Ilsington Villa in the hunt for another title at South Devon League glory

Forty nine out of fifty days with rain and just seven games are played but Ilsington Villa are in seventh heaven.

The game of the day in the Torbay Clearance Services South Devon Football League went ahead at Lewthorn Cross between two teams with title hopes in mind and it was Ilsington Villa who came out on top against a very good Windmill side by 2 goals to 1, thanks to strikes from George Dixon and Jamie Beer.

The result opens up the division again and seven of the teams are now within touching distance of the top two if they win their games in hand. Ilsington are one of the seven and they move into seventh place with four games in hand.

The current champions, Newton Abbot Spurs, continue to fire on all cylinders and a 6-0 win versus bottom of the table Totnes and Dartington puts them into fifth place with two games in hand to make up a seven-point deficit.

The Totnes team have had an awful first half of the season and their only win against Lakeside back in September must seem a long time ago.

Lakeside Athletic gave up home advantage to an improving Buckfastleigh Rangers to get their delayed Herald Cup game played and the game went as planned for the Plymouth side who returned home with a place in the next round after a 6-2 victory.

The other Herald Cup tie played was at Kingsteignton Athletic in front of a big crowd and on treacle like conditions where the visitors were in form East Allington United who came away with a 2-1 victory in a game that was short on quality, mainly due to the conditions and it has to be said a lot of missed chances in front of goal.

The game was 0-0 at the break and within six minutes of the second half East Allington had a two-goal lead thanks to Rob Tapper and an unfortunate own goal. The Rams won a penalty in the 80th minute that was tucked away by Ashton Hogarth to give them some hope but those missed chances continued to haunt them and the visitors held out to meet Division Two side Ivybridge Town in the next round.

Barton Athletic stirred the pot in Division One by beating Bovey Tracey 6-2 and they are now just four points off the top spot and have two games in hand. Bovey stay in seventh place, eight points off the top and with four games in hand.

There are now eight contenders for promotion in this division and one of them is Elburton Villa who suffered another postponement and have only played six league games so far and still have 16 to play in the league and an interest in three cups, it is sure to be a busy end of season for them.

In Division Two, it was a weekend of double joy for East Allington United as their reserves moved up a place to fourth following a 4-0 win at a squelchy Bakers Park, which is not famous for surviving wet weather. Goals from Sam Quick, Rob Hutchings and a brace from Aiden Corcoran sealed the points for the Pirates who now only have seven games left to play.

Another team with the same number of games left to play are Paignton Saints 2nds who beat Harbertonford in a seven-goal thriller by the odd goal at Coach Road. Mykytya Chernetski found the net twice and there were singles for Darren Millea and Mike Hernandez. The result puts Saints into the top half and only five points off third place with a superior goal advantage.

Watts Blake Bearne travelled to Tiverton to take on Elmore 2nds in the quarter final of the Devon Senior Cup, which has been in the safe hands of a South Devon League club for the past two seasons and WBB once again raised their game to beat the mid-Devon side by 3 goals to 2. Strikes from Cam Gill, Fraser Hossack and Sam Stowell ensured a County Cup semi final for Wattsies.

In the same competition, favourites Mount Gould surprisingly lost at home to South Zeal United by 4 goals to 3 and they can now concentrate on making up some of their games in hand in the league programme.

South Zeal are the only non-South Devon League club left in the competition and join Newton Abbot Spurs 3rds or Elburton Villa, Bovey Tracey and WBB in the semi final.

In the Intermediate Cup, the unthinkable happened when favourites Kingskerswell were beaten by 3 goals to 1 at Bampton to leave South Brent as the only South Devon League club with an interest in this competition, They play Alphington 3rds on Feb 28 at Pulstone Park 2pm KO.

Games to catch this weekend:

There are some intriguing games this week and a fascinating Moorland Cup derby at Division One Bovey Tracey, where the visitors are Premier Division Ilsington Villa who will be looking to keep a cup run going.

In the top division, Windmill will be hoping to get back to winning ways when Newton Abbot 66 pay a visit to Millennium fields and at the bottom of the division there is a six-pointer at Broadpark where Kingsteignton Athletic host Buckfastleigh Rangers in a don’t-lose game.

Two of the top division’s challengers, Newton Abbot Spurs and Chudleigh Athletic, clash in what should be a great game at the Rec.

The top game in Division One is at Abbrook Park where its 2nd versus 3rd, as WBB host Paignton Villa and with both teams level on points. Division two offers what could be two fantastic games to watch, Ashburton welcome top of the table Signal Box Oak Villa to Chuley Road for the first time and Drake FC host a Babbacombe Corries side looking to get back to winning ways again.

In Division Four, Bere Alston United in fourth place host Teign Village in second, and a game that will no doubt affect the top three places at the referee’s final whistle.

Enjoy your grassroots football, Spring is just around the corner.