Post by Dave on Sept 26, 2015 9:42:15 GMT
Southwest Peninsula League Premier Division
Stoke Gabriel AFC Vs St Blazey AFC
Saturday 26th September 2015…….Kick-Off 3pm
Venue…….G.J. Churchward Memorial Ground
Referee Graeme Martin Referee Assistants Chris Palmer & Sam Rhodes
Saturday 26th September 2015…….Kick-Off 3pm
Venue…….G.J. Churchward Memorial Ground
Referee Graeme Martin Referee Assistants Chris Palmer & Sam Rhodes
Final Score Stoke Gabriel 1 St Blazey 2
Today’s game against bottom club St Blazey, presented Stoke with their best opportunity so far this season, to produce their first home win of the 2015/2016 season. Stoke has not made the best of starts this season, but seem to be slowly turning things around. Tim Porter is a good manager that has watched his side given so many needless goals away that has cost then team dearly in games they have played well in. Once Tim is able to find a way to stop than happening, it won’t be too long before they start moving up the table.
Stokes long awaited first win of the season happened ten days ago when they beat Elburton Villa away in a midweek evening kick-off. They won by a single goal they had to wait until the seventy first minute to score. The goal came about after a goal mouth scramble that saw a shot blocked and then the ball only partially cleared to the edge of the Villa box. Ollie Aplin drilled the ball into the back of the net with a first time shot.
Last Saturday Stoke were knocked out of the first round of the Walter C Parson Funeral Directors League Cup in controversial circumstances against Exwick Villa. For the last hour of the match they had to play with ten men after Steve Woodcock was given a straight red for an innocent looking tackle. Despite going behind twice, Stoke fought back to level before going out to the dreaded penalty shoot out.
I have heard first hand reports that clearly suggest the Exwick Villa clubs lineman’s cheated meaning Stoke were robbed of the victory. Stoke needed to put that game and result behind them when they played Exmouth Town away on Tuesday night this week.
Tim Porter included two new 17 year old signings among five changes to their starting 11 and that bravery was to be repaid as Kieran Parkin and George Buckmaster both put in mature performances that belied their years. Nathan Murphy took back the goal keepers jersey after recovering from an injury he sustained in the home game against Launceston AFC on Saturday 29th August.
Once again Stoke had to come back twice and came very close to taking all three points right at the end of the second half. Ollie Aplin was in yards of space at the far post, but Powell in goal for Exmouth was able to get down and smother the effort.
They say in life you can not take anything for granted, that is especially true as far as a game of football is concerned . They also say you have to earn the right to win a game, something I think Stoke did not do today. As I drove home after the match I asked myself this question. Were St Blazey a much better side than their league position suggests? Or was it the case that Stoke just made them look like world champions, or worst still, are Stoke a much poorer side this season?
Before the game kicked off I firmly believe the Stoke players, manager and supporters were all expecting three points today. But I also believe now that St Blazey saw this game as a chance to record their first win of the season. I do not know where Tim Porter goes from here, this was a game that Stoke could have won, but ended up making every St Blazey player feel the game was theirs to win.
In a nutshell, Stoke failed to take a number of chances when they came their way and once again were not strong enough in defence when it mattered. The game kicked off and it was a very even affair with very little flair or chances being created by either side.
The first real chance fell to Stokes Ollie Aplin who got on the end of a through ball, the shouts went up for offside but the linesman kept his flag down. Ollie fired away his shot and Dave Painter in goal for St Blazey, managed to make a save with his outstretched leg.
Next it was Tom Kelly’s turn to test the St Blazey keeper with a good shot he took as he broke into the right hand side of the box, Dave Painter managed to beat the shot down with his hands.
On the fifteen minute mark Stoke took the lead, an inch perfect cross into the box from the right hand side was met with Stuart Bowkers head and the ball hit the back of the net. Stoke needed to try and add to this lead and really only have themselves to blame when on the half-hour mark, St Blazey drew level.
St Blazey’s right back their smallest man on the pitch Kieron Bishop picked the ball up on the halfway line. He put his head down and ran past at least five Stoke players. Two Stoke defenders dived in when they should have stayed on their feet and when in the box Kieron Bishop fired the ball past Nathan Murphy into the back of the net. For what was left of the first half, St Blazey looked the most likely to get a second goal.
That was it for the first half and the big question was which team would believe the most that they could win the game in the second half? Right from the off Stuart Bowker had a chance I felt he should have put away. Then Stoke won an early free kick that was taken by Stuart Bowker that was saved low down by the left hand post and behind for a corner. Stuart Bowker then hit a shot from the edge of the area that went wide of the right hand post.Dave Worthington saw two individual efforts hit the bar and if they had of gone in, the end result might have been well different.
St Blazey’s number seven Tornado Bello started to become a big threat to Stoke with his pace and running. Tornado hit a good shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area, but you knew he was going to have a big influence on the game from that point.
Stoke had another chance when Stuart Bowker was played into the St Blazey box again, but he could not keep his shot down and stood and watched as it flew high over the crossbar.
Up the other end and Matt Drummond looked certain to score with a header close in, but Nathan Murphy pulled off the save of the match diving to his left and somehow managing to get the ball over the crossbar.
It was no real surprise when St Blazey took the lead, nor was it a surprise who scored it, the ball came into the box from the right and that man Tornado Bello got up the highest and headed the ball home.
Right at the death Stoke had one last chance that fell to Frazer Clark, but his effort lacked any real power and was saved low down by Dave Painter. The referee blew his whistle for the last time and the Stoke players heads dropped, so did Tim Porters and all the Stoke fans.
Where do Stoke go from here? I don’t know but I do now they need to sort out their leaky defence and work harder to cut out the mistakes that are being made at the back. It was clear just how much this win meant to the St Blazey players, but the result could have been a whole lot different, if Stoke had been more on their game.
It was nice to meet up with the league secretary Phil Hiscox before the game.
