Three-horse race for South Devon Premier League title

Ilsington Villa continue to set the pace at the top end of the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League Premier Division.

A 2-0 win at Buckfastleigh Rangers with goals from Dan and Jack Langford keeps the Moorlanders on course to retain the title but on their heels are Newton Abbot 66, who returned to winning form by beating Waldon Athletic 2-1 in a tight game that could have gone either way.

Strikes from Joe Clark Farley and Liam Ashwell edged the game for Sixes, who will be hoping for a more consistent run-in to keep the challenge on the front burner. Another defeat for the Clarets leaves them needing to turn their cup form into league form for a top-five finish.

Newton Abbot Spurs have moved into third place, courtesy of goals from Callum Noyce and Jack Upsher, they continue to do just enough to win games. This week’s 2-1 victory at relegation-threatened Beesands Rovers means they remain 11 points off the lead with four games in hand. But what happened at the bottom of the table, a game that produced the same amount of goals as all the other top division games put together, an 8-3 win for bottom club Elburton Villa over Paignton Saints lifts Villa out of the bottom three and leaves Beesands and Chudleigh in the drop spots for now.

In the only other Premier Division game, Totnes and Dartington and Kingsteignton Athletic shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw that effectively takes the Rams out of the race for the title and Tots will be more than happy with their mid-table berth in their first season back in the Prem.

One of the delayed Herald Cup quarter-finals went ahead at Chudleigh Athletic, where the visitors East Allington United progressed into the semi-final courtesy of a Josh Pascoe free kick. The 1-0 win sets up the Pirates for a semi-final clash against Waldon Athletic on Tuesday, April 15 at Newton Rec with a 7pm kick-off.

Division One is also turning into a three-horse race. Windmill continue to lead the way and a 3-1 home win versus Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds keeps the pub team one point ahead of True Blues, who had a massive 4-0 triumph at Bovey Tracey thanks to a Caleb Needham hat-trick and a worldy strike from Chris Harvey.

The result leaves Bovey in fourth place and they will need to take points from the top three if they are to keep up a challenge.

Phoenix moved above Bovey into third place with an awkward 2-1 win at Watcombe Wanderers. J J Honeywell and David Moore were on target for the favourites, who remain unbeaten with a lot of games to fit in.

Brixham Town picked up their second win in two weeks, a 6-2 home success against Buckland Athletic was just the tonic that moves the Fishermen away from the drop zone.

WBB also picked up three valuable points in a 5-2 victory versus Ivybridge Town, thanks to goals from nearly half the team. Cam Gill, Sam Pearce, Kyle Gurney, Sam Stowell and Billy Clinch were on target and the result leaves the Bridgers in a perilous position and staring at two relegations in as many seasons.

The top game in Division Two did not disappoint, unless you are a Barton Athletic fan, a 4-0 win for Mount Gould, who really showed their class with strikes from Bentley Alcantara, Carson Wheeler and Jack Trigger to keeps the Mounties 15 points behind with nine games in hand, while Barton have just three games to play.

There are still five other teams that are in with a shout in this division, Babbacombe Corries returned to winning ways with a great 4-1 victory over a Liverton United team that still have 10 games to play. Josh Easterbrook, James Pearce, Lee McArthur and new signing Simon Ross, coming off the bench to net his first goal for Corries, who stay in third place.

Harbertonford picked up another three points, which cements their mid-table berth for this season, a 1-0 win over bottom team Buckfastleigh Rangers reserves thanks to a David Hatch strike will ensure a comfortable run-in for a change for the Fords.

Newton Rovers and Paignton Saints reserves shared the spoils in an entertaining 3-3 draw at Bakers Park and both would appear to have done enough to not be looking over their shoulders.

In Division Three, the last unbeaten record fell when Ashburton travelled to Elburton Villa 3rds, a 2-1 success for the young Villa team put paid to Ashburton’s hopes of going the whole season without a loss. Ashes remain just one point clear at the top and it is still two from five.

Kingsteignton Athletic 2nds and Waldon Athletic 2nds shared a scoreless draw and Stoke Gabriel TP and Newton Abbot 66 2nds had a slightly more entertaining 2-2 draw but it is a loss of two points for each of those teams in the top five.

Drake FC took advantage of the other results that went their way when they won 3-0 at Liverton 2nds, strikes from Louis George (2) and Christian Moss moving them into second place and looking good for their second promotion in two seasons.

Down at the bottom, the wheels seem to have come off at Liverton 2nds since they made it through to the Fred Hewings Cup Final, and with eight league games to play they definitely need to find some wins to stay ahead of the bottom two.

Division Four is all but done and dusted, Kingskerswell played their penultimate game and won 4-0 at Paignton Villa 3rds, leaving them just one win away from a perfect season and this week they face the same Villa team in the League Cup semi-final.

Elsewhere, the bottom two teams Barton Athletic 2nds and Kingsbridge and Kellaton Utd shared an entertaining 3-3 draw at Barton Downs. Dylan Stickly (2) and Mathew Ward were on target for the Torquay side, who remain at the bottom with one game to play.

Games to catch on Saturday, March 29

With the changing of the clocks, we are well and truly into the business end of the season, which means that cup semi-finals are on offer for supporters of grassroots football.

To start with, my game of the day in the Premier Division George Belli Cup is between the two in-form teams at Newton Rec, where Spurs 2nds take on Ilsington Villa in what should be a great game with a big attendance.

The other semi-final is over at Totnes and Dartington, where they welcome Paignton Saints in what should be a close encounter between friends.

In the Division One Dartmouth Cup, there is an interesting tie at Bovey Tracey, where the visitors Windmill make the trip up the A38 in an attempt to become one part of what could be an all-Plymouth final for the first time in the history of the SDFL.

The other tie is at Devonport High School, where Phoenix take on a Buckland Athletic 2nds, who will be trying to cause an upset by inflicting a first defeat of the season on the home team and hot favourites to reach their second final of the season.

In the Division Two Lidstone Cup, Watcombe Wanderers face Babbacombe Corries at Long Lane, where you are guaranteed a warm welcome. The Division Three Ronald Cup semi-final number one gets underway at Ashburton in an A38 derby game versus South Brent, where the visitors will be looking to stop a possible league and cup double for the home team.

In the Division Four Les Bishop Cup semi-finals, the games are Kingskerswell versus Paignton Villa 3rds in what is a banana skin game for Kerswell, who have already wrapped up the league title, and Templar Way hosting Chudleigh Athletic 2nds at Bishopsteignton in what should also be a great game with the home team looking to reach a final in their first season in the SDFL.

The first South Devon Football League Cup Final date for this season has been announced and it will be the Fred Hewings Final, which is the knockout competition for reserve teams across the divisions. The match will be between East Allington 2nds and Liverton 2nds on Friday, April 11 at Newton Abbot Recreational Trust with a 7pm kick-off.

Some great games to watch this weekend, it’s the start of spring, so get yourself along to a grassroots football match.