Post by Dave on Jan 3, 2022 10:56:03 GMT
The Walter C Parson Funeral Directors League Cup 2021/2022 Third Round
Match Officials, Jonathan Veale, Stephen Osbourne Paul Allen
Final Score Brixham AFC 1 Ivybridge Town 2
Match Preview
A break from League action today in the third round of The Walter C Parson Funeral Directors League Cup.
Brixham AFC knocked out Sticker AFC on the 16th October by four goals to nil in the second round, a game I covered and can be viewed here.
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/916/parson-brixham-sticker-16th-october
Ivybridge Town also played their second round match at home on the same day, beating Torrington by five goals to nil to set up today’s frilling tie against Brixham AFC.
Last Monday the Brixham AFC match against Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police at home was called off due to the weather. Likewise Ivybridge who were due to play away on the same day against Dartmouth, found their game suffering the same fate.
In fact last Monday a total of six PENINSULA games did not go ahead, only the Newton Abbot Spurs v Bovey Tracey match survived. At the time of writing this match preview four games have already been postponed today, three due to the weather and one due to covid. Ivybridge Town home match against Axminster Town due to be played on the eleventh of December was also called off due to the weather.
Brixham’s last league match was played on the eighteenth of December at home against league leaders Okehampton Argyle, the game finished in a goalless draw. Ivybridge Town last league match was way back on the forth of December, at home against Sidmouth Town which they won by five goals to one.
While Ivybridge are sitting higher up in the league table than Brixham, they have played four more games and there is only six points separating the two teams. The teams met on the 2nd of November at the Erme Playing Fields, Ivybridge Town home ground. Brixham took the lead on forty two minutes with a goal by Reece Somers. But in the eighty ninth minute substitute Connor Rush scored for Ivybridge earning his club a hard fought point.
League form often counts for nothing in a cup tie and on a day when the pitch is going to be heavy underfoot, both teams might find it hard going. Having covered a few Brixham AFC games so far this season, I know first hand how good they are if they are playing at their very best.
I have not seen Ivybridge in action this season, but I know they are a good side that will fancy their chances today. It should be a cracking game which might see plenty of goals in it.
Match Report
Sorry not my usual detailed match report today as both I and my note book got soaking wet. Credit to the ground staff at Brixham AFC for getting the pitch in a playable condition, despite more heavy rain during the match, the pitch held up very well. Due to the forecast afternoon rain I decided to stand in the covered area on the other side of the club house. But when the rain came in blew in there as if there was no roof on it at all.
The match referee blew up for the start of the match and both sides matched each other from the off. While the game was end to end neither side could find that telling final pass. In fact there were far more yellow cards in the first half than there were goal attempts.
Grant Fisher was forced into making a good save low down, the ball came off him and dropped kindly to Towns Harvey Tomlinson close in on goal, but he blasted his shot over the crossbar.
Both sides were guilty of committing fouls that got the referees attention, one such foul resulted in yet another one of those handbag moments that thankfully did not get out of hand.
Brixham’s Cole Harford had a really good chance to put the fishermen in front, he was played clean in on goal, but his chipped effort cleared the crossbar. The heavens opened up making the playing conditions for the players very unpleasant.
Halftime and a chance for the players to get in the dry for a while, was this game going to end up goal less or could someone come up with a magic touch and get the first goal. We did not have to wait to long for that to happen. A great cross from the left hand side was played into the Ivybridge box. A powerful diving header by Callum Leech hit the back of the net giving Kane Gregory no chance of making a save.
Brixham’s captain Reece Somers hit a very good shot at goal that pulled out a wonderful save by Callum Leech, two nil and it might have been game over.
Ivybridge stepped up their play and were having a very good spell as they went in search for an equaliser. Jabob Bowker hit a great shot from the edge of the Brixham box that grant Fisher did well to tip over his crossbar.
A needless foul was committed just outside the Brixham
That resulted in a low shot that Grant Fisher did well to push around the left hand post. From the resulting corner Ivybridge captain Scott Pocock rose at the back post and headed the ball home past the stranded Brixham keeper.
Tor Swann had the best chance to put Brixham back in front, he was played in on goal on a one on one with the keeper, he had several opportunities to pass the ball past the keeper, but just went in far to close to him giving Kane Gregory the chance to rob the ball from his feet.
The second half ended extra time was needed and Brixham had three good chances in the first half of extra time to put themselves in the next round of the cup, but did not take them.
It looked very much like the game would be going into penalties but with just minutes left on the clock a loose ball in the Brixham box was fired home at the near post by Kai Burrell.
It was one of those games where you felt both sides deserved to win; there was nothing really to choose between them. At least the players were sparred a penalty shootout where there always ends up with a hero and a villain.
