SWPL Prem Div Stoke Gabriel V Camelford AFC 27th Feb 2016

[Dave]

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Stoke Gabriel V Camelford AFC

Saturday 27th Febuary 2016 Kick-Off 3pm

Venue G J Churchward Memorial Ground


Referee James Gould Referee Assistants ( not as per programme) Sam Rhodes & Tim Platt

Final Score…Stoke Gabriel 0 Camelford AFC 2


Did anyone else notice it had stopped raining? It seems as if it had rained for at least eight days and nights putting paid to most local football matches over the last few months. I was even convinced the banging I was hearing day and night was Noah building a brand new ark, I bet even he can’t believe its not raining on yet another football Saturday. Just three games were called off today in the SWPL, but the league is now 166 Games behind schedule which is 30 more than the previous worst winter!Only 419 Games to fit into March, April & May –an average of 42 games a week for the rest of the season.

The rain has been replaced by a bitter cold wind that cuts into you like a knife and the sky is grey( the sun is trying to come out as I write this), but at least most planned games went ahead, I’m just glad there was no requirement for me to wear shorts. Due to the bitter cold I decided not to travel to far away from my home and was therefore grateful Stoke were playing at home at the Churchward Memorial Ground.

Its been a poor season for Stoke so far and Tim Porter knows his squad has bags of creativity in it and some good forward players but the blend or formation just doesn't seem to suit his team at the moment. In some of the games I have watched this season they played well enough, but gave away some cheap goals.

My last visit to the Churchward Memorial Ground was on the 26th of December and what a game and result that was with Stoke beating the then forth in the table side Ivybridge Town by five goals to three, a win they fully deserved.

Last Saturday Stoke lost away to Falmouth by two goals to nil, a game they played so well in and dominated at times, but one where they could not find the back of the net. This result followed another defeat midweek when they played away to Plymouth Parkway where they lost by two goals to one.

Today’s game and the next two are huge games for Stoke and ones they really do need to pick up points from. Before today’s game Camelford were one from bottom in the table on nine points from eighteen starts. They had only managed to win just one game so far this season, drawing six and losing eleven. They also had only managed to score just twenty goals, but conceded a massive fifty four goals giving them a minus thirty four goal difference.

Stoke were sitting just two places above Camelford on fifteen points, but they had played three more league games than Camelford, so this really was a big six pointer. Stoke had won four of the twenty one leagues games played so far, drawing three and losing fourteen, scoring thirty six goals, conceding forty two giving them just a minus six goal difference.

When I arrived at the ground I did not feel to cold, but it was a different story come the final whistle. As I walked back to my car I found myself asking why have Camelford scored so few goals and let in so many this season. They were the better side in the first half and one wonders if Stoke had started the first half the way they started the second one, if they might have won a game many was expecting them to win instead of losing it by two goals to nil.

Camelfords Jason Cordice and Dan Balsdon were just too much for the Stoke defence to handle, while Stoke expected Stuart Bowker to do it all up front for them on his own. I’m not sure how Tim Porter fixes the problems in his team, but fix them he must, if the team has any chance on remaining at this level.

Before the kick off a minutes silence was held for Andy Hill as was done at all local games today I expect and also Ian Redshaw. The game started and right from the off Camelford were on top and with Stoke continuingly giving the ball away cheaply, Camelfords front two were ready and willing to try and punish all the mistakes at the back.

One such poor pass on the halfway line by Stoke was picked up and fired forward into the feet of Camelfords number six Andy Boxall who shot just wide of the right hand post. Camelford were finding so much space down the left hand side and one good run and cross into the Stoke box saw Dan Balsdon head the ball just over the crossbar, the warning signs were there for Stoke.

On the fifteen minute mark, Stoke once again failed to clear the ball from the danger area and the ball ended up being knocked back down the middle to Dan Balsdon who coolly slotted the ball past Dom Aplin into the back of the net.

Up the other end and Stuart Bowker almost burst a blood vessel when he felt the ball was handled in the Camelford box, the referee clearly did not agree despite all the protests. Stokes Liam Jones was the first player to find his name ending up in the referee’s book after committing a sting of fouls.

Camelford always looked dangerous when they were in the Stoke half, while Stoke failed to force the Camelford keeper Paul Hider into making one save the whole of the first half. The referee blew up for the end of the first half and Tim Porter would have had a lot to say to his players during the break.

What ever Tim Porter said seemed to have worked as Stoke came out a much more determined team. They bossed and owned the second half, but were unable to find the back of the net. Rob Bowker took a free kick just outside the Camelford box, but his effort went high and wide. Ollie Booth hit a good clean shot that just went wide of the right hand post, when it looked like it was going in.

Camelfords Kevin Murt had his name taken by the referee as Stoke went on attack after attack and on one such attack three or four shots were fired at the goal in a goal mouth scramble, but the ball would still not hit the back of the net. Stuart Bowker hit the side netting with another effort from a tight angle and you just knew it was not going to be Stokes day.

Stuart Bowker then got booked himself and shortly after this Stokes Gareth Mcewan hacked down Dan Balsdon from behind in the Stoke box. The referee pulled out a red card as Gareth was deemed to be the last man, which he was. The spot kick was taken by Patrick Rushdon who sent Dom Aplin the wrong way.

Right at the death it should have been three nil to Camelford when a mistake put in Dan Balsdon with just the Stoke keeper to beat, the effort was rather tame and Dom Aplin was able to make a save with his legs.

A bad day at the office for Stoke and a good win for a Camelford side that worked hard and fully deserved to go back to Cornwall with all three points.