Sidmouth Town 4 Newton Abbot Spurs 2

Carlsberg SWPL Div 1 East Saturday 30th August 2014

Sidmouth welcomed back Dale O’Donaghue, but were missing Andrew Thomson for this eagerly anticipated game.

Sidmouth were bright in the early proceedings and looked the better side by far as Pavey & Small in particular were causing the visitors all kinds of problems.  It was the visitors that took the lead in the 20^th minute after Wes Tarr missed a routine clearance and this allowed the Spurs Carl Bradley to place the ball pass Sidmouth’s keeper Charlie Ledger 0-1.  Sidmouth continued to press and created some good opportunities however another slip from Tarr gifted Bradley his second. 0-2.  Right on halftime Sidmouth started the fightback with top scorer Mark Pavey pulling a goal back.

Half Time 1-2

After the halftime oranges Sidmouth introduced the industrious Adam Kana’ah into the midfield and moved the talented O’Donaghue onto the wing, this change looked to have paid off as Pavey scored his second in the 60^th minute.  Newton Abbott Spurs did test the backline of Sidmouth but found them un-beatable in the second half.  As bad as Tarr was in the 1^st half the centre back was a Colossus in the second half winning every tackle and header.  On the 75^th minute Ben Howard opened his account for the season, the big forward coolly finished after being put clean through.  Howard scored his second on the 80^th minute when the Vikings were awarded a free kick 20 yards out, it looked like the left foot of Kana’ah was the desired choice however Howard saw a gap and rifled a terrific shot home and effectively ending any possible fight back from the ‘rough and tough’ visitors, who used rough house tactics all day and it was good to see that the best footballing team on the day won.

Full Time 4-2

Sidmouth From: Ledger, Pidgeon, Tarr, Cole, Pavey, French (cpt), O’donaghue, Dixon, Cox, Small & Howard.  Used Subs: Kana’ah for Cox 45^th minute, Colson for Dixon 80^th Minute & Boyland for Howard 80^th Minute Unused Subs: Farrington

Star Man – Wes Tarr

 

Advertisements

Sidmouth Town 4 Axminster Town 1

Carlsberg SWPL Div 1 East Tuesday 26th August 2014

Sidmouth welcomed back into the side Ben Cole & Tony Cox for this local derby.Sidmouth started really well and took the game to the carpet men with the midfield of French, Dixon, Thompson, Cox & Small overwhelming the visitors and it was no surprise when the Vikings opened the scoring through Pavey in the 15^th minute.  Sidmouth went two up through Cox in the 30^th minute, the fleet footed winger un-marked at the far post volleyed a cross into the top corner from 8 yards out.  Sidmouth completely controlled the 1^st half and it was no surprise when they got a third in the 40^th minute, this time it was from the spot with Josh French calmly finding the net.

Half Time 3-0

After a halftime ear bashing Axminster threw everything they had at Sidmouth and only some incredible goal keeping from Robbie Powell kept the visitors out.  The Vikings gloves man made three top drawer saves.  Powell’s performance deflated Axminster and this allowed Sidmouth to regain control of the game adding a fourth goal in the 60^th minute by the way of a Thompson free kick from 35 yards out.  Wells-Burr in the Axminster goal showed too much of his near post to Thompson and under estamitated the midfielders ability from dead ball situations.  Thompson curled in a delightful shot that left the keeper stranded 4-0.Axminster did manage to restore some pride and in the 80^th minute Sidmouth’s pidgeon needlessly lunged into Axminster’s Alex Wheatley inside the 18 yard box, Wheatley dusted himself down and buried the spot kick

Full Time 4-1

Sidmouth From: Powell, Pidgeon, Tarr, Cole, Pavey, French (cpt), Thompson, Dixon, Cox, Small & Howard.  Used Subs: Colson for Small 60^th Minute Unused Subs: Ledger & Thomas

Star Man – Josh French

Sidmouth Town 0 Appledore 1

Carlsberg SWPL Div 1 East Saturday 23rd August 2014

Sidmouth gave 1^st starts of the season to midfielder Gary Dixon & wide man Damien Armes, missing were injured Ben Cole and festival bound Dale O’donaghue.

Appledore who started this game having won all three of their previous games with an impressive ten goals scored and one conceded took the game to Sidmouth and had the lion’s share of the possession, nevertheless for all of their huffing and puffing it was Sidmouth who had the ball in the net on the 25^th minute when skipper Josh French headed home a Mark Pavey cross, in what had to be an extremely tight call the offside flag went up.  Appledore continued to dominate the possession but failed to create one clear goal scoring opportunity and that was down to the impressive defending from Pidgeon, Tarr & Colson

Half Time 0-0

Appledore started the half where they had left off the 1^st, keeping the ball well and looking to hit Sidmouth quickly down the flanks.  Yet again the backline from the Vikings looked un-breakable.  On the 55^th minute a huge punt from the visitors keeper caught Sidmouth’s defence out and a missed timed header from Pidgeon presented Appledore’s Brian Levien a gift 0-1.

This goal seemed to spark Sidmouth into action and the tide changed as the home side started to create some good goal scoring opportunities, much of this was down to the excellent running in behind from Pavey & Small who frightened the life out of the visitors and only some very good goalkeeping from the Ollie Rigler prevented Small from levelling the scores.  Pavey, Small, Tarr & French all created ‘heart in mouth moments’ for the visitors as they were seriously getting overwhelmed and were desperately hanging on at times.  The save of the day fell right on the 90^th minute, as Appledore failed to clear a corner, French with an open goal powerfully headed towards the top left side of the goal from 8 yards out and out of nowhere Rigler managed to get fingers on the goal bound header and parry the shot away and claiming all three points and the man of the match award in the process.

