LIVERTON UNITED 2 - CREDITON UNITED 4

CREDITON made the journey to South Devon for their first game of the 2017/18 season on Saturday, August 12.

After a disjointed pre-season with an abundance of players missing every week, Crediton went into the game with an unsettled team but a strong side nonetheless. It was always going to be case of go there, do the basics right, work hard and get a win one way or the other.

For us it was very much a similar team to last season, Waring in the sticks, Carpenter and Khoo operating as full-backs, Groom and Goss forming a gigantic centre-half pairing, McCann and Morish on the wings, Bilcock and Lee in the middle of the park, with Ord and Blake rekindling their blossoming romance up front.

Liverton were beginning the season under new leadership after a disappointing campaign last year and began the game brightly.

They looked sharper out of the blocks but inside 10 minutes they fell behind against the run of play, a slick counter attack from Kirton ended with a looped cross to the back post from Blake, where McCann, donning his outrageous new white boots, leapt like a salmon above his marker to head home.

The early lead did not last long though as Livvy were soon back in it, Dench got free down the right and crossed for Wilkinson to fire home at the far post.

Crediton did start to take a stranglehold of the game and scored a quick-fire double, a long ball forward from Carpenter was destined for Morish until he was poleaxed by Livvy’s giant defender and the referee had no option but to point to the spot.

Bilcock stepped up and just about slotted past Wannel to give Crediton the lead.

Two soon became three as Kirton were starting to show some real quality. Some great interplay down the right between Carpenter, McCann, Blake and Ord resulted in a ball across to Morish, who checked back past the despairing dive of a Livvy defender and volleyed a left-footed strike into the far corner.

Crediton were nearly out of sight moments later, Khoo almost reminding everyone of his goal scoring ability, and some goal it nearly was, collecting the ball on the half-way line on the left, he charged forward, before cutting inside onto his stronger right peg and unleashed a sublime dipping strike, which was superbly tipped onto the bar by Livvy ‘keeper Wannel.

Despite some nervy moments, Crediton held on for the remainder of the half and went in 3-1 up at the break.

The second 45 minutes began in fairly even fashion, with both sides creating openings but neither able to convert.

Waring was alert to a long range effort from Wilkinson and at the other end Wannel had to be at his best to deny Ord.

Crediton were looking for that fourth goal to put the game to bed but it was Livvy who got themselves back in it. A free kick from the half-way line was launched forward and completely missed by Khoo, allowing Newham in on goal. Waring came rushing out into no-mans land and the ball was lobbed over him for Wilkinson to tap in at the back post.

Livvy’s tails were up as they went in search of an equaliser. The game began to get a little tense and Blake then had massive head loss in the middle of the park, after what looked like an elbow on him, the referee played on, much to Blake’s dismay, he responded by clattering into the Livvy centre-half and then sending a barrage of abuse towards the ref, ultimately resulting in a booking!

The game was in the balance but in was Crediton who sealed the result with 15 minutes to go. Ord broke free down the right and his power and pace took him away from the defence, he delivered a low cross across the box, where an onrushing Blake got across his marker to prod home and put the game to bed.

A much-needed victory for Kirton after a very disjointed pre-season, with players to come back in the basis of a good squad is there, as long as players can be committed and availability is good for the remainder of the season.

One or two new faces may still need to be added to improve the strength in depth shown throughout last season.

Crediton United’s next game is on Saturday, August 19 when the team travel to Division One new boys Ilfracombe Town, promoted this season from the North Devon League.

This will be United’s first trip to Ilfracombe’s Marlborough Park for 21 years when the two teams played in the Western League.

Dave Lee