Post by Dave on May 23, 2015 7:16:58 GMT
South Devon League Division Two
The Title Decider
Ashburton AFC Vs Foxhole United
Saturday 23rd May 2015 Kick-Off 2.30pm
Venue Chuley Road Ashburton
Match Referee Paul Allen, Referee Assistants Alastair Muirden Richard Hill
Final Score Ashburton AFC 3 Foxhole United 4
If you were a fan of local football looking for a game to watch today, then this game would have jumped out as the one to choose. I’m not sure how often a final game of the season ends up with the first and second placed team in a league meeting both locked on the same number of points.
At the end of today’s game one of the teams were going to be crowned the champions of Division Two of the South Devon League. For Foxhole only one result would have made that happen for them, a WIN. But would they have the firepower up front and tight defence to beat an Ashburton side playing at home?
Both teams amazingly have identical records this season, both have played twenty five games, winning twenty two, drawing one and losing two and its only the goal difference that was keeping Ashburton in the very top spot.
Ashburton has scored an unbelievable one hundred and twelve league goals this season, conceding only twenty six giving them a plus goal difference of eighty six goals.
Foxhole have not been shy in front of goal themselves, they hit the back of the net eighty seven times in the league and conceded thirty four goals giving them a plus fifty three goal difference. I’m sure their goal tally would have been much higher if they had not been awarded their last two results.
I watched Ashburton play away in the Lidstone Cup against Abbotskerswell on the 28th February 2015, a game they won with ease. The final score was nine nil to Ashburton and it was clear that day they had some very good players in their team. Some I felt would have no problems playing in a much higher league.
The report on that game can be read here
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/462/lidstone-abbotskerswell-ashburton-28th-2015
You have to go all the way back to the 10th November 2012 to find the last Foxhole game I covered. Foxhole that season were playing in the third division and beat a poor Teign Village side with ease, winning by seven goals to nil in the end.
The report on that game can be read here
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/140/foxhole-united-teign-village-2012
I also have to go back a good number of years to remember the last game I watched a game played at Chuley Road. That day a certain Ant Roach got sent off during the game and while I won’t go into the details, it was the only way he was going to be stopped from scoring even more goals in the match.
Very pleased to see that Paul Allen was given the match, a top local referee who won’t stand any nonsense and is one of the most experienced and highly rated referees on the local circuit. The league very sensibly appointed two linemen (Alastair Muirden and Richard Hill) for this match, ensuring fair play will be the order of the day.
They say you should save the best until last, but that is something I never planned, it just turned out that way. I have watched some cracking games this season, but this one really was the best of all. Some great football played, twist and turns and excitement from the first whistle to the last one. Credit to both clubs, you could not have given the South Devon League a better avert if you tired.
Mr Paul Allen in the middle was superb, but then I would not expect anything less from one of the top refs in Devon. His fellow assistants also did him proud and boy did all the players as well. Not only by their hard work and effort, not even the good football they played, but mainly by the way they showed how a football game should be played by just accepting the referee’s decisions and getting on with the game.
As I drove back home to Paignton in the wonderful afternoon sunshine, the sounds of the winning team singing “ Champions Champions “ was still ringing in my ears. There is not a better sport on earth than football, thanks from me too everyone who plays their part in keeping local football alive and well.
Onto the game and Foxhole right from the off were the better side, they tried to play a neat passing game that was pretty on the eye. Ashburton were reduced to hitting long hopeful balls up front to Damien Francis Furnnall, but he got no change from a strong Foxhole defence.
It was no real surprise with fifteen minutes on the clock, Foxhole took the lead. Jack White hit a powerful low shot from just outside the area that took a defection on its way to the goal that wrong footed Johnathan Green who was in goal for Ashburton.
Foxhole came close to adding to their lead when a ball played in the box hit the hand of a Ashburton defender, Paul Allen rightly turned down the penalty appeals as it was a case of ball to hand close in and not the other way down. The ball did drop kindly at the feet of Joseph Ward who stuck it well only to see his effort hit the post.
Ashburton from a corner came close to getting back onto level terms, Callum Winter rose above everyone else to head the ball at goal, but Scott Bond the Foxhole keeper pulled off a fine save.
Ashburton were still looking to hit long high balls over the top but got caught out when Foxhole tired it. One such ball put Curtis Clarke in behind the Ashburton defence with just the keeper to beat. He kept a cool head as he slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Foxhole must have been unable to believe how easy it all seemed at this stage of the match. The Ashburton number three had to be spoken to by the ref and due to some back chat found his name being taken, this was the only booking of the entire match.
That was it for the first half and the big question was could Ashburton get back into the game. I do not know if they received the best halftime team talk of the century, or If Foxhole just fell asleep for a while, but before most watching fans had even finished their halftime cup of tea, the score was two all.
Foxhole gave away a free kick out on the left hand side of the pitch and failed to deal with the ball when it came into their box. Damien Francis Furnnall close in on goal managed to hook the ball over the line and into the back of the net.
Up the other end Jack White hit a good shot that only just cleared the crossbar. Seconds later it was two all and it was that man again Damien Francis Furnnall. This time he was played in and hit a great left foot shot from 10 yards that went just inside the right hand post.
Would the Foxhole heads drop? Would Ashburton go on and win the match and become the league champions? Well Foxhole were not about to give up and went into over drive mode looking to get the lead back.
They did not have to wait to long when from a very tight angle Joseph Ward scored, it was a goal he fully deserved for all the hard work he had put in. From a very similar position John Bocus fired a hooked shot across the keeper into the far corner of the net. Four two and game over surely?
Ashburton once again went looking to try and close the gap and from a corner nearly did, but this time Damien Francis Furnnall only managed to scoop his effort over the crossbar. But with just five minutes left on the clock, Ashburton did pull a goal back.
Another free kick out on the right hand side aimed for the back post. The Foxhole keeper shouted mine but got nowhere near the ball as it went over his outstretched hands. At the back post Joshua Moore headed the ball into the net.
Foxhole tightened things up and made sure that was the last chance Ashburton were going to get and when Paul Allen blew his whistle for the final time, the Foxhole players started their well deserved celebrations.
What a game and the best team on the day won, roll on next season I’m missing football already.