Full Time 0-1

Sidmouth From: Ledger, Pidgeon, Tarr, Colson, Pavey, French, Thompson, Dixon, Armes, Small & Howard.  Used Subs: Cox for Armes 70^th Minute.  Unsed Subs: Farrington, Thomas & Still

 

University 4 Sidmouth Town 3

Carlsberg SWPL Div 1 East Monday 18th August 2014

Sidmouth found themselves 0-2 down within the first 20 minutes of the game, Tony Cox slicing a clearance past the stranded Sidmouth keeper Powell.  Sidmouth looked good going forward with Dale O’Donaghue and new signing Ash Small creating a lot of uncertainty in the Students back line. On the 25th minute Small expertly finished after some great work from the midfield two of French & Cole.  However in the 35th minute more defensive indecisiveness from the Vikings allowed Exeter University to go two goals ahead 1-3

Sidmouth came flying out of the traps in the second half and the forward line deserves a lot of credit for getting the Vikings back in the game.  By the midway point Small & Cole had levelled the scores 3-3 and were pretty much camped in the home sides half with French and O’Donaghue going close.  The Uni were reduced to 10 men on 70 minutes after foul and abusive language directed at the referee.  Disaster struck for Sidmouth in the 80th minute when they were undone by the classic counter attack 4-3.  Sidmouth remained determined to get the equaliser and on the 90th minute O’Donaghue was upended in the penalty area after a powerful burst into the box.  Graham Martin who had an excellent game, awarded the spot kick.  with Sidmouth’s normal penalty taker Josh French off the pitch due to injury Ash small took responsibility but unfortunately dragged the kick wide!

Sidmouth from: Powell, Cox, Burdus, Pidgeon, Farrington, Pavey, Cole, French(c), O’Donaghue, Small & Howard Used subs: Tarr for French 65th min, Isaac for Pavey 80th min & Thomas for Cox 88th min.

Star Man Ash Small

 

Sidmouth Town 4 Crediton United 1

 

Carlsberg SWPL Div 1 East Saturday 16th August 2014

Sidmouth had a much more solid look about them this week.  Thomas, Thompson, Alphonse & Tarr all not featuring due to injury, non-selection or unavailability.  In came Ben Howard, Ashley Small , Mark Burdus & Tony Cox to the side.

Sidmouth took the lead in the 15^th minute from the penalty spot, with Josh French making no mistake from 12 yards. 1-0.  Sidmouth kept the ball well and looked good value for a second which came in the 30^th minute after left back Cox spotted a gap at the near post of Crediton’s goal the pacey defender let fly from 25 yards with an early goal of the season contender.  Sidmouth looked in complete control however Crediton received a life line right on half time when they were awarded a corner, Matt Woodward superbly heading home. 2-1

The early knockings of the 2^nd half belonged to Crediton as they came out with all guns blazing and Sidmouth’s backline of Cox, Pidgeon, Burdus and Farrington were severely tested but stood firm to the challenge.  Against the run of play Mark Pavey smashed a half volley home which caught the keeper by surprise.  This goal knocked the wind out of the visitor’s sails and this allowed Sidmouth to gain a real foothold in the game, that said only a tremendous save from former Devon U18 keeper Ledger on the 70^th minute prevented the blues from scoring a second.  Ledgers double block was a massive save as had the visitors scored this would have certainly produced some nervy moments for the home side.  In the 80^th minute the game was put to bed with pavey scoring his second, the lively winger flicked the ball through the keeper’s legs from 10 yards out.

Sidmouth From: Ledger, Cox, Burdus, Tarr, Farrington, Pavey, O’donaghue, Cole, Small, French, Howard. Used Subs: Kana’ah for Cox (65^th min), Dixon for Cole (80th Min), Isaac for Howard (85^th min, Unused Subs: Powell & Tarr

Star Man: Mark Pavey

Sidmouth Town 2 Plymstock United 4

Carlsberg SWPL Div 1 East Saturday 9th August 2014

This game was more like a play off final where both teams seemed to ignore their defensive duties and merely tried to outscore each other.  The first chance fell to Sidmouth’s Josh French inside two minutes of the game French side footed a Mark Pavey cross against the post with the keeper well and truly beaten.   On the eighth minute Sidmouth failed to track midfield runners and this allowed the vistors to easily cross and dispatch the opening goal.  Sidmouth had plenty of possession but failed to make the most of it.  Pavey missed a glorious opportunity in the 12^th minute, with just the keeper to beat the pacey winger dragged his shot wide.  Plymstock equally created opportunities and had they had a little more composure could have been out of site.  The Vikings equalised in the 40^thminute this time Pavey made no mistake with finish, blasting home from eight yards.  This should have given the home side the impetus, however yet again midfield runners were not picked up and Plymstock went ahead on the stroke of halftime. 1-2.

Sidmouth started the second half well and created some good scoring opportunities and in the 60^th minute were punished for not taking their earlier chances and conceded another soft goal.  Ten minutes later Sidmouth did score with substitute Dan Tavender expertly heading home from close range 2-3.  On the 70^th minute the referee had a major decision to make, the Plymstock goalkeeper came rushing out of his goal and handled the ball outside of his area, just as French was about to shoot.  The keeper was central to his goal and 5 yards out of his area, the referee deemed the error as a yellow card offence!  Sidmouth also were extremely unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty.  Game set and match was achieved in the 80^th minute when centre back Alphonse was deemed to have fouled the Plymstock no 9, inside the 18 yard box.  The resultant penalty was duly tucked away. 2-4.

Sidmouth: Ledger, Thomas, Alphonse, Tarr, Farrington, Pavey, O’donoghue, Cole, Thomson, Ede, French.  Used Subs: Tavender, Colson & Pidgeon.  Unused Subs: Still & Dixon