Preview
While over the years I have watched a number of Waldon games, it was not until the 29th November 2014 I actually covered a Waldon 1st team game for the first time. A day I remember well as it was a Herald Cup 2nd round game away against Harbertonford.
Waldon had started the season well in the Premier League while Harbertonford had made a poor start in Division Two losing six of the opening seven games of the season. It was Harbertonford who took the lead in the second half, but in the end Waldon ended up winning the game by two goals to one.
During 2015 and 2016 I covered a number of Waldon 1st team games, several against Dartmouth and also against Watcombe Wanderers and Upton Athletic. Back then Waldon were a very strong physical side that took no prisoners.
Image from Saturday 2nd April 2016 away against Dartmouth
I was surprised to discover I have not covered a Waldon 1st team game since 6th November 2021, a first division fixture away against Upton Athletic which they won by four goals to one. The game was not a classic like the games I had covered seasons before and I have to be honest and say both teams looked a shadow of the clubs I once knew.
Since then Upton Athletic has dropped down to division two, while Waldon Athletic moved up to the premier division and at the time of writing currently top the table. Most clubs go through both good and bad times over the years and it is good to see right now the good times are back for Waldon Athletic.
While one of today’s teams seems to be on the up the same can not be said for Paignton Saints 1st. A club that had dropped down from the Devon league and had been placed along with Newton Abbot Spurs 2nd, in division one of the South Devon League. While both clubs were not happy with that decision, they proved where they should have been placed by both winning promotion to the premier division.
So what has gone so wrong for the Saints club this season? At the end of last season Saints lost their first team manager, assistant manager, as well as 11 players from the promotion winning team. This meant the club were on the brink of having to reduce down to two teams for the new season. Fast forward a few months and last seasons reserve management team and the majority of the reserve squad who had won the Fred Hewing Cup and narrowly missed out on promotion from SDFL 2, have stepped up from Division two and now fill the void. Saints have signed a number of players to ensure they could secure the future of the three sides for this season. As for the current season, the results are inconsistent, which is no surprise to anyone at the club I’m sure right now. With essentially three new teams It will take a while for things to settle down as they rebuild. It should be highlighted just how hard the club has worked to maintain the three sides
Interestingly last season’s 1st team managers move to Ipplepen Athletic who play in the Devon league has clearly not gone to plan. The team sit at the very bottom of the table in sixteen place on just five points from the twelve games they have played. Might well be a case that the grass is not always greener on the other side.
Last Seasons Fred Hewing Cup Winners Paignton Saints 2nd.
How Are Both Clubs Doing This Season?
Waldon currently sit at the top of the premier division table on twenty one points from the eight games played to date, three points clear of second placed Newton 66 1st. their record played eight, won seven and lost once, scoring a total of twenty two goals, conceded ten giving them a plus ten goal difference. The defeat was away against Buckfastleigh Rangers 1st which they lost by four goals to one.
Saints may well have lost their opening game by nine goals to nil, but they only lost their next game against Newton Spurs 2nd by the odd goal. Next up they recorded their first win of the season, an away fixture against Totnes & Dartington, winning by three goals to one. They have also beaten Beesands Rovers at home by six goals to one.
They are currently in ninth place in the table on seven points from the seven games they have played, winning two, drawing one and losing four, scoring a total of eleven goals, conceded nineteen giving them a minus eight goal difference.
Facing the league leaders away is always going to be a big ask for any team that has had to rebuild, but I am sure the Saint players will give their all and in any game of football anything can happen so they should not be written off.
May the best team win.
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Match Report
While it was clear to see today just why Waldon Athletic currently are top of the table, the Paignton Saints side that took to the field deserve a huge amount of praise. They let Waldon know they were in a game and held their own for a good part of it. The big difference today was the Saints were able to create a number of chances but did not take them, Waldon’s Sean Finch made sure he took his.
With all the recent turmoil at the Saints club and all the hard work put into being still able to have three men’s side in the SDFL, keeping the first team in the Premier League has to be a priority. On today’s evidence I can see no reason why that won’t happen and I will be keeping my fingers crossed for them all. Plenty of young talent in the side and a very good manager to guide them.
Before the start of the match there was a minutes silence for this remembrance Sunday. The match referee got the game underway and Waldon made the slightly better start. Waldon won the first corner of the game but nothing came from it.
