CSWPL Prem DIV Stoke Gabriel V Callington 15th Nov 2014

[Dave]

Carlsberg Southwest Peninsula League Premier Divison

Stoke Gabriel v Callington Town

Saturday 15th Novemeber 2014 Kick-off 2.15pm

Venue Churchward Memorial Ground

Referee N. Hunnisett

Final Score Stoke Gabriel 0 Callington Town 0

Before I even talk about today’s a game, a plea from me to Stoke Gabriel football club. Can you please buy that hut for Mr Cherry who has been at the club for over fifty years now. The poor man has to stand out taking the money on the gate in the pouring rain and he has been promised a hut after all, but he still has not got one.

What a dull and horrible day it has been weather wise and when the two lowest scoring teams in the league meet, should anyone really expect a goal feast? The game ended without a single goal being scored and to be honest I felt it they had played for another six hours there still would have been no goals.

Its not been a good season for Stoke so far and having to keep changing their back four has not helped, a number of mistakes at the back could have cost Stoke dearly today, but they got away with it just. To sum up how they have failed to find the net enough times this season, they missed a second half penalty that would have given them all three points.

A draw was a fair enough result; both teams worked hard enough and both teams enjoyed periods where they were on top, but chances for both teams were few and far apart. Stoke started the half well enough and the first real shot in anger was a neat turn and shot by Dave Worthington just inside the Callington box. His shot just went wide and as the half wore on, Callington started to get on top.

Callington’s best moves came down their right hand side, their winger number eleven Kirk Smith and their right back number two Chris Lock were both able to make a good number of runs down the wing and send in good balls into the Stoke box. Nathan Murphy in Stoke for goal kicked a very poor ball out of his box right to the feet of Kirk Smith who could have scored if he had been able to get any power into his shot.

Kirk Smith was then gifted the ball again after poor control from the Stoke left back. This time he ran towards the edge of the box holding of two challenges and hit a good low shot to the right hand post that forced a good save low down from Nathan Murphy.

From the resulting corner the ball dropped to the feet of Callington’s number three Gary Williams who hit a very powerful shot at goal that was blocked behind for a second corner. Kirk Smith just yards from the goal line night have opened up the scoring for his team if he had tried to get his head on the ball rather than some fancy overhead scissor kick that he got badly wrong.

That was it for the first half, entertaining enough but just lacking some really good goal mouth action. The second half kicked of and I thought Callington were just on top for most of it. Stoke worked hard and did create a few chances, but missed an all important spot kick which might have been enough to give them all three points.

A trip from behind in the Callington box saw the ref point to the spot straight away. Up stepped Sam Dicken to take the spot kick. He tried to place his low shot just inside the left hand post, but his effort lacked any real power and Sam Borthwick in goal for Callington, was able to make a full length dive and tip the ball around the post.

I think the spot kick had an air of inevitably about its outcome, but its just one of those things and there are plenty of top players who have missed from the spot. Before anyone had time to feel sorry for the penalty taker, Callington were in the Stoke box and a shot inside the box saw Nathan Murphy make the save of the match. The shot had plenty of power on it and Nathan did so well to get his hands on the ball and push it over his crossbar.

As the half wore on a number of players on both sides got rather frustrated. As a result we saw one or two moments when the handbags came out, the worst one resulting in a booking for both Chris Lock for Callington and Ben Brown for Stoke.

Callington’s number four Mike Lucas turned neatly on the edge of the Stoke box and hit a good hard and low shot they just went wide of the right hand post. Right at the death Callington had their best chance to win the match. A ball was played from the left hand side into the Stoke box. A snap shot was fired at goal and Nathan Murphy who had a Callington player right in front of him, managed to get his hands to the ball to stop it going in.The ball went straight to the feet of Kirk Smith who had so much room to fire the ball home. But he hit his shot over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

I said it the last time I was out at Stoke and I will say it again, they are a good bunch of lads and I’m sure they will find a way to get back too winning ways. Stoke are a very good friendly club and I would recommend a visit to their ground when you next had a Saturday free.

Thanks to young Tom for sorting out the team listings for me.