Post by Dave on May 2, 2016 10:30:44 GMT
CARLSBERG SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
Stoke Gabriel V Bodmin Town
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May 2016 Kick-Off 3pm
Venue G J Churchward Memorial Ground
Match Referee Graeme Martin Referee Assistants Chris Palmer & James Payne
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May 2016 Kick-Off 3pm
Venue G J Churchward Memorial Ground
Match Referee Graeme Martin Referee Assistants Chris Palmer & James Payne
Final Score Stoke Gabriel 0 Bodmin Town 1
I have always been a big fan of Stoke Gabriel FC and have enjoyed watching them in action a good number of times over the years. Stoke have not found it easy stepping up the SWPL Premier Division and that was not helped at the start of the 2014/15 season when Gary Fisher and three other players left the club.
Tim Porter took control of the team and it took some time to turn around Stokes fortunes on the pitch, but he did and Stoke ended the season in fourteen place on forty points. Bodmin town finished in second place behind St Austell on eighty one points
Stoke have found their second season in the SWPL Premier Division even tougher, they have been close to the bottom of the table nearly all the season. In many of their earlier games in the season they played well enough, but were guilty of giving away so many sloppy goals that proved to be very costly.
Despite that Stoke have enjoyed some good results this season, beating Ivybridge at home over the Christmas period was one such result. Their recent form has improved with fine draws away to both St Austell and Bodmin and with a good win over St.Blazey on Saturday, they have given themselves a very big chance of beating the drop this season.
I had wondered if it might be better for the club to drop back down to Division One East and posted those thoughts on a local football forum. One reason was it would have given Stoke more local derbies that might help the club generate more income, but they were my thoughts and not those of the club.
I received the following reply.
Stoke Gabriel first team are going to fight to the bitter end to make sure we are not relegated back to the SWPL East division, our form has improved recently and our form against the better teams is good. We now need to match that against the teams around us. We have a great team spirit and the players have the belief that we can and will pull out of the battle. Whilst it may look like it could suit SGFC to be back in the East division, it certainly does not suit the players or managers. Hears hoping for a bit of luck and the same level of commitment. Keep Calm We Got This! (Both fingers crossed) We have enjoyed playing against the best Cornwall has to offer. The travelling and time involved is time consuming to say the least, but all part of it. Playing at decent grounds and like yesterday in front of an increased crowd (St Austell) adds to the fun. Hears hoping we will pull it off.
Stoke Gabriel is right on my doorstep and I have enjoyed watching some of the best clubs from Devon and Cornwall in action, it is good to know the club wants to remain playing at the higher level and I have everything crossed, not just my fingers they can pull it off in the remaining games still to be played.
Bodmin have a big top of the table clash this Wednesday evening against St Austell, the team just below them in the table and only two points behind. This was a must win game for them as St Austell were playing an away game today against Cullompton Rangers, a game they stood a good chance of winning.
Stoke went into this game with no fear after that great away draw against the league leader, could they go one better and pull of a surprise win that would go down as the win of the season?
It was still raining when I arrived at the ground, but by 3pm it had stopped and even the sun came out for the second half and it sure shone on one of the teams close to the end of the match. Bodmin are not top of the table for nothing, but they were made to work so hard for their victory. Stoke knew before the kick-off they would have to stand up and be big and strong and you just had to be impressed with the work rate and commitment from the Stoke players.
Bodmin so nearly went home empty handed when Stoke looked certain to take the lead against the run of play with just ten minutes left to play, but just thirty seconds later their keeper was picking the ball out from the back of his net, that’s football for you.
The game got underway and it was all even stevens for most of the first half, both sides struggled to create and really good goal scoring opportunities. Bodmin’s Lance Bailey hit a wild shot from all of thirty years that sailed high over the crossbar.
Bodmin’s Shane Krac got into the left hand side of the Stoke box, but Stokes keeper Dom Aplin came out and narrowed the angle forcing Shane to fire his effort over the bar. This was followed by a shot taken by Nick Hurst on the right hand side of the pitch and someway outside the Stoke box, his effort flew past the left hand post and behind for a goal kick. Bodmin won a free kick very centrally just outside the Stoke box, the kick was taken by Lee Bevan but Dom Aplin driving to his left made a fine save.
Stoke were very much in the game and Josh Webber made a great run down the left hand side of the pitch, he played a great low ball into the Bodmin box, But Kyle Moore the Bodmin keeper managed to come out and dive low to push the ball away from the feet of the onrushing Stoke forward Ollie Aplin. Up the other end danger man Andrew Neal hit a great shot that was well saved my Dom Aplin.
Bodmin were starting to get on top, but Stoke stood firm, the ball was in the Stoke box and I think it was Ollie Booth who made a tackle that resulted in River Allen hitting the deck. The referee blew up and I thought he had awarded a penalty to Bodmin, but instead he got his yellow card out and booked River Allen, I can only think it was for a dive in the box.
Stoke were on the attack and a great ball was played into the Bodmin box from the right hand side, up rose Ollie Aplin who won his header but sadly for him the ball went wide of the target. That was it for the first half and if Bodmin were going to win this match in the second half, they needed to work even harder against this determined Stoke team.
Tackles were coming in thick and fast and hard in the midfield, Bodmin’s River Allen went down in a heap in one such challenge. Bodmin were going for broke and it was nearly all one way traffic, but the Stoke players made some brave blocks and desperate clearances. Bodmin’s Nick Hurst twisted this way and that way inside the Stoke box to make room for a shot, he got one away that was well blocked on its way towards the goal.
Stokes Josh Webber had his name taken for one to many fouls and then went on the run of the whole match. Deep in his own half he ran over the halfway line and beat every player who tried to stop him. Once into the left hand side of the box he fired a shot across the keeper that only just went behind the far post.
Bodmin’s Nick Hurst had his name taken by the referee, it was something that happened off the ball and the referee needed his linesmen to tell him what happened.
The pressure was growing more and more on the Stoke defence and they somehow kept managing to prevent Bodmin taking the lead, but then came the moment that changed the whole match.
Stoke caught Bodmin out on a breakout and with in seconds the ball was squared into the feet of Ollie Aplin from the right hand side. He only had the keeper to beat and looked certain to score, but what a save pulled of by Kyle Moore, a save that would have graced Wembley ands would have been replayed over and over again.
I started to write the save into my note book and looked up and the ball was in the Stoke box, a great run was made by Andrew Neil to get onto the end of it and he hit the ball while still in the air with the outside of his left boot into the right hand side of the goal. It was a classy finish and there was nothing Dom Aplin could have done to stop the ball hitting the back of the net.
Stoke did their best in the remaining minutes to try and get back onto level terms, but Bodmin were in no mood to let their lead slip. If you were a stat man you would say Bodmin deserved their win which they did, but I left the ground feeling sorry for the Stoke players as they raised their game so high against the league leaders and lost by that single goal.
