Race for the line in South Devon Football

After a sodden Saturday in the South Devon Football League, my pick of the games include, in Division 4, South Brent v Chudleigh Athletic.

The top two in Division 3 meet at Totnes and Dartington, who will welcome Watcombe Wanderers 2nds. In Division 2, Barton Athletic take on Bovey Tracey 2nds. The top two also meet in one of my games of the day at Erme Valley, where Ivybridge Town 2nds play Paignton Saints.

If you can’t get to Ivybridge, Buckland Athletic 2nds face Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds at Homers Heath and Totnes and Dartington travel to Long lane to take on Watcombe Wanderers.

The stand-out game in the Premier Division is the Beli Cup fixture, also between the top two, Kingsteington Athletic versus Ilsington Villa has in recent seasons produced a great advert for South Devon League football and this should be a cracker for a place in round two of the divisional cup.

Last weekend’s washout will no doubt have some teams looking at how many games they still have to play, this also applies to the leagues fixture secretary who has not yet had to search for his paracetamol, (other headache tablets are available) as there are still 15 playing Saturdays until the season ends. It is, however, fair to say that most clubs will need to start planning midweek fixtures from mid-April.

The Beli Cup game between two Premier Division heavyweights in Buckfastleigh Rangers and Waldon Athletic went ahead and at the end of 90 minutes with the scoreline 2-2, with extra time looming the pitch had taken its toll, and the referee in discussion with all stakeholders agreed to abandon any further play.

In the Premier, Ilsington Villa are still the team to catch, with Beesands slipping up in recent games. Kingsteignton and Morley seem the only teams that could stop the champions trophy heading for the Carpenters Arms for the first time.

At the bottom, it looks like two from four. Brixham beat relegation rivals East Allington last time out and have games in hand. WBB and Chudleigh Athletic are sandwiched between those two, incredibly East Allington are fourth from bottom having conceded five less goals than Morley in second place.

At the bottom of Division 1, Babbacombe Corries picked up three valuable points in a relegation fixture against the reserves from Buckfastleigh, the 4-3 victory keeps Corries third from bottom but gives them a three-point advantage over second from bottom Upton Athletic.

This division is the most competitive it has been for some time, pre-season favourites Paignton Saints and Newton Abbot Spurs 2nds, who were both playing at Step 7 last season, have not had it their own way so far.

Ivybridge Town 2nds are well placed to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking and Totnes and Dartington are serious contenders. Brixham Town and Watcombe Wanderers could also still have a say in who gets promoted.

Division 2 is split in half, and any two from the top five could gain promotion and any two from the bottom five could play in Division 3 next season.