NEWTON ABBOT SPURS 1 - CREDITON UNITED 0

CREDITON United made a Tuesday night (September 5) trip to high-flying Newton Abbot Spurs off the back of their first defeat against Bovey the previous Saturday.

Spurs had won four-out-of-four going into this game and sat level on points with Crediton at the top of the table. This was the third time in the last 12 months the two sides had faced each other in a top two clash so it was sure to be a tight game.

Trenaman was forced into changes from Saturday’s narrow 1-0 defeat. Man of the match Groom was unavailable so that meant that Kirton skipper, Lee, had to fill in at centre-half alongside Goss.

The gaffer also opted for a change of shape, back to the customary 4-3-3, with Morish, Carpenter and Durrant all returning to the side.

Spurs started the game the brightest and were quickly out of the blocks, Moseley and Dyson looking dangerous from the off.

Waring however was not called into action until the 20th minute when Chisholm broke from midfield and fired straight at the Kirton stopper.

Crediton then had a chance of their own as Durrant turned and played the ball into Ord and on the half volley he crashed an effort towards goal, unfortunately for him it went straight down the ‘keepers throat.

The back four of Pike, Goss, Lee and Khoo were doing an excellent job of keeping the Spurs attack quiet as they committed bodies forward at will, with their main threat coming from set pieces, as giant centre-back Metters was an obvious target and extremely dominant in the air.

Ord went close with a header from distance from a McCann cross and then Waring had to be alert to a snapshot from Dyson. The sides went in at the break level, with both defences firmly on top.

The second half began much the same as the first. Spurs were quicker out of the blocks and Dyson went agonisingly close with an attempted lob, with Waring stranded miles from his goal-line.

Moseley then got in behind the back four for the first time of the night and Waring came charging out into no-mans land, luckily for him the Spurs striker stood on the ball as he rounded him and Lee was there to clear the danger.

Pike was having a superb game at right-back and offered an escape route for the Crediton defence when under pressure in possession.

On the hour mark Spurs made a double change, with Aplin on to replace skipper, Dyson, and Armbruster on to replace Barkwell.

The changes made an immediate impact as Spurs took the lead five minutes later. Aplin picked up the ball in midfield and presented an opportunity for Lee to win the ball after a loose touch, however his tackle ricocheted back into the path of Aplin and he broke forward.

He played the ball into the feet of Moseley on the edge of the box, who turned sharply and feinted past Goss, then fired a low effort under the legs of Pike and just beyond the grasp of Waring, to give the home side the lead.

Trenaman had seen enough and made his own double change, Blake was immediately on to replace the ineffective Bilcock and Townsend replaced McCann.

His changes nearly reaped their rewards moments later when Townsend played a long ball over the top towards Ord, who plucked the ball out of the sky with a superb touch, putting him in one-on-one with the ‘keeper.

However he could not add the finishing touches to a slick move and fired straight at Aplin in the Spurs goal.

Crediton continued to push forward in search of an equaliser, ultimately leaving themselves more vulnerable on the break as they committed bodies forward.

Blake was keen to prove a point after being dropped from the last game and was finally getting some change out of Metters, who had dominated up until then.

Moseley then put Aplin in on goal but Waring made a superb save to keep the visitors in it.

Crediton then had a chance of their own, Blake attempted an acrobatic overhead but couldn’t connect properly, with the ball dropping to Goss, who failed to prod home under pressure from Metters.

The clock ticked on but Crediton could not find a breakthrough after a succession of corners. Spurs held on for a narrow victory, which extends their impressive start to the season to five straight wins.

Unfortunately for Kirton this was their second 1-0 defeat in four days.

On the balance of play the game could have gone either way but it was Spurs who created the better chances and will feel they just about edged this top of the table clash.

Dave Lee