TORRINGTON 1 - CREDITON UNITED 2

ANOTHER trip to Torridge winding through the lanes to Vicarage Field where Crediton faced Torrington for the second time in a week.

On Saturday, February 28, Torrington had snatched a victory by 0-1 and returned home with the spoils.

The home pitch was very bumpy and the grass was long so it probably reminded Crediton of their Lords Meadow home.

Owing to the incessant wet weather, it is of great credit to the dedicated few that look after the pitches otherwise there would not be any football.

The legendary slope was in form as both teams struggled to get a foot on the ball and it made controlling the onion very tricky.

Crediton filled the midfield and the driving force of captain Dave Lee was influential.

However Torrington opened the scoring after only five minutes as an innocuous pass into the area fell to the boot of Tom Davey and he calmly slotted the ball past Lewis Layton in the Crediton goal.

This was about as interesting as the first half got and the loyal few from Mid Devon were in agreement when I suggested that the game was “not a classic”.

Crediton were not second best in this encounter; it's just that neither team offered much in the way of guile although there was an element of spirit and graft about the football.

After a splendid refreshment break where I munched on chocolate bourbons and enjoyed some hot tea provided generously by the home side, the game spluttered on.

Crediton began to dominate but there was always a chance that Torrington might have added to their solitary goal but they found Lewis Layton in fine form as he has been all season and the defence repelled any home surge forward that was forthcoming.

Then, with just 15 minutes left, the breakthrough came as a long ball from Riley Gething found Riley Harris in space and he took the ball in his stride before calmly slotting the ball past former Crediton goalie Michael Searle, 1-1.

Crediton deserved their equaliser and continued to press. Many substitutions were made and the game looked to be fizzling out but Crediton were not to be denied and began to lay siege to the Torrington goal.

A Riley Harris effort flew just over and Crediton were now clearly on top.

We were now in the last minute of the game and Crediton won a free kick and after a short delay the ball was played short by Bradley Butterfield before a chip into the box found Dave Lee waiting and he managed to force the ball into the net after the usual melee.

It was 1-2 to the Kirton and there was just time to kick off before the ref decided that enough was enough and blew for full time.

It was just about what the away side deserved and the lads looked very pleased when they came off at the end. Next week we are at home to top of the table Bridport and they will be a tricky side to face I am sure.

Crediton team. Layton, Maynard, Gething, Lee, Butterfield, Wojtananicz, Drew, Allum, Harris, Littlejohns and Southcott. Subs: Collier, Shaw, Thompson, Green and Goss.

Crediton Man of the Match: Dave Lee.

Paul Whittall