SDPL Upton Athletic V Waldon Athletic 11th April 2015

[Dave]

South Devon League Premier Division

Upton Athletic V Waldon Athletic

Saturday 11th April 2015 Kick-Off 2.30pm

Venue Barton Cricket Club

Match Referee Alastair Muirden

Final Score Upton Athletic 1 Waldon Athletic 2

Sixth placed Upton took on third placed Waldon in what looked on paper a must watch fixture. Looking at the league table Buckland 2nds look very likely contenders to win the league this season. Watcombe look likely to end up runners up with Dartmouth in third position. The best Upton might hope for is to hold onto their sixth place, while Waldon must be hoping to finish in forth or fifth position. An Upton win today could well see them finishing the season above Waldon, but they would have to rely on Waldon dropping a number of points in their remaining fixtures.

Last weekend saw Upton only getting a one all draw against bottom club Bovey Tracey 2nds, who amazingly have conceded 120 goals this season Waldon only just did a little better beating Kingsteignton Athletic away by two goals to one.

Upton’s record this season in the league before today’s match was
Played seventeen, won nine drawn three and lost five. They had scored seventy goals and conceded twenty nine giving them thirty points and a + forty one goal difference.

Waldon’s record was played seventeen won twelve drawn one and lost four. They had scored fifty five goals and conceded twenty seven giving them thirty seven points and a + twenty eight goal difference.

I covered the Quarter Final Herald Cup between Waldon and Upton at Windmill Hill on January 10th this year

davesworld.proboards.com/thread/447/herald-waldon-upton-10th-2015

, a game Upton had won but lost in the dieing seconds. Today’s result was very hard to call; Upton had a much better scoring record and was at home. But I knew from watching a number of Waldon games this season, that they were a team who never knew when they were beaten, as proved in that quarter final match.


I woke up early this morning to a very wet and windy one, but thankfully things improved during the morning and for a good part of this game the sun was out. On the balance of play I do feel a draw would have been a fair result, but Upton ended up losing the game and can have no real complaints. This was a game that had plenty of late tackles in it and I felt the ref did a first class job keeping control of the game.

The ref blew his whistle for the start of the game and with only five seconds on the clock, Upton substituted their keeper, he came off claiming how well he had done keeping a clean sheet and that had me laughing for sure as he was correct.

I did ask both teams if they would not mind entering the correct numbers on the team sheet, Upton kindly wrote their players names and numbers on a separate sheet for me (different than what is on the team sheet) Not sure if Waldon put the correct numbers on the team sheet but will go with the names and numbers on it.

There was not a great deal of goal match action during the first half and the first real shot in anger came about after Waldon had won three corners on the trot. The ball had come back of of the Upton box and was hit first time by Brian Doughty but he had to stand and watch as the ball just went past the left hand post.

Waldon soon had another chance to take the lead when Sevvy Reilly was played into the left hand side of Upton box. He hit his shot well enough across the keeper but the ball went wide of the right hand post.

Waldon’s number eight Brian Doughty was the first player to go into the referee’s book, he had been fouled and awarded the free kick, but he decided to put both hands on the Upton player and push him, a silly and unnecessary booking. Upton’s Jason Manley very soon afterwards joined Brian in the referee’s book.

Upton took the lead, a wonder strike from Scott Davies and it was a goal that would have been played over and over again on match of the day. He was at least twenty five yards out and slightly on the left when he hit a left foot shot that ended up going in low just inside the right hand post. The shot had the Waldon’s keeper Kitson Glanvile diving full length but he was unable to get a hand onto the ball. It was a goal worthy of winning any match and one any player would have been proud to have scored. That was it for the first half and the only thing separating the two teams was that wonder strike.

Upton could have added to their first half lead very early in the second half. Jamie Micklewright made a great run into the Waldon box beating a number of players on his way. He looked certain to score but scooped the ball over the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.

Waldon got back on level terms mainly thanks to the brut strength of their number nine Sevvy Reilly, who got the ball over the line when he looked second favourite to do so. Meanwhile the ref added two more Waldon players into his book.

Upton were on the attack when it broke down deep in the Waldon half, Waldon played one of their best passing moves that finally played in Josh Briscomb but his effort on goal was poor and a good chance to take the lead went begging.

Waldon were in the Upton box again on another breakaway attack and won a penalty when Jason Manley blocked a goal bound shot with his hand. He was already walking long before the ref was able to get his card out of his pocket and in doing so made up the refs mind for sure. Upton felt Jason had been pushed before his hand made contact with the ball, but the ref stood by his decision to award the spot kick. Stan Goulding took the kick and it was saved by the Upton keeper.

Down to ten men Upton were still looking to take all three points and were often guilty of playing to far up the pitch considering they now only had ten men on it. Waldon were able to play a number of long balls over the top into loads of vacant space.

One such ball was played over the top out to the left hand side of the pitch and the Waldon winger was able to run closer to the box and put in a good low cross that was fired home by Josh Masson. There was only two minutes left on the clock and not enough time for Upton to mount another attack on the Waldon goal.

So once again Upton ended up losing to Waldon right at the death as they did in the quarter final Herald Cup game. Any chance of Upton over taking Waldon in the league in the remaining games now seems very unlikely.

An enjoyable game to watch and I’m glad I choose this game to cover today.