Post by Dave on Mar 18, 2017 10:56:18 GMT
Match Referee Steve Hulse
Final Score Stoke Gabriel 2nds 2 Chudleigh Athletic 0
Match Preview
Another damp windy Saturday, just when is the weather going to improve at the weekends. I do not normally make up my mind which game I’m going to cover until Saturday morning. I had four possibilities on my list and in the end decided it was time to cover a cup game in the South Devon League.
So today’s offering is a Dartmouth Cup semi-final game between Stoke Gabriel 2nds and Chudleigh Athletic of the 1st Division of the South Devon League. I needed a game with an early as possible start time and one not to far from home due to having something else to do later in the day, so I was hoping this game would be all concluded during the ninety minutes.
In the first round of this years Dartmouth Cup, Stoke were at home to Buckland Athletic 3rds, a game they won by three goals to nil, while Chudleigh had a first round bye and went straight into the quarter-finals.
In the quarter-finals Stoke Gabriel 2nds faced an away tie at Osborne Park against Newton Abbot 66, they finally ran out three goals to two winners. Chudleigh Athletic were at home against Bovey Tracy 2nds, a game they won by two goals to nil.
Today’s winners will face either Roselands or Totnes & Dartington 2nds in the final; I’m sure most people’s money would be firmly placed on a Roselands win against Totnes & Dartington 2nds as they seem virtually unbeatable this season.
In the league Stoke Gabriel 2nds are currently in ninth place, they have played a total of nineteen games, winning six of them, drawing two and losing eleven giving them a point’s total of seventeen points. Along the way they have scored thirty league goals, conceded fifty five giving them a minus twenty five goal difference.
Chudleigh Athletic is doing rather better in the league and currently occupies the fifth place in the table. They have also played nineteen games to date winning ten of them, drawing one and losing eight giving them thirty one points. They have scored forty eight league goals, conceded thirty five giving them a plus thirteen goal difference.
On paper Chudleigh might look slight favourites to win this tie, but Stoke have the home advantage and that might just swing the game in their favour. It is a cup game with a place in the final to play for, so I’m sure both teams will give everything they had got to try and book that place in the final.
Match Report
It was hard to believe that I was watching two teams in action from the first division of the South Devon League as the standard of play was excellent and as good as anything I have seen this season. I would go as far as saying this was probably the best game of football I have watched this season for a whole host of reasons.
It was all action, plenty of good football being played and a goal that if it had been scored in the Premiership would have been replayed over and over again on match of the day. The sort of goal that would have been worth any entrance money just on its own, but as we know games at this level are completely free for everyone to enjoy.
I’m sure when match referee Steve Hulse ( he had a fantastic game) blew up for fulltime the Chudleigh manager and his players were all asking themselves just how they came to lose a match when they had so much of the play and for long periods looked the most likely team to get through to the final of the Dartmouth Cup.
The game got off to an even start and the first real chance of getting the opening goal fell to Chudleigh’s Daniel Yates who was charged with taking a direct free kick just outside of the Stoke box, but he hit his shot very tamely into the Stoke keepers Matt Liptons waiting arms.
Chudleigh started to up the temple of their play and were clearly getting on top without really being able to create that much in front of the Stoke goal. Thomas Golding did hit a powerful shot from the edge of the Stoke box, but it flew over the crossbar.
Stokes Callum Robinson soon found his name being taking by Steve Hulse when he hacked a Chudleigh player down who would have been through on goal and possibly then in a goal scoring position.
The few occasions in the first half Stoke did work themselves deep in the Chudleigh half, they found no way through a tough tacking Chudleigh defence. But against the run of play Stoke took the lead when Chudleigh failed to stop a ball in from the right hand side reaching Othniel Lewis who was deep in the left hand side of the box. He played a good low ball back the way it came close in to the penalty spot where Kofi Shaw was waiting to hit a first time shot into the back of the net.
So Stoke went in at halftime one nil up and as expected Chudleigh started the second half strongly, but were never really able to test the Stoke keeper. Chudleigh’s Mathew Carroll joined Callum Robinson into the referees book for hacking a Stoke player down, but no further cards were shown by Steve Hulse.
While it might have seemed all one way traffic, Stoke had chances to increase their halftime lead, George Murphy hit a good shot from inside the Chudleigh box that the keeper Richard Virgin did so well to get down to and push behind for a Stoke corner.
Then came the highlight of the match and one of the best goals you will ever see scored in any South Devon League match. It was class and from a player who looked good on the ball when ever it was at his feet. The ball came to Othniel Lewis who was just outside the Chudleigh box, he hit the sweetest curling shot that looked like it might be going wide until it went into the top right hand corner of the goal.
It was nearly three goals to nil when a half clearance hit a player and then the ball went back into the Chudleigh box to Kofi Shaw, he hit the shot well enough across the keeper but the ball just went past the right hand post.
Chudleigh racked up the pace of the game even higher and it all became a bit frantic but still the chances were not really happening for them. Mathew Carroll did make a good run into the left hand side of the Stoke box and got a shot away that hit the side netting.
From a corner Chudleigh’s sub number 14( do not have his name) headed over and then the Stoke keeper Matt Lipon pulled of a fine save with his feet from a shot that was close in. The Stoke defence were under constant attack but they stood strong and saw the game out.
There can only ever be one winner and Stokes second goal was worthy of winning any match, they were worthy winners in the end, but all the Chudleigh players can be proud of the way they played and with the quality of their passing game.
It was just not their day and I would just like to thank both sets of players for such and entertaining game of football and also both managers for their help with the team sheets. Lastly thanks to match referee Steve Hulse for all your help today, it was so good to see you after all these years. Sorry I could not take up your offer for a drink in the bar after the game, had to get home to sort out the match photos and write my report. It was one of the best refereeing performances I have seen this season, there, that is going to cost you two pints the next time we meet up lol.