It was in fact Saints who so nearly took a very early lead in the match, my view was blocked but what I did see was the ball appear to go behind the keeper and looked close to going over the goal line. The keeper Joe Whitehead was able to turn and grab the ball and prevent a certain goal.
Waldon went on a good move and played a good ball to Cole Feusby who was out on the left hand side, he looked up and saw a number of his players in the box waiting for a cross, but Cole got it a bit wrong and the ball went over the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.
Saints Eden Cresswell- Cluer fancied his chances from just outside the Waldon box, but his effort flew high over the Waldon crossbar. A poor Waldon back pass provided Saints with their first corner of the match. The ball was fired high into the Waldon box and headed behind for a second Saints corner. From the corner Saints Chris Baker headed the ball straight into the arms of the keeper.
Waldon then had a glorious chance to take the lead when Jacob Knapman was played clear into the Saints box. The chance to shoot was there but instead he decided to play the ball across the box to a team mate, but a Saints defender got to the ball first and booted it away to safety.
Waldon were passing the ball well but the Saint players were working so hard and making life as difficult as possible for Waldon. From the edge of the Saints box Sean Finch fired his effort over the crossbar. There was then a clash between the Saints keeper Scott Taylor and Waldon’s Jacob Knapman and I thought the referee might just point to the spot for a Waldon penalty. There were appeals but the referee just dropped the ball down for the Saints keeper to clear.
Just inside the right hand side of the Waldon box, Chris Baker got a good shot away that he thought was going in, but his effort just went wide of the left hand post. It was end to end and the ball was in the Saints box again and dropped kindly for Sean Finch, just past the right hand post he turned neatly and got a shot away that just cleared the crossbar.
Waldon’s Jacob Knapman was played inside the left hand side of the Saints box again and this time got a good shot away. Scott Taylor made a great diving one handed save, but it would not have mattered as Jacob was ruled offside. Sean Finch was then played into the Saints box and looked certain to score, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
That was it for the first half with neither side being able to score that first goal, both sets of players headed back to the changing rooms. All I could hear was drums and cheering and soon worked out it was coming from Plainmoor as Torquay United were at home.
The second half got underway and Waldon thought they had taken as early lead. Jacob Knapman was played into the Saints box and this time fired the ball low just inside the left hand post. But the linesman flag went up for offside and the goal was crossed off.
Waldon’s Louie Roberts hit a wild effort from outside the Saints box that came closer to landing on the Plainmoor pitch than it did hitting the back of the net. Waldon then won a free kick out on the left hand side that was wasted as the ball went high and behind the Saints goal.
Waldon then took the lead after wining another free kick out on the left hand side. As the ball was fired high into the Saints box, Sean Finch was able to run between two Saints players and head the ball home. Mind you the ball did not go straight into the back of the net; it went up high then dropped behind the keeper and under the crossbar.
Sean then tried to chip the Saints keeper from 25 yards, but his effort ended up being an easy catch for Scott Taylor. Waldon came close to adding to their lead when Tom Davis was played into the right hand side of the Saints box. The keeper came to the post and Tom fired a low shot across him that ended up just rolling past the left hand post.
Up the other end and Saints Jason Dingley took a shot from the edge of the Waldon box that went straight into the arms of the keeper. Waldon’s Louie Roberts then earned himself a silly booking. The ball had gone out for a Saints throw-in The Saints player had the ball in his hands and Jason knocked it out of them with his hand.
Waldon then added to their lead close to the end of the half when the ball was slid into the right hand side of the Saints box. Sean Finch turned and fired the ball home. Shortly afterwards the mach referee blew up for fulltime.
Waldon were the worthy winners on the balance of play, but as I said I was very impressed with the work rate and effort put in by the Saint players.
Always good to meet a new to me referee, he was very friendly and did a fine job in the middle. Many thanks to both managers for all their help with the team sheet today and to all the players who said hello.
Footnote.. Due to the clocks going back and the nights drawing in earlier, I have needed to go back to using my Canon L 70-200 F2.8 lens for the time being in order to shoot under poor lighting. It means I had had to sacrifice the extra reach and some image quality my canon L 100-400 lens gives me as this is a F4 t0 F5.6 lens.
