Post by Dave on Jan 11, 2014 18:31:00 GMT
Carlsberg South West Peninsula League
Division One East
Galmpton United V Exeter University
Saturday 11th January 2014 Kick-Off 2.15m
Division One East
Galmpton United V Exeter University
Saturday 11th January 2014 Kick-Off 2.15m
Final score Galmpton 5 Exeter University 0
What a welcome change in the weather today after being battered with gales and heavy rain for so many weeks. A beautiful blue sky and plenty of winter sunshine and it was so good even the moon decided it did not want to miss such a lovely afternoon in the Bay, so the sun was on one side of me and the moon on the other side. With most local games being called off yet again I decided to pop up the road and watch another Galmpton match. The last time I watched them play just before Christmas they were well and truly beaten, but that was not the case today.
First thing to say is Galmpton have now laid the tarmac path the league required and they have the sponsors of the Throgmorton Cup to thank as I understand they paid for the tarmac to be laid. (See pictures)
The University side looked a very young side lacking and players who looked very physical, but they had a number of good players who were very good with the ball at their feet. On the other hand Galmpton had a much better mix with some good young players, a few good old heads and plenty of players with enough physical presence to make the difference.
The first chance of the match fell to hat trick man Matt Backwell, from eight yards out he chose to toe punt the ball and had to watch it go narrowly wide of the left hand post. It did not take Galmpton long to take the lead, a low ball was played into the box from the left hand side that really should have been cleared. But it was not and the ball fell nicely to Dan Rankin to fire home.
After a wonder run into the box by Galmpton’s young player Kiran Parkin, I really hoped he would find the back of the net. To get into a shooting position he took on and beat three defenders and he hit his shot well enough across the keeper, but it just went wide of the right hand post.
Matt Backwell soon made it two nil with a very good strong run down the right hand side and into the Exeter box, he looked up and fired a good low left foot shot across the keeper into the far left hand corner of the goal.
University players played some very neat football at times but failed to really get behind the Galmpton defence. The one time they did came about when a good cross was fired into the Galmpton box from the right hand side. Tom Male six yards out had a free header and really should have scored, but he headed the ball over the crossbar.
An Exeter midfield player then carelessly gave the ball away on the halfway line and with his defence pushed up on the halfway line with him, it was a costly mistake. Two Galmpton players were able to burst into the Exeter half and the ball ended up at the feet of Liam Jones who fired the ball into the back of the net.
Another needless challenge out on the right saw the free kicked fired into the Exeter box and there was that man Matt Backwell to fire home and get his second goal of the match. The referee blew up for halftime and Galmpton were very worthy of their halftime lead.
As you would expect, Exeter upped their game at the start of the second half, but still were not able to cause any real problems for the Galmpton defence. They did come close to getting one goal back after a lucky defection put Toby Yeries clean in on goal with just Matt Congdon to beat. But Matt rushed out to close the gap down and stood up big and strong and was able to block the shot with his body.
Matt then got his third goal and number five for Galmpton, the ball was played into the box from the left and he managed to hold of a defender close in on goal and get his foot to the ball first to steer it over the line.
The only booking of the game was a little harsh in my book, Jamie Spence had let the ball run a yard to much away from him and did sort of jump in and turn in as he did. If that was worth a yellow card then the referee should have shown a straight red card to Galmptons John Potter. There was an Exeter player offside when a through ball was played, but he stood still and made no attempt to go towards the ball. But one Exeter player burst past the Galmpton defence and was hacked down from behind by Mr Potter who was clearly the last man. It was not very far from the edge of the Galmpton box and the gave the foul but kept all his cards in his pocket.
A good game, plenty of goals and action and on the day Galmpton were too strong for the Exeter University who can have no complaints with the final score line.
