Post by Dave on Oct 23, 2021 9:29:38 GMT
Match Referee Brandon Nash
Final Score Paignton Villa 2nd 2 Babbacombe Corries 4
Match Preview.
I regularly cycle along the path at the far end of Whiterock Playing fields. During the summer months I was horrified by the damage that was caused to the site by two different groups of travellers. On the day the last group left I went and inspected the field and found just what I had expected.
Very deep ruts over the football pitches caused by their vehicles, all the doors hanging off the changing room block and large piles of rubbish spread all over the place. I was so pleased when they left and all the rubbish was removed and the goal posts put back up so local football clubs could use the field again, along with the locals for their own recreation.
At the time of writing this match preview the South Devon League website is showing that there is no official match referee for this game. A great number of games played in the South Devon league are suffering the same fate every week.
It is heart-warming to see a local football team like Paignton Villa that was founded way back in 1926 still in existence and running two men’s teams. So many local clubs have been lost over the years with the number of teams playing in the South Devon League shrinking year on year.
Paignton Villa 2nd have not had the best of starts this season, they currently sit in tenth place of division two in the league on three points. Their record to date is played five, won one and lost five. They have only managed to score seven goals, conceded twenty six giving them a minus nineteen goal difference.
Last Saturday they played Ilsington Villa away and were beaten by eight goals to nil. I covered Ilsington Villa’s first home game of the season and was very impressed by a number of their players.
Babbacombe Corinthians also have a very long history in local football after being formed in 1930. I wonder how many times these two clubs have played each other over the last ninety one years.
Corries have made the better start this season out of the two clubs. They are currently in third place in the table on twelve points. Their record to date is played six, won four and lost two, scoring a total of twenty five goals, conceding nine giving them a plus sixteen goal difference.
The two clubs met earlier this month on the second of October, the result was a big home win for Corries by seven goals to nil. Villa will be hoping they can do much better today and start to get their season back on track and put recent results behind them.
If I was a betting man my money would have to go on a Corrie away win, but this is football where anything can happen on the day. I only hope it’s a good match played in the right spirit with both sets of players enjoying the match, good luck to both teams.
Match Report
Before the start of the match, stand in match referee had a word with the players on both sides, I expect he just told them he would do his best, be as fair as he could be to both sides and he did not expect any abuse if he got the odd decision wrong.
The game got underway and it was pretty much even stevens with neither side really being able to get on top. The first effort on goal was a twenty five yard effort by Villa’s Josh Robbinson, but his effort flew high over the crossbar.
A good through ball played in the Villa captain Josh Barker who hit a good shot from the edge of the Corries box, but Billy Lindsay in goal for Corries held onto the shot well.
Villa then went and took the lead after a great ball was played into the Corrie box from the left hand side of the pitch; Ash Beefchen hit the ball powerfully first time into the back of the net.
Corries number nine Ryan Mellish had a great chance to get his side back onto level terms. He received the ball on the edge of the villa box with only the keeper standing in his way, but he failed to get the ball under good enough control and the chance was lost.
The villa keeper Stevie George had a rush of blood to his head when we rushed out to the top right hand corner of his area; he failed to hold onto the ball when he dived onto it. The ball went towards the unguarded goal, but three corrie players failed to get a meaningful touch on the ball.
A poor clearance inside the villa box by Ciaran Farley saw the ball only reach Josh Easterbrook standing on the edge of the box, who turned and fired the ball home inside the left hand post. One all.
Villa were no longer holding onto the ball well and were giving it away far too cheaply, Ben Nickells tried to put corrie in front, but could not keep his shot down from the edge of the villa box.
Corries impressive Jack Wilkinson also had a good chance when he burst into the right hand side of the villa box, but he went for the near post when across the keeper would have been the better option, so his shot was easily saved by Stevie George.
Villa were not out of the game by a long way, Ash Beefshen hit another powerful shot from the edge of the box that the keeper did well to push behind for a villa corner.
But Ash did not have to wait to long for his next chance that he made sure he took. The ball was played into the corrie box low from the left hand side towards the far post. Ash came steaming in and smashed the ball into the back of the net.
The referee blew up for halftime and the villa players must have been pleased with their first half performance going in winning by two goals to one.
It did not take corrie to long to get back onto level terms. A long ball was fired deep into the villa half with Josh Easterbrook chasing the ball down. The villa keeper decided to race to the edge of his box to try and get to the ball first but failed. Josh got there first and lifted the ball over Stevie George and into the empty net.
Corrie were now passing the ball much better and looked the most likely side to get the next goal. Ryan Mellish had a good chance, but shot wide of the left hand post.
Corrie for the first time in the match took the lead, Josh Swann rose well at the near post to head home a cross that came in from the right hand side of the pitch.
They soon added another goal making a comeback by villa even more difficult. Ryan Mellish went on a good run down the left hand side, fired an inch perfect ball to the far post for Josh Swann to fire home.
Villa’s Josh Robbinson tried to get a goal back for his side, but his effort from just in side the box was well saved.
Corrie nearly got another goal but Ben Nickells header hit the crossbar, then seconds later the referee was pointing to the spot. I could not say if it was a penalty or not, but Sam the villa manager sure did not think so. Josh Easterbrook took the spot kick but hit the ball straight at the villa keeper.
The last chance of the match fell to villa’s Conor Hunter, but he had to stand and watch as his headed ball only just cleared the crossbar.
A very enjoyable game to watch on a rather heavy pitch, many thanks to both clubs for responding to my requests yesterday to put the correct numbers on the team sheet.
Well done to Brandon Nash for stepping up to the plate and taking on the match referee duties, I think the league need to get you fully trained and out doing it every Saturday afternoon. Well done to Babbacombe, you were the better side on the day and well done to the villa players for working so hard for the whole ninety minutes.
