Season begins in the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League

Opening day fixtures reduced to just 16 games to allow the county cups to start. The games that SDFL teams were involved in produced 143 goals, plenty of talking points and a few shock results.

There were some disappointed teams this week who received a bye in the county cups but were not able to arrange a league fixture on the opening day of the season due to a number of reasons.

In fact, no Premier Division games were played at all and only three Division One games went ahead but each of them involved a team that was either promoted from Division Two or relegated from the top division.

Beesands Rovers, fresh out of the Premier Division, set out their stall on the opening day with a 3 – 1 victory at WBB. A double strike from Jack Eades was enough for the Bees to take three points on the opening day back to the South Hams.

But its Paignton Villa who top the table after week one with a 5 – 2 win at newly promoted Barton Athletic with five goals from five different players. Tom Evans, Tom Meyer, Charlie Thomas, Suliman Yaha and Ashlie Salmon all found the back of the net and forced the Villa supporters to be taking screen shots of the league table.

The team that came up with Barton from Division Two, Liverton United, had a more fruitful start to the season with a hard earned 5 – 4 victory at Halford versus Brixham Town. Jack Shelton set Livvy on their way but a hat-trick for last season’s golden boot winner Jaimie Passmore sealed the deal for the home team. Graham Mercia also got on the score sheet in what was an entertaining game.

In Division Two, all eyes were on Long Lane where Watcombe Wanderers 2nds were going to be the first team to face last season’s Plymouth and district champions and they beat them by 5 goals to 2, thanks to a single Cam Kelly strike and an impressive four goals for Janie Orchard in what was a great way for the Greens to get their season off to a flyer.

Harbertonford, who very nearly went out of business during the summer, also got their season off to a positive start with a 5 – 3 victory against East Allington United 2nds, single strikes from Billy Bright and Keiron Hanson were surpassed by a hat-trick from George Condon to give Fords their first opening day win for three seasons.

Newly promoted Drake FC took the points on opening day from their fixture against Paignton Saints 2nds at Coach Road, a narrow 2 – 1 win was enough for the Plymouth-based team to enjoy the journey home.

The final victors in Division Two were Ivybridge Town, who won 1 - 0 at White Rock against Paignton Villa 2nds. Following two relegations in a row, no doubt they will be delighted to get their season off to a good start and have something to build on.

Villa will be disappointed not to find a goal, especially as they were using a new set of goalposts, perhaps Kevin will get the old ones back out next week.

Division Three is tipped to be anybody’s division and newly promoted Templar Way came a cropper at home against Liverton United 2nds, who won 6 – 2 with goals from Oliver West and Simon Ross before Kye Graham helped himself to four more. Chris Bennett and Brad Breslan were on target for the Bishopsteignton-based team, who will reset and probably win more than they lose during the course of the season.

Kingskerswell have not forgotten how to win, a 3 – 2 victory versus a young Kingsteignton Athletic 2nd side, who made the more experienced team work for the points and it may just be Kerswell who have to call on some reinforcements to continue their rise.

Stoke Gabriel TP just got the better of a Newton Abbot 66 2nd team that don’t lose many games during the course of a season. Daniel Triseze, Adam Blackburn and Elliot Osman were on target for the Bees in a 3 – 2 win that sets them off and running in what will be a tough campaign.

South Brent were the other team that made a positive start to their season, a 1-0 home win against a young Ipplepen Athletic 2nd team, thanks to a single strike by Taylor Kasitz, which was a tonic for Brent who for the past few seasons have got behind with fixtures and like a lot of clubs have worked hard behind the scenes to keep a team in the town going, so well done to all at South Brent.

The other game that was played in this division was fortunate to have an experienced referee in charge. Galmpton United, playing their first game back in the SDFL for three seasons, drew the game against Waldon Athleitc 2nds 2 – 2 but they finished the game with ten players and Waldon, who had four yellow cards, have come close to a county misconduct charge, so an expensive first day of the season for both clubs.

Bere Alston United 2nds, the new boys in Division Four, got off to a winning start with a 2 – 1 victory over a stubborn Newton Rovers reserve team, goals from Adam Daymond and Joshua Hewes did the trick for the team that were playing in an under 16 league last season.

Chudleigh Athletic 2nds top the division following a 9 – 1 thumping of Paignton Saints 3rds and they will be looking to go one better this season after just losing out on promotion last term.

Teign Village, who finished in third place last season, have also set out their stall for the new season with a 6 – 3 victory over Kingsbridge and Kellaton Utd. Whilst the visitors went home empty handed, they will be pleased to get one of their longest trips out of the way on the opening day.

Elliot Glasser scored a brace in the final game to be played in Division Four at Cricketfield Road, where Waldon Athletic 3rds and Barton Athletic 2nds fought out an entertaining 2 – 2 draw in front of a decent crowd that preferred grassroots to Plainmoor.

The County Cups got underway this week and there are high expectations for some of the SDFL teams to go all the way in all three adult competitions.

Safely through to round two in the Premier Cup are Ilsington Villa, who beat St Martins (Exeter) 3-2. Newton Abbot 66 won on penalties versus Budleigh Salterton (step 7), Chudleigh Athletic won 2-1 at Torridgeside (North Devon) and Paignton Saints were 5-1 winners at Dartington,

In the Senior Cup, Elburton Villa and Mount Gould progressed comfortably but Bovey Tracey made the long trip to Merton and scored 12 goals without reply.

In the Intermediate Cup, Buckfastleigh Rangers 2nds also made it into the hat with a 3-1 win over Paignton Villa 3rds. The remainder of the first round ties are being played over the next two weeks, although there have been a large number of byes.

The stand-out fixture in the top division this weekend will be at Osborne Park, where Newton Abbot 66 face Lakeside Athletic in what will be a Premier Division christening for the Plymouth-based team against a Sixes side that are difficult to beat.

In Division One, Elburton Villa welcome Beesands Rovers to Haye Road for a fixture that last season was played as a Premier Division game and one of the pre-season favourites Bovey Tracey open with a home game versus Watcombe Wanderers.

In Division Two, all eyes will be on Manadon Sports Centre, where new boys Signal Box will be looking for an immediate improvement after losing their opening game. They are at home to Newton Rovers and Ashburton, who enjoyed a promotion season last time out, face an East Allington 2nd team, who came very close to promotion themselves last season but lost on the opening day, this should be a good game to watch.

Game of the day in Division Three is at Micheals Field, where Templar Way welcome Kingsteignton 2nds, who will be no pushovers and both will be looking to get points on the board after suffering defeat last week.

Last season;s division four champions with a 100% record, Kingskerswell, travel to relegated Ipplepen, who have made some interesting signings during the summer and depending on when they are due at university could have a bearing on the outcome and that record.

If you are looking for a game in Torquay, try Cricketfield Road, where a very young Bere Alston team will face Waldon 3rds in the game of the day in Division Four.

All fixtures are available on the league’s full-time website and they all KO at 2.30pm. With Torquay United and Argyle playing away from home, get out and support your grassroots football team.