SWPL Prem Div Stoke Gabriel V Camelford FC 14th Febuary 2015

[Dave]

Southwest Peninsula League Premier Division

Stoke Gabriel V Camelford FC





Saturday 14th February 2015 Kick-Off 3pm

Venue Churchward Memorial ground Broadley Lane Stoke Gabriel

Referee Lee Dudman

Final Score Stoke Gabriel 3 Camelford FC 0

In football you need to beat the teams below you in the table and there is an old saying, “you can only beat the team in front of you”. Stokes first season the Premier Division has been a real roller coaster of a ride with more downs than ups. With the team manager walking out of the club at the very start of the season, Stoke struggled early on and were looking like possible relegation candidates even that soon into the season. .

But through hard work and a never say die attitude, Stoke has slowly turned their season around and along the way have had some surprise wins. Their best result has to be the five nil win over Saltash on Saturday 20th December, an early Christmas present for the Stoke players and a match they fully deserved to win.

Stokes start to the second half of the season has also not been the start they would have hoped for, losing three games on the trot. They were well beaten by a very good Bideford side in a cup semi-final and lost at home to a poor Falmouth one. A game they should have won after taking the lead, but didn’t after failing to press home their advantage.

Things improved for Stoke last weekend when they recorded a fine away win at the Pennygillam ground, home of Launceston. They won by two goals to nil taking a total of four points from both fixtures after drawing one all on the first day of the season with Launceston at Broadley Lane

Stoke thumped Camelford earlier in the season five nil at their place, so this was Stokes first real opportunity to secure their first league double. That they did, but I have to be honest and say I thought Camelford were a very poor side that lacked and real good stand out players. But these are the sorts of games that can be lost if you take things for granted, but thankfully that is something the Stoke players did not do.

The game was a little late kicking off; firstly the referee was late after taking over two and a half hours to drive to Broadley Lane from Appledore and a few Camelford players ended up getting lost into the bargain. One of the referees assistants failed to turn up due to illness which meant Stokes very own Mr Besford ended up having to run the line, something he has not had to do since Stokes promotion.

Considering all the rain that fell on Friday, the pitch was in good condition but heavy as you would expect. I was surprised when I got home to find I had not written many notes down in my note book, but then there were not that much to write about if I’m honest. Stoke were very determined they were going to win the game and did so with out really having to break out into much of a sweat.

They look the lead after the game was only one minute old, Jake White’s right wing cross was flicked up onto the bar by the Camelford keeper Adam Fuller and when the ball dropped down, Dave Worthington bundled the ball over the line from close in.

Camelford won a free kick on the edge of the Stoke box that was taken by Mark Gusterson, but his effort was very weak and tame resulting in no more than easy catching practice for Stokes keeper Nathan Murphy.

On the half hour mark Stoke went two goals up after they scored from a corner. Dave Worthington had a great goal bound header saved by the Camelford keeper Adam Fuller who managed to get the ball over his crossbar. From the resulting corner Joe Thompson headed the ball home at the far post.

That was it for the first half and Stoke went into the break fully deserving their halftime lead, but would they hold onto it in the second half? As expected Camelford came out very strong in the second half and worked hard to try and get back into the match without any real reward for their efforts.

Stoke stayed very strong at the back and were able to move up together at the right time to catch the Camelford forwards off side time and again. They put the game fully to bed with fifteen minutes remaining on the clock. It was a goal to have real importance for Stoke striker Dave Worthington.

Much credit for the goal has to go to Tom Kelly who won the ball near the corner flag on the left hand side of the pitch, dealt with his man and sent in a low cross into the Camelford box. Dave Worthington found himself all alone in the box and had to dive low and full length to get his head on the ball and past the despairing dive of the Camelford keeper.

It was Dave Worthington’s one hundredth goal scored in the South West Peninsula League, so a big well done to Dave who has lots more goals still left in him.

It was an enjoyable game to watch but not the most exciting one I have ever watched, but Stoke got the job done and that was the most important thing. Hopefully two wins on the trot will give the Stoke players all the confidence they need to take on Callington Town away next Saturday.

Onwards and upwards as they say.