Win, lose and draw for South Devon clubs

It was the archetypal mixed bag of results for South Devon’s semi-professional clubs on the weekend.

Buckland Athletic flew the local flag with a fine win on the road but there was a home loss for Brixham AFC, and Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police were held to a dramatic draw.

Travelling to Nailsea & Twickenham in the Jewson Western League, Buckland badly needed maximum points to keep pace with the leaders, and they nearly grabbed an early lead when Ryan Bush rounded the home ‘keeper but he could only lift the ball over the bar from an awkward angle.

The deadlock was broken, however, on 23 minutes, when midfielder Cieran Bridger carefully watched a looped clearance before planting a scuttling volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

One swiftly became two, as Bush raced through the Nailsea defence and slotted an accomplished finish beyond the advancing goalkeeper. Withing minutes, the comfortable ride became bit more bumpy for Buckland, as the hosts pulled one back from a corner.

Bridger had a second ‘goal’ disallowed early in the second period but he would not be denied on the hour, smashing a fine free-kick into the top corner from 30 yards. Nailsea made it a tense final ten minutes with a goal from a set-piece but Buckland held on to move within eight points of leaders Portishead Town.

Unfortunately, it has been a tricky start to 2025 for Brixham AFC, as they lost ground on Portishead, and allowed visitors Clevedon to leapfrog them into second with a 2-1 victory at Wall Park.

Clevedon grabbed a 2-0 lead in the game and proved a stubborn outfit for the Fishermen, who did score a late consolation through James Moxon but were unable to find an equaliser.

In the South West Peninsula League, Torridgeside made arguably the toughest trip in the division to take on a Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police side looking to extend a nine-match winning run in the league.

In fact, the last time Stoke had failed to win a game was when they drew 1-1 at Torridgeside in mid-September, and the early stages gave evidence of an extremely competent and confident outfit, as Stoke controlled possession and created some decent chances.

The T-Siders had to weather a Stoke storm and they did it with superbly disciplined defending, and players throwing their bodies on the line when required.

Gradually, Torridgeside became a more potent attacking force and grabbed the lead early in the second period, when the impressive Tyler Evans-Loude converted from close range.

Stoke laid siege on the visiting goal but the T-Siders remained a serious threat on the break, twice going close to extending their lead. In the end, Finn Roberts, who normally spends his weekends representing Bideford, grabbed a terrific equaliser with a sweet strike into the top corner.