In the Torbay Clearance Services Premier Division, Ilsington Villa returned to the top with a 2-0 home win against relegation-threatened Chudleigh Athletic.
Myles Caldwell and Jack Dixon were on target for Villa, who were assisted in their return to pole position by Kingsteignton Athletic’s 4-1 home win versus Newton Abbot 66.
Goals from Luke Manuell (2), Callum Leach and Ryan Togvaliari brought Sixes back down to earth after their great result last week. Kingsteignton, on the other hand, are in fourth place, just four points behind 66 and are now the highest scorers in the division.
Buckfastleigh Rangers are also in the same boat as the Rams but with a game in hand, they had a comfortable 4-1 win over Beesands Rovers, who were close to not putting out a team as a result of a norovirus outbreak in the Kingsbridge area. Steve Sutton added to his goal tally for Rangers, who make up the top five.
Newton Abbot Spurs remain in sixth place with three games in hand, and with a big squad to pick from, they will be challenging come May. They recorded a tough 4-2 win at Elburton Villa, who themselves are improving without getting the wins.
Waldon Athletic woes continue, a 2-2 stalemate against East Allington United, who twice held the lead through Finlay Bullen and Ben Tapper have put yet another dent in the ambitions of the Torquay-based team and moves the Pirates eight points clear of the bottom three.
Division One is still very tight for the top four and True Blues and Phoenix remain unbeaten. True Blues had an impressive 8-0 win at lowly Ivybridge Town, and with seven players getting on the scoresheet, they have talent all over the team and could well be playing Premier league football next season.
Phoenix had a trip to the seaside to visit Paignton Villa and came away with a 5-0 win to keep them very much favourites for this division. Villa remain one of six teams in mid-table and separated by six points and games in hand over each other.
Bovey were on cup business, which gave Windmill the opportunity to close the gap in a tricky game at Brixham Town. A Brodie Simpson hat-trick and singles from Louis Godwin and Myles Hunt completed a 5-0 victory at JC Park to keep up the pressure on their Plymouth neighbours.
Also, a word of congratulations to Shaun Langdon and his band of volunteers, who have turned a horse compound and stable into a very good football pitch with parking, which is a fantastic facility for the community – well done to all at Brixham Town.
In the two other mid-table fixtures in Division One, Buckland Athletic won 2-0 at Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds and Watcombe beat WBB 3-0 with goals from Laurence Macloud, Jack White and Zac Steele.
In Division Two, the top two of Barton Athletic and Mount Gould were on cup duty, which gave the chasing pack of four a chance to close the gap and East Allington United 2nds, Liverton United and Paignton Villa 2nds duly obliged.
East Allington were the big scorers of the day with an 11-0 thumping of bottom club Ipplepen Athletic and Paignton Villa had a very impressive 5-1 victory at White Rock versus Watcombe Wanderers 2nds.
Liverton also hit the net five times to overcome Upton Athletic at Armada Park. Babbacombe Corries could not find the points that would have put them into second place at Harbertonford, where they lost 1-0 to a Luke Collens strike that moves Fords up four places and well away from the relegation battle they have endured in recent seasons.
The big game in Division Three went the way of Elburton Villa 3rds, a 3-0 win over Stoke Gabriel TP closes the gap to just one point between 3rd and 4th. Second-placed Drake FC also dropped points at improving Newton Abbot 66 2nds, the Plymouth team had to settle for a 1-1 draw and finished the game with ten players at Osbourne Park.
Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds also remain well placed for a challenge, a 3-0 win at South Brent thanks to goals from Ashton Hogarth and a double from Harry Bannister keeps the young Rams in 5th, four points off 2nd with a game in hand. South Brent remain in the bottom three but have three games in hand on the teams above them.
As expected in Division Four, Kingskerswell moved further clear at the top and as the only team in all the divisions with a 100% league record. This week’s 7-0 win over Kingsbridge and Kellaton with a hat-trick from the league’s top striker Joshua Clarke and his brother Oliver, with Shane Shobbrook also rolling back the years with a single goal.
The rumour is that Shobby went over the halfway line and got a nose-bleed, so he had to go back. Also noted that a certain Owen Stockton could only make the bench for this successful team.
Templar Way remain in 2nd place but eight points behind the leaders with a 4-3 home win in an ill-tempered game against Waldon Athletic 3rds. Chris Bennett scored a hat-trick and Nick Osbourne was also on target for Templar in a game that produced seven yellows, two reds, lots of paperwork for the referee and fines and suspensions for the players.
Teign Village make up the top three after a 3-2 win over Paignton Villa 3rds and Chudleigh Athletic 2nds are 4th, just a tad off the pace, thanks to a 3-1 home win versus bottom team Barton Athletic 2nds.
There were two delayed cup games played this week. In the Herald Cup, Bovey Tracey from Division One dispatched Barton Athletic from Division Two by 3 goals to 1. Alister Chuchuk, John Agpoon and Ben Goble scored the goals in front of a decent crowd that put Bovey in the hat for the next round.
Ashburton are also still in the cup following their trip to Mount Gould in Plymouth. The game was level at 2-2 and with no extra time goals or replays, the dreaded penalty shootout was on and it was the Ashes who held their nerve by scoring four of the spot kicks, while Mount Gould missed two. The full draw for the next round will be published in next week’s edition and will be available on the full-time website.
There is a cache of great games this week to watch. Take your pick from Liverton 2nds v Kingstiegnton 2nds in the quarter-finals of the Fred Hewings Cup, Bovey Tracey v Windmill (3rd v 4th in Div 1), Chudleigh Athletic 2nds v Kingskerswell (4th v 1st in Div 4).
Kingsteignton v Newton Spurs is a classic Premier game, Stoke Gabriel TP v Ashburton (3rd v 1st in Div 3 and Watcombe Wanderers v Buckland is a good old derby but my game of the day has to be up on the Moor, where top of the Premier Ilsington Villa take on Waldon Athletic at 2.30pm.
Golden Boot Update Premier: Callum Foskett (Newton Abbot 66) and Jack Langford (Ilsington Villa) both 8, Joe Clarke Farley (Newton 66), Jamie Micklewright and Aiden Blackie (Newton Spurs), Dan Rankin (Kingsteignton) and Steve Sutton (Buckfastleigh) all 7.
Division 1: Luis Green (Newton Abbot Spurs) 12 goals from 11 games, Brodie Simpson (Windmill) and Lee Phillips (Plymouth True Blues) both 8, David Moore (Plymouth Phoenix), Sam Pyne (Watcombe) and Ben Moyle (Bovey) all on 7 goals.
Division 2: Oakley Hunt (Barton Ath) is in front with 14 goals, followed by (Joe Jasper) Mount Gould 13, Simon Ross (Watcombe) 12, Jamie Passmore (Liverton) Alex Narvidge (Paignton Villa) and Liam Walton (Barton) all on 11.
Division 3: Lucas Phillips (Elburton Villa) leads with 16 goals, Adam Blackburn (Stoke Gabriel), Callum Thomas (Drake FC) and Jono Ellis (Newton Abbot 66) all on 13. Ashley Walker (Drake FC) 12 and four players on 11 goals.
Division 4: Joshua Clarke (Kingskerswell) can make a space for the divisional trophy, as he is on 30 goals from 12 games. Chris Bennett (Templar Way) 19, Alex Harding (Kingskerswell) 14 and Tom Beer (Teign Village) 12.
Enjoy your grassroots football.