CREDITON UNITED 4 - ILFRACOMBE TOWN 4

FOOTBALL returned to Lords Meadow on Tuesday, August 5 and the 97 people watching were rewarded with a magnificent battle between two evenly matched sides.

This was a great performance by the home side coming on the back of the opening day’s 1-1 draw at Bridport.

The team was unrecognisable from last year as only new captain Lukey White was the only player left from last season in the starting 11.

There was a return in defence for Steve Goss though who is also this year's assistant coach.

I had my work cut out recognising the players but am sure that will improve as the season continues.

This young Crediton side played with guts and some panache and found themselves leading as early as the 8th minute when new striker Will Collins opened the scoring slightly against the run of play for 1-0.

Ilfracombe came storming back however and by half time were leading the match 1-2 after a lapse of concentration at the back let them in for the first and a good passing move got them their second.

This did not prepare the supporters for a quite wonderful second half.

After 53 minutes Lukey White scored one of his trademark free kicks and guided the ball imperiously to the right of the goalie and into the Ilfracombe net, 2-2.

I said to my friend Joe that he often scores from where the shot was taken, and lo and behold that's exactly what he did.

Thanks Lukey it's nice to be proved right every now and then.

Then, it was the turn of Will Collins whose performance on the night was quite breathtaking.

Firstly he added his second in what was a simple tap as the ball fell loose in the penalty area 3-2, and then with just 10 minutes left added his third after a mazy run and quite sublime finish.

This lad is great to watch and looks very confident either with or without the ball.

With only around 10 minutes to go we hoped this would be the win that Crediton needed to kick off the season proper.

However, as the game reached full time the away side were still surging forward although it is probably fair to say that they hadn't looked like scoring so far in the second half.

Then, they did of course as a breakaway goal took the score to 4-3.

Still, the game went on and although the referee was constantly looking at his watch he did not blow for the end of the contest.

Then after around eight minutes of injury time Ilfracombe grabbed a late equaliser as the ball went into the net through a sea of players and sent them home happy, 4-4.

The result now felt almost like a defeat as the teams trudged off at the end. A very encouraging display by the young Crediton side as they now face trips to Stoke Gabriel and Okehampton in quick succession.

Paul Whittall