South West Peninsula League Division One East

CREDITON 0

TEIGNMOUTH 1

CREDITON hosted Teignmouth on a lovely sunny day at Lords Meadow but on a wet and energy sapping pitch. Crediton were enforced into five changes from last week’s win at Liverton. Out went Lee Waring, Craig Skinner, Dave Lee, Tom Jordan and Richard Blake and in came Nathan Keast, Mike Broome, Simon Gregory, Emlyn Harris and Tyler Cooke for his debut. The first half was an even affair, the visitors getting the ball down and trying to get former City player Geoff Breslan in the middle of the park to dictate the play, while the hosts were looking to use their pace in the wide areas.

The first chance fell to the visitors on five minutes but a deflected strike was comfortably saved. Both sides were trying their best to play on a tough surface but clear cut chances were at a premium. The best chance of the half fell to the hosts on 29 minutes, a lovely through ball saw Tyler Cooke in the clear but his shot was well-saved by the Teign’s ‘keeper Adam Broome. The visitors should have taken the lead on 38, a lovely weighted through ball from Breslan put the Teignmouth striker clean through but his powerful shot was well-saved by Keast with Broome clearing the ball off the line to see an even half finish goalless. The second half saw a shift in momentum with the high flying visitors starting to dominate the middle of the park and looking dangerous when attacking down their right-hand side. However Creddy always looked dangerous when Morish, Durrant and Cooke got on the ball in attacking areas.

But with the hosts  starting to tire on a wearing pitch the Teign’s started creating chances. On 60 minutes a powerful low shot was superbly tipped around the far post by Keast and from the resulting corner a superb defensive header from Trenaman stopped Scott Telford from scoring. On 66 a low shot from Matt Eaves was well-saved by Keast.

On 72 minutes Creddy should have taken the lead. A lovely ball around the corner from Durrant put Cooke clean through on goal, but his chip from the edge of the box just went over the bar.

This then saw a switch in momentum with the away side dominating the final 15 minutes. The back four of Waller, Broome, Trendy and Gregory had put in a tremendous shift to try and protect the clean sheet, but with the constant pressure saw them drop deeper and deeper.

A shot from the edge of the box was well-saved on 81 and on 83 a low drive was tipped away. On 90 minutes a hashed volley from Broome was well-tipped onto the post by Keast to maintain the clean sheet. However two minutes into added time a jinking run from substitute Jack Baxter into the box ended with a dribbled shot from 10 yards which went through a defender’s legs and agonisingly trickled into the far corner to give Teignmouth the three points.

Ultimate disappointment for Creddy after huge effort was put in, but confidence can be gained by going toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the league and pushing them all the way. Man of the match was Nathan Keast.

United have another difficult away trip tomorrow, Saturday, March 19, with a short trip to Exminster against Championship-chasing St Martin’s.

Then, next Tuesday, March 22 United welcome local rivals Exwick to Lords Meadow for a 7.30pm kick off.

Nathan Keast