SWPL Prem Div Stoke Gabriel V Torpoint Ath 28th March 2016

[Dave]

CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION

Stoke Gabriel V Torpoint Athletic

Easter Monday 28th March 2016 Kick-Off 3pm


Venue G J Churchward Memorial Ground


Referee Bryan Perryman Referee Assistants Jason Hawkins & Harry Chambers

Final Score Stoke Gabriel 3 Torpoint Athletic 1

Football is a funny old game and throws up many unexpected results. I never expected Liverton to beat Galmpton away and then Galmpton to get thrashed five nil away to Brixham AFC recently. I never thought that on Boxing Day Stoke Gabriel would beat Ivybridge Town five goals to three at home and was even more shocked that they beat high flying Godolphin Atlantic by five goals to nil at home last Sunday, this was after also playing a league game the day before.

Despite those fine unexpected wins by Stoke, they remain close to the bottom of the table on nineteen points after playing twenty seven games, winning just five, drawing four and losing eighteen. After beating Godolphin Atlantic they lost away to Ivybridge Town by two goals to one, has Stoke ever won two games on the trot this season?

The big question today was could Stoke find the form they did last Sunday and win today’s encounter and put a few points between them and Elburton Villa and St Blazey, the two teams just below them at the bottom of the table.

Twelfth placed Torpoint Athletic enjoyed a home win on Good Friday against Saltash United winning by two goals to one, they also won the weekend before, but only just, beating one from bottom Elburton Villa by the single goal away, Stoke I believe did the double over Elburton Villa this season.

Torpoint had played the same number of games as Stoke ( 27) winning ten, drawing seven and losing ten, giving them a total of thirty seven points, I’m sure they were looking for a hat trick of wins, but could Stoke stop that happening and pull of what might be another unexpected win?

At 1pm the heavens opened up and with the forecast for rain all afternoon, I decided it was just going to be too wet to cover this match. At 14.20pm the sun came out and I was out of the door and on my way to the ground in a flash. Apart from one very heavy shower during the first half that lasted about ten minutes, the sun did its best to stay out.

The pitch was wet and heavy in paces and there were some puddles in the goal mouths, but it held up well enough during the game. I have to say this was one of the best displays I have witnessed by a Stoke team so far this season. They worked so hard as a team, defended like their lives depended on it and always looked so dangerous going forward. It they can continue to play with this much passion and fire, it won’t be too long before they climb away from the bottom of the table

The game was only two minutes old when Stoke had their first real chance to take the lead, Ollie Alpin was played clean in on goal with just the keeper to beat, But Matt England did well to bloke the shot with his legs. Stoke only had to wait three more minutes for their next real chance that fell to defender Joe Thompson who turned so neatly in the Torpoint box and hit and unstoppable shot into the back of the net.

Ollie Aplin who caused the Torpoint defence problems for the whole match was in on goal again and this time Matt England was able to get down low and claw the ball away from Ollie with one hand. Ollie Aplin then burst over the halfway line with the ball and made a fine run to the edge of the box, he maybe should have had a go himself but he decided to lay the ball into the path of Olly Crtichlow who ended up shooting wide of the right hand post.

Torpoint then managed t get back onto level terms, there looked no real danger that was until the ball dropped at the feet of Darren Hicks inside the Stoke box who just like Joe Thompson, turned neatly and found the back of the net.

How would Stoke react? Well they just carried on the way they had started and it was no real surprise when they were soon back in front again. Another good ball was played up to Ollie Aplin slightly on the left hand side of the pitch, he ran into the box and once inside looked up and sent a curler to the far post that gave Matt England no chance of all of saving.

Just before the halftime break Torpoint won a free kick in the Stoke half, the ball was fired high into the box and Josh King got a good head on it, but the ball ended up going wide of the target. The referee blew up for the end of the first half and Stoke fully deserved to go in winning.

The second half got under way and it was Stokes turn to win a free kick in the Torpoint half, the ball was played into the box but not cleared and it fell to Ryan O’Callaghan who could not keep his shot down. Stokes Olly Crtichlow hit a power driver from the edge of the Torpoint box that was spectacularly saved down low by his right hand post by Matt England.

Stoke then added to their lead, the ball was played long from the back for Ollie Aplin to chase, but Josh King was in front of him facing his own goal. Ollie was putting pressure on him that resulted in Josh hitting the ball with too much power towards his own keeper, only the ball ended up going just inside the left hand post.

Torpoint tried to get back into the game and ended up on top for a while, plenty of good running but the final killer pass was always missing. They won a number of corners but the Stoke defence stood big and strong and Dom Aplin was never really tested.

Stoke could have added to their score when a corner was taken out on the left hand side, the ball came into the box and close in Joe Thompson got a shot away that crashed up onto the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.

A great enjoyable game to watch and one I’m so glad I attended in the end.