Post by Dave on Apr 29, 2017 11:22:32 GMT
Final Score Stoke Gabriel 2nd 1 Harbertonford 4
Match Preview
There was a couple of local events taking place today being a Bank Holliday I thought about attending, but am I really surprised covering a local game of football won in the end? I could spend the whole day writing down why I think football is the best sport in the whole world, just why it has had such a grip on me since I was first able to walk and talk.
I thought long and hard about attending Torquay United last game of the season, but while I believe they will do enough to stay up, the thought of being there if the worst was to happen, was not something I felt I had the stomach for. Yes like so many other Torquay United fans I have cried tears of joy, but so many more of sorrow and heartache when this great club has fallen from grace.
How can just a game reduce some of the biggest and hardest men to tears? How can one club get so deep in someone’s heart? If Torquay beat the drop today the celebrations in the ground will be amazing, its also amazing that next week is the 30th anniversary of Torquay’s infamous last game of the season 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra which saw Torquay escape relegation from the old division four thanks to Bryn the police dog biting right back Jim McNichol on the thigh. Lots of injury time was added on and it was striker Paul Dobson who scored an equalising goal right at the death.
The fans ran onto the pitch and my then young son Anthony and his sister got lost somewhere in the celebrating crowd, but thankfully no harm came to them. What a great escape it was that day, but I fear Torquay United problems are more about the clubs future or lack of it this time around under the ownership Of Gaming International than what league they will be playing in next season.
By the time Stoke Gabriel 2nd V Harbertonford kick-off the fate of Torquay United will have already been decided one way or the other, I just hope they do not fall further down the football ladder and the danger the new owners are to the club can be somehow dealt with by all those that hold the club so dear in their hearts.
Right back to the game I’m covering and how great is it to see Stokes first team end up as the Division One East Champions and regain their place back in the Premier League next season.
A small piece and a few photos here
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/631/stoke-gabriel-peninsula-division-champions
Stoke 2nds have not enjoyed such a good season as the first team and the South Devon League Division One Title may well be heading Roseland’s way. Love or hate that club, you have to admire the huge progress it has made and wonder just how far it will go. Stoke were only just beaten by Roseland’s by at home by two goals to one, a good result when you think Roseland’s won their game before that one away against Kingskerswell & Chelston 2nd by thirteen goals to one.
Harbertonford have enjoyed a relatively good season, but fifth place in the final table looks their most likely finishing position. On the 10th April Harbertonford were also beaten by two goals to one away to Roseland’s but bounced back the following week with a big win away to Totnes & Dartington 2nds winning by eight goals to two. The week before the Roseland’s defeat they lost at home by two goals to one against Buckland Athletic 3rds, a game I covered
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/626/sdfl-harbertonford-buckland-3rds-2017
Both Teams League Record This Season Before Today’s Game
Stoke 2nds had played twenty three games, winning just seven of them, drawing three and losing thirteen giving them a total of twenty one points( I believe they received a points reducting from the league) . Along the way they scored a total of forty goals, conceded sixty four giving them a minus twenty four goal difference.
Harbertonford had also played a total of twenty three games, winning twelve, drawing three and losing eight giving them a points total of thirty nine points. Along the way they scored a total of seventy three goals, conceded thirty nine giving them a plus thirty four goal difference.
The two teams met in the League at the Hams on the 22nd October and Harbertonford won the game by eight goals to one, but I do not think they will find the Stoke team so easy to beat today. Stoke will be trying hard not to let Harbertonford do the double over them that is for sure.
Match Report
The news came through before the kick-off that Torquay United had won their game by two goals to nil and were safe from the drop, a big well down to the players and manager for yet another great escape.
The news from Stoke was rather a different affair as only nine Stoke players turned up for the match, the result was therefore a very much foregone conclusion. To be fair to the nine, they did their best to make a game of it and at times looked very good on the ball.
The game got underway and for a while it looked like something you would see on training ground, attack versus defence. The game was being played just in the Stoke half, but then Stoke started to get into the game themselves. Harbertonford gave the ball away cheaply at the back and Stokes Ben Bailey hit a good low effort at goal that just went wide of the post.
Fords first real effort was a spectacular side scissor kick just inside the Stoke box by Tom Weymouth, but the ball ended up flying over the crossbar. Fords thought they had taken the lead when close in David Kilbride got the final touch on the ball that saw it cross over the goal line, but he was flagged offside by the linesman much to the disagreement of all the other Ford players.
Stoke were still creating the odd chance or two of their own and Ben Bailey hit a good shot that forced a fine save out of Fords keeper Callum Payne. Fords then took the lead after one effort was saved with the loose ball ending up at the feet of Robert Clegg to tap into the back of the net.
Fords then added to their lead when a long through ball played in Tom Weymouth in a one on one with the Stoke keeper, he ended up in the right hand side of the box and hit a low shot across the keeper into the back of the net
That was it for the first half and Stoke had done well to go in at the break only two goals behind, I was impressed with the way the Stoke defence always played the ball around at the back before looking to move it further up field.
The second half got underway and Fords were soon on top again looking to add some further goals. A cross into the Stoke box from the right hand side was headed over by Joseph Hollis, a low cross from the right again found David Kilbride who really should have scored, but his shot flew over the crossbar.
It took a good low long range effort by Tom Weymouth to put Fords three nil up and it could have been four if David Kilbride had found the target with another headed effort that went well wide of the post.
Stoke had not given up getting a goal of their own and George Murphy turned neatly in the Ford box and got a shot away, but it lacked any real power and ended up being an easy catch for the Ford keeper.
Stokes hard work finally paid off when a ball over the top played in Jake Shermon who looked well offside when he received the ball. The flag was not raised and he looked up and saw Callum Payne coming off his line and lobbed the ball over him.
Stoke were then guilty of losing the ball on the edge of their own box, a cross came in to Fords Peter Grafton who was standing there all on his own with just the keeper to beat, but his headed effort went well wide of the target.
Fords keeper then pulled off the save of the match diving full length across his goal to keep out a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Up the other end and that man Peter Grafton was given another gilt edge opportunity to make up for his earlier miss, but he missed again as he ballooned his shot over the bar.
It was time for Stokes keeper Matt Lipton to pull off a number of fine saves to keep the score line respectable. One throw in played in Fords Benjamin Towl who got a good shot on goal that was well saved by Matt. Matt also rose high to take a high ball close to his left hand post that somehow slipped from his grasp and he then made a wonderful recovery save at his right hand post from Fords David Kilbride.
Stoke continued to pass the ball around well, but went further behind when Fords scored their forth and final goal. A low shot from just inside the box only just went under the body of Matt Lipton who had dived down low by his left hand post. I did not see who took the shot, but the Fords manager shouted out well done Tom, so I will give it to Tom and unless I hear differently.
Eleven against nine was never going to be a classic match, but on a nice but rather cold sunny afternoon it was a decent enough game under the circumstances.
My thanks to match referee Dave Corderoy and both sets of managers for all your help with the team sheet.
