Galmpton V Crediton 27th Aug 2011

[Dave]

Galmpton V Crediton 27th Aug 2011

South West Peninsula League Division One East

My visit to Galmptons West Memorial Playing Field Ground to watch them play Crediton, really showed up the vast gap between clubs in this league and Buckland Athletic who play in the Premier League of the South West Peninsula League. While both Galmpton and Crediton played some good football at times in the match, the standard and quality of the football, falls some way short from the game I recently watched at Homers Heath between Buckland and Torpoint.

When you enter Galmpton’s ground it is not that much different from just going to a local park teams ground and the one real difference is the fact that the pitch is a much better standard to a normal park pitch and they do have a good clubhouse at the ground. It cost me three pounds to get in and that is the price that is printed on the programme and the programme itself is meant to cost a pound, but I was given one when I handed over my three pounds.

Buckland need not to worry about the fact they have put their programme up to One pound and fifty pence this season, their programme is such a quality programme that has so many regular features and is full of so much information and really is worth buying as it’s a very good read indeed.

On the other hand Galmptons programme seems to have been produced only because it might be a requirement of the league they have to have one for all their matches, the one I got today was the same as the one I got from a game I went to there last season and only the front cover and the centre page that has the team sheet on it was different. Apart from one the first page of the programme where you can read about the history of the club, the other few (and they are few believe me) pages are all just adverts. The programme is certainly not worth spending a pound on to buy and so I’m glad they gave me mine in with the three pound entrance fee.

In fairness to Galmpton they do not get the same level of support that a club like Buckland does and I would guess there were not many more than twenty people watching the game and I’m not to sure all of those would have been paying customers. I did for the first time go into their clubhouse

Onto the game itself and it was a very enjoyable and entertaining game to watch and credit must go to both teams for playing some neat and tidy football that saw a number of good passing moves from both sides. On the balance of play I thought Crediton were slightly the better team in the first half and their number nine made many good runs and looked a constant threat on the Galmpton goal.

Both teams number ten were of similar build and both very good and strong on the ball, while both teams number nine were of smaller build, but both very good players who made up for their smaller size with skill and pace and eye for a good pass or shot on goal.

If any team looked the most likely to score in the first half it was Crediton and while they did go in at halftime leading by a goal to nil, what happened just before that scored their goal, sure was a very controversial moment in the game. It looked to me that has the ball crossed the halfway line the linesmen put his flag up for offside and from where I was standing( behind the play) the Galmpton number ten was offside. But I think it was the number nine who got onto the ball with number ten running right beside him.

The play continued with a run toward the Crediton box where the ball was played to the number ten who fired the ball into the net. The linesman did not put up his flag and indicated it was a goal by pointing his flag to the centre circle. I think everyone and most certainly the Galmpton players were shocked when the referee disallowed the goal for off-side.

What happened next was a lesson to the Galmpton players that you need to put such things behind you and just get on with the game. Many players surrounded the ref to complain and were all out of position on the pitch, the Crediton keeper released the ball and with in a few seconds it was in the back of the Galmpton net as the ball was squared into the box to Creditons number ten who blasted the ball past the keeper from maybe ten or twelve yards out.

The halftime whistle went and once again the referee found himself surrounded by some angry Galmpton players who had to be pulled away by fellow team mates and team officials. Time to pop in and take a look at the club house and the bar was open as you would expect and in the corner behind a serving hatch, was a nice lady selling teas, coffees etc along with food such as pasties and even chips and all at very cheap and reasonable prices.

That first half disallowed goal sure upset Galmpton and they came out in the second half so determined to win the game and were for most of the second half the much better team and fully deserved in my view, to go on and win the game.

Galmptons first goal was similar to the Crediton goal with the ball being played into the box for number ten to plant the ball past the keeper. Crediton really should have take the lead again shortly after that and I’m not sure how their number nine failed to score. The ball was played in from the left wing and went sailing over the Galmpton keeper and there was number nine a few yards out at the back post all on his own and only needed to guide that ball into the net with his head. But he headed the ball against the post when it really would have been easier to find the net.

Galmpton look the lead after some very good work that showed it’s always worth chasing what might look a lost cause and so credit really needs to go to Galmpton’s number seven for the part he played in the goal. It looked a simple header that the Crediton player needed to perform to get the ball back to his keeper from just outside the box. But he headed the ball a bit wide of the goal and it looked at worse he might have conceded a corner if the keeper could not get to the ball before it crossed over the line.

But he did not count on the fact that the Galmpton number seven went sprinting after the ball and got to it and then looked up and played the ball back to number eight who made no mistake with his shot and gave Galmpton a very deserved second half lead.

At this point of the game there only looked one winner for me and while Crediton mounted a number of attacks and came close a number of times to scoring from set pieces such as corners, I always felt that Galmpton would add to their lead.

This they did following a longish ball played up to their number ten who was on the right hand side of the field, he did well to beat and hold off a Crediton defender and then ran into the right hand side of the Crediton box and from a tight angle, put the ball between the keepers legs into the back of the net.

The final whistle went and all the Galmpton players joined in a big team hug and judging by the noises they were making, sure enjoyed their victory over Crediton. Roll on Monday when I can go and watch Buckland play and once again enjoy watching a match where I can enjoy doing what I love doing best and that is taking photographs.