Post by Dave on Nov 17, 2012 10:08:10 GMT
Galmpton 2nds V Upton Athletic 7th April 2012
I thought it was about time I came out of hibernation and went and watched a football match on a Saturday afternoon. There were plenty of South Devon league fixtures taking place this afternoon and the one I went to was just up the road from my home and looked like it would be a good game to watch.
The game was a Premier fixture between Galmpton 2nds and Upton Athletic with a 2.30pm kick off and I arrived just in time to make the kick-off. Does any Upton game ever get played without one or more of the Bastow family in the line up?
Today’s game had two at least, one an ex Torquay United player Ian Bastow and the second one none other than Darren Bastow who once at the football world at his feet if he had wanted it. Darren began his career as an apprentice at Plymouth Argyle, joining the Home Park side in July 1998 after leaving Torquay Community College He had been spotted by Argyle youth development officer John James while playing for Torre Trojans. He became the youngest ever goalscorer for Plymouth when he scored on his league debut, after coming on as substitute in the 3–0 home victory against Brentford in November 1998. After a further nine first-team appearances while still a trainee, and favourable press coverage he signed a professional contract on his 17th birthday. His form soon attracted the attention of higher division sides, and in November 1999 he joined Premier League Derby County on trial, playing a reserve match against Coventry City.At the end of his trial he returned to Home Park, but was left out of the squad in early 2000 for disciplinary reasons. The player had problems off the field and walked out on the club, although Argyle retained his registration and refused to let him play even for South Devon League side Upton Athletic. In October 2000 he briefly returned to Plymouth Argyle and resumed training, but later walked out again. He eventually returned to playing football, joining Upton Athletic on non-contract terms in August 2001. He agreed to join Torquay United on trial in October 2001, but nothing came of it
Ian Bastow began his career as an apprentice at Torquay United, serving his apprenticeship alongside future England star Lee Sharpe. He turned professional in March 1989 and made his league debut on the 15th of April 1989 as a substitute against Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road. The following month, he started the 1-0 home victory against Carlisle United, being substituted for Ian Weston the regular number 10 that season. He started the first game of the following season, a 1-1 draw away to Stockport County, but appeared only sporadically for the rest of the season, making 9 league and 2 cup appearances before being released at the end of the season.
I was surprised to see Ian who will be 41 years old in August playing up front. Maybe the plan was for him to play a holding role and bring in other players running from deeper, but he hardly had the ball and was so easily out jumped when the ball was up in the air.
Darren played in the heart of the Upton defence and his class just stood out a mile. Good players always seem to have all the time in the world and can see things so quickly and make those quick passes or long cross field ones that always seem inch perfect.
There was a minutes silence at the start of the match for Chris Ralph, he was playing for Chagford against Topsham Town in the first-half of the Devon Veterans' County Cup final at Newton Abbot a week ago Friday night.The father-of-four from Budleigh Salterton, Devon, collapsed after 29 minutes and died later in Torbay Hospital. The game was abandoned.
Upton started much the better team and were fully in control in the midfield, so much so in the first half that Galmpton hardly got anywhere near the Upton box.
Upton took the lead after their number 6 was put clean through on goal from a pass on the halfway line and he coolly slotted the ball past the Galmpton keeper.
It was soon two nil after some great running and hard work by Upton's number 23. He jinked his way around players in the box had a shot that was either saved or blocked and chased back after the ball and ran back into the box this time making sure as he put in a low shot to the keepers right. He in fact could have scored at least two other goals during the first half, but put his shots well wide of the Galmpton goal.
Galmpton should have had a first half penalty when one of their players was chopped down from behind in the Upton box, but the ref was either blind, or did not know what a penalty is. The closest Galmpton came to scoring was when the Upton keeper picked up a back pass to him from Darren Bastow. A shot was fired in and the ball pinged around and somehow got cleared off the line and aqay to safety.
Onto the second half and Galmpton came out all fired up and were for a good part of the second half the far better team and if any team was going to score I felt it would be Galmpton.
That's how it panned out when their number 11 hit a crisp low shot in the box at goal and an Upton defender stuck out a toe that just defected the ball past the Upton's keeper outstretched hand. At this stage and the way Galmpton were playing I was expecting them to score again and even go on to win the match.
But that was not the case as they gave away a needless penalty that Darren himself as the captain took and made no mistake with his spot kick. As Galmpton continued to press to try and get back into the game, big gaps started appearing at the back and Darren started putting in long cross field balls deep in the Galmpton half that always found the feet of the willing runners.
One such magic ball fell to number 23 out wide on the right hand side, he ran in toward the box and played a good ball across the box to Ian Bastow who fired his shot back across the keeper and just wide of the far post. He was taken off and replaced just after this and not a real surprise as he had done a fair bit of running during the game.
Galmpton continued to keep up their attack on the Upton goal and were unlucky on so many occasions not to add to their score. The woodwork a few saves and a number of shots just past the post time after time denied them from getting what they deserved from the game.
It was soon four one to Upton after another magic long ball from Darren Bastow put in their number six out wide on the right. He ran into the box and his shot was saved low down but the keeper could not keep hold of the ball and there was number 23 to tap the lose ball home.
Goal number five was that number 23 again who was put clean through on a one on one with the Galmpton keeper and passed the ball past him into the net.
Galmpton then got one goal back after a great run and low cross by their impressive left winger, sadly I could not see through the crowd of players to see who fired the ball home, but it must have been a good shot judging by what was being shouted out by the people watching the match.
The final goal of the afternoon was another one for Upton. They won a free kick in their own half out wide on the right hand side of the pitch. they took it quickly and played it to number 23 who ran toward the Galmpton box and played an inch perfect pass to number 5 who fired the ball into the net.
All in all and enjoyable match even if the weather was a bit dull and over cast.
