CREDITON UNITED 0 - STOKE GABRIEL AND TORBAY POLICE 2

The match between Crediton United and Stoke Grabriel and Torbay Police in the South West Peninsula League East was a fiery affair, played on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Stoke are much improved since last season and as they arrived at the Meadow lay one place and four points clear of seventh place Crediton.

Although this was a Crediton defeat there was very little difference between the two sides throughout and this was a competitive encounter with both teams playing good passing football and in particular the Crediton lads.

They lined up with no centre forward as Kenny Ord did not play and this lack of striker was to cost them dear.

Much as Will Burwood played well in an unlikely no 9 spot, and was tireless in his work rate, the final ball did not find him often and he toiled away but without luck.

There was a lot of good things to mention and in truth Crediton outpassed the Stoke lads but hardly managed a shot on target throughout.

On this performance it’s hard to see where the goals would come from.

Lukey White is the bigger danger but seems to be lying deeper and deeper as time passes.

The defence played really well and Jasper Bassett and Kevin Pike were probably our best players with loyal stalwart Dave Lee also playing a good game.

Poor old Pikey spent some time in the first half being kicked about and looked somewhat peeved by the whole business. Chances were few in coming and 0-0 was about right at half time.

Alex Bond was impressive in midfield and never stopped running for the duration of the match.

The game swung this way and that and substitutions were made but still no goal would come.

Then, in the 82nd minute and just as a draw seemed the most likely outcome, a free kick was hoisted deep into the Crediton area and Lee Hildreth rose unmarked to head home past the Crediton goalie and the away side began to celebrate.

This knocked the stuffing out of Crediton and although they huffed and puffed a second goal for the away side soon arrived after a mazy run and clinical shot from Cole Harford which zoomed into the left hand corner giving Ethan Chalk no chance.

The game rumbled on for another five minutes but there was no way back for Crediton and as the teams drifted away at the final whistle it was Stoke who took the points back to South Devon and they probably just about deserved it.

A disappointing end to this game for Crediton but there was a lot of things to celebrate in this match.

Paul Whittall