Devon St Luke’s Bowl First Round

CREDITON UNITED 3 - CULLOMPTON RANGERS 0

ANOTHER fine win for Crediton as the team continued on the marvellous 12-match unbeaten run it is engaged in.

The team was simply too confident and too strong for visitors Cullompton on Tuesday night (September 27).

Despite resting both Jamie Mudge and Sam Stapleton and with both Oakley Bennett and Dave Lee both out injured they were still simply too much for the visitors and soon into their practised passing game.

By half-time Crediton had already built up a 3-0 lead that Rangers would find impossible to match.

The Kirton side have now gone five matches without conceding a goal from open play and this is an achievement rarely matched in Crediton’s history. Great credit must go yet again to Jack Furzer and Ben Watson who have moulded this team into a wonderful unit.

The opening goal came in the 17th minute as after a wonderfully crafted passing move, striker Leon Tottell side footed home for 1-0.

A couple of minutes later Kevin Pike set off on a run but was let down before he could get his final shot in by the pitch otherwise the score would’ve been doubled.

We didn’t have to wait long for the second goal to arrive though and after a great passing movement involving Pike and Tottell it was Louis Stephens who shot across the goalkeeper for 2-0.

Then just before the break the moment of the match came as Dan Preece, so often one of our very best players unleashed a right foot screamer into the top right hand corner of the net with the goalkeeper nowhere.

That was the end of the scoring but Crediton had the game won by half-time. Both Mudge and Stapleton came on for the second half, replacing Preece and Saturday’s hero at Sidmouth Kieran Knight and Crediton continued on their way outplaying the Cullompton defenders and although the second-half had lost some of the intensity of the first they still continue to dominate despite the undoubted commitment of the Rangers lads.

The defence was in fine form yet again with Dre Johnson particularly outstanding and they seem to be growing in confidence game by game.

Also, Adam Bilcock was outstanding in midfield and showed some of his long passing skills of which on his day there is no better player.

Kevin Pike hit the bar and that was the closest that Crediton came in the second half and it was Pike yet again who came close bringing out a marvellous save by the Cullompton goalie.

Just before the end it could’ve been four when the ball was squared to Jamie Mudge but he only managed to screw his effort wide of the goal.

With the game fizzling out the referee took the opportunity to blow the final whistle after 87 minutes.

I was sat next to Devon secretary Phil Hiscox and we both agreed that it was probably the right decision. Well done yet again lads.

The next visitors to Lords Meadow look like being Axminster but first it is down to Coombe Valley to play Teignmouth.

Crediton Team: McAndrew, Whitfield, Snow, Preece, Johnson, Goss, Bilcock, Knight, Tottell, Pike and Stephens. Subs: Mudge and Stapleton.

Man of the Match: Adam Bilcock.

Attendance: 74.

Paul Whittall