Belli Cup Stoke Gabriel Res V Upton Ath 12th March 2016

[Dave]

George Belli Cup Quarter Final

Stoke Gabriel Reserves V Upton Athletic

Saturday 12th March 2016 Kick-Off 2pm

Venue G J Chuchward Memorial Ground

Match Referee Andy Distin

Final Score Stoke Gabriel Reserves 0 Upton Athletic 5

I decided to cover another game from the South Devon League this week after last weeks third division game Staverton V Teign Village. A number of games took my fancy, but in the end I decided on the George Belli Quarter Final match between Stoke Gabriel Reserves and Upton Athletic.

Upton was last year’s finalists in this cup, but had to play against Waldon Athletic in the final, a team that had already beaten them three times during the season. The game went to extra time with Waldon ending up the eventual winners by three goals to two. Stoke Gabriel Reserves went out in the first round after being beaten by Newton Abbot Spurs Reserves by four goals to one.

In the first round this season Stoke Gabriel Reserves beat Kingskerswell & Chelston by five goals to two at Armada Park, while Upton Athletic took on Loddiswell Athletic at Windmill Hill #2 running out easy winners by five goals to one.

Dartmouth AFC were also playing their quarter final match today at home to Ivybridge Town 2nds, while the date for the Buckland Athletic 2nds V Brixham AFC 2nds has yet to be decided. Next Saturday (19th March) the remaining quarter final game between Watcombe Wanderers and last years winners Waldon Athletic will take place at the King George Playing Fields.

Upton needed to put last weeks disappointing exit from the Herald Cup behind them, a game many thought they deserved to win against Buckland Athletic 2nds. The game went into extra time with Buckland running out the eventual winners by four goals to three.

Last week Stoke Gabriel reserves enjoyed a rare league win, they beat Kingskerswell & Chelston by a single goal, nowhere near the score line they knocked Kingskerswell & Chelston out of this cup by. The previous week they were thumped at home by Dartmouth AFC by ten goals to one.

Both Stokes first and second teams have really struggled in the league this season, the 2nds have played fifteen league games to date, winning just four of them, drawing one and losing ten. More concerning to their manger must be Stokes goal difference, they have only managed to score seventeen league goals, but have conceded a massive fifty one, giving them a minus thirty four goal difference.

Due to the recent poor weather Upton have fallen well behind in their league fixtures and have only played ten to date. Their last league match was way back on the 12th December when they beat Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds by four goals to one at home. The two other games played since that date was the Belli cup match against Loddiswell Athletic and last weeks Herald Cup match against Buckland Athletic 2nds.

Upton have won three of the ten league games played, drawn one and lost six, scoring sixteen goals along the way and conceding nineteen giving them a minus three goal difference. On paper this game looked like it would end in a win for Upton, but was that the case?




FLASHBACK: Alex Bastow, the Upton captain, is presented with the George Belli Cup in 2004 by Peter Passmore of Manor Building Company

The pitch looked in good condition and if anything looked rather hard, which was a bit of surprise considering the recent poor weather. Stoke are a very young side and maybe did not deserve to be beaten by such a big score, but when you end up with just ten men on the pitch, its always going to be an uphill struggle, even more so when you are already a goal behind.

Upton played well in parts of the game and for me their two stand out players were young brothers Jordan & Oliver Kewell. Not the biggest of players, but both with plenty of pace and full of running, plus not afraid to get stuck in and win the ball back.

The game got underway and there was nothing between the teams in the first ten minutes or so. Upton’s number nine Ryan Hare went on one good run but was not able to keep his shot down that ended up flying high over the crossbar. He then headed a ball played into the Stoke box from the left wing over the crossbar.

Jordan Kewell for Upton went on another fine run down the left wing and sent in a great ball to the back post that brother Oliver headed over; you just sensed a goal was coming soon for Upton. Lee Griffin out wide on the right for Upton hit a cross come shot that had to be tipped over the crossbar by Matt Lipton playing in goal for Stoke.

On a rare Stoke attack Kaya Fenner had a chance to put his side in front, but his effort was well blocked by the Upton keeper Adam Simpson. Stoke then sent in a great cross from the left hand side and Tom Young found himself all alone at the back post, but ended up shooting wide of the target.

Upton then won a free kick just outside the Stoke box and slightly on the left-hand side. Up stepped the coolest man on the pitch the legend Darren Bastow to take the free kick. I was expecting him to shoot for goal but instead he cleverly looped the ball over the Stoke wall for Lee Griffins to run onto and hit first time into the back of the net.

Upton’s Ryan Hare close into the Stoke post pulled a shot that rolled along the goal line but there was no one close enough to get the ball into the back of the net, while up the other end George Murphy hit a twenty five yard free kick high over the Upton crossbar.

Then the moment came that changed the whole match, a straight red card for Stokes Brandon Hext. Brandon with the ball at his feet had his heels kicked not once but twice and maybe should have been awarded a free kick. But he stayed on his feet and the ball ran a yard away from him.He did go in with both feet, but his feet were very low and he was always going to win the ball and I do not believe there was any contact with the nearby Upton player.

I think everyone in the ground including the Upton bench were shocked when referee Andy Distin pulled out the red card, it was a yellow at worst, but Andy was much closer than any of us were and I think he had made his mind up the second ht had put the whistle to his mouth.

Just minutes later it was two nil to Upton when Ryan Hare tapped the ball over the goal line from close in, the linesman had his flag up for offside, but Ryan was well on side and the goal stood.

That was it for the first half and I think the sending off knocked the stuffing out of the Stoke side and there was only going to be one winner in the second half and that was Upton.

Upton’s Oliver Kewell could not believe it when close in his shot hit the crossbar and up the other end Stokes Kaya Fenner was played into the Upton box with just Adam Simpson to beat, but he sent his effort high over the crossbar.

Darren Bastow played the pass of the match from the halfway line that split the Stoke defence and played Ryan Hare clean in on goal with just the keeper to beat, but once again he fired the ball over the ball when it looked simpler to score.

Soon after this Upton won a free kick out on the right hand side that was fired into the box and rammed home by Lee Griffin his second of the match. Stoke were working hard enough but lacked numbers up front when they did get close to the Upton box. They did win a free kick in a good position, but the ball was fired over the bar by George Murphy.

Ryan Hare was in again on a one on one with the keeper who saved the shot with his legs, the lose ball was tapped into the back of the net by Jordan Kewell, but he was given off-side. Ryan Hare finally got his second goal after playing a neat one two that got him into a good goal scoring position and this time his shot hit the back of the net.

Stoke had a very good shout for a penalty that was not given, they did deserve a goal at least I felt for all the effort they put in. There was time for one more Upton goal and it turned out to be a rare hat trick for Lee Griffin, who had a fine game at the back for Upton along side Darren Bastow who makes passing look the easiest thing in the world.

Upton through to the semi-finals, but they know its going to be much tougher in that round if they are going to make it to the final. Good luck in that quest and thanks from me to both clubs and the referee for all their help with the team sheet etc.