W.C. Parson Cup Brixham AFC V Sticker AFC 16th October 2021

[Dave]

Walter C Parson League Cup 2021/22- 2nd Round

Match Officials
Graeme Martin,Dillon Gascoigne, Jake Mitchell

Final Score Brixham AFC 4 Sticker AFC 0

Match Preview

A number of seasons ago the South West Peninsula League was made up of the West Division (Cornwall clubs) the East Division (Devon clubs) and the Premier Division, a mix of both Devon and Cornwall clubs.

Back then I used to enjoy covering a number of the Stoke Gabriel games when they were in the Premier Division as it gave me the opportunity to watch a number of the Cornish clubs in action.

Due to the Premier League being dropped and now only the East and West division making up the league, that is no longer possible. But Devon teams will still take on Cornish teams in the cup competitions as is the case today and for me a game not to miss.

I hav already covered one Brixham AFC game this season against Plymouth Marjon on the 28th August, a game they won with ease by six goals to nil

Report on that match link

davesworld.proboards.com/thread/892/brixham-plymouth-marjon-28th-2021

In that match report I stated that I felt the Brixham team on display that day was the best Brixham team I had ever seen. A fact born out by their excellent start in the 2020/2021 season so far.

They have brushed aside every team they have played so far in the league this season and currently look odds on favourites to become the league champions as long as they maintain their current form.

To date they have played ten league games winning them all, scoring a massive forty one goals so far, conceding just eight giving them a plus thirty three goal difference.

I have never covered a game featuring Sticker AFC before, so this will be a first for me. Looking at this season’s league record to date, they clearly have not made the explosive start that Brixham AFC have.

They have played a total of thirteen games, winning just four of them and losing nine. They have scored a total of twenty two goals, conceded forty six giving them a minus twenty four goal difference.

On paper this looked a high scoring game, Brixham AFC are full of goals, while one might suspect Sticker AFC might not be very strong at the back. But this a cup match and as we all know anything can happen in a game of football, Sticker AFC will turn up at Walls Hill firmly believing they are in with a chance.

Match Report


Normal service was resumed today for me with Jason Couch standing in the dugout. That man is worth the entrance fee all on his own with his witty one liner’s that kept me smiling for the whole ninety minutes.

We all know what it feels like waiting for a bus, wondering if it will ever come, then three all turn up at once. Waiting for a goal to be scored in this match felt very much like that.

It was not down to the amount of efforts on goal, Brixham had enough to score twenty goals, but them Sticker boys just kept on blocking shot after shot.

The match referee blew up for the start of the match and Brixham went straight on the attack. Their very first shot at the goal was from a good twenty five yards by Kieran Parkin that was more in hope than anything else, his effort went wide of the right hand post.

Kieran was soon testing his shooting boots again, this time from the edge of the Sticker box, but Dominic Richards in goal for Sticker, was able to palm the ball away to safety.

Then came a really great chance for Brixham to take the lead, a good run down the right hand side of the pitch, resulted in a great low ball played into the Sticker box. Mark Brooks was racing into the box to get onto the ball and hit it first time, but he could not keep the shot down and the ball flew high over the crossbar.

Shaun Bowden wearing the Brixham number nine shirt, hit a good low shot from the edge of the box that was well saved low down, you just felt a goal was coming very soon.

A good number of shots were rained towards the Sticker goal mouth but I counted at least fifteen blocks by the Sticker defenders. Is there really a place called Sticker? Or is it just the side’s nickname as they are darn good at sticking their legs out.

Brixham’s Scott Robinson made a very good run into the right hand side of the Sticker box, but ended up a bit wider from the goal than he wanted to be, he still got a good angled shot off across the keeper but it went wide of the left hand post.

The referee blew up for halftime, how was the score still nil nil, it could have so easily been ten nil to the fishermen, such was their dominance of the first half.

Sticker started the second half a little better and could have taken the lead in this match which would have been completely against the run of play. They say it only takes a second to score a goal in football Adam Solomon ran into plenty of space on the right hand side of the pitch to get onto the end of a long pass. He looked up and played an inch perfect ball to the feet of Mickey Rowles-Jane who only had Grant Fisher in goal for Brixham to beat. Not an easy task at the best of times, but Mickey completely miss hit the ball

Brixham were attacking the Sticker goal relentlessly, but once again shot after shot was blocked. Sticker’s Martyn O’Callaghan did well to hook a ball off the goal line and over the cross bar., while Kieran Parkin blasted another shot over the Sticker crossbar.

I started to wonder how could a game that on paper looked like it would have plenty of goals in it, still did not have a single one. Brixham’s Cole Harford headed just wide of the right hand post, maybe this game needed a super sub?

On came Tom Burt, could he be the super sub that was needed? It only took him minutes to open up the scoring for his club. The Sticker keeper had to deal with a ball high above his crossbar, but instead of knocking the ball behind for a corner, he knocked it down into the goal area. Tom hit the loose ball first time on the half volley and it flew into the back of the net.

Brixham’s Reece Somers earned himself a needless booking pulling back a Sticker player who had only just crossed into the Brixham half. A rare second half attempt on the Brixham goal followed, Connor Cooke hit his shot from the edge of the Brixham box, but is effort went well wide of the left hand post.

Hungry for a second goal Tom Burt was soon to be rewarded. A good ball came into the Sticker box from the right hand side after Ben Hopkins had battled his way through and he turned on the spot and picked his spot.

The flood gates were now open, Brixham captain Kieran Parkin got goal number three for his side, a very well deserved goal after the number of attempts he had during the match.

Moments later the match referee was pointing to the spot after a Brixham player was brought down in the box. You can guess who made sure he got to the ball first to pick it up and take the spot kick?

Yes the super sub Tom Burt who sent the keeper the wrong way as he claimed his hat-trick. Reece Somers then took a free kick just outside the Sticker box that crashed against the crossbar.

One last effort for Sticker as Isaac Varga made a good run into the Brixham box with his shot only just clearing the crossbar.

A very well deserved win for the Brixham lads who must have been questioning how many legs those Sticker players had with all the goal bound shots they blocked.

Brixham are a very fine club who continue to make so many improvements to the ground and a place I always feel at home at. Good luck in the next round and keep that league form going.