Post by Dave on Feb 19, 2022 20:33:04 GMT
Match Officials-Alan Bassett-Karl Meckaniuk-Andrew Distin
Final Score Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police 1 Torrington FC 2
After writing not one but three pre match reports only to find all of those games were called off, I was close to giving up covering a game today.
Huge credit must be giving to the Bees today for getting this match on, it is the only one that has survived the weather in the Premier East Division after Brixham AFC called their game off at lunchtime today.
I have only been to the G.J Churhward Memorial Ground once this season on the 14th August 2021. That day they faced Honiton Town FC and lost the game by three goals to nil. The Bees were very poor in the first half in that match and were a goal behind when the game was only two minutes old.
They were poor at the back, but enjoyed a much better second half but by then the game was already lost as Honiton took their foot of the pedal a bit.
Report on that game
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/890/stoke-gabriel-torbay-police-honiton
It has been a disastrous season at least on the pitch for the Bees, to date they have played a total of 28 games, winning just one of them, drawing one and losing the other 26 games. They sit on the bottom of the table in 20th place on just four points. More worryingly they have conceded a staggering 123 goals and only managed to score 35 giving them a minus 88 goal difference.
I am surprised I have never covered a game featuring Torrington. I know the town well as I used to drive through it for 15 years on my way to Bideford when I worked for Toolfix in Newton Abbot. I often stopped for a break where the Torrington Cavaliers built their wonderful creations that were set alight on bonfire night. I would walk down to them and take photos of their progress.
Early one morning in August 2010 I did stop close by and took a number of photos of their ground. My report and many club facts can be read here
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/195/torrington-football-ground
Before today’s game Torrington were sitting in 15th place in the league table on 29 points after playing a total of 27 games. They won 8 of them, drew 5 and lost 14 scoring a total of 45 goals, conceding 57 giving them a minus 12 goal difference.
Last weekend the Bees faced Honiton away and lost the game by 7 goals to 2. Torrington was at home against Dartmouth and lost by one goal to nil. On paper this game looks like an away win, but the wind will play a big part in today’s result.
Match Report
As I drove into the car park that was partly flooded, it became clear just how much rain had fallen on the ground, yet considering the conditions, the pitch looked first class. I was informed that due to a road being blocked on route, the Torrington team would be late and the kick off was being put back by fifteen minutes.
In my report on the Bees game I covered in August, I wrote that the team looked like a team that had never played with each other before. The Bees lost today but the great improvement in the team was there for all to see today. They battled and fought for every ball and looked far more organised, but were let down at times by their passing and were often guilty of giving the ball away to cheaply.
The match referee blew up for the start of the match and the Bees started brightly and looked like they meant business. The first shot of the match was by Bees Savi Vanes from just outside the Greens box, but his shot cleared the crossbar.
Both sides were giving the ball away far too often and neither side could really get on top. Then out of the blue the Greens took the lead and it looked a rather soft goal. Carlo Chandler headed a ball at goal close to the right hand post. Sam Wells in goal for the Bees got across and looked as if he was going to make the save. But Carlo somehow must have got to the ball first and it fell kindly to the feet of George Bartlett for an easy tap in. ( I found it almost impossible to read the numbers on the Greens shirts, will correct any mistakes if I learn of them)
I felt the goal was a big blow of the Bees, up until then they were doing very well and matched the Greens for work and effort. But despite all their hard work the Bees were unable to create very much in front of the Greens goal. Greens captain Lee Gardner hit a great shot just outside the box that was well saved by Sam Wells.
The referee blew up for halftime and while a goal behind, the Bees had put in a good first half performance, they battled hard, but the Greens passed the ball that bit better and deserved their first half lead.
Match referee Alan Bassett was unable to continue in the match and it looked ass if he had pulled a muscle in his leg. A replacement lineman was found and Karl Meckaniuk took over the whistle.
The Bees never really got into the second half, the Greens upped their game and created a number of good chances to add to the first half lead. Gary Clarke hit a 20 yard effort but Sam Ellis made the save look easy. George Bartlet headed the ball over the bar from a good cross into the box from the left hand side of the pitch.
Robert Heaps for the Bees was the first player to have his name taken and for a while it all become one way traffic as the Greens enjoyed their best spell of the match.
A rare chance for the Bees fell to Jacob Osborrne who hit a powerful shot from the edge of the box that only just cleared the crossbar.
As hard as they tried to defend their own box, the Bees could not stop Jeed Harrer-Penman bursting into the right hand side of the box and firing a low shot past Sam Wells into the back of the net. Moments later Sam pulled off a fine one handed save low down by the right hand post from a shot by George Bartlet.
The Bees won a free kick on the halfway line that resulted in a booking for the Greens player. The ball was fired deep to the right hand side of the Greens box and Max Hammet got a goal back for his side which was the pick of all the goals scored during the match.
A very enjoyable game to watch played the way we all like to see games played. My thanks to the officials for their help with the team sheet. It was a real pleasure to see Mr Stoke Gabriel himself Raymond Frank Tucker and Mr Foxhole George who was looking very well at today’s game.
The Bees are an improving side and have come along way since I last watched them play.
